A downtown area similar to this is on the horizon for Wesley Chapel after county commissioners recently approved an incentive package for the developers of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.ย (Photo: Pasco County)
Avalon Park Group/sitEX is developing what some believe will serve as Wesley Chapelโs downtown (see separate story about this on page 8), plans which were paved by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BOC), which has unanimously and enthusiastically approved up to $33 million of incentives for the public infrastructure project.
Developer Beat Kahli said Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, which previously has been called Avalon Park West, will be a place where residents can live, work and play without ever leaving their community.
Kahli, the president and CEO of Avalon Park Group, also developed Avalon Park Orlando. He says he told those residents 20 years ago, โIf you donโt want to leave, you donโt have to because we can satisfy all of your needs hereโฆthatโs our goal here.โ
The BOC vote to approve the incentive package was 4-0.
โItโs such a great project,โ said District 3 Pasco commissioner Kathryn Starkey. โThis will be downtown Wesley Chapel. They donโt have a downtownโฆthey have (malls), which some people count as downtown, but this will really be the downtown of Wesley Chapel.โ
District 2 commissioner Mike Moore, who represents much of Wesley Chapel, missed the meeting with an illness but says he, too, supports the plans.
โItโs definitely a great project,โ Moore said. โItโs going to bring some much-needed Class A office space, which will lead to some high-paying jobs. Thatโs what Iโm most excited about.โ
The plan for Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, whose 215 acres are located east of Curley Rd. on the north side of S.R. 54, goes well beyond your typical subdivision.
The urban mixed-use center will have a 10-year buildout and boasts 2,695 residential units, 165,000 square feet of Class โAโ office space and 190,400 square feet of commercial development.
The project will include four-story buildings, with neighborhood commercial on the bottom floor and the other three floors reserved for residential.
There will be multiple parking decks and four freestanding Class A office buildings, which are typically larger, and feature top-of-the-line amenities and high-income tenants, and are located in a central location, which in this case would be the new downtown Wesley Chapel.
Avalon Park Wesley Chapel also will include two schools with capacity for 3,386 students โ New River Elementary, which already exists, and Pinecrest Charter School, which is opening this fall.
According to David Engel, the manager of the countyโs Office of Economic Growth, 50 percent of trip generation by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel will remain on site, resulting in a reduction of more than 14,000 trips a day on S.R. 54.
โThat can solve traffic problems,โ Kahli said. โInstead of building subdivisions, we have to build towns.โ
The total cost of the Avalon Park Wesley Chapel proposal is $785 million.
The countyโs commitment to the $83.3 public infrastructure investment by Kahli will be $33 million via what is essentially a 30-year property tax rebate, provided the project hits certain benchmarks and triggers.
The deal also includes a $1.2-million loan (through the Penny for Pasco 1 cent sales tax ) to accelerate construction of the first office building, which is required to be at least 75,000 square feet and is one of the development agreementโs triggers.
The county says it will benefit greatly from the deal โ 1,065 permanent jobs resulting in an estimated $42-million in payroll. A tax revenue forecast conducted by Wynne & Associates, LLC, said that over a 30-year period, the project will generate more than $198 million in ad valorem property taxes alone, which is approximately $112 million more than a conventional, suburban development would bring in.
โThe return on investment to the county is substantial,โ Engel said.
Moore said the success of Avalon Park Orlando is a good sign for Kahliโs efforts in Wesley Chapel.
โThey have been very successful with the project in Orlando,โ Moore says. โBut, this is going to be bigger and better.โ
Every year, after we report the results of our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, I always feel compelled to give you my dining favorites, including all of the restaurants that opened in (or very near) New Tampa and Wesley Chapel the previous year. Some of you love my opinions; others…not so much.
Even so, most people I meet out in our neck of the woods tell me they agree with my choices more than they do those of the readers year after year.
For example, even when my kids were young and I ate a lot more fast food, I liked Chick-fil-A, Steak-n-Shake and others enough, but when I see enough people voting for any fast food eatery to place it in our readersโ top-10 โ especially now, when we have more than 150 different restaurants between our two markets โ I always feel like I need to have my say, too.
But, when I get to sit down to a perfect medium-rare, bone-in ribeye (photo) or big filet, with spicy bourbon creamed corn, a Caesar salad (with or without anchovies) and a glass of Malbec from my favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel โ Dempseyโs Steak House at Saddlebrook Resort, I know my judgement canโt be all bad. โ GNย
From the day it first opened at Saddlebrook Resort off S.R. 54 somewhere around 20 years ago, Dempseyโs has been my favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel โ and for good reason!
Itโs not because I used to live in Saddebrook before Dempseyโs opened, or because itโs the most expensive restaurant in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. Dempseyโs gets my nod year after year because the steakhouse named for Saddlebrook owner Tom Dempsey always features the best hand-cut steaks, freshest, top-quality fish and amazing starters and sides.
In other words, Dempseyโs isnโt just the best restaurant in the Chap. Itโs a top-5 steakhouse in the Bay area, as good (and as pricy) as the Council Oak at the Seminole Hard Rock, Flemingโs, Charleyโs and the 1200ยบ Chophouse on St. Pete Beach.
When I told Saddlebrook assistant food and beverage director Geoffrey Rutgers that Dempseyโs was #1 with me again this year, the long-time Neighborhood News reader quickly set up the photo shoot for my picture on pg. 30. โIโve trusted your picks for years and I know Iโm not the only one,โ he said.
Even though Grillsmith has always made my top-10 since it first opened in the Shops at Wiregrass, itโs now grabbing its loftiest spot on my list of WC favorites since the Tampa Bay-based chain first opened because of the addition of what they call โshort-tripโ fresh fish (like the grouper Mediterranean style shown above; weโve also enjoyed corvina, snapper, mahi and even pompano and never had a bad piece of fish). Thereโs now also a larger selection of steaks and the mashed cauliflower is the best around.
Bubbaโs 33 may be the highest-finishing new restaurant on my list since Dempseyโs, even though itโs an entirely different concept, price-point and feel.
Local Bubbaโs 33 franchisee Jeff Dean and his wife (and marketing whiz) Crista have years of experience in the restaurant business, but Texas Roadhouseโs new concept also is amazing โ sports bar prices with restaurant-quality food. โEverything is house-made,โ Crista says. โFrom our hand-tossed pizzas to our hand-cut steaks.โ And, the chicken-&-not-waffles above is my current favorite brunch item in Wesley Chapel.
My friends Anass El-Omari and his wife Susana only renamed and reopened the restaurant inside the Lexington Oaks Golf Club a little more than a year ago but it has been a best-kept secret in Wesley Chapel ever since. And, even though you can only get Anassโ perfect grilled mahi-mahi (above), crispy, but tender chicken parmigiana and filet mignon with cream sauce as daily specials since he revamped his own menu after the golf course was closed for renovations last year, the more golfer-oriented food is still excellent.
When Jannah and I feel like a delicious filet at a fair price, with great sides included, Longhorn is the first place we both usually think of โ and not just because itโs the closest steakhouse to where we live. From the tender Floโs filet to the NY strip, Longhornโs steaks are aways done to perfection and if youโre somehow ever not happy, management will always make it right. We love the salad, the crisp-crust bread and always-fresh veggies, too. And, although we wish the bar area was a little bigger, the bartenders and drink prices are outstanding.
— 6 — GARDEN GRILLE Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-WC 26640 Silver Maple Pkwy. | (813) 591-6900
Please stop me if youโve heard me say this before, but when the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel first opened in late 2018, it hosted a Grand Opening event, where the food served in the hotelโs Garden Grille restaurant was so good, I thought it mustโve come from an outside caterer.
Wrong! The food at the Garden Grille is excellent, from delicious crispy wings, to tasty meatballs and even a great ribeye steak. I wish the Garden Grille was open for lunch, but itโs also great for โeventโ food like the French toast casserole shown above.
— 7 — BONEFISH GRILL Shoppes at New Tampa (WC) 1640 Bruce B Downs Blvd. | (813) 907-8202
When youโre looking for the best seared tuna sashimi appetizer (photo) in Wesley Chapel, thereโs no doubt in my mind that Bonefish Grillโs is #1. The thick slices are always fresh, always well-seared but still rare and covered in black and white sesame seeds. Bonefish does also feature excellent fresh fish, but not as good for my money as Grillsmithโs. And, the Outback-quality steaks are an added bonus. I canโt eat the bang-bang shrimp because of my accursed shellfish allergy, but people say itโs the best โ and most often imitated โ youโll find anywhere.
— 8 — FORDโS GARAGE 25226 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz | (813) 540-3673
Speaking of seared tuna, Fordโs Garage probably has my second favorite version of it in Wesley Chapel, but everything โ from the Buffalo chicken sandwich shown above to the prime black angus burgers to the grilled chicken Henry entrรฉe and chop salad โ is always top-quality. I feel like the burger buns are a little too big, but you gotta love the โFordโs Garageโ logo they bear. There probably is more indoor and outdoor bar seating at Fordโs Garage than any restaurant in Wesley Chapel not named Bahama Breeze (see below) and the drink prices are great, too.
— 9 — NOBLE CRUST Shops at Wiregrass 28330 Paseo Dr. | (813) 703-2602
There is no doubt in my mind that with a little larger and more diverse menu, Noble Crust would finish higher on my list of Wesley Chapel favorites. I love the house-made gnocchi and unique beef and pork meatball appetizers (thereโs even Impossible meatballs available now), as well as the double cut pork chop, bistro steak and chicken fried chicken parm entrรฉes and even though the bar area is a little tight, it offers an amazing selection of ultra-premium liquor and a great, fun vibe.
— 10 — TOP SHELF SPORTS LOUNGE AdventHealth Center Ice 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd. (813) 953-1032
Based on my experience at other ice rinks when both of my sons played ice hockey, I had no real expectations for good food when what is now called AdventHealth Center Ice first opened three years ago. Boy, was I wrong. Not only does Top Shelf have some of the best wings, burgers and bar food around, it also serves delicious mixed veggies as a side and the beers from owner Keelan Cottleโs own 81Bay Brewing are definitely popular with the hockey moms and dads.
The steak quality at the Outback Steakhouse has never been in question. The Victoriaโs filet shown above is very similar in quality and price to Longhornโs Floโs filet. Itโs all a matter of whose seasoning you prefer. In addition to the great variety of steaks, Outback also is famous for its shrimp on the barbie and bloominโ onion appetizers, Alice Springs chicken and surf & turf options that I sadly canโt enjoy, but rewards members (like me!) get $20 off at Outback or Bonefish or $40 off at Flemingโs every third visit.
— 12 — BAHAMA BREEZE 25830 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz | (813) 949-0779
Bahama Breeze is more than just another chain restaurant. Even though some say itโs out of place in our area because it doesnโt border on a body of water, people really buy into the tropical look and feel of the Breeze and the food is pretty good, too. Although the ever-changing Market Catch fish isnโt always an option we like, the blackened mahi tacos above, skirt steak churrasco, burgers and Jamaican-inspired specials like the braised oxtail are all tasty entrรฉe options and we also enjoy the wings, the beef empanadas and chicken quesadilla appetizers. Itโs also our areaโs largest restaurant and bar area.
When our distribution areaโs first Glory Days Grill opened in New Tampa a few years ago, replacing the popular Lee Roy Selmonโs, I will say I wasnโt a big fan. However, when Jannah and I first tried the new Glory Days on S.R. 54, less than a mile from my office, we immediately recognized that the menu had been greatly upgraded. We absolutely love the zucchini fries appetizer shown above, as well as the steak rice bowl, the grilled chicken and comeback chicken entrรฉes, boston chowda and the 1/2-lb. proprietary blend burgers.
Owners Jessica and Carl Meyersโ seemingly hard-to-find location on S.R. 54, a mile or so west of the Tampa Premium Outlets, has been bringing in hungry fans from the moment it opened and the addition of beer, wine and homemade sangria definitely hasnโt hurt business, either. Although Iโve always said that the menu could be more diverse, if youโre looking for the best lasagne, chicken or veal parmigiana (the latter is usually a special) in our area, this is your place โ and the portions are huge, especially the calzones! The homemade Sicilian-style pizza is also unique and yummy.
— 15 — THE HUNGRY GREEK 2653 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. | (813) 345-8526
Any time you can offer quality food at excellent prices, you should have a chance to be successful in the restaurant biz and The Hungry Greek is proof of that theory. Years before AdventHealth Wesley Chapel opened directly across the street, The Hungry Greek was packing in the people, especially at lunchtime, with its classic gyro and souvlaki sandwiches and platters, shish kabob combo and chicken Caesar pita sandwich and the Greek salad is the most authentic and delicious in our area, too. I also really enjoy the Greek beer and decadent desserts.
— 16 — 900ยบ WOODFIRED PIZZA Shops at Wiregrass 28152 Paseo Dr. #195 | (813) 527-6940
Here come four of my favorite pizza places and Italian restaurants in Wesley Chapel all in a row. I personally prefer the NY-style to the woodfired Neapolitan-style pizza at 900ยบ Woodfired Pizza, but my favorite dish is definitely the freshly-made penne pesto Genovese shown above, although I usually have owner Steve Falabellaโs happy crew add grilled chicken and even some sautรฉed spinach to mine. The penne alla vodka and lasagne are awesome, too!
The new location of Amiciโs on Wesley Chapel Blvd./S.R. 54 in Lutz has brought me ever closer to the Mannino brothers and their delicious pizza, like the sausage and pepperoni NY-style shown above. But, like 900ยบ Woodfired, Amiciโs makes my list of Wesley Chapel favorites in part because it features a very authentic NY-style version of another one of my favorite pasta dishes โ the linguine with white clams. I canโt really call it a sauce, because itโs correctly more of a light broth, but it is loaded with whole clams and garlic and is a definite must-try!
Even though I didnโt remember the name of their long-time, open-24-hours-a-day original Fratelliโs in the Hunts Point Market in The Bronx, NY, I am so happy that the Fratelli brothers decided to sell that location and bring their tasty NY-style pizza and pastas to Wesley Chapel. I was even happier when I first sampled the truly authentic penne with broccoli rabe, chicken and sausage shown above. You wonโt find a better broccoli rabe in the Tampa Bay area and the baked pastas and hot subs also rock!
— 19 — LA PRIMA PIZZA 1211 Bruce B Downs Blvd. | (813) 907-2878
The fact that I have been friends with owner (and fellow transplanted New Yawka) Willie Lopez (and his son and pizza man Chris, photo) for more than 20 years has nothing to do with why I say La Prima has my favorite NY-style pizza in Wesley Chapel (or New Tampa, for that matter). However, it takes more than just great, oversized slices of pizza to make my list of favorite restaurants and La Prima also has really good Italian specialties like huge calzones and oven-baked meatball parmigiana subs.
Although I never really thought of Puerto Rican food as one of my favorite Latin cuisines until I tried the original location of Rice-n-Beans on S.R. 54 in Lutz, the spacious and beautiful new location (in the former location of Codyโs Roadhouse) has kept me a fan of Wesley Chapelโs Rice-n-Beans, especially the amazing fried chicken chicharrons shown above. Iโm also a fan of the roast pork mofongo, the grilled pork chops and chicken breast in garlic sauce. And yes, the rice and (I prefer the red) beans served with every meal are also delicious and authentic. Great drink prices, too.
— 21 — YAMATO JAPANESE Shops at Wiregrass 28347 Paseo Dr. | (813) 907-8701
Still the only Japanese steakhouse in Wesley Chapel, Yamato has a tremendous variety of hibachi-grilled proteins (photo) and the quality of the NY strip and filet mignon, as well as the chicken and even tuna teppanyaki dishes (and veggies) is good, although maybe not quite at the same level as Kobe in New Tampa. Even so, the sushi also is fresh and Yamato even has a full, premium-liquor bar, as well as its popular sushi bar and teppanyaki tables. Jannah and I enjoy the food more than the show at Japanese steakhouses. (Photo: Yelp)
I can live without the line dancing, but the food and service at Texas Roadhouse are both very good and I like picking out my own steak from the steakhouseโs display window before I order my meal. I prefer the NY strip over the filet or ribeye at Texas Roadhouse, but all of them are tasty and not as heavily seasoned (or quite as expensive) as at Longhorn or Outback. And, although I usually prefer bread with a crisp crust, the honey butter Roadhouse rolls are kind of addictive. Jannah and I always sit at the bar to avoid the sometimes-long wait for a table.
Not only is the fast-and-casual Arroy Thai still the only Thai restaurant in Wesley Chapel, itโs also one of the better ones in our area. I enjoy the lunch specials, which include steamed jasmine rice, fried wontons and a salad with peanut dressing for only $8.95-$13.95, depending upon the protein you choose โ which for me is usually chicken or pork with garlic and black pepper sauce, although I do also love the spicy basil and fresh ginger sauces, too. I also love the crispy duck dinner entrรฉes, although Iโm not big on curry sauces or noodle dishes.
— 24 — IRISH 31 Shops at Wiregrass 28358 Paseo Dr. | (813) 907-2306
Although I enjoy the food at Irish 31, much of the menu is fried, so I have limited options to choose from. My favorite appetizer is the crisp-and-light zucchini sticks. I also like the popular boxty (fried potato balls stuffed with everything from Shepherdโs pie to Velveeta, bacon and chives). My favorite entrรฉes are the fish & chips (photo) and the hearty and tasty Mulligan stew. Even the salads are fresh and delicious, with the 31 chopped salad being my favorite and of course, the atmosphere is great, too.
— 25 — LOS VALLARTAS 5335 Village Market | (813) 907-5161
Mexican food primarily means steak and/or chicken fajitas to me and I prefer Los Vallartasโ always-sizzling and cooked- to-perfection fajitas (above) to the more expensive Cantina Laredo and the better bar atmosphere of Chuyโs. Vallartasโ onions and peppers always com out well-cooked and I like the restaurantโs addition of tomatoes to its fajitas. I also really enjoy the huge menu, especially the grilled ribeye steak Mexicana, topped with grilled onions, tomatoes and jalapeรฑos. And all of the entrรฉes come with rice and delicious refried beans.
GARYโS NEXT 25 FAVES (in alphabetical order) All of these restaurants are very good, just not good enough (in my opinion) to make my Top-25 in Wesley Chapel. Iโm even admitting to liking three โfast foodโ places.-GN
Best NY Pizza BJโs Restaurant & Brewhouse Bonsai Sushi Boscoโs Italian-to-Go Brunchieโs Burger Monger 365 Caffรฉ Italiano Cantina Laredo Chuyโs Culverโs First Watch Five Guys Burgers & Fries FJ Express Hibachi Express Hot Wok 88 Jersey Mikeโs Subs Mellow Mushroom NY NY Pizza OโBrienโs Irish Pub OTB Cafรฉ PizzaMania Pomodoro Pizza Red Robin Umu Japanese & Thai Wolfโs Den
JD Porter and his family donโt look at themselves merely as developers trying to make a buck. They look at themselves as curators of a 5,000-acre family heirloom that has been in the family since 1937, when James โWiregrassโ Porter bought the sprawling ranch land and moved to Wesley Chapel.
That land now has an elementary, middle, high school, a state college and multiple residential subdivisions.
There is a mall and a hospital, a hotel and a high-end car dealership, and so much more already standing, with a state road that was built with six lanes long before it actually needed that many lanes slicing through it.
โWeโve done some great things,โ says JD, the developer and driving force behind Wiregrass Ranchโs residential and commercial expansion.
And thereโs more on the way. Even as developed as his familyโs ranch is, if you take a peek at what is still to come, it doesnโt even feel half done.
So, as the Wesley Chapel area surrounding Wiregrass Ranch explodes with lagoons and trendy shipping container crates, restaurants and town centers, Porter continues to bide his time and slowly build something different.
The State of The Ranch
โItโs good. Itโs busy,โ Porter says.
While nothing new has been announced recently for Wiregrass Ranch, that doesnโt mean thereโs nothing new planned, or any negotiations ongoing.
In fact, thereโs plenty new planned, and talks almost daily.
In poker parlance, Porter always plays his cards close to the vest, and will only reveal those cards well after the hand has been finished.
โIโm not trying to be coy,โ he says matter-of-factly. โItโs just how weโve always done business.โ
While there wonโt be any details announced until later this year, Wiregrass Ranch chief operating officer (COO) Scott Sheridan says it will be a busy time on the ranch.
โWeโre pretty excited about 2020,โ he says. โWe donโt see any slowdown on the near-term horizon.โ
Porter says he is content playing the long game. No flashy restaurants or activity centers or trendy grocery stores are coming anytime soon.
While others may be filling immediate needs and desires, โWe are working on infrastructureโ that in the end, will make Wiregrass Ranch vibrantย and sustainable for years, like it did building S.R. 56 as a six-lane highway long before the area was bustling.
In The Plans
Porter says a 200,000-sq.-ft. office project will come out of the ground later this year.
โWe have a unique blend of users,โ he says. โItโs going to be nice.โ
Porter also has submitted plans to build another retail strip on S.R. 54 at the northernmost edge of Wiregrass Ranch, next to the recently completed first retail project, which is anchored by a new Glory Days Grill, on the S.R. 54 side of Wiregrass Ranch, which runs all the way from 54 to south of S.R. 56. Another restaurant is planned for the latest budding retail project, but Porter says no leases have yet been signed.
But, later this year โ Porter wonโt exactly say when โ you might have to buckle up for an announcement or two.
โThereโs some exciting things coming down the pipeline,โ Porter says. โSome of the things will be game-changers for the area that I donโt think anyone has expected.โ
Who doesnโt love a little suspense?
Building The Donut
Porter has had plans for a town center โ which he has claimed will serve not only as Wesley Chapelโs downtown but a downtown for the entire North Tampa Bay area โ for a while now. But, before that project sprouts to life, he says it is important to build an apparatus โ revolving around residential โ that will support it, which they are doing.
โI know there has been a ton of stories about town centers recently,โ he says (see story on page 6). โWeโve talked about that for, what, 15 years? But weโre working in a direction that surrounds that donut hole.โ
Which would make that donut the residential support, Sheridan says. โWeโre getting that donut, for lack of a better word, closed in.โ
The town center would be located in the heart of Wiregrass Ranch. It will be connected to all of the development by a series of trails and sidewalks โ a vast spiderweb, if you will, with the north-south spine running through the middle of it being the under-construction Wiregrass Ranch Blvd., which should be completed from 54 to 56 by 2023.
That road will have traffic-calming roundabouts throughout, another way that Porter and Sheridan are trying to stay ahead of the game.
Meanwhile, Wiregrass Ranchโs future town center area is slowly becoming surrounded by homes.
Estancia, The Ridge and the Arbors at Wiregrass Ranch, the Altis apartments and a Fairfield Inn hotel are already in place, and Persimmon Park and the 800+ home Esplanade 55-and-older community are under construction. And, now, S.R. 56 has been extended to U.S. 301, which will bring with it more homes and even more residents who will be flocking to the area.
Porter says he is thrilled to have Esplanade starting with Taylor Morrison Homes on board as the builder. The 55-plus community, the residents of which will likely consist of many retirees, will provide much of the daytime business when the town center is built.
โIt was an underserved market, and a great fit for us,โ Porter says.
More people means more businesses, which leads to a need for more entertainment and neighborhood retail, leaving developers with a greater responsibility to find the right combination to make the โlive here, work here, play hereโ model work.
In the past, Porter has talked about a performing arts center in Wiregrass Ranch, but that is no longer necessary due to the one the county is building next to Cypress Creek middle and high schools to the north. But, something with a similar impact will take its place as an anchor.
โWe are actively working on, and looking at, some unique catalysts in our town center,โ Sheridan says.
โThe end of the earth used to be Meadow Pointe Blvd., but thatโs not the case anymore,โ Porter says. โThe town center is 10 times more viable than it was 10 years ago, and it was viable then. Weโve just been extremely patient to get the right blend.โ
As for the town center, well, just you wait, says Porter says. It wonโt be anchored by a Publix and a laundromat, he jokes. It will be something special.
โIt will be a true, mixed-use, walkable, pedestrian-focused town center,โ Sheridan says.
Still Waiting…ย
Raymond James Financial filed plans last year to build its massive 1-million-sq.-ft. satellite campus on 65 acres at the corner of S.R. 56 and Mansfield Blvd.
When that actually will happen, though, no one knows.
โThey own the property. They have the permits. Everything is ready to go,โ Porter says. โThey are a big company and when they decide they are ready, they are going to do it. Itโs been put on a silver platter.โ
Since Raymond James, which will create thousands of new jobs when it finally builds its campus, closed on the property last year, Porter says other projects in Wiregrass Ranch have already created 2,000 jobs.
Another long-anticipated project is the move of the Publix grocery store from the corner of S.R. 54 and Bruce B. Downs Blvd. to a space across Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. from Walmart.
Itโs still happening, says Porter, who adds that Publix may be looking to build two other stores within Wiregrass Ranch.
Wrapping It Up
Just consider the things that are open, underway or wrapping up this year:
โขEsplanade and Persimmon Park: Persimmon Park, which is geared towards families and will have 340 townhome units by David Weekley Homes and ICI Homes, should have models ready to view and future homes ready to sell by April.
โขThe Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County will open in July, and will host its first event in September. The massive campus will feature a 98,000-sq.-ft. indoor sports facility, plus outdoor fields on the 80-acre parcel, and eventually a 128-room Marriott Residence Inn. The public-private partnership facility will provide an economic boon to the Ranch.
โขAnd…AdventHealth Wesley Chapel: Built on the land where Porter was raised, is expanding, in partnership with Moffitt Cancer Center. A three-story, 100,000-square-foot medical office complex, with 28,000 square feet dedicated to a cancer outpatient center, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
โข Plus…Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch of Pasco Hernando State College (which started as a community college and has room for expansion) and Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch Adult Living & Memory Care. All of these are Wiregrass Ranch projects that have been patiently developed for years, and have come to fruition.
Flashy? No.ย
Pillars for building a strong community that will contribute to residential and commercial growth? Absolutely.
Developing Wiregrass Ranch is a job Porter says he takes personally and that he is in it for the long haul, he says, which makes his approach different, and more careful.
While he enjoys the competition from other developers and seeing what they will be building โ and rooting for them, by the way, because he says he wants to see Wesley Chapel flourish โ he feels he has a greater responsibility to make the right decisions.
โThis land has provided a huge opportunity, not only for my family but the whole area,โ he says. โWeโve been here 80 years, why wouldnโt we want to make it better for the next 80 years? That business model doesnโt work for publicly traded companies that have to make 25 percent for investors every year. That allows us to work on filling the gaps and being sustainable.โ
From left to right: Sam Becker, a USF graduate student in the School of Urban and Regional Planning, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and City Councilmember Luis Viera.
A standing-room-only crowd packed Compton Park in Tampa Palms on Feb. 3 for the unveiling of the initial results of a New Tampa business study, and while the presentation did seem to assuage some of the concerns of those in attendance, the results of that survey are far from conclusive.
In fact, because many of the area businesses along Bruce B. Downs Blvd. south of I-75 โ meaning Tampa Palms โ have not reported data, like earnings and number of employees, to the City of Tampa, the study was only based on businesses along BBD from the I-75 interchange north to County Line Rd.
University of South Florida School of Public Affairs director Ron Sanders said the data the study did find south of I-75 โlooked funny.โ
That meant that the closings of Staples, HH Gregg, Bed Bath & Beyond and Casa Ramos, which played a central role in triggering the study, were not included in any conclusions by the USF study, which included input from New Tampa (morning) Rotary Club and North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce members, as well as other local business leaders.
โYou have to take some of the quantitative analysis (from the study) with a grain of salt,โ Sanders told the crowd, which included Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Tampa City Council member Luis Viera. โItโs limited by the data, and it is what it is. It had to be balanced by some of the real-life observations and anecdotal (evidence).โ
While the study was spurred by community concerns about business closings in Tampa Palms that were pointed out to Viera (as well as to Mayor Castor while she was running for office), at least north of I-75, seems to paint a rosier picture.
According to Sam Becker, a USF graduate student in the School of Urban and Regional Planning, a total of 57 businesses closed in New Tampa north of I-75 between 2015-18, losing an annual sales volume of roughly $122 million.
However, in that same period, 94 new businesses opened, generating nearly $181 million in sales.
That produced a net gain of 37 new businesses, $59 million total sales volume and 1,651 employees.
But without data from south of I-75, Sanders says โit is hard to draw any conclusionsโ about the New Tampa area as a whole.
And, since the study began, the once-vacant HH Gregg and Staples spaces in the Market Square at Tampa Palms plaza have new tenants, and a handful of new restaurants have opened or will be open by the summer, including more than a dozen new businesses in the Village at Hunterโs Lake development.
The study made a host of recommendations, including creating a chamber of commerce-esque Business Retention & Expansion committee, attracting non-chains and marketing and branding New Tampa.
A community slogan โ โSomething For Everyoneโ was floated as an example โ as well as signage would let people passing through know they are in New Tampa.
โI still think it comes down to having a community identity that is amenable to everybody here in New Tampa,โ Viera said. โItโs something we should work on, as the study pointed to.โ
The studyโs results, while inconclusive, seemed to be met with enthusiasm by most of the 100 or more people in the crowd at Compton Park.
โI still miss my Bed Bath & Beyond, but I do feel better about the business climate,โ said longtime Arbor Greene resident Noreen Luetteke. โI think itโs improving. I just hope it stays that way.โ
Based on the results of our annual Reader’s Survey:
1 — COLDSTONE Cathy and Chip Byrne have owned the Cold Stone Creamery since it opened on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in 2004, employed hundreds of local kids and delivering thousands and thousands of delicious treats to area residents.
Welcome to Cold Stone, indeed.
New Tampaโs favorite desert joint has a fun and friendly staff that delivers a very rich ice cream, which has so much butter fat that Cathy wonโt even tell us exactly how much.
The ice cream, which is actually made in the back, is scooped onto a cold stone (get it?), and whatever flavors (a heaping spoonful of peanut butter?) and treats (Kit Kats? M&Ms?) your heart desires are folded into it for a frozen delight. Dessert and a show!
Ice cream cakes are particularly hot sellers at the New Tampa store, especially the chocolatey ganache-topped Midnight Delight.
While being located in front of a movie theater ainโt bad for an ice cream shop, what makes Cold Stone your favorite is that it is a high-quality product and a fun place. Just be ready to wait in a line if you plan on stopping by any weekend night!
2. Twistee Treat Twistee Treat is best-known for operating out of a giant ice cream cone, but its variety of soft serve ice cream flavors (including peanut butter and banana!), candy-infused Twirls, sundaes and great pricing make it a favorite.
3. Brusterโs Real Ice Cream Bruster’s is what it says โ real ice cream. When it comes to variety, Brusterโs takes the (ice cream) cake, and what kid in New Tampa didnโt grow up on the Dino sundaes? For a real treat, try a custom-made ice cream pie!
4. Dunkinโ Donuts Dunkin’ may not typically classify as dessert, but as a morning sweet itโs not a bad place to pick up a donut, muffin or coffee, and the addition of Baskin Robbins ice cream to some of our locations helps add to its dessert appeal.
5. The Cake Shop was purchased by Jean Paul Petit about a year ago. Petit, who had previously been the cake and pastry chef at Don Pan International Bakery in South Tampa, has brought a new flair to this local favorite. ย
