Retired New York Fire Department emergency medical technician Stephen Spelman can’t forget 9/11 or the colleagues he lost that day, and he has continued to do everything he can to not let local residents forget it, either, since moving to Wesley Chapel in 2010. Spelman received a piece of the Ladder 18 fire truck destroyed that day from a former fire captain friend of his who also was part of Motts Military Museum in Groveport, OH, where Spelman was scheduled to speak at a 9/11 event in 2017, when Hurricane Irma hit Florida, so he couldn’t make the trip. Spelman arrived at the World Trade Center in his vehicle as the North Tower was getting ready to fall on September 11, 2001. The truck itself was destroyed by falling debris, but the lives of the firefighters from Ladder 18 were saved by jumping under the ladder. “Ironically, I was about 30 yards from that (fire) truck when the North Tower collapsed,” Spelman said. A few weeks after he had to cancel his speaking engagement in Ohio in 2017, Spelman received the piece of the ladder truck in his mailbox.
Spelman was one of the featured speakers at St. Leo’s event on Sept. 8, which also featured Lt. Col. Perry Blackburn from the movie “12 Strong,” as well as Craig Gross, a Gold Star Family member whose son, Cpl. Frank Gross, was killed in Afghanistan, retired NYFD/EMS lieutenant Dominick Maggiori, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman, new St. Leo president Jim Burkee, Bob Hatfield from Congressman Gus Bilirakis’ office and Spelman’s son Matthew.
Simpson said, “Memory fades if it is not told. Thus, the history of September 11 and its heroes must be shared and told.”
Maggiori shared his 9/11 story and of working “on the pile” – the rubble of the World Trade Center towers. “We heard a jet, and the work stopped,” he said. “Then we saw it was a [U.S.] fighter jet and there was a sigh of relief. Somebody has got our back.”
And it was more than just the U.S. military. “People came from all over,” Maggiori said, bringing water, food, and volunteering in any way they could to assist those involved in rescue and recovery. “Everyone pulled together.”
As a Green Beret, Blackburn was one of the first Americans on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11. “I was the leader of the greatest fighting force on the ground,” he told the audience at Saint Leo.
They rode on horseback with Afghans, “hunting those responsible, and I was proud be help to defeat the Taliban and Al-Qaida,” he said. “The American soldier is not an individual. 9/11 brought out the best in all Americans. We stood together. We prayed together. That’s the part I carry with me every day. Show up for one another.”
For Spelman, the event at Saint Leo as well as the memorial featuring the piece of the ladder truck, is about carrying on the legacy – the legacy of those lost, of those who battle cancer and other illnesses from their time working in the dust and debris, and those who suffer mental anguish, alcoholism, and drug addiction following that horrific day. “I wasn’t prepared for what I saw,” Spelman said. “It was the horror of war. I’m not military, but it seemed like a battlefield.”
He was teaching at the NY fire academy when the first terrorist struck, grabbed what gear he could find, headed to his duty station, and then toward the towers, going the wrong way on the street.
“We could see people jumping from the building, and we weren’t even close [yet],” he said. “We could see the towers engulfed in flames about midway up.”
A NYFD lieutenant sent him and his team to look inside police and other vehicles parked nearby to see if anyone was alive. The lieutenant ran the opposite direction toward the towers. “I’m alive,” Spelman said. “He saved my life.”
He told the Neighborhood News after the event, “There were like 180 people there. It was an amazing event.”
Never Forget
The In Their Honor 5K kicked off the events at 7:30 a.m. today (September 8) and the route through Saint Leo’s campus featured more than 300 photos of firefighters who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Funds raised through the event will support the sponsoring organizations and charities, including the creation of the Children of Heroes Scholarship at Saint Leo University. Representing the shared mission between the Pasco Patriots Association and Saint Leo University, this fund will provide tuition assistance for first responders and the children of fallen and catastrophically injured first responders. Tom DeLuca, executive director of the Pasco Patriots Association and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, served as the emcee for the memorial program.
Coming across the 5K finish line first was Kevin Perez, a University of South Florida student and a member of the Suncoast Battalion of Army ROTC. Right behind him was Austin Curtis, also a USF student and ROTC member.
All eyes were on the sky following the 5K as parachutists Rian Kanouff, Keith Hanley, and Patrick Fortune of Fortune’s Flags in the Air and Skydive First Project, glided to the ground with Fortune carrying a billowing U.S. flag.
Bagpipers Gemma Riggs and Thomas Fritz played as everyone entered Saint Leo’s Wellness Center for the memorial program, which featured a prayer by Mike D’Ambrosio, mayor of the town of St. Leo, and the national anthem performed by Marlee Michael.
Sponsors The sponsors for the event were the town of St. Leo, Chick-fil-A Zephyrhills, Totally Blu Pools, and Campus Gear and Trade Mark Sales.
Beneficiaries Funds raised support the following nonprofit organizations: Saint Leo University – Scholarship, Pasco Patriots Association, 18 Series Coffee Co., AFG Free, Cryoeeze22, Krewe De Forti, PCRetiredK-9 (Pasco County Retired K9), Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and Warrior Wellness.
Due to a new state law implemented for the start of the 2025-26 school year, students in grades K-8 can no longer be on their phones during school and high school students can only use their phones at lunch time. (Photo is a stock image not taken at a Pasco County School District school)
A new state law in use for the first time for the 2025-26 school year says students can’t use cell phones or any wireless devices during the school day. And so far, it looks like school administrators, teachers, parents and maybe even students in the Wesley Chapel area are glad for the change.
“I don’t want to jinx myself,” says Cypress Creek Middle School principal Tim Light, “but I haven’t gotten any pushback.”
He says students have been respectful, and it’s nice to see that they don’t have earbuds in as they’re walking around school. Teachers don’t mind that they have to use school technology, such as laptop computers, rather than students using their own phones for technology-based learning.
Next door at Cypress Creek High, principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles agrees that not having the students wearing headphones is positive for campus culture. “They’re talking to each other and talking to us adults,” Hetzler-Nettles says. “It makes them more communicative.”
Where students may have been in their own headspaces listening to music before, she explains that now they are smiling and saying “Good morning” in a friendly way.
At the high school level, students are allowed to use their phones during lunch, which Hetzler-Nettles says comes toward the end of the day, and she feels is a fair use of personal devices.
Other than at lunch time, high school students have to have their phones off or in airplane mode from the time they arrive on campus until dismissal, including passing periods.
“Parents want their kids to come here and learn,” she says, “and not have all the distractions. We’re all on the same page.”
Kelly Grills is a parent who agrees. A former Pasco County elementary teacher, she says she loved it when the Pasco School District started adding restrictions on the phones a few years ago.
“It’s a huge win for teachers,” she says. “There were so many distractions and issues with [students on their] phones.”
Grills’ three children now attend middle and high school.
“My own children carry them in their backpacks,” she says, explaining that she uses a tracking app, especially for her youngest, who rides his bike to and from school.
Light agrees the distractions have been limited by the policies the District has enacted over the years.
“Years ago, the majority of our discipline was [dealing with] students on phones,” he says.
But now, he explains, there are no students texting each other in a way that causes problems or pulling out phones to shoot video when fights break out.
Even with the stricter rules on kindergarten through eighth grade campuses, where phones aren’t allowed at all — even during lunch — Light thinks the new policy is working well.
“They are able to focus on school and personal, face-to-face relationships,” he says. “Overall student discipline and how students are carrying themselves conduct-wise has changed dramatically for the positive.”
New Tampa Schools Are Adjusting To The New Electronics Law
A new Florida law this school year says students can’t use cell phones or any wireless device during the school day, and so far, school administrators say the change has been welcome.
In many cases, especially at the high school level, it doesn’t look much different than last year, when district policy said phones couldn’t be used during school except if allowed by teachers for instructional purposes.
“We really didn’t need to change much,” says Freedom High principal Kevin Stephenson. “The law just gave us teeth to enforce the rules.”
Communication has been key, with both the district and individual schools providing information about the new policies that align with the law, which went into effect July 1. All devices must be powered off or in airplane mode throughout the school day. For elementary and middle school, that starts when students arrive on campus and lasts until they leave campus at the end of the day. High school administrators have discretion to allow phones at lunch and during passing periods, and teachers may authorize the use of personal devices for instructional purposes.
Students, parents, and administrators admit that enforcement may vary from classroom to classroom, depending on how teachers are enforcing the rules.
“I know it is still a struggle for some students in very few classrooms,” says Eva Chen, assistant principal at Freedom, “but when I called home, the parents were very supportive and aware of the policies in place.”
Sigrun Ragnarsdottir is a New Tampa mom who also teaches middle school robotics at Pierce Middle School, near W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa.
She says it takes some instructional time away, as students have to get laptops out of the laptop cart, power them up, then shut down and put them away before the bell at the end of class. That sometimes leaves a few minutes at the end of class if she’s overestimated how long that process will take.
“It does require more work for me to teach bell to bell,” she says.
But, she adds, “There’s an upside to it. Students aren’t distracted on their phone or trying to find ways to hide the phone anymore.”
LaMarr Buggs, principal of Turner/Bartels K-8 School says, “It’s working for us. Parents are supporting us and it’s being looked at as positive.”
He agrees that the biggest difference is that his students can no longer use electronic devices for instructional purposes. Instead, middle school students at Turner/Bartels start their day by getting a laptop from their homeroom teacher, use it throughout the day for all of their classroom needs, then return it at the end of the day.
He recognizes that parents want their students to have phones, and the law – and school administrators – allow phones to be carried by students, as long as they are put away out of sight in a backpack or purse.
In case of an emergency, those phones are close at hand.
On the day we spoke with him, Turner/ Bartels had been on lockdown for several minutes after a teacher inadvertently pressed a button to trigger the emergency procedures.
“I’m guessing kids were contacting their parents via text during lockdown,” says Buggs, “and that’s okay.”
In fact, he tells students that if they see something dangerous on campus, such as a classmate who brings a weapon, they can use their phones to anonymously report it using the Fortify Florida app provided through the school district.
Of course, they can also report directly to a teacher or administrator, but if they need to use their phone for an emergency, their safety is a priority. And, he says, teachers and administrators are happy for the change.
“They see the difference,” he says. Instead of a school full of kids who have their heads down looking at their devices, “Now, the kid who’s on his phone looks like the odd man out.”
The map above shows the outline of the 20,000+-acre Villages of Pasadena Hills (VOPH) & the approximate, relative positions of Epperson, Mirada, Oak Creek, unincorporated Zephyrhills & more. This is a portion of the Pasco County GIS map, which was modified by NN, as we also added clearer labels for S.R. 54, Overpass Rd., Curley Rd. & Kiefer Rd. This map is also somewhat dated, however, because it doesn’t show the reconfiguration of S.R. 52, although that reconfiguration is shown in the map at the bottom of the page. Please also note that the locations of all markings added by NN are approximate and are not to scale.
Over the past several months (and for years before that), we’ve written a lot about Pasco County’s so-called “Connected City,” a “special land use plan” established the State of Florida in 2015 that already is increasing the size of the Wesley Chapel area by thousands of residences and millions of square feet of commercial uses.
But, not only is the Connected City not alone in Pasco in having a special land use plan, there is another such plan — first established in 2008, and implemented by Pasco in 2009, or six years before the state helped Pasco create the Connected City.
This special land use plan is called The Villages of Pasadena Hills (VOPH), but most Wesley Chapel residents know very little (if anything) about this huge, 20,000+-acre (see top map on this page) land use plan that includes 13 planned villages designated by letters A-M (map below).
“Pasadena Hills” is actually its own “Census Designated Place” — with a 2010 population of more than 7,000 people — some of whom are located in Wesley Chapel.
The Wesley Chapel residents in that number live primarily currently in the 1,162 residences in the Watergrass community north and south of Overpass Rd. and east of Curley Rd., but also in the smaller Oak Creek community, which is just south of Watergrass on the Wesley Chapel (west) wide of Handcart Rd.
But, a lot of those current VOPH residents live east of Handcart Rd. in Zephyrhills, including in the communities of Stonebridge, Hidden Creek and Silverado. The northern boundary of VOPH also touches S.R. 52 and includes a portion of San Antonio and extends to south of the incorporated town of St. Leo.
The only community in VOPH that currently has homes being built is Vida’s Way, which we first told you about several months ago. This Pulte Homes community currently has its 305-home Phase 1 in development, with approximately 300 more in Phase 2, in VOPH Villages L&M (near the bottom of the bottom map, right), but there is a lot more to come.
But, Where?
The map above shows VOPH’s 13 distinct “Villages” (lettered A-M), as well as the area with purple lines designated as “Countryside Area.” The under-development community called Vida’s Way will encompass parts of Villages L&M near the bottom of both maps.
Among the planned communities coming soon to VOPH are two Lennar developments in Village F, one called Twinflowers, with 129 single-family (SF) homes and 60 townhomes, and the other called Acacia Fields, with 204 SF homes. Both of these new subdivisions are located off the existing Tyndall Rd., which is in the VOPH plan to be expanded and connected from Curley Rd. on the west side and east to Handcart Rd.
Also getting ready to build in Village F is Magnolia Island by Homes by WestBay, on the north side of Kiefer Rd., which also is planned to extend from Curley Rd. to Handcart Rd. Magnolia Island is planned to include 269 SF and 120 townhomes.
Two additional communities are getting ready to build in VOPH. One is Chapel Manor by KB Homes, which will be 146 SF homes located east of Handcart Rd. in Village G, which will have Zephyrhills addresses.
Also to be located in unincorporated Zephyrhills will be Pasadena Ridge, by Homes by WestBay, which will build another 579 SF homes in Villages G&H.
In all, that makes 2,112 home sites to be added in VOPH in the near future and all of these new communities — except Phase 1 of Vida’s Way — were just finalized over the summer. Many more communities are being proposed and/or are going through the permitting phase in VOPH, which has entitlements for 41,987 total residential units, 2,260,000 sq. ft. of commercial entitlements and 500,000 sq. ft. of office entitlements. Among those additional developments are:
Harvest Hills South, which is located in Village H, is proposed to include around 300 homes, both SF and townhomes, near Prospect and Handcart Rds.
Depue East MPUD, located in Village L, is planned for 931 acres and could include up to 1,700 single-family homes, 300 townhomes, 300 apartments, and 20,000 sq. ft. of commercial space.
There also is an as-yet-unnamed MPUD proposed for Villages J, K, & G, involving 614 residential units, including 175 townhomes and SF homes, located between Kiefer Rd. and Overpass Rd., west of Handcart Rd.
There also was a rezoning last year in Village B, with plans for 796 dwelling units and 75,000 square feet of non-residential use to be developed on 101 acres of property, but we had no further word on when this possibly community might begin building.
We weren’t able to get confirmation of all of these planned developments from District 1 Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, whose district includes all of VOPH, so we can’t say for sure which are only proposed and which are for certain moving forward.
All of the potential residential and commercial developments are expected to be divided up among all 13 villages — which are themselves divided into four “Village Type” categories, as follows:
Type 1 — Villages D&G — With 9,516 total residential unit entitlements and 1,320,000 sq. ft. of commercial and office entitlements between them, the Type 1 villages are the “most urban” of the villages.
Type 2A — Villages A,C,I&J — With 11,030 total residential unit entitlements and 960,000 sq. ft. of commercial and office entitlements between them, the Type 2A villages contain all of the remaining office and much of the remaining commercial entitlements not included in the Type 1 villages.
Type 2B — Villages B,F,H,L&M — With 17,621 residential unit entitlements and 400,000 sq. ft. of commercial entitlements between them, the Type 2B villages contain most of the remaining commercial entitlements not included in the Type 1 and Type 2A villages.
Type 3 — Villages E&K — With 3,820 residential unit entitlements and 80,000 sq. ft. of commercial entitlements between them, the Type 3 villages only contain “neighborhood commercial” entitlements.
It’s also important to note that roughly 1/3 of VOPH (7,000+ acres) is to be retained and designated as a “Countryside Area,” which is land that will be required to remain rural in character, and cannot be redeveloped in any substantial way. This “Countryside” area is indicated by the purple slashes on the bottom map on pg. 6 that extend from the eastern end of Village I north to the east side of Village A, all in unincorporated Zephyrhills. But again, this is the plan. It remains to be seen if Pasco will allow the plan to be altered.
But, Can It All Work?
If you read (as I have) the entire 50-page document serving as the “blueprint” for the development of VOPH, it’s clear that the intent of the state and county when this special land use plan was established was to create something better than the typical Pasco County community — one with multiple modes of transportation, walkability and lots of parks and green spaces, including a planned 140+-acre “Superpark” that, as it turns out (as we reported in a previous issue) probably isn’t going to end up as a major park site, due to issues with the property set aside for it.
According to that document, the goal of the Pasadena Hills Area Plan is to “Establish a long-term vision for the future of Pasco County that will enhance the livability of the Pasadena Hills area and that will integrate Future Land Use plans and policies with a master transportation network” in a manner that will provide:
• A “smart growth” approach to accommodate additional growth and new development in a sustainable form.
• Long-term mobility.
• A logical extension of urban uses that successfully transitions to existing patterns of rural development.
• The capital construction of services and facilities to serve the new land use form.
The document also talks about the “Planning Framework” that Pasco is supposed to employ “to create a planning framework and implementation strategy that will enhance the livability of Pasco County and preserve its natural, cultural, and physical resources.
Among the planning principles described in the plan are:
• Plan for the logical extension of urban development in a more sustainable form.
• Provide for a variety of land uses and lifestyles to support residents of diverse ages, incomes, and family sizes, including housing that is affordable to residents of Pasco County.
• Reduce automobile trips and trip lengths.
• Create efficiency in planning and provision of infrastructure.
• Allocate development costs appropriately.
• Preserve and protect existing rural enclaves.
• Preserve and protect areas that exhibit existing patterns of rural development along Fort King Road.
• Preserve environmental systems and functional open spaces. That all sounds great on paper, but the fear here, as it always seems to be in Pasco County, is that the people who own the land — with many of the families of the property owners having owned their land for decades — will be incentivized, whether by the county, developers or (usually) both, to abandon the very clear principles set out in the VOPH blueprint in order to maximize profitability for the property owners and tax base for the county.
Considering just how rural the vast majority of the property in VOPH currently is, it’s kind of hard to imagine any type of “Urban Core” anywhere in those thousands of acres, much less one that will be served by an actual working roadway network — especially based on how overrun with traffic the roadways serving most of the existing master-planned communities throughout the county seem to be.
In the 2065 Future Transportation Map shown above, the roadways in orange — which include Curley Rd., Overpass Rd., U.S. Hwy. 301 and most of Clinton Ave./S.R. 52 are all planned to be expanded to six lanes. The roadways in blue — including New River Blvd., Kiefer Rd., what we have been calling the Zephyrhills Bypass (which currently ends at the eastern end of the Chapel Commons community), Handcart Rd. and the eastward extension of Eiland Blvd. (from east of Handcart Rd.) are all planned to be four-laned. And, all of the roadways shown in purple on this map — some of which already exist in some form while others don’t at all yet — are all planned as two-lane roadways criss-crossing VOPH.
Speaking of those improvements, final plans were recently completed by the county to extend Handcart Rd north from where it currently ends at Prospect Rd, thru Villages C & D, to connect up to SR 52. This extension will serve as a primary backbone for the proposed community of Harvest Hills.
Of course, all of these improvements are planned by 2065 — 40 years from now — and while many of the planned two-lane roadways are likely to be developer-built roads, we have no way of knowing how soon any of these improvements will be in place.
All those of you who live in Epperson, Watergrass, Bridgewater, Chapel Pines, Chapel Crossings, etc., or have kids attending any of the schools along Curley Rd. or on Wells Rd. know is that the traffic on Curley Rd. and S.R. 54 already is brutal and isn’t likely to get better anytime soon.
And, speaking of schools, while Metro Development told us for our previous story that the Kirkland Ranch K-8 School, the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation high school and the Innovation Preparatory Academy K-8 school are all located just inside the border of the Connected City, they all appear to be in VOPH, as is Watergrass Elementary (as well as the future Pasco Public Library in Watergrass.
And, although the VOPH “special land use plan” calls for as many as seven school sites within the VOPH boundaries — and we’re assuming the four previously mentioned schools are part of that total, since the pan was originally approved 16 years ago — only one additional school site has so far been proposed in VOPH.
That proposed school, which was only added to the Pasco School District’s plan in June of this year, is at the very northern tip of Village B, at S.R. 52 in San Antonio. Whether that school will be an elementary, middle or high school or a K-8 school has not yet been determined.
Sienna (left) receives her NAM Miss Florida crown from the 2024 winner, Linsay Anderson. (Photos provided by Sienna Romano)
Wesley Chapel resident Sienna Romano is proud to have won the title of Miss Florida in the state National American Miss (NAM) pageant on July 27, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando hotel.
Winning the state crown means that Sienna advances to the NAM National Finals, which will be held the weekend of Thanksgiving, at the same Orlando hotel. The NAM winner will receive her crown on Nov. 30. Sienna says she is hoping to win, not as much for the money (a $5,000 scholarship), the “swag” she’ll win or even the glory, but to continue to be able to help others, which has always been her focus.
“So, unlike Miss America or Miss USA, National American Miss focuses on more than just beauty or talent,” she says. “It’s got a community- service focus and I’ve been doing community service and volunteering my whole life. I believe that makes me a good role model for other girls to get into community service, too.”
In fact, 20-year-old Sienna says, “I have my own initiative called Hope on Hand, where I create and sell suicide awareness bracelets, and I’m trying to take my initiative across the state currently, and hopefully, eventually, across the nation.”
Why suicide awareness? “My best friend, Melissa, committed suicide as a teenager and I had no idea what she was going through,” Sienna says. “That’s what I’m trying to educate others about. The people who are hurting the most on the inside are often the ones who look the happiest on the outside. And, this is a huge problem across the country with teenagers, and it’s only gotten worse with [the growth of] social media.”
Sienna also says she started her community service efforts at a young age.
“When I was really young, me and my mom used to do care packages for the homeless, and we used to hand those out around the city,” she says. “And then, I also volunteered for Sole Hope. You collect donated jeans and you cut out templates for the upper portions of shoes that are donated to children in need,” to provide them with much-needed protection against parasitic foot diseases. “I believe I was in second grade when I volunteered for that charity.” She also volunteered for Cat Haven Rescue, which finds loving homes for unwanted, abandoned and abused cats and kittens.
Sienna says that it took her “about three years” after Melissa committed suicide for her to create Hope on Hand, which is when she started entering pageants last year. “I connect with people and share my best friend’s story and I sell my bracelets and learn other people’s stories,” she says. “I also will be volunteering at a suicide prevention run later this month.”
She was born in North Carolina, but moved to Wesley Chapel with her family in 2016. “I say I was raised in both North Carolina and Wesley Chapel,” she says. She attended John Long Middle School and graduated high school from Wiregrass Ranch High.
Her mom and dad, Linda and Damian, and her sisters Olivia, Ava and Liah, are all “so proud of me. They all cheered so loud when I won!”
Sienna says she will attend the University of South Florida in St. Pete and plans to major in criminology. “I want to be a criminal psychologist,” she says, “because I know a lot of criminals have mental health issues, so I really want to learn about that kind of stuff.”
She’s also hopeful to win the NAM National title, “and travel around the country, spreading the word and educating other people about suicide prevention and awareness.”
And, although the National Finals are also in Orlando, Sienna says that only her ticket to the event is paid for, so she is seeking sponsorships to pay for the other expenses associated with her trip.
If you’re interested in helping out, send Sienna a message on her pageant Instagram: @TheNAMFLMiss.
About The National American Miss (NAM) Pageant
First held in 2003, the National American Miss Pageant is not related to the older Miss America or Miss USA pageants. According to its website, “Our goal is to Grow Confidence and teach Real World Skills.” Check out some of these amazing things about the National American Miss (NAM) Pageant!
• NAM is a program based on the foundational principle of fostering positive self-image by enhancing natural beauty within.
• National American Miss is a program designed for today’s girl and woman. We celebrate America’s greatness and the individuality of each contestant.
• It is a program centered around helping girls and women grow and expand their ideas about who they are and what they want to achieve. We want every contestant to realize that she truly can take hold of her dreams and make them real!
• National American Miss has friendly staff members who will guide you throughout your pageant experience. Each and every team member is committed to opening doors of opportunity for girls that aren’t available anywhere else.
• Our concert-level sound and lighting is unsurpassed! You will be proud to invite your family and friends to rally around and support you on pageant weekend.
• We are a program that teaches valuable skills that will give you a competitive edge to succeed in whatever fields you may choose.
• Age Group Divisions: NAM Princess (ages 4-6), NAM Jr. Pre-Teen (7-9), NAM Pre- Teen (10-12), NAM Jr. Teen (13-15), NAM (16-18), NAM (19-24), NAM Elite (25-39)
Jessica and Joel Provenzano are licensed Realtors® who work together as a team out of the Florida Executive Realty (FER) office in Tampa Palms. While they are still relatively new to real estate — Joel with only two years of experience and Jessica with a bit more — they bring a passionate, detail-oriented approach that they believe sets them apart.
“We may be new at this,” says Joel, “but we are hungry and that makes us work harder.”
Married for 20 years, the Provenzanos are high school sweethearts who moved to this area from Estero, FL. They have lived in the Meadow Pointe community with their daughters Kayla and Lily since 2009. Jessica and Joel have a natural, complementary partnership, not only as a couple but also as business partners.
“Joel and I work every transaction together,” Jessica says. “We support each other and play to our strength.” She handles communications and contracts, while Joel, with his background in engineering and research, focuses on inspections, technical issues and behind-the-scenes details. “His research background is a huge asset for our clients,” she adds.
Before real estate, Joel worked in transportation and land development engineering for both the Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) and as a private consultant. That experience now provides a unique advantage for his clients.
“I can provide insight into what future construction, schools, or stores are planned nearby,” he explains. “It’s not just about the home itself. It’s about where you’re going to live, what the area will look like in a few years, and how that impacts your investment.”
Jessica adds that location is still one of the biggest decision factors. “Many new buyers want to know what their lifestyle will look like in an area,” she says. “That’s where Joel shines. He knows the surrounding developments, the infrastructure plans and what’s coming next.”
The Provenzanos help sellers, buyers and even renters. “Sometimes, the recommendation is to rent and not to buy, depending upon the circumstance,” Joel says. “We review everything with the client because it may not be the right time to purchase. Renting may fit their monthly budget or needs better.” Unlike many agents who stick to either sales or rentals, Jessica and Joel handle both. “It keeps us in tune with the totality of the market,” he says. “The rental market affects the selling market in a large way.”
They also assist homeowners who want to rent out their properties. “We treat rental listings the same way we treat ‘For Sale’ listings,” Joel says. “We market them to what renters are looking for because we know that side of the market.”
When it comes to helping families move to New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, Jessica and Joel pride themselves on doing their research. Whether a client is concerned with nearby schools, walkability or community amenities, the Provenzanos provide answers.
“For example,” Jessica says, ““Charter schools are important in areas where there aren’t any established public schools yet. We also help clients weigh the pros and cons of new construction versus established neighborhoods. If schools matter, that might mean leaning toward a pre-owned home near a well-established, highly rated school. If not, new construction could be a great fit.”
The couple also will share lessons from their own home-buying journey. “We bought a fairly large house, and we’ve grown into it,” Joel says. “Sometimes it’s better to buy a little more than you need, as long as it still fits in your budget, so you don’t have to move again in a few years.”
One trend they’ve noticed is the growing demand for communities that cater to ages 55+.
“Wesley Chapel now has some amazing options for active older adults,” says Jessica. “Valencia Ridge, Anand Vihar, Esplanade and Amberlin are each offering something different. Amberlin, for instance, is a rental-only 55+ community with rents ranging from $1,600 to $3,500 per month.”
They recently helped a couple living in a single-family home transition from their home into a rental at Amberlin. “It had everything they were looking for,” Jessica says. “Age-targeted communities now offer floor plans and amenities geared toward that demographic. It’s not like the past, where the only options were manufactured homes. These are beautifully thought-out and designed homes and apartments.”
GL Homes’ Valencia Ridge is one new for-sale 55+ community that has impressed them. “They have single-story homes, golf cart-friendly streets, a restaurant and even a list of designers used in their models for buyers who want that professional touch,” Joel says. “It’s about building a lifestyle.”
Their insider knowledge also comes from showing up. “Facebook is a wealth of information for us,” says Jessica. “But more important is that we go to every event, talk to builder reps and learn what each community really offers. Sometimes, we get insights that the average buyer won’t hear. That’s why it’s important to always take your Realtor with you, even on your first visit to a builder. Most builders will still pay the commission.”
Joel and Jessica agree that the market has changed. “Prices skyrocketed during Covid when demand outpaced supply and people flooded into Florida,” Joel says. “But now, there’s more new construction, and the prices have stabilized. Sellers still have equity, but they’re having to be a bit more realistic when coming up with a price. We can help with setting a market price that will get noticed.”
New construction has become more competitive, too, sometimes offering better deals than resale homes. “Some builders offer incentives, upgrades, or closing costs that pre-owned sellers can’t match,” Jessica says. “That’s why it’s crucial to use a knowledgeable agent who knows what each community is offering.”
With rising single-family home prices, townhomes have become more attractive, too. “Some townhomes are just as big as single-family homes, but without as much maintenance,” Joel says. “They’re a great option for many buyers.”
Jessica and Joel Provenzano are more than just Realtors — they’re a team with a deep understanding of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, a tireless work ethic and a genuine desire to help people make informed decisions. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell, or rent, they bring a personal touch and the knowledge to match.
You can reach Realtors Jessica & Joel Provenzano of Florida Executive Realty (15802 Amberly Dr.) by calling or texting (813) 956-4093. Or, for a free consultation, visit JProvenzano.FloridaExecutiveRealty.com.
