Big Growth Coming To Wiregrass And S.R. 54 too

 

The other area where things are really clicking is the Wiregrass Ranch DRI, the 5,000+-acre tract located east of BBD, south of S.R. 54 and straddling both sides of S.R. 56. Wiregrass Ranch today has the being-expanded Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (see story on pg. 4), the Shops at Wiregrass mall, Pasco-Hernando State College, Wiregrass Ranch High, John Long Middle School (and the set-to-open-next-year Wiregrass Elementary), the already-being-expanded North Tampa Behavioral Health and upscale homes in communities like Estancia and The Ridge.

But, what’s still to come in Wiregrass Ranch is what’s really exciting. We only had room in this issue to run one map of the northern portion of the Wiregrass Ranch, where the Porter Family and the Dowd Companies (a West Palm Beach-based developer with experience throughout the southeastern U.S., including several of the projects in Wiregrass Ranch)  are actually in the process of starting development on two projects  — the Wiregrass Shops on S.R. 54 (which is shown on this map) and the Wiregrass Commons on S.R. 56 (which is not shown here, but will be shown in our May 20 issue).

The Dowd Companies website (TheDowdCompanies.com) says that the Wiregrass Ranch DRI will be home to:

•More than 27,000 Residents

•6,947 New Single Family Homes

•3,526 New Multi Family Homes

•2,720,800 sq. ft. of New Retail Space

•2,000,000 sq. ft. of New Office Space

•600,000 sq. ft. of New Medical Space

•300,000 sq. ft. of New Recreational Space

•600 New Hotel Rooms

•New 18 hole golf course

•3 New Elementary Schools

•New County Park

•New Sheriff’s Office

•New Pasco County Fire Station

•Possible Rail or Rapid Transit Line

   With Stops from Tampa

•Park & Ride Stop

•Planned new 581/Bruce B Downs Bypass Road to connect BBD to Wiregrass Ranch Blvd & the Walmart off S.R. 54

•6 Stop Lights on SR 56 between BBD & Meadow Pointe Blvd.

The Wiregrass Shops on S.R. 54 will be home to the relocated Publix supermarket currently in the Hollybrook Plaza on S.R. 54 at BBD, and other new retail establishments that had not yet been announced at our press time. The plaza will be 12,600-sq.-ft, with spaces starting at 1,200 sq. ft. The Dowd website says the plaza is expected to open in the “Spring of 2016,” but considering that nothing has gone vertical on the property yet, that seems more than a tad ambitious.

The delay may be due to the ongoing discussions about the planned 581/BBD Bypass Road, which has existing businesses on BBD south of S.R 54 concerned about how they will survive if the thousands of cars that normally drive past their location on their way to turn onto 54 headed east or west will be diverted to the Bypass, a half mile south of their location.

The good news is that JD Porter of the Porter Family and Dowd President & CEO John Dowd, III, will be the featured speakers at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC)’s Economic Development Briefing on Thursday, April 28, 11:30 a.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club (10550 Regents Park Dr., off BBD).

WCCC CEO Hope Allen, who helped me get some of the information for the maps in this story, says Dowd and Porter are expected to talk about both the Wiregrass Shops on SR 54 and the Wiregrass Commons on SR 56, as well as some of the other plans for the DRI. And of course, we’ll be attending that meeting, in case you can’t go.

SR 54, East & West Of I-75

Also indicated on the map on this page east of I-75 is a new Chase Bank that is being built between Chili’s and the Bank of America, a rumored Popeye’s Chicken on land between the existing Wesley Chapel Village Market and I-75, as well as the now-confirmed location of Lexus of Wesley Chapel, which will be built by the Williams Group next to the Williams-owned Toyota of Wesley Chapel.

And, west of I-75, you’ll find the location of the Aldi grocery store, which is beginning development shortly off Oakley Blvd., behind the Shell gas station/Circle K on 54. Also indicated, across from The Grove shopping center (behind the Sleep Inn), is the recently announced 40,000-sq.-ft. FreeFall Zone entertainment complex, which according to developer Craig Patel, will include trampolines, laser tag, rock climbing wall, bumper cars, arcade games, party rooms and food concessions.

Please let us know what you think!