The very cool beer & wine bar at the new Publix on Overpass Rd. at Curley Rd.
When Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I visited the new Publix supermarket at 32265 Overpass Rd. (at the corner of Curley Rd.) in a new shopping center called Innovation Springs, I didn’t know what to expect. I mean, drinking beer and wine at a supermarket isn’t anything new — I’ve had free samples at other Publixes and been able to walk around with wine at the local Sam’s Club — so I just had to go check it out and report back to you.
First of all, even though there’s no hard liquor being sold (despite the fact a Publix Liquor Store is adjacent to the grocery store), this is the first time I’ve seen an actual bar inside a supermarket. And, the prices for the name label beer and wine are not only great, Publix’s policy of not allowing tipping of employees — although foreign to me at any bar — keeps the prices on everything even lower.
For example, nice pours of popular Lamarca prosecco are only $6, glasses of two different kinds of Santa Margherita pinot grigio are just $8, 16-oz. pours of Keel Farms Agrarian Strawberry-Lime Cider are only $5 and my 32-oz. growler of Florida Ave. Dead Parrot was only $9, plus $4 additional if you keep the growler. If you return it at the end of your visit (or even sometime in the future), you get the $4 back. And, there also is covered outside and even private upstairs seating so you can watch shoppers checking out everything in the store.
This 55,000-sq.-ft. Publix between Epperson and Watergrass is only the third such prototype store in Florida, and it is so much more than just a beer and wine bar. It’s clear that Publix is attempting to emulate the success of Whole Foods and other usually more upscale “green” grocers with not only an olive bar and expanded deli and hot foods sections (although a large portion of the prepared hot foods section wasn’t available when we visited), but also really decent (albeit not hot when we got it) pizza by the slice, a craft-it-yourself burrito and “bowl” bar and much more.
The bottom line is that the new store is very cool and the prices overall didn’t seem higher than what I pay at my now-old-hat, closer-to-home Publix stores. So, even though it’s kind of far away from where we live, Janna h and I will surely be back.
Thanks, Alexis!
North Tampa Bay Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy, with Tampa Bay Business Journal editor-in-chief Alexis Muellner at the Chamber’s Feb. Business Breakfast.
After 30 years of successfully serving the communities of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, there are very few Tampa Bay-area media members I truly look up to in terms of their accomplishments.
One of those, however, is definitely Tampa Bay Business Journal (TBBJ) editor-in-chief Alexis Muellner. Now in his 25th year with American City Business Journals and 20th year in his position at the TBBJ, I have spoken with this Wesley Chapel resident on numerous occasions throughout his tenure and he is a well-respected reporter and editor whose knowledge of the business climate throughout the Tampa Bay region is second to none.
I truly enjoyed his “fireside chat” with North Tampa Bay Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy at the Feb. 6 NTBC Business Breakfast at Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus and I was glad to be able to provide him with some additional information about Pasco County’s struggle with the state’s new Live Local Act. Great job, Alexis!
Although we no longer have a regular Community Calendar listing in our print issues, there are a number of upcoming events that merit your consideration, so we decided to include as many of them here as possible.
If you have an event upcoming that takes place after March 19, feel free to email me at ads@ntneighborhoodnews.com and I will see about getting it included in our next New Tampa issue.
Friday, February 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Saturday, February 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. p.m. — The Friends of the New Tampa Library’s Annual Giant Book Sale. The Friends of the New Tampa Library will host their annual Giant Book Sale at the New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). With most books being sold for just 50 cents, all proceeds will benefit the library’s Summer Reading programs for children and events and classes for all age groups.
Monday, February 26, 7 p.m. — Monthly meeting of the New Tampa Democratic Club. The New Tampa Democrats are gearing up for the upcoming 2024 Presidential and local election season. For more information, see the ad to the right.
Wednesday, February 28, 6 p.m. -8 p.m. — Book Launch Performance & Book Signing for Running From Yesterday by Margarette Allyn. Margarette Allyn (photo, right) is an author, speaker and dancer who believes in the healing power of making choices guided by instinct, intuition and faith.
Two unexpected episodes played pivotal roles in Margarette’s life, introducing her to the world of the performing arts.
The first was watching “The Nutcracker” on TV. The second was encountering the iconic TV show “Fame,” which struck a chord with its relatable characters and stories that felt just like her own. Dance soon became Margarette’s refuge — a way to escape and express herself. Her dance aspirations took flight when she was accepted into Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the real “Fame” school — in New York’s Upper West Side.
Author & performer Margarette Allyn will sign her book Running From Yesterday & dance at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on Feb. 28. (Photo provided by Margarette Allyn)
It was a dream that seemed beyond reach, especially for a young woman from Harlem. But, Margarette held onto the idea that the sky has no limits. However, unforeseen circumstances, ego and personal choices halted her burgeoning dance career, crushing her dreams of attending Juilliard and leaving her with a deep sense of loss.
At the age of 24, Margarette embarked on a new path, joining the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Despite battling an overwhelming cloud of dread, despair and her complex relationship with alcohol, she clung fiercely to her discipline, determination, and the will to truly live.
Supported by her loyal friends and colleagues, she dedicated twenty years to her police career, retiring as a Sergeant in 2019.
Today, Margarette resides in New Tampa with her husband and two sons.
This remarkable journey serves as the focal point of her inspiring memoir, Running From Yesterday, A True Story of Hope, Courage, and Love. Grateful for the grace and mercy bestowed upon her, Margarette finds purpose in giving back to those she mentors, is dancing once again, accepts motivational and inspirational speaking engagements and looks forward to many more years of being on stage.
Friday-Sunday, March 15-17 — Three-Day St. Patrick’s Day Parking Lot Celebration at O’Brien’s Irish Pub. O’Brien’s (5429 Wesley Chapel Village Market) will again be hosting the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Wesley Chapel with an indoor-outdoor party every day of St. Paddy’s Day weekend.
On Friday, MoonShine Abby will be performing from 8 p.m.-midnight. According to their website, MoonShine Abby is “the best blend of mature artistry, vigorous technique, and honed skill all wrapped up into a high-energy, party-style band.
What’s a St. Pat’s Day party without bagpipes? You can come out to here pipers on Saturday and Sunday. On Sat., 25-year-old Gemma Briggs (plays the pipes from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Gemma says she is, “passionate about providing high-quality bagpipe music, professionalism and an unforgettable touch to any occasion.”
Gemma (photo right) will be followed at 8 p.m. on Sat. night by the Ryan Marchand Band.
Ryan’s website says he uses “live-looping (to create) sonic landscapes with layered beat-box percussion, vocal harmonies, and a bevy of guitar effects to cover the frequency and timbre spectrum. He draws inspirations from studio albums from Pink Floyd, The Beatles and more.”
Then, the main event at O’Brien’s will be held on Sun., St. Paddy’s Day itself.
From 4 p.m.-7 p.m., “The Irishman” Capt. Kirk, will play all of your favorite Irish tunes. Inside, from 7 p.m.-midnight, DJ SAF will spin dance music inside, but outside, the City of Mt. Dora pipe band will play your St. Pat’s favorites from 7:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Then, the Daniel Sprouse Band will play your favorite rock and country hits from 8 p.m.-midnight outside.
Please note that no coupons will be accepted all weekend at O’Brien’s and there will be a $10 cover charge on Sun. only. For more info, call (813) 97309988 or visit ObriensWesleyChapel.com.
Christan McLaurine stole the New Tampa Players’ production of “Dreamgirls” as James “Thunder” Early. (Dreamgirls Photos by Charmaine George)
When I grew up and later lived in New York in and near Manhattan, I was fortunate to be able to see dozens of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and although musicals may not necessarily be everyone’s cup of tea, I came to appreciate musical theatre, as well as stage comedies and dramas, and the incredibly talented people who performed in all of those shows.
What I will admit that I never expected is that there also could possibly be so many talented people performing in local community theatre. I also have no problem admitting that I probably should have attended at least a few more local theatre performances in the years leading up to the opening last year of the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.
So, Jannah and I have kind of gone on to sit in the audience of several shows since I was a bit player in the New Tampa Players (NTP)’s opening performance at NTPAC of “Grease.” We were in the audience for the fun and adorable “Shrek the Musical,” but we didn’t stop there. Here is a rundown of the other shows that we either recently saw or plan to see in the coming weeks…and I think you should, too.
“Dreamgirls”
The “Dreamgirls” were (l.-r.) Patty Smithey as Lorrell Robinson, NaTasha McKenzie as Effie White & Caron Davis as Deena Jones.
The first stop on our post-”Shrek” theatre journey was the New Tampa Players’ production of “Dreamgirls” at the NTPAC. Like “Grease” and “Shrek,” this award-winning Broadway hit that also spawned a successful movie, also ran for two weekends and six performances and the entire second weekend of the show’s run was fully sold out, while the first weekend had probably fewer than 20 total unsold tickets.
And, for good reason. While NTP’s “Dreamgirls” couldn’t possibly match the Broadway talent or the voices in the film starring “American Idol” winner Jennifer Hudson, the cast and show were nonetheless super-impressive and talented, especially for community theatre.
And, although the women who portrayed the Dreams singing group — NaTasha McKenzie as Effie White,
Caron Davis as Deena Jones and especially, Patty Smithey as Lorrell Robinson — were all excellent singers, dancers and actors, for our money, the dynamically talented Christan McLaurine as James “Thunder” Early stole the show.
Up next for the Players are auditions for “Singin’ in the Rain,” the song-&-dance musical based on the classic 1952 film starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. The show runs July 19-28 at NTPAC.
The show combines the talents of director Nora Paine, musical director G. Frank Meekins and choreographer Sarah Walston, the trio who also led the production of “Grease.”
If you know any talented male or female singers and tap dancers, auditions for “Singin’ in the Rain” will be held in April. Look to these pages for additional information or visit NewTampaPlayers.org.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
(L.-r.) Richard Brown (William Barfee), Gabrielle Ray (Olive Ostrovsky), Chris Cordero (Chip Tolentino), Jillian Koehn (Marcy Park), Taylor Skolnick (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre) & Dylan Fidler (Leaf Coneybear) made MAD Theatre of Tampa’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” a blast from beginning to end. (Photo provided by Mad Theatre)
If you were looking for a fun, hysterically funny and light-hearted musical theatre experience, I hope you got to check out MAD Theatre of Tampa’s “Spelling Bee” at the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa. This tiny playhouse was the perfect setting for this Spelling Bee, which was chock full of amazing, talented characters, including Chris Cordero and Dylan Fidler, who played the title roles in NTP’s “Shrek” and “Grease” (Danny Zuko), respectively.
But, it wasn’t just the six young actors portraying the pubescent spellers who gave amazing performances. The entire cast, led by director Casey Vaughn, music director Megan Zeitler and choreographer Evan Lomba (who played Donkey in NTP’s “Shrek”) all deserve big kudos for a show that truly was a laugh riot.
Up next for MAD Theatre, which is celebrating 25 years as a performance troupe, are performances of “Urinetown The Musical,” with performances June 14-30, also at the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center.
One show that I have no idea what my expectations are or should be is the World Premiere of “Ember: A New Musical,” written by Kyle Griffin Fisher, the young man who gave local audiences memorable performances as Kenickie in NTP’s “Grease” and the hysterical Lord Farquaad in NTP’s “Shrek The Musical.”
According to Kyle’s Facebook page:
“Discover the dark allure of desires in ‘Ember,’ a spellbinding musical that explores the boundaries between dreams and damnation. In a world where the mundane meets the magical, farm boy ‘Guy’ yearns for adventure. When the enigmatic demon ‘Sequins’ offers to fulfill his deepest desires in exchange for his soul, Guy plunges headfirst into a Faustian bargain.
“‘Ember’ is a captivating journey of redemption and unexpected alliances. Can a demon, driven by ambition, rediscover forgotten compassion and love? Will Guy, armed with newfound powers and a heart full of hope, conquer the challenges laid before him? In ‘Ember,’ the stakes are high, the magic is potent, and the battle for the soul takes center stage.”
In addition to Fisher, the “Ember” cast features fellow NTP performers Dylan Fidler, Makayla Raines, Heather Rich, Kristin Nelson, Zachary Smith, Tripp Peavyhouse and Zane Sarsour.
Although “Ember” is not an NTP production, all performances will be at NTP’s Uptown Stage in University Mall. This production is recommend for audience members ages 14 and up due to adult language and situations.
Performance Dates: Saturday, March 2, 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 3, 1 p.m. For tickets & more info, visit NewTampaPlayers.thundertix.com.
“Broadway Through The Decades: Contemporary Era”
The Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG) presents Part 2 of its Broadway musical revue series. The show will feature songs from popular musicals of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s performed in a cabaret-style show. WCTG has teamed up with the Zephyrhills Lions Club to bring new entertainment to the Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel areas.
Proceeds from the show will go to help WCTG continue to produce performing arts for our community and to the Zephyrhills Lions Club’s sight program.
“Broadway Through The Decades” will be performed Sat., Mar. 9, 7 p.m., and Sun., Mar. 10, 2 p.m. The Sat. show includes dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the Sun. matinee includes coffee and dessert at intermission. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the Zephyrhills Lions Club (5827 Dean Dairy Rd.) or at WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org.
Attorney Paul Monsanto specializes in Wills, Trusts, Probate & Family Planning. His office is located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park in Wesley Chapel. (Photo provided by Paul Monsanto)
The one thing we can all count on in life, other than death and taxes, is change. Whether it’s a new baby in the family or someone getting sick, change is constant. We have to make decisions in the best interest of our families and adjust to all the curveballs thrown our way, but what about when we’re not here anymore? Who will be looking out for our families after we’ve passed on?
Just the idea leaves us with big, heavy questions to ask ourselves. What will happen to my assets? Will my wishes be properly carried out? Who will take care of my children if I pass away before they’re adults? Death and disability are never topics anyone wants to discuss, but avoiding planning for them can cost you and your family big time.
In attorney Paul J. Monsanto’s line of work, he’s seen the turmoil created after someone dies without a properly prepared estate plan. “There’s nothing more disheartening than when I see a family who should be grieving, instead having to deal with the legal headache that comes when someone dies without a Will or a Trust because it’s completely avoidable,” Paul says.
The Law Office of Paul James Monsanto, P.A., located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park (north of S.R. 56) in Wesley Chapel handles exactly those types of issues. The office specializes in Wills, Trusts, Probate and Family Planning.
“A comprehensive estate plan is the single most important thing you can do to ensure your family and your hard-earned money are protected in case you die or become incapacitated,” Paul says. “And it’s not as complex as some people think.”
He adds that, “I believe simplicity is crucial to estate planning. I get a lot of calls from clients who think they need a complicated estate plan to avoid probate because of something a friend told them or an article they read online, but for a lot of people, especially older folks, that’s not the case.”
In fact, the number-one reason that motivates Paul’s clients to call him is because they want to avoid probate. “Probate is a court-supervised process of transferring assets from the deceased to their beneficiaries,” he says. “It also is an opportunity for creditors to make claims against the estate.”
For those whose family member passed away without an estate plan, probate can be a long, arduous process. “I’ll never forget one particular client,” Paul says. “It was a young man in his 40s who came to me because he was very sick with cancer. He didn’t have children but wanted to leave his assets to his mother and brother. My heart broke when I found out he had passed away two months later. He was weak and sick, but still made the effort to create an estate plan. That saved his family months of added stress.”
Paul’s law firm is quickly rising to the top of the pack with 47 five-star Google reviews since he opened his office three years ago. But, while his firm is young, Paul has plenty of experience. He has been practicing law for more than 13 years and is licensed to practice in both Florida and New York. Paul graduated with a Finance degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He attended law school at Duke University in Durham, NC. From there, he moved to New York City and became a litigating attorney for major banks and insurance companies. After his time in the big city, Paul came home to Tampa, where he was raised, so he could put down roots. There, he met his wife Laura Diaz, a morning radio personality at WMTX-FM Mix 100.7, and now has two wonderful stepchildren, Norah and Nash. They live in the New Tampa neighborhood of Tampa Palms.
His career and personal life have taught Paul that no two family situations are the same. “I’ve seen families with no children and I’ve seen one family with ten children,” he says. “I’ve helped unmarried domestic partners, same-sex couples, people who are on their first marriage, second marriage, third marriage, blended families…you name it!”
He says that the personal aspect of estate planning is what drew him to the practice area and why he plans to continue to practice estate law for years to come.
“After practicing commercial litigation for big banks and corporations, it’s so refreshing to help everyday people,” Paul says. “Speaking to my clients and hearing about their lives and their families is my favorite part of the job.”
His client-focused approach is just one of the ways Paul’s law office stands out from the dozens of others popping up around New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. He strives to keep his fees fair and reasonable. In most cases, he charges a flat fee, so the client knows ahead of time what their legal costs will be. He makes himself accessible to his clients, personally answering his phone, replying to emails and handling consultations and document signings. He encourages potential clients to read his on-line reviews to see what his past clients have said about their experience with his office. Positive word of mouth has indeed helped grow his practice. “It’s such an honor when a client refers me to a friend, neighbor or family member,” Paul says.
Wills and Trusts are what most people think of first when it comes to estate planning, but Paul says there are many more aspects to it that he can help with, such as long-term-care planning, special needs planning and asset protection. He also handles probate cases.
“I like to think of myself as an old-school type of lawyer from a time before everything became impersonal. I’m here to help my clients in any way I can, and if it’s something I don’t do, I can probably help them find someone who does.”
To schedule a consultation with attorney Paul J. Monsanto, call (813) 997- 5290, visit pjmattorneys.com. The Law Office of Paul J. Monsanto, P.A., is located at 2404 Creel Lane, Suite 101, Wesley Chapel.
Is The Two Rivers Development Expanding Both Wesley Chapel & New Tampa To East Of Morris Bridge Rd.?
Research by Joel Provenzano
This map of Two Rivers shows the portions that are currently under development, as well as the future plans in both Hillsborough & Pasco counties. (Two Rivers map modified by NN)
If you haven’t taken a ride on S.R. 56 eastbound past Morris Bridge Rd. recently, I believe you probably should do so.
While Wesley Chapel and New Tampa residents online complain about how every remaining shred of land in our communities is being developed, adding to our ever-increasing traffic at the expense of open space and a more pastoral way of life, it seems that others outside of any known boundary of Wesley Chapel (as I presented in our Oct. 3 issue) are now creating new communities that may ultimately finally move what even I call Wesley Chapel (and, to a lesser extent, New Tampa) well to the east, too.
Before the creation of the huge 6,000-acre Two Rivers Master-Planned Unit Development (MPUD), the only community in Zephyrhills that pretty much anyone would confuse with being Wesley Chapel-like was Lake Bernadette, which has fewer than 1,000 total households with entrances on both Eiland Blvd. and S.R. 54, all in zip code 33541.
But, it seems that you could fit all of Lake Bernadette inside Two Rivers, which is being developed by Eisenhower Property Group, due east of Morris Bridge Rd. in both Pasco and Hillsborough counties. In fact, Two Rivers is actually larger than the 5,000-acre Wiregrass Ranch development to its west.
And, like Lake Bernadette, the zip code for the Pasco portions of Two Rivers that began being developed in December of 2023 is 33541. That means that if I decide to start mailing the Neighborhood News there, I will be expanding our all-direct-mail distribution east of Wesley Chapel for the first time.
More About Two Rivers
Although I had heard of Two Rivers before now, I didn’t really take notice of it until I saw a billboard on S.R. 54 near mine and Jannah’s apartment (which has a Land O’Lakes address) that proclaimed Two Rivers as a “New Community — Wesley Chapel.” What? Did I somehow miss that Two Rivers was actually west of Morris Bridge Rd.?
The answer is a resounding “No,” but the community is being marketed as basically an extension of Wesley Chapel — and who could blame the developer or the home builders?
According to its promotional materials, Two Rivers is “near Wesley Chapel” and will “give residents a best-of-both-worlds living experience.” Two Rivers will feature more than 7,500 planned residential homes, townhomes, apartments and villas: “Those who make their home here will enjoy access to clubhouses, pools, parks, trails, sports courts and shared green spaces…and plans include K-12 schools, as well as retail space, future options for dining, cafés, groceries and beauty services, fitness and more.”
One of the first two villages already selling homes in Two Rivers is Childers by Lennar Homes, with “447 total homesites, about 100 sold and 65 closed or moved into,” according to new home consultant Brooke Politano. Homes in Childers start in the mid-$300,000s.
The other village now selling is Northwater by D.R. Horton, with 360 total homes, also starting in the mid $300s, with about 30 homes already with residents. Both subdivisions are north of S.R. 56.
When Wayne Thomas purchased the first portion of the Two Rivers Ranch in the 1930s, he couldn’t possibly have known that his cattle ranch would expand to more that 17,000 acres stretching from northeast Hillsborough through Pasco and even reaching to Hernando counties.
A little more than 500 acres of that property was located in Crystal Springs, sort of between Thonotosassa and Zephyrhills and which today is home to Poland Springs waters, the large company now bottling and selling Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water.
But, the Thomas family has been good stewards of their land since before World War II, so much so that in 2014, Two Rivers Ranch was honored as one of seven regional Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) winners. The award, which is sponsored by Dow AgroSciences, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation, is presented to farmers and ranchers “who work hard to protect America’s natural resources.”
Two Rivers Ranch began as a cow/ calf operation that has now been owned and managed by Robert Thomas’ family for more than 90 years.
“The Hillsborough River supplies approximately 90 percent of the city of Tampa’s drinking water, so it’s very important for the city,” said Wayne Thomas, Executive Vice President, Two Rivers Ranch, and himself a fourth-generation cattle rancher.
“We have a very high profile here as a result of the importance of our natural resource,” added his father Robert Thomas, who is the CEO of Two Rivers Ranch.
The ranch was honored with the ESAP award for its proven land management techniques to enhance their operation. “The Thomas family keeps their herd size limited so as not to negatively impact wetlands, water quality of the adjacent river bodies, native vegetation or wildlife populations,” was part of the reason the family received the award.
Today, as explained on this issue’s front page, the Thomas family is no allowing Two Rivers to be developed as another huge Master Planned Unit Development, but which promises to have more than 3,000 acres of wooded landscapes, with lots of open space, parks, walking trails, dog parks, passive parks, court and lawn space and more.
Two Rivers Today & Tomorrow
The largest homes currently available in Two Rivers are the Trenton model from Lennar Homes (left) in the Childers community and (right) the Hayden model from D.R. Homes in the Northwater village. (Photos taken from Lennar.com & from DRHorton.com)
Also expected to be part of the Pasco portion of Two Rivers is a central health, wellness and dining club for residents. This facility will include tennis, pickleball, pools, playgrounds, various interior and exterior gathering spaces and a bar and restaurant. There also is a planned regional district park as well as shopping, dining and office spaces planned.
At Northwater village, D.R. Horton’s smallest home is the 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom Allex II model, with 1,560 sq. ft. of living area, starting at around $344K. The largest is the 5-bedroom, 3-bath Hayden model with 2,605 sq. ft. of living area, starting in the $424s.
Meanwhile, in the Childers village, Lennar’s smallest home is the 3-bedroom, 2-bath Annapolis model, with 1,448 sq. ft. of living space starting at around $329K. The largest is the Trenton model, with 6 bedrooms, 3 baths and 3,326 sq. ft. of living area, starting at around $489K.
Now that the first two villages are well under way, here are the plans for additional villages and home builders that are planned to arrive this year:
• Tamarack Village (early 2024) – This gated village will include homes by Park Square Homes and William Ryan Homes.
• Ryals Field Village (mid-2024) – Gated village featuring Homes by WestBay.
• Delyle Village (mid-2024) – Offering Pulte homes.
• Shortgrass Village (late 2024) – Offering M/I Homes.
• Additional villages and phases will feature Casa Fresca, Meritage Homes and Taylor Morrison Homes.
But Wait, There’s More!
As we also mentioned on pg. 1, Two Rivers also is planned to expand into Hillsborough County by sometime next year.
The first new section to be built across Morris Bridge Rd. from New Tampa is Flatwoods, described in Two Rivers’ marketing materials as, “Our luxury section (that) will be home to Flatwoods Golf & Country Club. This community will feature a private country club with a spa, recreational amenities and an 18-hole golf course. The course, designed by renowned Scottish golf course architect David McLay-Kidd of DMK Golf Design, is estimated to be completed in 2025. DMK Golf has designed several very prestigious resort and private golf courses in the world, including The Castle Course at St. Andrews Links in Scotland, and Nanea Golf Club in Kailua Kona, HI.
Some Transportation Info
Although Two Rivers’ Flatwoods village will be set back quite a bit from both Morris Bridge Rd. in New Tampa and U.S. Hwy. 301 in Thonotosassa, according to plans filed with Hillsborough County, there will be another future connection from Two Rivers to Morris Bridge Rd, which will be located basically on the county line, adjacent to a TECO-owned power substation and aligned with Camerton Rd. on the west side.
There currently are plans for three future traffic signals along S.R. 56, all of which the developer will pay for and construct (under permit) when warrants are met. The locations will be for the intersections with Two Rivers Blvd., Widewater Way, and Lodge Grass Blvd., all where the existing full median openings are currently located. A fourth signal along S.R. 56 might be considered between Lodge Grass Blvd. and U.S. 301 (also a full median opening), depending upon the amount of traffic that portion of the development, which will be commercial, might generate.
In addition, there also will be a connection to U.S. 301 in Hillsborough, which also will be signalized by full build-out. Two more signals for U.S. 301, at Lodge Grass Blvd., and Morris Bridge Rd. at Colston Ave., also are planned. The right-of-way along Morris Bridge Rd. is now 80’ but the MPUD conditions for Two Rivers requires the family to convey a 44’ wide strip of its property over to the county.
The River Landing development on S.R. 56 west of Morris Bridge Rd. also was required to provide a similar strip, which will allow for the potential widening of Morris Bridge Rd. to four lanes in the future.
In addition to the signals, the county also will require Two Rivers to construct left and right turn lanes along Morris Bridge Rd. at Colston Ave. The only other entrance/exit along Morris Bridge Rd. for Two Rivers will be a gated emergency-only access near the southern part of the development.
This will bring the grand total of traffic signals for Two Rivers to potentially eight: four on S.R. 56, two on Morris Bridge Rd. and two on U.S. 301, subject to meeting warrants and final approval by the transportation departments of the local and state governments.
