Category: News

Gary’s Top 25 Wesley Chapel Favorites!

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 readers’ top-10 — especially now, when we have more than 150 different restaurants between our two markets — 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 — Dempsey’s Steak House at Saddlebrook Resort, I know my judgement can’t be all bad. — GN

— 1 —
DEMPSEY’S
5700 Saddlebrook Way | (813) 907-4574

From the day it first opened at Saddlebrook Resort off S.R. 54 somewhere around 20 years ago, Dempsey’s has been my favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel — and for good reason!

It’s not because I used to live in Saddebrook before Dempsey’s opened, or because it’s the most expensive restaurant in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. Dempsey’s 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, Dempsey’s isn’t just the best restaurant in the Chap. It’s a top-5 steakhouse in the Bay area, as good (and as pricy) as the Council Oak at the Seminole Hard Rock, Fleming’s, Charley’s and the 1200º Chophouse on St. Pete Beach.

When I told Saddlebrook assistant food and beverage director Geoffrey Rutgers that Dempsey’s 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. “I’ve trusted your picks for years and I know I’m not the only one,” he said.

— 2 —
GRILLSMITH
Shops at Wiregrass
2000 Piazza Ave #100 | (813) 907-1900

Even though Grillsmith has always made my top-10 since it first opened in the Shops at Wiregrass, it’s 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 “short-trip” fresh fish (like the grouper Mediterranean style shown above; we’ve also enjoyed corvina, snapper, mahi and even pompano and never had a bad piece of fish). There’s now also a larger selection of steaks and the mashed cauliflower is the best around.

— 3 —
BUBBA’S 33
26340 Silver Maple Pkwy. | (813) 522-5090

Bubba’s 33 may be the highest-finishing new restaurant on my list since Dempsey’s, even though it’s an entirely different concept, price-point and feel.

Local Bubba’s 33 franchisee Jeff Dean and his wife (and marketing whiz) Crista have years of experience in the restaurant business, but Texas Roadhouse’s new concept also is amazing — sports bar prices with restaurant-quality food. “Everything is house-made,” Crista says. “From our hand-tossed pizzas to our hand-cut steaks.” And, the chicken-&-not-waffles above is my current favorite brunch item in Wesley Chapel.

— 4 —
OMARI’S GRILL
26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd. | (813) 907-7270

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 Anass’ 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.

— 5 —
LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE
2647 Creek Grass Way, Lutz | (813) 909-0003

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 — and not just because it’s the closest steakhouse to where we live. From the tender Flo’s filet to the NY strip, Longhorn’s steaks are aways done to perfection and if you’re 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 you’ve 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 hotel’s Garden Grille restaurant was so good, I thought it must’ve 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 it’s also great for “event” 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 you’re looking for the best seared tuna sashimi appetizer (photo) in Wesley Chapel, there’s no doubt in my mind that Bonefish Grill’s 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 Grillsmith’s. And, the Outback-quality steaks are an added bonus. I can’t eat the bang-bang shrimp because of my accursed shellfish allergy, but people say it’s the best — and most often imitated — you’ll find anywhere.

— 8 —
FORD’S GARAGE
25226 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz | (813) 540-3673

Speaking of seared tuna, Ford’s Garage probably has my second favorite version of it in Wesley Chapel, but everything — from the Buffalo chicken sandwich shown above to the prime black angus burgers to the grilled chicken Henry entrée and chop salad — is always top-quality. I feel like the burger buns are a little too big, but you gotta love the “Ford’s Garage” logo they bear. There probably is more indoor and outdoor bar seating at Ford’s 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 (there’s even Impossible meatballs available now), as well as the double cut pork chop, bistro steak and chicken fried chicken parm entrées 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 Cottle’s own 81Bay Brewing are definitely popular with the hockey moms and dads.

— 11 —
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE
5710 Oakley Blvd. | (813) 973-7717

The steak quality at the Outback Steakhouse has never been in question. The Victoria’s filet shown above is very similar in quality and price to Longhorn’s Flo’s filet. It’s 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 bloomin’ onion appetizers, Alice Springs chicken and surf & turf options that I sadly can’t enjoy, but rewards members (like me!) get $20 off at Outback or Bonefish or $40 off at Fleming’s 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 it’s out of place in our area because it doesn’t 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 isn’t 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 entrée options and we also enjoy the wings, the beef empanadas and chicken quesadilla appetizers. It’s also our area’s largest restaurant and bar area.

–13 —
GLORY DAYS GRILL
28812 S.R. 54 | (813) 535-7678

When our distribution area’s first Glory Days Grill opened in New Tampa a few years ago, replacing the popular Lee Roy Selmon’s, I will say I wasn’t 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 entrées, boston chowda and the 1/2-lb. proprietary blend burgers.

— 14 —
LITTLE ITALY’S
24436 FL-54, Lutz | (813) 909-2122

Owners Jessica and Carl Meyers’ 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 hasn’t hurt business, either. Although I’ve always said that the menu could be more diverse, if you’re looking for the best lasagne, chicken or veal parmigiana (the latter is usually a special) in our area, this is your place — 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 —
900º 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 900º Woodfired Pizza, but my favorite dish is definitely the freshly-made penne pesto Genovese shown above, although I usually have owner Steve Falabella’s happy crew add grilled chicken and even some sautéed spinach to mine. The penne alla vodka and lasagne are awesome, too!

— 17 —
AMICI’S PIZZA & DELI
26602 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Lutz | (813) 973-9734

The new location of Amici’s 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 900º Woodfired, Amici’s 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 — the linguine with white clams. I can’t really call it a sauce, because it’s correctly more of a light broth, but it is loaded with whole clams and garlic and is a definite must-try!

— 18 —
FRATELLI’S PIZZA & CAFE
5327 Village Market | (813) 991-1118

Even though I didn’t remember the name of their long-time, open-24-hours-a-day original Fratelli’s 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 won’t 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.

— 20 —
RICE-N-BEANS
27405 Wesley Chapel Blvd. | (813) 803-7974

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 Cody’s Roadhouse) has kept me a fan of Wesley Chapel’s Rice-n-Beans, especially the amazing fried chicken chicharrons shown above. I’m 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)

— 22 —
TEXAS ROADHOUSE
26409 Silver Maple Pkwy. | (813) 907-8188

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 steakhouse’s 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.

— 23 —
ARROY THAI
27427 Wesley Chapel Blvd. | (813) 501-4924

Not only is the fast-and-casual Arroy Thai still the only Thai restaurant in Wesley Chapel, it’s 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 — 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 entrées, although I’m 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 Shepherd’s pie to Velveeta, bacon and chives). My favorite entrées 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 Vallartas’ always-sizzling and cooked- to-perfection fajitas (above) to the more expensive Cantina Laredo and the better bar atmosphere of Chuy’s. Vallartas’ onions and peppers always com out well-cooked and I like the restaurant’s 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 jalapeños. And all of the entrées come with rice and delicious refried beans.

GARY’S 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. I’m even admitting to liking three “fast food” places.-GN

Best NY Pizza
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
Bonsai Sushi
Bosco’s Italian-to-Go
Brunchie’s
Burger Monger
365 Caffé Italiano
Cantina Laredo
Chuy’s
Culver’s
First Watch
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
FJ Express
Hibachi Express
Hot Wok 88
Jersey Mike’s Subs
Mellow Mushroom
NY NY Pizza
O’Brien’s Irish Pub
OTB Café
PizzaMania
Pomodoro Pizza
Red Robin
Umu Japanese & Thai
Wolf’s Den

Down On The (Wiregrass) Ranch

JD Porter and his family don’t 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 “Wiregrass” 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.

“We’ve done some great things,” says JD, the developer and driving force behind Wiregrass Ranch’s residential and commercial expansion.

And there’s more on the way. Even as developed as his family’s ranch is, if you take a peek at what is still to come, it doesn’t 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

“It’s good. It’s busy,” Porter says.

While nothing new has been announced recently for Wiregrass Ranch, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing new planned, or any negotiations ongoing.

In fact, there’s 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.

“I’m not trying to be coy,” he says matter-of-factly. “It’s just how we’ve always done business.”

While there won’t 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.

“We’re pretty excited about 2020,” he says. “We don’t see any slowdown on the near-term horizon.”

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, “We are working on infrastructure” that in the end, will make Wiregrass Ranch vibrant 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.

“We have a unique blend of users,” he says. “It’s going to be nice.”

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 — Porter won’t exactly say when — you might have to buckle up for an announcement or two.

“There’s some exciting things coming down the pipeline,” Porter says. “Some of the things will be game-changers for the area that I don’t think anyone has expected.”

Who doesn’t love a little suspense?

Building The Donut

Porter has had plans for a town center — which he has claimed will serve not only as Wesley Chapel’s downtown but a downtown for the entire North Tampa Bay area — for a while now. But, before that project sprouts to life, he says it is important to build an apparatus — revolving around residential — that will support it, which they are doing.

“I know there has been a ton of stories about town centers recently,” he says (see story on page 6). “We’ve talked about that for, what, 15 years? But we’re working in a direction that surrounds that donut hole.”

Which would make that donut the residential support, Sheridan says. “We’re getting that donut, for lack of a better word, closed in.”

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 — 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 Ranch’s 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.

“It was an underserved market, and a great fit for us,” 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 “live here, work here, play here” 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.

“We are actively working on, and looking at, some unique catalysts in our town center,” Sheridan says.

“The end of the earth used to be Meadow Pointe Blvd., but that’s not the case anymore,” Porter says. “The town center is 10 times more viable than it was 10 years ago, and it was viable then. We’ve just been extremely patient to get the right blend.”

As for the town center, well, just you wait, says Porter says. It won’t be anchored by a Publix and a laundromat, he jokes. It will be something special.

“It will be a true, mixed-use, walkable, pedestrian-focused town center,” Sheridan says.

Still Waiting…

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.

“They own the property. They have the permits. Everything is ready to go,” Porter says. “They are a big company and when they decide they are ready, they are going to do it. It’s been put on a silver platter.”

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.

It’s 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:

•Esplanade 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.

•The 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.

•And…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.

• 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.

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 — and rooting for them, by the way, because he says he wants to see Wesley Chapel flourish — he feels he has a greater responsibility to make the right decisions.

“This land has provided a huge opportunity, not only for my family but the whole area,” he says. “We’ve been here 80 years, why wouldn’t we want to make it better for the next 80 years? That business model doesn’t 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.”

development JD Porter Wiregrass Ranch

Sensory Park Has New Home

The New Tampa Sensory & Autism Friendly Park, which originally was earmarked to be built on five acres of land behind the BJ’s Wholesale Club on Commerce Palms Dr. in Tampa Palms., is headed to a new site.

Now, the park will be constructed in the nearby New Tampa Community Park (NTCP).

After concerns were raised by members of the Stafford Place community about parking and noise, Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, who represents New Tampa as part of District 7, began the search for a new site.

The sensory-friendly park has been one of Viera’s pet projects since he was elected to the council in 2015.

Viera, whose older brother Juan has autism, successfully fought to get $90,000 included in former Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s 2018 Tampa city budget for Phase 1 of the project, which was allocated for a study and design of the park.

Now, that design will be used at the NTCP.

Viera said he will make a budget request to finally have the park constructed.

He estimates the cost at $1-1.4 million, less than he had originally anticipated.

“There are sites located in the New Tampa Community Park that not only get the job done, but due to the presently available parking and other infrastructure, reduce the cost of this effort substantially,” Viera says. — JCC

New Tampa sensory vira

New Tampa’s Samantha Lebron Is Now Ms. Wheelchair Florida

Ms. Wheelchair Florida Samantha Lebron is a New Tampa resident who now has a unique title that can help her advocate for others with disabilities, something she has been doing since 2018

Samantha Lebron knows it’s going to be a conversation starter.

The 33-year-old, wheelchair-bound New Tampa resident is, after all, wearing a crown and sash in public. It all comes with the territory when you are the reigning Ms. Wheelchair Florida.

“A couple days after I got crowned,” Samantha says, “I was actually asked about it and they asked me to sit with them at their table in a restaurant and tell them every detail. I thought, ‘That’s what I went into this for.’”

Ms. Wheelchair Florida, Inc., hosted the 47th annual “Be the Change…Be Empowered” Conference & Gala at the Rosen Centre in Orlando from Feb 27-March 1, and Lebron, who was born with cerebral palsy but has only been wheelchair-bound since 2018, was crowned this year’s recipient.

And, while many think Lebron’s title is more for the pageantry or because the winner scored the best with “talent” judges, nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, the mission of Ms. Wheelchair Florida, Inc., is to provide an opportunity for wheelchair-bound women to educate and advocate for all individuals with disabilities. In essence, it now gives Lebron a platform to advocate for causes near to her heart.

Lebron entered the contest with just that goal in mind. She says that when she was on stage, the words flowed out perfectly, leading to her being crowned the winner and setting off a flurry of photos and interviews.

“And, it wasn’t about the glitz and glam for me,” she says. “It’s about my message and my platform being heard. I wanted to do this year right with my crown, and have the right ears listening to me, to really hit home what my platform will be.”

Lebron’s platform is to make transportation safer and more reliable for disabled individuals across the state since it is not a standardized practice throughout Florida. Each area, city or county has different methods, some better than others.

“And I was living it,” Lebron says. “Like a lot of other people in this county or many other places. I wanted to be a spokesperson to make this better, sure, not only for myself, but for others, as well.”

Overcoming Obstacles

Lebron says she faced many difficulties while trying to find transportation to work.

HARTPlus Paratransit has a service that offers van transportation that will pick up and drop off people at their destinations, or takes them to an accessible bus stop. But, Samantha wasn’t within ¾ of a mile of the closest bus stop, and wasn’t eligible for the service. With the closest bus stop an 8-min car drive from her New Tampa apartment, she had to utilize Uber rides to the HART bus station on E. Fletcher Ave.

That led sometimes to waits of an hour for HARTPlus, which was then another hour-long ride to her previous job on E. Hillsborough Ave.

Those Uber rides were costing her $500-600 a month alone.

“There are so many opportunities out there for jobs for people in my position,” Lebron says, “but there are not enough options for transportation to those opportunities. This was something I felt very strongly about because…well, I was living it.”

As noted earlier, Lebron hasn’t always been wheelchair bound. Up until 2018, she relied on using a walker to move around, until she sustained a neck injury that was causing nerve issues. Her doctors recommended she start using a wheelchair part time, but the pain became too great. She was told one fall could render her a paraplegic, so she is now 100-percent chair-bound.

She does still attend physical therapy and has a healthcare provider with her most of the time. In fact, she also plans to add the importance of physical therapy to her advocacy campaign.

“People just don’t get enough of it (physical therapy),” she says.

Lebron has never let the wheelchair slow her down.

She was recently certified to be a Work Incentives Practitioner, which is a position that works with other disabled individuals, helping them get their benefits and compensation in the workforce.

She also in an ambassador and spokesperson for ABLE United, a volunteer with Best Buddies, just accepted an offer to be on the Board of Directors for Self Reliance, Inc. She also participates in wheelchair-adaptable sports like golf, tennis and kayaking.

She says that one of her goals is to be selected to the National Paralympic Table Tennis team.

Lebron also is ready to take on the duties that come with her title as Ms. Wheelchair Florida.

She has several events and speaking engagements already planned, and even if those are postponed by the coronavirus, she says she will make sure her message is heard, either by video conference, or other telecommunications or social media.

“(I will use) this position, which is an honor I am humbled to have, to talk to businesses and policymakers to break the barriers that exist in the disability community,” Lebron says. “There were and still are a lot of barriers. Yes, (the last two years) have been great for inclusion and awareness, but we still have a long way to go.”

For more info, visit www.mswheelchairfl.org.

florida Miss Wheelchair Samantha Lebron

Wharton Sharpshooter Just Misses Olympics!

Matt Sanchez stands inside his Heritage Isles home, 10.9 yards from his practice target (blue arrow). (Photo: John C. Cotey)

Wharton High senior Matt Sanchez has more than just Olympic dreams. Earlier this month, those dreams nearly came true.

Competing at the Air Rifle U.S. Olympic Trials Feb. 7-9 in Colorado Springs, CO, Sanchez battled against 16 of the sharpest shooters in the country, and briefly toyed with making the Olympic team, before falling four points short and settling for third place. He is instead the first alternate for the squad if either of the shooters who finished ahead of him can’t make the trip.

The top two finishers – 2016 Olympian Lucas Kozeniesky and University of Kentucky sophomore Will Shaner – will make up the U.S. Olympic Air Rifle team. As the first alternate, Sanchez will only go if either Kozeniesky or Shaner can’t make the trip to Tokyo for the Games, which run from July 24-Aug.9.

This Colorado Springs trip was the second part of the Olympic Trials. The first part was held last fall, and Sanchez actually entered the second part in seventh place.

“The top two people were way ahead of everyone, so it looked like they were pretty much going to make it,” Sanchez said.

However, the second-place shooter from Part I had a terrible first day, and Sanchez was excellent. Shooting at a target the size of a size 12-point font period from 10.94 yards away from a standing position, he scored a 627.5 (out of 654), and made a big move up to third-place overall. Sanchez made up four points on the first day, and needed to do it again the final day to possibly nab the second spot on the team.

“I didn’t expect to make the team, honestly,” Sanchez says. “But then, things got a little crunchy going into the second day. I thought if I shoot the same thing, I could make it into second place.”

Sanchez admits he may have been overthinking on Day Two, and he shot a 624.1, and finished four points behind second-place Shaner. Kozeniesky tied a world record on Day 2 with a 633.5.

“It was a little bittersweet, to be honest,” Sanchez says. “If it was a year ago, and I made third place, I’d be really happy — ‘Oh hey, I got third place at a national competition, I did really good’ — But, seeing that I was only four points away from making an Olympic team and getting to go is a little bittersweet.”

Being first alternate is still quite an accomplishment, especially for a 17-year-old balancing high-level national competition with graduating from high school. Sanchez already has signed a scholarship to attend college-shooting powerhouse West Virginia University in Morgantown in the fall.

Sanchez took his first shots at age 9 at a gun range in Las Vegas while visiting his grandmother. From those first eager moments, he has evolved into a finely-tuned technician. In most air rifle competitions, you fire 60 shots in a 75-minute time limit, not the steady rat-a-tat shooting at a range you might be more familiar with. It takes an amazing amount of precision and training.

Sometimes, your heartbeat or a vein is pumping enough to jostle your sights. Sometimes, Sanchez says you need to move the rifle off a vein, or shoot between heartbeats.

Boom…boom…click…boom.

“His biggest attributes are his patience and his attention to detail,” says Matt’s father Freddy. “He does everything at 100-percent maximum. He is a very patient individual. My patience gets tested just watching him.”

Sanchez, unlike much of his competition, doesn’t have the benefit of a college or Olympic facility at which to train. The nearest specialized facility is in Orlando, and he also travels to south Florida to train with his coach, 1996 and 2000 Olympic team member Jayme Shipley.

Otherwise, Matt’s training takes place at a makeshift and poorly lit set-up at his Heritage Isles home. His garage isn’t quite big enough, so while the target is set up on one of its walls, to get 10.9 yards away he has to open the door and shoot from inside the home’s foyer.

“It’s been a real blessing to see him progress to this level,” Freddy says. “To be able to shoot in the garage and get a spot as an Olympic alternate, I can’t ask for anything more. He has a college scholarship, pretty much a full ride, he’s a member of national teams, he travels the world – China, Korea, Germany, you name it.”

Freddy rubs his left forearm.

“I’m getting goosebumps just talking about it.”

Sanchez might be too cool for goosebumps, but he is now more homed in than ever on making the 2024 Olympic team.

By then, he’ll have had four more years of training, this time at top-notch facilities at WVU and the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and the memory of 2020 pushing him.

“I would have loved to make the Olympic team, but I’m happy with where I am right now,” Sanchez says. “This experience has really pushed me and given me a drive to be a really, really good shooter. I know I need to ensure that, at the next Olympic trials, I won’t miss making the team by a couple of points.”

medal shooting