“Fun” and “Fresh” Stuff Coming To New Tampa!

Good news for those bemoaning the lack of things to do with the kids in New Tampa, as well as the number of empty “big box” stores in New Tampa — an Urban Air Adventure Park is on the way to the Market Square at Tampa Palms, the shopping center anchored by BJ’s Wholesale Club on Commerce Palms Dr..

And it’s not alone.

While Urban Air Adventure Park will fill the former home of HH Gregg, Taza Market, an Indian supermarket and eatery, is expected to take over the old Staples location.

Urban Air Adventure is a Texas-based entertainment center franchise with locations all over the U.S.. The New Tampa location will be the company’s 10th in Florida, which includes centers in nearby Lakeland and Port Richey.

It has already announced on its website that it is coming to New Tampa, and according to plans filed with the City of Tampa, the facility will be 28,000 sq. ft. and include areas for a warrior course, spin/flip zone, slam dunk zone, family zone, wipe out area, adventure hub and private rooms for parties to go with a full service cafe.

The award-winning indoor activity center, which calls itself the “ultimate indoor playground for your entire family” and says it is more than just a trampoline park, typically offers high-flying activities, such as a Sky Rider Coaster, climbing walls and elevated ropes course, to name a few.

Taza Market, according to plans filed with the city, will be a 16,382-sq.-ft. Indian super market with fresh food made daily and a cafe-like area of roughly 1,700 sq. ft. with seating for 80.

Taza in Hindi translates to “fresh”.

Cypress Creek Town Center Area Still Rockin’

Main Event is under construction.

The S.R. 56 corridor just west of I-75 continues to be the hottest area in what we like to call Wesley Chapel.

Here’s a few projects picking up steam:

* On the north side of S.R. 56 between Bahama Breeze and the Hyatt Place Hotel & Conference Center, a La-Z-Boy furniture store has broken ground.

Headquartered in Monroe, MI, La-Z-Boy is best known for its recliners, although it offers a complete line of furniture.

The Wesley Chapel store will be 13,650 sq. ft., and will soon have company, as a 15,664-sq.-ft. parcel is being developed for retail/restaurant.

The nearest La-Z-Boy showroom is located on N. Dale Mabry Hwy., and there also are locations in New Port Richey, Brandon and Clearwater.

La-Z-Boy will be the fifth furniture store to open in roughly a 4-mile stretch on S.R. 56, joining Rooms To Go (intersection of S.R. 56 and BBD), Ashley, Haverty’s and the 70,000-sq.ft. El Dorado Furniture, which has not yet begun construction in Brightwork Crossing (next to the new Wawa, where 54, 56 and Wesley Chapel Blvd. meet).

 * Main Event, which will offer bowling, laser tag and a restaurant/bar, and the KISS-themed restaurant/bar Rock N’ Brews are both under construction on S.R. 56, east of the Tampa Premium Outlets.

Rock ‘N Brews received approval from county planners to begin construction on Aug. 30, while Main Event has been under construction since July.

* Also potentially sharing the same space with the two eateries will be Cigars International, which filed site plans on Sept. 5 with the county to build a 9,497-sq. ft. store according to permitting records.

Cigars International, according to its website, is “the King Kong of cigar companies.” It was established in 1996 in Bethlehem, PA, and deals in all things related to cigars. It has a large online presence, and a Wesley Chapel location would only be its fifth store/center, joining two others in Bethlehem, one in Hamburg, PA and one in The Colony, TX.

The store would be flanked by the two roads used to get to Main Event, Rock ‘N Brews and the Saltgrass Steakhouse, which is still only in the planning stages.

* Representatives from 7-Eleven were scheduled to meet with county planners on Sept. 16 to propose building a 3,500-sq.-ft. gas station/convenience store on the southeast corner of Overpass Rd. and Boyette Rd.

* Aldi has begun construction just a little north and west of Costco, and it will be one of two new stores in our area.

Plans have been filed with Hillsborough County to rezone the property of the old Ruby Tuesday off BBD in Highwoods Preserve to make room for a proposed Aldi in New Tampa. — JCC