Top Newsmakers of 2025: Rurmell McGee, Developer working to revitalize Regency Square Mall site
By Karen Brune Mathis & Ric Anderson
Rurmell McGee, founder of Lake City-based Blackwater Development LLC, made a splash April 9 when he and partners paid $19.1 million for the bulk of the largely vacant and deteriorating Regency Square Mall.
They renamed it The Nexus at Regency and pledged to redevelop the prominent property with multifamily communities, financial institutions and nationally recognized retail brands.
The 58-year-old mall anchors Arlington at 9501 Arlington Expressway, at northwest Atlantic Boulevard and Monument Road. Blackwater Development bought 960,162 square feet of commercial space, while three large structures – Impact Church, Dillard’s Clearance Center and the closed Sears department store – remain separately owned and are not part of the redevelopment.
McGee closed the mall interior May 31 and launched the first phase of redevelopment of the 77-acre property in September with civil engineering plans that show initial work will include new roads and infrastructure providing access to future outparcels; the installation of water, sewer and electric systems to service the outparcels; development of a new roundabout at the main entrance; and a landscaping plan.
“We can begin unlocking the front 11 acres and creating opportunities for new tenants to join this transformational project,” McGee said.
Outparcel retailers have emerged to include Chase Bank, Dutch Bros Coffee, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and possibly Circle K.
“The Regency Square Mall is the front door to Arlington, and we believe a reimagined site will serve as a catalyst for future revitalization in the community for years to come,” McGee said upon the purchase.
