Five months after a devastating fire left Dolphin Village’s Publix and neighboring shops in ruins, plans are now moving forward to bring a larger, more modern supermarket back to the barrier island.

New York-based Brixmor Property Group, owner of the fire-damaged shopping center, announced Monday that it will submit development plans to the city for a new 51,000-square-foot Publix Super Market — a major expansion from the previous 33,000-square-foot store.

The proposed design includes covered parking beneath an elevated store, a feature aimed at improving shopper convenience and storm resilience at the 136,000-square-foot grocery-anchored center.

Project approvals and construction are expected to take several years, and an opening date has not yet been determined.

One of St. Petersburg’s largest shopping centers is preparing for a major upgrade.

Gateway Market Center, located six miles north of downtown at 7751-8229 9th Street North, will soon break ground on a new Publix supermarket as part of a broader redevelopment effort led by InvenTrust Properties Inc.

The Illinois-based real estate investment trust, which owns and manages open-air shopping centers nationwide, plans to demolish the 60,450-square-foot Bealls, which recently closed, and replace it with a new 54,964-square-foot Publix, according to plans obtained by St. Pete Rising.

The store will be built adjacent to the existing 37,888-square-foot Publix, which has anchored the site for more than two decades.

The current Publix is expected to stay open during construction to avoid disrupting service, with operations likely shifting to the larger store once it is complete.