Updating Our Exclusive Map Of State Road 56 Near The Tampa Premium Outlets

It’s been a few months since we updated our maps of everything new that’s happening in Wesley Chapel and of course, the area most people want to know about is all of the new “stuff” coming to both the north and south sides of S.R. 56, in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets mall.

And, while a lot of people (including yours truly) still complain about having too many chain restaurants in our area, no one could possible deny that we have lots of new places to eat that weren’t here or weren’t confirmed when we last updated this map.

As you are probably aware as a Wesley Chapel resident, Pollo Tropical became the first place to open on the north side of 56 near the mall about a month ago. If you like flame-grilled chicken as much as I do, you probably should go and check out Pollo Tropical. Tell them I told you to order the chicken as “well done as possible.”

Right next to Pollo Tropical is the long-awaited second local free-standing location of Ford’s Garage, which will have opened by the time this issue reaches your mailbox. Look for pictures in our next issue, as well as in the episode of WCNT-tv (which might even have some footage from the Ford’s Garage pre-opening VIP party) and is scheduled to be released the same day this issue reaches your mailbox.

Great burgers, craft beer and more have made Ford’s Garage a big hit in Brandon and people are obviously excited about it coming even closer to us. 

Meanwhile, on the south side of 56, the location on our map directly west of Culver’s, which we previously incorrectly labeled as being Panda Express, will actually be a drive-through and sit-down Starbucks. Panda Express is still coming, and will actually open a few weeks before Starbucks north of Costco and just west of TPO. And, as you can see from the map, even though the south side of 56 is currently much more filled than the north side, there are still at least three more sizable parcels totalling nearly 30 acres available, including one site that we have heard might include a big outdoors sporting goods store, although it apparently won’t be the previously announced Cabela’s.

Firing Up The North Side, Too

Just as the south side of 56 has been a hotbed of new restaurant activity since the opening of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Culver’s and Chick-fil-A, the north side of what will soon be the most overcrowded section of roadway in Pasco County (just a prediction) is just now kicking into gear.

In other words, in addition to Ford’s Garage and Pollo Tropical, the north side of 56 will soon also be home to the popular Mellow Mushroom pizza and more chain and Bahama Breeze, which will finally make its way into our area. The island-themed seafood eatery actually was turned down years ago for a space off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the Highwoods Preserve area of New Tampa (in the space now occupied by TGI Fridays near the Muvico Starlight 20 movie theaters) because the developer for Highwoods Properties thought a tiki bar was not appropriate for an upscale area like New Tampa.

Oh well. At least we’re getting Bahama Breeze, Mellow Mushroom and Newk’s soon, although we haven’t been given a timetable for when construction will start or when they will open.

Also planned for the same area north of 56 between Pollo Tropical and I-75 are Wesley Chapel’s second Wendy’s location, yet another Taco Bell, another Mattress Firm location, a T-Mobile store and another Men’s Wearhouse (the closest location being on BBD in New Tampa, too).

And, just for good measure, in addition to the new Holiday Inn Express hotel which has now opened adjacent to Florida Hospital Center Ice, the Hyatt Place hotel has broken ground across I-75 from the new ice rink.

There’s lots of new stuff to report further east of I-75 off S.R. 56 and BBD, as well as on S.R. 54. Look for map updates in our future issues and on WCNT-tv!

Relay Recap and Bartell Spaghetti Dinner Coming

Congrats to my good  friend, ACS of the South Nature Coast of Florida (serving Pasco, Hernando & Citrus counties) senior market manager Robyn Liska and everyone else involved in the 2017 Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Relay for Life for another successful event, which was held at the Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) track on March 10 — a little earlier in the year than most of the other local Relays, which are held primarily in April and May.

A total of 33 teams and hundreds of participants helped the Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Relay raise about $50,000, a little below its goal of about $65,000, but the ACS Relay for Life is about so much more than just raising money. It’s about a community coming together to lift up those who have been affected by the scourge of our lifetimes — cancer.

This year’s Relay again started with a survivors lap around the track and also featured a free sit-down dinner for survivors and their caregivers, moving speeches, a beautiful luminaria ceremony, great music provided by the Troy Duncan Band and others and the feeling you only get when people come together with a common goal and purpose — like to eradicate cancer.

This wasn’t my first Relay and it won’t be my last. It also likely won’t be the last for Paul Bartell, who has chaired many previous Relays in Wesley Chapel. Paul told me he wasn’t going to be quite as involved in future Relays, as he and his wife Jamie have started the Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation, in honor of their son who died in 2014 from a rare disease called toxic epidermal necrolysis.

The Bartells’ foundation is hosting its annual fund-raising Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, April 29, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., at Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel (33425 S.R. 54). The suggested donation to enjoy delicious pasta — donated by Carl and Jessica Meyers of Little Italy’s Family Restaurant on S.R. 54 in Lutz (see ad on pg. 40) — is only $10 per person.

Paul promises there will be a special ceremony at 5 p.m., the magic and entertainment of Scott Barhold and local business vendors and that proceeds will benefit scholarships for students at Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills high schools.

For more information about the ACS Relay for Life or to make a donation, visit Relay.ACSEvents.org/site/TR?fr_id=81704&pg=informational&sid=209325. For the Spaghetti Dinner, search “Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation” on Facebook.

Precinct Pizza Getting Close

For those who have been wondering how soon the new Precinct Pizza will open in the space previously occupied by Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill at 10970 Cross Creek Blvd. (at Morris Bridge Rd., behind Dunkin Donuts), the answer is…pretty soon.

Although I spoke to Precinct Pizza founder Rick Drury recently, I still can’t give you an exact opening date for the New Tampa location at our press time, but with more than a decade of success as the only true New York-style pizza place in the Channelside District of downtown Tampa, many of us in New Tampa are truly excited about the fact that our Precinct Pizza should be open by sometime in April. Look for more updates on future episodes of WCNT-tv, and at NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day In Style!

The gang at O’Brien’s

I have to say that the bars in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel really know how to throw some great St. Patrick’s Day parties.

It’s hard to say which “wearing o’ the green” celebration was the biggest or the best, as Mulligan’s Irish Pub at the Pebble Creek Golf Club, The Brass Tap at the Shops at Wiregrass mall and O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill in the Wesley Chapel Village Market all had live bands, fun activities, great food, excellent live music and big crowds.

Our gallery below includes photos of the Troy Duncan Band performing at O’Brien’s, some of the crowd at Mulligan’s, corn hole and entertainer Cal Oliver at The Brass Tap as well as a few colorful characters from the day.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun St. Patty’s Day and woke up to attend the Taste of New Tampa the following day.

Noon Rotary’s Bike Rally Returns Tomorrow!

As a proud member of the Rotary Club of New Tampa Noon — which meets Wednesdays at noon in Mulligan’s Irish Pub, inside the Pebble Creek Golf Club — I am really excited about my club’s fourth annual bike rally (the photo is from last year’s event) to benefit U.S. military veterans and first responders.

The ride — which is not a race — is an opportunity for riders to ride a 4-, 18- or 39-mile course, starting from the Chili’s Grill & Bar on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (directly adjacent to the BBD entrance to Flatwoods Wilderness Park) while raising funds to benefit four nonprofit charities that help local veterans, law enforcement and firefighters.

Over the first three years of the rally, Noon Rotary president Valerie Casey says that more than 200 total riders have helped the club raise more than $18,000 to helped its selected first responder charities. “We’d love to get to 100 riders this year,” Valerie says. “Come on out and support some great charitable organizations.”

Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit four charitable organizations — Support the Troops, the Stay in Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue & The Homefront Foundation. The suggested donation to ride is $30 anytime after March 10.

This year’s sponsors include Chili’s, The Little Greek Restaurant, Gentle Care Dentistry (the office of Dr. Tom Frankfurth), Stifel Financial/Mike Wallace, Children’s Dentistry (the office of Dr. Greg Stepanski), State Farm Insurance/Joyce Coleman and the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.

For registration & info, visit Active.com and search “Cycling for Vets” or see the ad in the latest New Tampa issue.