Author: Gary Nager

Just when you thought the Wesley Chapel area couldn’t handle any more growth, here we come with two shiny new maps showing as close to everything that’s currently either in or rumored to be in development in and around zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545.

On this page is a map of the area (mainly) between I-75 and Old Cypress Creek Rd., which shows the ongoing development of the Cypress Creek Town Center Development of Regional Impact (DRI), as well as a possible new development directly to the west of the Walgreens and Shell gas station off S.R. 54, just west of where it meets S.R. 56 and Old Cypress Creek Rd.

And, heck yeah, it’s a lot of exciting “stuff”, especially if you’re looking for new places to eat (and who isn’t?).

In addition to the eateries we’ve previously told you about — including the recently opened Culver’s of Wesley Chapel and the nearly-completed Cheddar’s — the long-awaited Chick-fil-A has gone vertical between Culver’s and Cheddars. Further west of Culver’s, a Panda Express Fast Casual Chinese is getting ready to build just  west of the corner of Grand Preserve Dr. and S.R. 56 (in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets mall, or TPO).

Three more restaurants are being added (and all are somewhere in the development process) east of the intersection of the new Grand Cypress Dr. and S.R. 56 — BJ’s Brew-house, McDonald’s and Longhorn Steakhouse. And, directly across S.R. 56 from Longhorn are a planned Pollo Tropical and a possible Ford’s Garage.

Further west on that north side of S.R. 56 (in the “Regency Shopping Center,” although the entire center still has to be called “rumored” here because no agreements were finalized at our press time) is a possible Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers.

Speaking of these “rumored” projects, Lisa McCaffrey — the managing director of retail services for Colliers International (which is managing much of the property located north of S.R. 56 between Wesley Chapel Blvd. and I-75) — told me a week after this map appeared on our website (on Apr. 7) and in our Wesley Chapel issue (which hit on Apr. 8) that there may be some inaccuracies in what we’re showing as “rumored” here, although she said she “couldn’t confirm or deny any of them.”

She added, however, that, “We should be able to make some official announcements soon.” The information about the parcels marked as “rumored” were put together by our editorial department through our contacts with local officials and business people who were shown (some even had copies of) the site plans for these parcels.

As for non-restaurants in this area, Costco Wholesale is a go behind Culver’s and east of the outlet mall, although rumor has it that the 100,000-sq.-ft. Cabela’s  World’s Foremost Outfitters may no longer be coming to the area, but again, we were not able to confirm that rumor at our press time.

As I also mentioned above, we can not yet confirm whether or not the entire 240,000-sq.-ft. Regency Shopping Center — which also could be home to a 50,000-sq.-ft. Kohl’s department store and a (likely “green”) 28,000-sq.-ft grocery store, as well as a couple of other possible free-standing or connected outparcels along S.R. 56. — is actually happening.

And, although even those with the broadest definitions of what is “in” Wesley Chapel would call anything west of the Walgreens and Shell on the map “Lutz,” there is another fairly large project located just west of those businesses, although (for now), the 32-acre “Brightwork Crossing” project is rumored to include another 115,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, 100 hotel rooms and 350 multi-family units if and when it officially comes online.   

FHCI Coming Soon!

And of course, we’ll also keep you updated on the sprawling Florida Hospital Center Ice complex, located just east of I-75 on the north side of S.R. 56, which will be completed later this year, as well as the adjacent Holiday Inn Express Hotel.

Located just west of I-75 in this area are two more rumored projects — a multi-family development of 230 units and a Hyatt Place hotel, although we were unable to get confirmation and at least one source said they weren’t sure “that the Hyatt was still in play.”

Of course, we’ll keep you posted in these pages and at NTNeighborhoodNews.com about any further developments on any of these projects.