Congratulations To Wesley Chapel’s Top Of The Class Of 2023!

We wish we could congratulate every student graduating from Wesley Chapel’s three high schools, but we simply don’t have room to even list every name in these pages. Rather than just do our usual recognition of each school’s valedictorian and salutatorian, freelance correspondent Celeste McLaughlin aimed a little higher — or lower, in this case — as she actually got the top-10 students (with just a few exceptions) in the 2022-23 graduating classes of Cypress Creek, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools to provide some pretty terrific information about themselves for this article and photo spread. Congrats on a job well done, Celeste, and to all of those graduating at and near the top of their respective classes! Get ready to don those caps & gowns! — GN

Cypress Creek High

1. Anastasia Bogdatova 

(Co-Valedictorian/not pictured)

GPA: 4.7182

College planning to attend: University of South Florida

1. Sienna Silvest (Co-Valedictorian)

GPA: 4.7054

Clubs/Activities: Varsity weightlifting (captain). Varsity cheer (co-captain & team academic advisor). National Honor Society (NHS; secretary).

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned Major or Future Career: Geology & Sustainability Studies

Best thing about High School: Being involved in sports & senior activities like Powderpuff and Grad Bash.

2. Reagan Alapa (Co-Salutatorian)

GPA: 4.602

Clubs/Activities: Varsity & club softball, varsity weightlifting, National History Day Fair researcher, youth softball summer camp coach, NHS.

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Political Science

Best thing about high school: The freedom to define who you are as a person, the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them, time to figure out where my values and passions lie and opportunities to pursue those passions through a variety of extracurricular activities.

2. Sarah Nasreen Raza (Co-Salutatorian)

GPA: 4.602

Clubs/Activities: NHS, NEHS, Girl Scouts, volunteer at Moffitt Cancer Center, Radiant Hands, Feeding Tampa Bay

College planning to attend: University of South Florida

Planned major or future career: Biomedical Sciences

Best thing about high school: Dedication from my teachers, always ready to answer my questions and have their doors open for tutoring when I’m dealing with a difficult topic.

4. Brian Roof

GPA: 4.6019

Clubs/Activities: ASL Club, ASL Honor Society, NHS, volunteering at Wesley Chapel Elem.

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned Major: Engineering

Best thing about high school: Being able to make connections and friends that will last a lifetime and the unique ability to get involved with various clubs, communities, and activities. 

6. Advika Snigda Duggudurti (not pictured)

Clubs/Activities: Piano, including musical performance exams and theory exams conducted by Trinity College London. NHS (VP of service)

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Planned major or future career: Biomedical sciences/microbiology major, planning to attend med school in the future

Best thing about high school: My best friends who helped make happy memories with me. 

7. Gabriel M. Fernandez

GPA: 4.5686

Clubs/Activities: NHS, Tampa Bay United Recreational Soccer, volunteering, Phi Theta Kappa

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Nurse anesthetist

Best thing about high school: How I found myself & became independent.

8. Colin Mendoza

GPA: 4.549

Clubs/Activities: NHS

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Computer Science

Best thing about high school: Meeting new friends and talking to old ones.

9. Name: Madeleine Ward (not pictured)

GPA: 4.5313

Best thing about high school: Learned how to create decent study habits and conquer procrastination.

10. Nouri Clarke

GPA: 4.5196

Clubs/Activities: Robotics Club 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Computer Science 

Best thing about high school: Getting to make friends.

Wesley Chapel High

1. Julia (Faith) Olsen (Valedictorian)

GPA: 4.66

Clubs/Activities: NHS

College planning to attend: University of South Florida

Planned major or future career: Nursing

Best thing about high school: The teachers and staff!

2. Olivia Kawalya (Salutatorian)

GPA:  4.637

Clubs/Activities: Colorguard & Winterguard, African Student Association, NHS, Spanish NHS.

College planning to attend: Georgia Institute of Technology

Planned major or future career: Computer Science

Best thing about high school: All the time I spent and friends I made through Colorguard

3. Hannah Burkhart 

GPA:  4.630

Clubs/Activities: Colorguard/Winterguard

College planning to attend: University of Central Florida 

Planned major or future career: Optical or Photonics Engineering

Best thing about high school: Spending time with friends and laughing until we felt like we couldn’t breathe.

4. Alex Leon  

GPA:  4.58

Clubs/activities: NHS, NEHS, Envirothon, SNHS

College planning to attend: University of Central Florida 

Planned major or future career: Major in Communication Sciences & Disorders and Master’s degree in Speech & Language Pathologist

Best thing about high school: The clubs 

5. Alexis Simpson 

GPA: 4.57

Clubs/Activities: Clean Earth Club, National English Honor Society, NHS, Science National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Varsity Tennis, JV Cheer, Steering Class of 2023

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major: Computer Science

Best thing about high school: Making new friends and exploring interests through clubs. 

6. Isabella Guzman

GPA: 4.57

Clubs/Activities: Founder of the Art & Gaming Club, NHS, NEHS, Best Buddies Club & Gay Straight Alliance. 

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: I am majoring in Biology, following the pre-med track. I’m aiming for a future career in invasive cardiology. 

Best thing about high school: My friends! The experiences I’ve had alongside them have always brightened my day, providing me with many memories to forever cherish.

7. Wen Yang

GPA: 4.56

Clubs/Activities: Clean Earth Club, president. Science National Honor Society, president. NHS, historian. NEHS, Spanish NHS 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Biology

Best thing about high school: All of the relationships with classmates and teachers that are formed and being able to enjoy my teenage years with friends and people who helped make it enjoyable.

8. Samantha Tejerero

GPA: 4.55

Clubs/Activities: NHS

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Planned major or future career: Nursing

Best thing about high school: Prom and Homecoming dances 

9. Elizabeth Mays

GPA: 4.53

Clubs/Activities: Student Government, NHS, NEHS, tennis

College planning to attend: Florida Gulf Coast University

Major: Elementary Education, Master in speech pathology

Best thing about high school: The opportunity to do dual enrollment classes!

10. Preston Hammons

GPA: 4.51

Clubs/Activities: GSA, NHS, Science NHS, writing.

College planning to attend: Florida Institute of Technology

Planned major or future career: Biomedical Engineer

Best thing about high school: Progressing and developing through the years. Not only academically, but also socially and emotionally, meeting new friends, development of new passions and even learning itself.

Wiregrass Ranch High

1. Elizabeth “Ellie” Gage (Co-Valedictorian)

GPA: 4.783 

Clubs/Activities: Equestrian, independent animator, animal enthusiast 

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Undergrad in Zoology, hopefully followed by a DVM and a career as an exotic animal veterinarian. 

Best thing about high school: The opportunities it grants you. You get to learn so much about yourself and who you want to become.

1. Landyn Williams (Co-Valedictorian)

GPA: 4.7213

Clubs/Activities: Varsity cross country, varsity basketball, varsity track, NHS, Fellowship of Christian Athletes

College planning to attend: University of Central Florida

Planned major or future career: Biomedical Sciences/Doctor

Best thing about high school: Going to the State Championships with my cross country team. Surrounding myself with people who lift me up and inspire me has made the past four years incredible.

3. Marissa Adams

GPA: 4.6967

Clubs/Activities: NHS, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Computer Science Honor Society, Rho Kappa History Honor Society, Best Buddies, Chamber Orchestra/Principal’s Quartet, Varsity Tennis

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned Major/Future Career: Political Science

Best thing about high school: I have really enjoyed the friendships that I’ve made throughout high school. They have helped to balance out the rigor of my coursework and make high school a good experience.

4. Rebecca Rose Nieves 

GPA: 4.6667

Clubs/Activities: Basketball all four years of high school, Coach’s Award. Musician at church. Phi Theta Kappa. NHS, Legacy, National Hispanic recognition program.  

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Major/career: Biology. Plan to go to Medical School and become an anesthesiologist. 

Best thing about High School: Learning about myself and about who I want to be as a person. In high school you really are exposed to many different types of people and I was able to learn from them and become a better person because of it.

5. Ella Riddle

GPA: 4.6522

Clubs/Activities: Work at Sand Pine Elem.

College planning to attend: Nova Southeastern University

Planned major or future career: Marine Biology

Best thing about high school: Having the opportunity to succeed in many different ways.

6. Christian Rios

GPA: 4.6475

Clubs/Activities: Soccer, piano, science fair, chess

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Major: Architecture

Best thing about High School: When I got to pet a pony in freshman year.

7. Emaan Ahmed

GPA: 4.6452

Clubs/Activities: HOSA, Key Club, NHS, SADD club, Mu Alpha Theta, volunteering at AdventHealth

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Biology/Pre-med

Best thing about high school: Lifelong friends that make the high school experience so much better.

8. Ella Rivera 

GPA: 4.6316

Clubs/Activities: NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, CNA Program, SNHS, job as gymnastics coach 

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Major: Biomedical Sciences 

Best thing about high school: Finding my best friends. My best friend Rachel & I have gotten each other through high school. I don’t know what I would do without her.

9. Kate Niehoff

GPA: 4.625

Clubs/Activities: NHS (president). Earth Club (secretary). Class of 2023 Senator for 4 years, Key Club, Student Council, State Delegate for Florida Science and Engineering Fair 2023. Science NHS, Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society, Event & Auction Manager for Uncork for a Cause.

College planning to attend: Florida State University

Planned major or future career: Double major in psychology & criminology

Best thing about high school: I’ve taken a lot of great classes that have challenged me and helped me grow into a stronger person. 

10. Megan Kelly

GPA: 4.6140

Clubs/Activities: School newspaper, photo editor. NEHS, secretary. NHS, Key Club, dual enrollment AA degree with 4.0 college GPA from PHSC.

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Accounting & Data Analytics 

Best thing about high school: Being so close to my friends and family, and I will definitely miss that when I go college. However, I am looking forward to growing independently in college while I pursue my academic goals, participate in clubs and volunteering, and build new relationships.

Your CBD Store/Get SunMed Wesley Chapel For Great Quality & Service

Lisa Feigel of Your CBD Store/Get SunMed Wesley Chapel on S.R. 54 has the top-quality CBD products and expertise you need to help both you and your pets.

Whether you’re looking for natural products that can help relieve pain or anxiety — whether for you or your pets — Lisa Feigel, the owner of Your CBD Store/Get SunMed Wesley Chapel, has not only the quality products you need, but also extensive knowledge of her ever-expanding product line to make sure you end up with the best possible all-natural solution to your problem.

With her extensive knowledge of CBD, or Cannabidiol, as well as one of the top-rated product lines to sell, SunMed, Lisa says she can help just about anyone who walks through the door of her Your CBD Store/Get SunMed Wesley Chapel in the Freedom Plaza on S.R. 54.

“I am a big believer in CBD,” says Lisa, who opened her Wesley Chapel store in August 2019. “I believe in what it can do, and I think that most people who try it will almost always come back again.”

While CBD is derived from hemp (as is cannabis, or marijuana), it contains less than 0.3% of THC, and thus, does not produce any of the psychoactive effects of “weed.” However, CBD still retains all of the medicinal benefits of cannabis, the uses of which go back thousands of years.

Lisa’s SunMed CBD products have a wide range of effects on a wide range of maladies, from anxiety to sleep deprivation to pain management, and more. According to a recent New York Times story, Brightfield Group (a cannabis market research firm) conducted a survey of 5,000 people, revealing that 60 percent of CBD users have taken it for anxiety, followed by chronic pain, insomnia and depression.

“I have suffered intense paranoia and anxiety for most of my adult life,” says Sam Crook, one of Lisa’s regular customers. “Lisa was very VERY informative, patient, and just overall pleasant as she walked me through the options. Taking her advice, I purchased a few products and life has never felt better for me.”

By eliminating some of the things that had been holding him back, Crook says he has gotten a new lease on life with Your CBD Store/Get SunMed Wesley Chapel products.

“With my anxiety and neuroses diminished, I feel more confident, more productive at my job and sleep better than I ever have,” says Crook, “Physically, I have more energy (than I’ve had) in years. These things are literal game changers.”

More and more people are experiencing the benefits of CBD. According to a story posted by Forbes.com, national CBD sales hit $4.6 billion in 2020 (just two years after hemp-derived cannabinoids were federally legalized), and some forecasters are predicting a U.S. market of roughly $20 billion by 2025.

SunMed grows its hemp in Oregon and Colorado, and is processed by a third party lab in Palmetto, FL.  The company uses a CO2 extraction, which means there are no carcinogens or ethanol in its products. 

SunMed’s carcinogen-free products have the USDA Organic designation, and are labeled with  QR codes, so users can see exactly what they are putting into their bodies.

Updated ‘Delta’ Info
For Delta 8 and Delta 9 CBD products that go Above & Beyond, visit Your CBD Store/Get SunMed Wesley Chapel.

Delta 8 and Delta 9 products are for more extreme and chronic concerns. 

Delta 9 can produce some psychoactive effects, but does not require a medical marijuana card. In fact, Lisa says many medical cannabis card holders have come into her store looking for a less expensive way to get the same benefits. 

The difference between Delta 9 and Delta 8 is just one particular chemical bond appearing on the eighth carbon molecule instead of the ninth. 

“Delta 8 was a big deal when it was introduced in 2021 and really brought more people in to check us out,” Lisa says, adding that some of her customers have told her using Delta 8 has provided them with “the best sleep of their lives.”

CBG, or cannabigerol, and CBN, or cannabinerol, are Broad and Full spectrum products that can provide a drowsy effect which can aid with sleeping, while CBG is touted more for its “pick me up” and potential therapeutic, anti-inflammatory effects.

CBG is known as  the “super momma of cannabinoids” and Lisa says the topical pain cream version of it is one of her store’s best sellers.

Whether by cream, oil, gummy, water soluble or vape, Lisa says her store offers multiple ways to get her CBD products into your system. “Everyone has a preference,” she says, “but really, there’s no wrong way of taking CBD. It’s just a matter of getting it in you.”

For those who need a boost in losing weight, there is now TRIM! 

She says SunMed’s TRIM is the only CBD weight-loss product on the market, adding that, “in a 90-day clinical study of 120 people, participants lost up to 18 pounds, six inches around the waist and eight points in their BMI (Body Mass Index).

TRIM features THC-V, which it says is a non-psychoactive compound in hemp known to naturally suppress your appetite. This product can be taken as an edible, oil, or capsule. 

“There are always new products coming out all the time,” Lisa says. “TRIM has been very popular. It’s just another way that CBD can help make your life easier.”

As for your fur babies, CBD has proven to be effective in relaxing pets who have anxiety,  suffer from thunderstorms and fireworks. Your CBD Store has a variety of products, including the newest ones — Chillin’ Out (for relaxation) and Movin’ Easy (for mobility and aches and pains) broad spectrum hemp chews for dogs and cats. 

Stop in to Lisa’s beautiful boutique style store and try a free sample while she and her staff educate you on which CBD product is best for you!

Your CBD Store/Get SunMed Wesley Chapel (30044 S.R. 54) is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday & by appointment only on Sunday. For more info, call (813) 536-0119, visit getsunmed.com  or search “YourCBDStoreWesleyChapel” on Facebook and Instagram. 

TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar Adds Brunch &…A Robot? 

TrebleMakers’ co-owners (l.-r.) Joe Hess, Lee Bevan & Jamie Hess.

I’ve said this before but, as much as we love live music, Jannah and I don’t visit Treble Makers Dueling Piano Restaurant & Bar in the Village at The Grove every week for the weekend dueling piano shows. Don’t get me wrong, the shows are great — as are the free solo piano shows beginning at 6 p.m. every Thursday-Saturday. 

The shrimp tacos are served with house-made crispy potato chips. 
You can enjoy TrebleMakers’ delicious chicken bruschetta for brunch or dinner!

But, for those who still have never enjoyed a meal at TrebleMakers, I can’t urge you strongly enough to check it out for everything from its delicious fresh fish (the coconut curry grouper is one of executive chef Kevin Maggard’s true masterpieces) and seafood (love the diver scallops and many rave about the shrimp tacos), plus excellent steaks (the filet mignon and thick-cut prime rib are my favorites), great chicken options (like my latest favorite, the bruschetta chicken shown left), delicious pastas and starters like the seared ahi tuna, the fried calamari in sweet Thai chili sauce, the potato gnocchi, crispy Brussels sprouts and their most popular appetizer, the baked Imperial crab dip.

And, even though Jannah and I have been frequent visitors for lunch at TrebleMakers from the moment it opened in Sept. 2020, we now have a new reason to visit and enjoy it — the super-yummy Sunday brunch!

When all three of Jannah’s kids came to visit recently, we got her entire family together at TrebleMakers so that yours truly could check out the different brunch items being offered by TrebleMakers co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess and Lee Bevan.

One piece of good news is that if you’re not a fan of bottomless mimosas for only $15 per person (or bottomless champagne for just $20 per person) or eating eggs at lunch time, no matter what day of the week it is, most of TrebleMakers’ entire delicious menu also is available during the Sunday brunch hours — 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

And, it appears the word about the brunch has already gotten out, as our party of 13 was only the second largest the Sunday we visited and there were a number of other tables on hand, all raving not only about the food, but also the recently added robot server (photo, below, and more on that below). 

About The Brunch Menu…    

The brunch specialty that isn’t on the regular lunch or dinner menu at TrebleMakers that most appealed to yours truly is the “Feather & Waffles,” which features super-crispy, house-brined chicken breast, served atop a Belgian-style waffle and served with applewood-smoked bacon, two eggs served your choice of sunny side up or scrambled, and real maple syrup.

Another brunch-only option sampled at our table was the fried egg smash burger, which features sausage-infused brisket smash patties on a brioche roll, cheddar cheese, that crispy applewood-smoked bacon, with lettuce, tomato, onion and garlic aioli, topped off by an over-easy fried egg and served with TrebleMakers’ super-crispy fries.

One option we didn’t try that I look forward to sampling in the future is the Treble Classic Platter, featuring TrebleMakers’ exclusive 12-hour espresso-rubbed brisket, roasted garlic hash, with Cuban toast, two sunny-side-up or scrambled eggs, bacon and maple sausage links. Also available on the brunch menu are Cuban avocado toast, featuring a La Segunda Bakery Cuban loaf, fresh Haas avocado smash, cherry tomato, everything bagel seasoning and local micro greens (you can even add two fried eggs to this one), brioche French toast, fried deviled crab Benny (with a honey deviled crab cake and potato hash on an English muffin) and the brisket skillet Treble hash with bell peppers, Brussels sprouts and a fried egg. All of the brunch menu items are only $13-$16 each. Kids menu items (including penne marinara, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and a kids cheeseburger) are all just $7 each. There’s even a solo piano show every Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 

TrebleMakers also served a special, “not your typical” Easter buffet brunch on Apr. 9, with chef-inspired stations for $44.95 per person ($39.95 for those aged 65+ and $19.95 for kids ages 5-12, 4 & under free). Jamie says many of the same items will be repeated for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, so make your reservations now!

And yes, after seeing how efficient a robot server was at an Asian restaurant in New Tampa, Jamie, Joe and Lee decided to invest in a robot server for TrebleMakers. 

“And, rather than replacing our servers,” Jamie says, “it’s helped them and our busboys work more efficiently, as the robot brings the food to the table, so the server only has to put the plates in front of each patron.” The robot also politely asks for people to move out of its way and even plays ‘Happy Birthday!”

TrebleMakers (6034 Wesley Grove Blvd.) is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more information, call (813) 406-4371, visit TrebleMakersofWC.com.

Business Briefs — Celebrating Flip Flop Shops & PetSmart Vet Services 

The Flip Flop Shop in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza Grand Opening celebration in Wesley Chapel. (All photos by Charmaine George)

The Flip Flop Shop, which has been open since February 4 in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza (across from the Shops at Wiregrass) on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., south of S.R. 56, held a Grand Opening and North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon-cutting event on April 1.

Owners Traci and Kevin Taylor decided to relocate to Florida from Colorado after visiting their son for his Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) graduation from the U.S. Navy EOD School in Destin in 2018. 

The artwork displayed on the walls of their Flip Flop Shop tells the story of what compelled them to make the move to Florida, after a memorable day on the beach with their son. It was during that picturesque moment sitting on the beach looking out at the water with drinks in their hands when they looked at each other and said, “Well, this doesn’t suck.” 

After they made the move to Florida and Kevin retired, they searched for a franchise that would allow them to add their own personalities to their location.

That’s when they found Flip Flop Shops. And, even though they ended up moving to Riverview themselves, Traci, a long-time fan of Walt DisneyWorld in Orlando, said it was the family-driven culture in our area that solidified their choice to open their own Flip Flop Shop in Wesley Chapel. 

Kevin also mentioned that their choice made sense since most people in the Sunshine State wear some form of flip flops or casual wear and, “the Flip Flop Shops (company) is California-based (with more than 50 locations across North America, including now five in the Tampa Bay area), but it has a very Florida feel.”

During the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests were urged to grab food and spin the prize wheel, which awarded guests a prize from one of the Flip Flop Shop’s manufacturers. The shop offers a wide variety of flip flops and casual wear, as well as accessories that support conservation and other causes. The Taylors were happy to walk guests around and show them some of their most popular brands, including Oofoos, Crocs, and Hey Dude. They even have a variety of Jibbitz charms for those who love to customize their Crocs. 

Traci and Kevin truly embody the family culture that drove them to open their Flip Flop Shop, and it showed as they interacted with guests. “We want to treat everyone who walks in the door like family,” Kevin said.

Flip Flop Shops Wesley Chapel is located at 1752 Bruce B Downs Blvd. For more information, call (813) 994-8204 or visit FlipFlopShops.com.

PetSmart Veterinary Services

The PetSmart Veterinary Services location in The Grove held a recent Grand Opening celebration in Wesley Chapel. 

Two weeks earlier, the PetSmart at The Grove in Wesley Chapel unveiled its new Veterinary Services with a self-hosted Grand Opening and Open House on March 18.

The Grand Opening event was held on a Saturday, which meant that on your way to the back of the store where the new vet services are located, you were greeted by cats and kittens up for adoption. Rescue Cats of Florida is at PetSmart at The Grove every Saturday with cats and kittens all eager to find loving “fur-ever” homes. If you have your vet appointment on a Saturday or you’re in the area, you can stop by and see if any of the playful cats are right for you.

Veterinary partners Dr. Alejandra Navarro and Dr. Leslie Block went all out for their Grand Opening. Guests were able to meet the staff, partake in a free photo booth with their pets, eat slices of Marco’s Pizza, plus Crumbl Cookies, cupcakes and other sweets, and sign up for appointments at the Vet Services kiosk. Dr. Navarro and Dr. Block have more than 26 years of combined experience and can’t wait to meet everyone’s fur babies.

The Grove PetSmart’s Veterinary Services is a privately owned, full-service hospital offering anything from vaccines to dental work and even surgeries. They also offer walk-ins and drop-offs for those who have busy schedules, as well as a cat room where they have pheromone diffuser plug-ins and scratching posts to help make visits for your cats as easy and cat-friendly as possible. 

Dr. Navarro also is bilingual, so she can help clients who feel most comfortable communicating in Spanish. She said that she is one of those people who knew from an early age that she wanted to be a vet. 

“I like making pet care simple and accessible to clients and not overwhelming, which it sometimes can be,” she said. “I want to be there for all stages of your pet’s life, from family introductions to navigating through older age.”

You can meet Dr. Navarro, Dr. Block and their friendly staff at 6001 Wesley Grove Blvd. For more information or to book your appointment, call (813) 761-1241 or visit PetSmart.com. 

Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Begins Leasing

This is a recent construction photos showing the progress of Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. (All photos and graphics on these pages provided by Nye Commercial Advisors, LLC)

Although The Grove has a big head start staking its claim as Wesley Chapel’s “official” downtown — with the expansion of “The Village,” the addition of the KRATE Container Park and the addition of new apartments and Grove Mini Golf, plus a new SuperTarget store, a new competitor has finally joined the discussion:

The Avalon Park Group has announced today that it is partnering with Nye Commercial Advisors, LLC, to lease 23,720 square feet of commercial/retail space in the 73,067 mixed-use Building, “DT1,” located in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

 DT1 is the first of three buildings planned for the first phase of the long-awaited downtown section of this master planned community.  The three-story building now under construction is comprised of the 23,720 sq. ft. of commercial/retail space that will be located below 40-unit multi-family, for- rent apartment homes.

The additional components planned for Phase 1 include a 97,000-sq.-ft. mixed-use building with 21,000 sq. ft. of commercial/retail space below 60-unit multi-family, for-rent apartment homes, a 103-unit multi-family building and a two-acre town park, which is expected to break ground later this year.

 “Our relationship with the Nye team goes back more than 30 years, when we initially purchased the property,” says Beat Kahli, the president and CEO of Avalon Park Group. “Nye’s deep roots in the Wesley Chapel community, and their commercial expertise, make them the perfect partner to bring needed commercial uses to Downtown Avalon Park and eastern Pasco County.”

This is a recent construction photos showing the progress of Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

 Upon completion, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will encompass more than 1,600 acres and will be home to approximately 400,000 sq. ft. of retail and 100,000 sq. ft. of office space in its unique downtown. The initial construction in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel began in 2018, with the addition of the Pinecrest Academy K-7 Charter School. Pinecrest Academy also is now building its second phase, which includes the addition of approximately 600 6th-8th grade student stations.

 “Wesley Chapel continues to grow each day,” says Brent Nye, the executive director of Nye Commercial Advisors. “We welcome the opportunity to bring the businesses and services needed to Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, which will serve as a downtown for the entire region.”

Nye also says that although they are primarily seeking 3-5-year leases on these first available retail spaces, “We are open to different lease terms.” He adds that no outparcels have been included in the current plan, but, “some land is available and we are open to discussion about that but since we have higher-than-typical suburban densities on our land, one-story uses may be a challenge.”

He adds that although Avalon Park Group is handling the leasing of the 40 residential apartment units separately itself, those units are being built concurrently with the retail spaces below them and are expected to open around the same time, which should be by sometime during the first quarter of 2024, “if everything goes according to plan.”

Please note that certain types of retail uses may not be allowed, including “adult entertainment” uses, and bars and some other retail uses may first have to be approved by Avalon Park Group.

As stated in the official Avalon Park Wesley Chapel website — AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com:

“Do you dream of living where you work and working where you play? Then bring your business home to Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

The rendering above depicts what life will be like in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel when it is completed.  

The distinctive small-town flavor and the convenience of downtown living merge in downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel to create the perfect place to spend an hour or the entire day. Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will bring conveniences like dining, shopping, schools, grocery stores, and your neighborhood doctor within a short walk or bike ride of your home.

In this town, there’s room for every entrepreneur — storefronts, shops, and office bays downtown, as well as rent-by-the-day workspaces for home-based businesses. There will be schools and medical centers where neighbors work. There’s a local Marketplace where chefs serve and musicians play; a commissary kitchen where makers create; and a General Store where artisans will share their wares. And, all of it will lie along the sidewalks of this picturesque town.

Best of all, Avalon Park Wesley Chapel also will offer complimentary advertising and marketing services for our neighborhood businesses, helping you build relationships with the residents in our neighborhood and beyond.

Whatever you need, make your business the talk of the town in one of Central Florida’s fastest-growing areas.”  

For more info about Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 783-1515.  For Phase 1 commercial leasing info, call Nye Commercial Advisors at (813) 973-0214.