Contractor Pulls Out Of 54 Widening Project

One month after being kicked off the Diverging Diamond Interchange project at S.R. 56 and I-75, D.A.B. Constructors has informed the Florida Department of Transportation it is voluntarily defaulting on the S.R. 54 widening project as well.

On July 28, “FDOT received letters from DAB informing us that they are financially unable to perform or complete the performance of the work as prime contractor, which constitutes a voluntary default…,” FDOT spokesperson Kris Carson wrote in an email.

But it isn’t just the S.R. 54 widening project, which was supposed to be completed by the end of the year, that D.A.B. Constructors is walking away from. There are five other projects in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties:

  • C.R. 580 Sam Allen Rd. from S.R. 39 to Park Rd.
  • US 19 Widening from Green Acres to W. Jump Ct
  • US 19 Widening from W. Jump Court to W. Fort Island Trail
  • US 19 Resurfacing from Hernando County Line to Green Acres
  • SR 52 Widening from Suncoast Parkway to US 41

“FDOT will be working with the Surety Companies to take over and complete the projects,” Carson says.

D.A.B. Contractors issued a statement, signed by president Doborah Bachschmidt and executive vice president Bill Bachschmidt, earlier this week, published in the Citrus County Chronicle, saying that “After over 33 years as a small heavy civil construction firm based in Inglis, Florida, D.A.B. is winding down all operations and putting the completion of ongoing projects in the hands of our bonding companies.”

D.A.B. essentially says the DDI project led to it pulling out of its other projects due to financial strain.

FDOT’s actions in regards to D.A.B. being behind schedule on the DDI which was made public last fall, were a “deathblow” to the company. D.A.B. says it accelerated construction without payment from FDOT to meet milestone dates.

“When D.A.B. achieved the milestones to the extent feasible under the FDOT-furnished defective plans”, the company wrote, “FDOT moved the goalposts. We suffered a classic domino-effect, as our acceleration efforts had diverted resources from other ongoing projects and drained the company of millions of dollars such that operations cannot be sustained.”

It wrote it has been in a 15-month tug-of-war with FDOT due to errors in the design.

“Despite the existence of a significant errors in the project design provided by FDOT and the recommendation of an independent Disputes Review Board that upheld D.A.B.’s contentions regarding the existence of the design errors and the resulting impact to the project schedule and costs to complete, FDOT has declared D.A.B. in default.”

Last month, in a letter dated June 25, D.A.B. Constructors told FDOT they were “demobilizing” from the DDI project, two days before it was defaulted on the project by FDOT.

D.A.B., which says it is the only remaining woman-owned prime contractor in the state, says it cannot continue to self-finance FDOT projects while it waits on the outcome of court action.

Carson says D.A.B. Constructors filed a lawsuit against FDOT on July 1.

“We very much regret the inevitable inconveniences to the traveling public as D.A.B.’s ongoing jobs are transitioned to others for completion,” the Bachschmidts wrote.” We are working cooperatively with our sureties to expedite take over and completion work. Likewise, despite what we’ve encountered with FDOT, we intend to continue to cooperate with the department.”

That is disappointing news for Wesley Chapel residents, who just a few months ago were expecting the DDI and 54 widening to be completed before 2022. That now appears unlikely.

The 54 widening is a $42.5-million project to transform S.R. 54 from two to four lanes east of Curley Rd to east of Morris Bridge Rd., a 4.5-mile stretch. A sidewalk will be built on the north side of the road and a 10-foot wide multi-use trail will be built on the south side.

County Breaks Ground On The Performing Arts Center!

Hillsborough County Dist. 2 Commissioner Ken Hagan called it a “great day in New Tampa” as he joined New Tampa Players president Nora Paine, Dist. 3 Commissioner Gwen Myers and deputy county administrator Greg Horwedel at the groundbreaking of the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on July 8. (Photos: Charmaine George)

Rendering of the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (above).

Nearly 20 years to the day that the idea of a New Tampa cultural center was hatched by a nine-member volunteer committee comprised mostly of Hunter’s Green residents, the project’s very long and very winding road finally has come to an end, ironically, right across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the entrance to Hunter’s Green.

Ground was officially broken July 8 on what is now called the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (PAC) behind the new Village at Hunter’s Lake retail center.

Hillsborough County Commmissioners Ken Hagan (District 2) and Gwen Myers (District 3), New Tampa Players president Nora Paine and deputy county administrator Greg Horwedel used gold shovels to sling a few piles of mud (thanks, Elsa!) to officially kick off the construction of the PAC.

“What a great day it is here in New Tampa,” Hagan told a crowd of about 60. “Elsa passed, last night the Tampa Bay Lightning secured their place in history with back-to-back championships and today, we’re breaking ground on this long-awaited and much-needed facility.”

The 20,000-sq.-ft. PAC was designed by Fleischman Garcia Architects. It is expandable to 30,000-sq. ft. with the addition of a second floor, which would require additional funding down the road.

The PAC features a 350-seat theater and four other rooms that can be used by the community for a variety of purposes, as well as a state-of-the-art lobby.

After years of complications and reboots, the County Commission, with opposition from District 5 commissioner Mariella Smith and District 6 commissioner Pat Kemp, voted 5-2 to approve a $7.3-million construction contract to Dunedin-based Bandes Construction.

While Hagan was the driving force to get the project to the end of the road, he thanked previous commissioner and Hunter’s Green resident Victor Crist for his years diligently shepherding the project, and current District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, who rallied the city to contribute to the operating costs when the project appeared to be hitting another snag in April of this year.

The original idea behind the New Tampa cultural center was to find a home for local acting troupes like the New Tampa Players (NTP), which has had a gypsy-like existence. The group staged their first production, “They’re Playing Our Song,” at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club in September and at Hunter’s Green Club in October of 2022.

It was former NTP leader Doug Wall’s dream to see the PAC become the troupe’s primary home.

Wall passed away in 2017 after a bout with cancer.

“This means a ton to us,” said Paine, holding back tears. “It’s been a long time coming. He’s not here but he really should be. I know he’s here with us in spirit, though.”

County To Begin Upgrading Branchton Park In 2022

Branchton Park is currently an obscure park located south of Cross Creek Blvd. on Morris Bridge Rd., with plenty of open space, but will be transformed when it gets a $5-million makeover from Hillsborough County, including the addition of all-purpose courts, a playground and a pond.

Tucked away off Morris Bridge Rd. a little south of Cross Creek Blvd., Branchton Park is a quiet, underpopulated spot in New Tampa that few local residents have ever visited.

However, those who do know about it will probably agree — it is a park with limited amenities that is showing its age and is in desperate need of a facelift.

And now, Hillsborough County has plans to do just that. Branchton Park as you know it will cease to exist, and will be “relocated” immediately south of its current location at 15701 Morris Bridge Rd.

The new Branchton Park will be more modern, with a lot more amenities, and will serve a lot more people’s needs, at a cost of around $5.5 million.

District 2 Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan said he secured the funding for the improvements in previous county budgets.

The park currently has a small shelter and playground, a basketball court in need of a refresh and parking for a few cars.

It also has a paved trail and plenty of open space, but no bathrooms (other than Porta Potties) or water fountains. Once the new park is completed, the site of the current park will be home to future development, which could include a restaurant, sports bar or even new homes, Hagan says, adding that he can envision something like The Village at Hunter’s Lake development on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 

The nearly 500 responses to a county survey about what to make the new park look like were exactly what you would expect. Residents would like to see a dog park, a covered pavilion and play area, pickleball and tennis courts, roller hockey, more basketball courts, soccer fields and cricket pitches, a disc golf course, a splash pad, a skate park, walking and running trails, bathrooms, an amphitheater and more activities for the area’s senior population.

Or, in other words, everything.

Many of the resident requests are included in the plans, according to the county’s website. 

The project will be funded in phases and, in the first phase, there will be additional parking, walking trails, dog parks, restrooms, shelters and multipurpose courts, though the county notes that likely means four pickleball courts and two basketball courts, which also can be used for volleyball, according to the conceptual site plan.

The separate dog parks for small and large dogs will include shelters, benches, dog agility equipment and water and even wash stations.

Subsequent phases will include other things on the resident wish list, like a more robust playground and a splash pad. There is a possibility, according to the survey, that the splash pad could make its way into Phase 1.

Hagan says count on it.

“There will be a splash pad, I can promise you,” Hagan says. “And it will be in Phase 1. I’m not going to let that (not) happen.”

Final decisions on what may be added in subsequent phases will be made after Phase 1 has been completed.

According to the conceptual site plan, the new park also will include a park office, concessions, event pavilion, open area and 70 parking spaces. There also are plans further down the road for a public-private partnership (PPP) on a zip line or “challenge” course for the park.

Hagan says he may also push for a Hillsborough Sheriff’s substation in the Branchton area as well. 

In 2017, the county acquired four parcels of land totaling 10 acres just south of the current Branchton Park. The newly acquired land will be home to the new park. 

Hagan hopes to get the process moving in the next few months, with the start of construction sometime in early 2022.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Hagan says. “I think this is a great opportunity to build a really nice community asset.”

Pasco Dental Adds Former Wharton State Champ To Fold

The staff at Pasco Dental on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel includes (l.-r.) Dr. Ben, Dr. Dan, office manager Trisha and assistant Jan. (Photos: John C. Cotey)

In almost every medical-related field these days, one visit to the doctor could mean multiple trips to see multiple specialists. Sore throat? Bad back?  Throbbing knee?

Specialist, specialist, specialist.

And, dentistry usually is no different, which is why Daniel Hwang, D.D.S., of Pasco Dental takes great pride in his advanced knowledge of all aspects of dentistry and can pass that on to patients instead of passing those patients on to dental specialists.

At Pasco Dental, located in the Wesley Chapel Executive Center on S.R. 54, a little more than a mile east of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., “Dr. Dan” takes care of everything from a simple teeth cleaning to more complex matters.

“It makes things convenient for our patients,” Dr. Dan says, “because we offer all phases of dentistry, including cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign aligners, sedation dentistry, dental implants, oral surgery and periodontal surgery.”

Dr. Dan also owns Lutz Dental, located at 19105 U.S. 41. Both practices receive high marks from customers — Pasco Dental has 197 Google reviews with an average 4.9-star rating, and the office in Lutz has 133 ratings and a perfect 5-star rating.

And, at Pasco Dental, you get two Dr. Hwangs for the price of one. Two years ago, Dr. Dan’s son, Dr. Ben Hwang, D.M.D., joined the practice.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Dan was raised in Mt. Vernon, VA, and moved to Brooklyn, NY, for middle school and Queens, NY, for high school.

He received both his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree (in 1987) and his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree (in 1991) from prestigious Columbia University in Manhattan, NY, and spent twelve years learning the ropes of the dental business with his brother, who had a thriving dental practice in Ft. Lee, NJ.

When he was ready, Dr. Dan opened his own chain of Price Dental offices in the Metropolitan New York area.

But, having so many offices took a toll on a father with three young children at home. And in the meantime, Ben had grown into a budding tennis prodigy.

Dr. Dan (right) and Dr. Ben go over an X-ray at the Pasco Dental office on S.R. 54. 

So, the family moved to Florida, and settled in New Tampa before moving to Wesley Chapel. Dr. Dan, who played tennis at Columbia, trained Ben, who went on to be a key member of three straight State championship teams at Wharton.

His senior year in 2011, Ben — ranked as the No. 10 player in Florida — led the Wildcats to the team title at No. 1 singles, and the next day, also captured the Class 4A individual singles title.

Ben went to prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, where he earned a B.S. degree in Behavioral Biology. But, he also made the most important decision of his life.

“John Hopkins is pretty well known for medicine and its students becoming doctors, so that is what I was going to do,” Dr. Ben says. “I ended up deciding that wasn’t the best for me. So, I started looking for dental schools and one thing led to another.”

Ben remembered all the time his father had been able to spend with him, training him in tennis and traveling to tournaments. A dentist’s schedule is far different than what a doctor’s might be. 

“He was always able to make time,” Ben says. “I thought that might be something I would want to do as well when I have a kid.”

That decision led Ben to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree, and after earning his degree, joined his father at Pasco Dental and Lutz Dental.

“In school, they always talked about how important it was to find yourself a great mentor,” Ben says. “To have my dad, who’s been practicing for 30 years, I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor.”

That gives Pasco Dental two Ivy League-educated dentists, an impressive feat. Next year, Dr. Dan’s younger son Thomas is expected to join the practice after he graduates from the University of Florida College of Dentistry, also regarded as one of the best in the country.

There’s probably a good chance the Hwangs already buy their scrubs in bulk, as Jan Hwang, Dr. Dan’s wife, helps in the office when she’s not working as an emergency room nurse at Moffitt Cancer Center, while daughter Nina is an oncology nurse at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, NY.

Doing It All

Dr. Dan has said that in New York, most general and family dentists provide all dental services, whereas in Florida, many dentists refer their patients elsewhere for braces, dental implants and even gum or root canal procedures.

However, at Pasco Dental, they do all of that, and more. There is an emphasis on patients looking for cosmetic work and implants. Dr. Dan has taken hundreds of hours every year of continuing education, and says he rarely refers patients elsewhere. 

Dr. Dan is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and in Orthodontics, where he focuses on Invisalign, rather than traditional braces.

Dr. Dan says his office also is the only one locally that is both a Lumineers and Snap-On Smile provider. Lumineers is a popular brand of porcelain veneers, which are used to correct things like gaps, chips and discolored teeth. While veneers do the same thing, Lumineers are considered to be an easier and more durable solution.

And, they’re quicker, too. A patient can be fitted with a set of Lumineers in just two visits.

“We can show before-and-after smile makeovers with a Lumismile digital smile makeover,” Dr. Dan says. “We can make your smile look amazing in just two visits — just in time to show off your new teeth after many months of hiding behind a mask.”

Pasco Dental also includes some high-tech solutions for determining which dental procedures are needed, like a 3D CT Scan Sirona Orthophos machine that offers more accurate 3D depictions of a patient’s full head, jaw and sinus cavity, which helps when it comes to being as accurate as possible when creating dental implants.

All in all, Dr. Dan says that everyone at Pasco Dental is eager to give you the perfect smile in as little time as possible. 

“We are focused on saving time for our patients by minimizing wait times, and getting the job done with fewer appointments,” he says.

And, when the job is done, you’re not rushed out the door. Pasco Dental has a post-op room for patients recuperating from oral surgery. The room features two large massage chairs, a large flatscreen TV and a fireplace.

Recent patient Kara Psolla recently made the switch to Pasco Dental, and walked away smiling.

“The staff is extremely friendly, the office is clean, and the exam rooms are comfortable,” she wrote in her review. “Love the standing X-ray machine! Very happy with my new dentists.”

Assurances About Insurance

Pasco Dental accepts most major dental insurance plans, and Dr. Dan always works closely with his patients to make sure they understand the costs associated with any work they have done.

“I have years of experience in maximizing patients’ dental insurance, and minimizing out-of-pocket costs,” he says.

Dr. Ben says Pasco Dental isn’t like most of the larger dental chains popping up all over. The practice’s business model is not to suggest unnecessary work, or inflate things like the number of cavities. Instead, the Hwangs say they like to keep it simple and honest, by providing easy-to-understand treatment plans, sterling delivery of their services and making sure your bill offers no surprises.

It’s like the logo says – Bad Teeth? Hate To Smile? Call Pasco Dental.

“We love to see our patients smile,” Dr. Dan says.

Pasco Dental is located at 29450 S.R. 54. Its office hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and noon-7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. For more information, call (813) 502-0531, visit PascoDentalTampa.com or see the ad on page 38 of this issue.

Blue & White Takes 1st!

Advisor Kyle LoJacono, back row, with six of the Blue & White seniors — middle row (l.-r.)Vlada Pitner, Taryn Bartley and Payton Kenny, and front row (l.-r.) Taylor Kaliszewski, Callie Zack and Allie Massey. (Photo courtesy of Kyle LoJacono)

Callie Zack knew this past year would be a tricky one when it came to putting out Wharton High’s school newspaper, the Blue & White.

The onset of Covid-19 practically wiped out the last quarter of 2020, where journalism students generally learn page design, so many new staff members had some catching up to do. Callie’s two associate editors, Allie Massey and Taryn Bartley, would be doing e-learning while she was at school, so teamwork was paramount. And, her ability to pull it all together, as a third of the staff would be learning from home as well, was going to test her organizational skills.

However, Callie and Co. passed the test with flying colors. In May, the American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) named the Blue & White the best high school newspaper in the country.

More than 90 schools entered the Senior High School category, which is judged by journalism teachers who have entered outstanding publications in the past.

The Blue & White received 960 out of a possible 1,000 points in the contest this year, the most scored by any other newspaper, earning the Wharton publication the ASPA’s highest honor, Most Outstanding High School Newspaper for 2020-21.

“Adviser Kyle LoJacono and the entire staff of the Blue & White newspaper should be congratulated on this excellent achievement,” Dr. Richard Plass, Chairman of the ASPA, told the Neighborhood News in an email.

“It was very rewarding,” says Callie, who will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville in the fall. “It was difficult to get things done this year. Trying to connect and make deadline was very weird.”

While the year was plagued by Covid-19, it wasn’t short on providing news for the four, 16-page issues the staff put out. 

Callie thinks that what separated the Blue & White from its competition was its visual appearance, a new section that focused on hot topics called “The Spotlight,” great photography, a generous use of infographics and a plethora of big national stories — Covid-19, Black Lives Matter, the election, the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, that the staff localized.

“We were a complete newspaper,” Callie says. “We had a staff with a lot of different strengths and we played to them. They didn’t try to be good at one thing, they tried to be good at a lot of things.”

Personally, Callie says she was most pleased with her Feb. center spread about the events of Jan. 6. “I loved writing that piece,” she says, adding that, at  960 words, it was the longest thing she had ever written.

Callie, whose sister Ashley (editor in chief) and brother Taylor (sports editor) are former Blue & White staffers, said she is happy to end her tenure, and high school career, being named the best in the country, especially considering the circumstances.

“There were so many things, like just getting cameras to kids who weren’t on campus,” Callie says. “So many things that we would have never even thought of before. But, to have the organization and skill to make it all happen, I’m just really proud of this group.”