There’s no doubt that the Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital will be the single largest addition to Wiregrass Ranch this year, but there are multiple other projects that also are expected to be completed and open before the end of 2026 in the 5,000-acre property owned by the Porter Family Trust. We told you about the 46,000-sq.-ft. Wiregrass Medical Plaza (left photo) being developed by Flagship Healthcare Properties (in conjunction with the Porters’ Locust Branch Development) last issue, which will have Florida E.N.T. as its anchor tenant.
What we didn’t know about at that time, is the two-story, 50-bed in-patient injury rehabilitation facility that will be called Encompass Health Rehab Hospital being constructed by Brasfield & Gorrie (top photo), across from the Wiregrass Medical Plaza, closer to S.R. 56. Both of these buildings are separate from the Orlando Health hospital’s medical buildings.
We also told you back in October about the Arcadia at Wiregrass Ranch apartments, the 320- unit luxury rental community now under construction behind the planned Publix near the intersection of S.R. 54 and Wiregrass Ranch Blvd., across from Walmart. As you can see in the photo right, those apartments have now gone vertical.
Much closer to completion, however, is the 50,000-sq.-ft. Post Acute Medical (PAM) Rehabilitation Hospital (below) directly to the north of the Amberlin apartments on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. We first told you about PAM Rehab back in March of 2024 and although the building is looking pretty close to being completed, we were not yet able to find out a planned opening date for it, but we’ll keep you posted.
Also not too far from being completed is the Ace Medical Plaza (bottom photo), a 15,000-sq.-ft. medical office building located between the entrance to Amberlin and BBD, across from Eagleston Blvd.
What we sadly don’t have yet is the information everyone wants — the name of the upscale restaurant(s) that will be built next to Cooper’s Hawk and when the selection of the contractor and the construction of Legacy at Wiregrass Ranch, the community’s “downtown hub” will begin. Hopefully, we’ll have that information by sometime later this year, but we’re pretty sure that those highly-anticipated developments will not be completed by the end of 2026. — GN
Hospital That Will One Day Be The Largest In Wesley Chapel Gets Ready To Open Apr. 21 With A Hiring Event
Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital — Opening April 21!
With everything that’s coming to Wesley Chapel this year, perhaps the biggest addition is the Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital, which has tabbed Tuesday, April 21, as its scheduled opening date.
The new hospital — the third in Wesley Chapel (AdventHealth WC and BayCare WC are the others) will open with 102 beds, with room to expand to 300 beds in the future, which would make it Wesley Chapel’s largest.
In anticipation of the hospital’s opening, Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, located less than a half-mile away from the facility, hosted a hiring event which attracted hundreds of potential employees — everyone from nurses and nursing support professionals to allied health and support staffers.
We also got to meet many of the hospital’s team leaders, including (l.-r. in the right photo) talent acquisition manager Richard Pelaia, chief nursing officer and assistant vice president Susan Dolezal, chief financial officer and assistant VP Tanya Knepp, director of human resources Jennifer Alexander and Richard Matte, the assistant VP of business development & non-clinical operations.
Charmaine also got drone photos of the cleared land for the two large medical office buildings to be built on the hospital’s campus (above left), which should begin going vertical soon.
Only lasting about a year was Mo Cookies, the cookie store that replaced my beloved Urban Sweets at 5903 Goldview Pkwy., Unit #103, in the KRATE at The Grove container park in Nov. 2024.
Already claiming that spot as its own is Twisted Rolls Chimney Cake (photo, above), which has an original location on 56th St. in Temple Terrace and a newer location at 19406 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa. As we told you in Apr. 2025, “the “Twisted Rolls” at the dessert location are an Eastern European treat made of dough and sugar that is rolled around a stick and then baked in an oven until hot and semi-crispy…then dipped in a variety of glazes and rolled in one of nine different toppings. Like the other locations, the Twisted Rolls at the KRATEs also will serve ice cream, crepes, cheesecake, waffles, pancakes, coffee and smoothies. For more info, visit TwistedRollsChimneyCake.com.
Owner Giovanni Gocaj or Giovanni’s Flooring, Kitchen & Bath invites you to visit his showroom. in the SuperTarget-anchored Northwoods Plaza on BBD Blvd. (Photo by Charmaine George)
Whether you’re looking to replace your old carpeting with luxury vinyl plank (LVP) or tile, or you want to completely remodel your kitchen or bathrooms, Giovanni’s Flooring, Kitchen & Bath, located in the SuperTarget-anchored Northwoods shopping center on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just north of County Line Rd., is a great place to start. Owner and licensed contractor Giovanni Gocaj transformed a former flooring-only store in the same location and opened the doors to the second full-service remodeling destination for his company last year.
With roots dating back to 2004, when his father Luk opened his location in Trinity, the business officially passed to Giovanni in 2011.
“My father came from Albania 20 years ago and opened the business,” says Giovanni, adding that his father is still very much involved in the day-to-day work and continues to collaborate on all projects at both the Trinity and Wesley Chapel locations. “It’s a family thing,” says Giovanni. “Most of my crew also are family members.”
Remodeling ‘Bundles’
Giovanni’s customers often benefit from bundled pricing when opting for a full-home remodel. “A complete remodel will get a discount depending on the house size,” he says. This all-in-one pricing model simplifies the process for homeowners by bundling design, labor and materials into a single package.
The company operates without subcontractors, something Giovanni proudly emphasizes.
“Each person we employ specializes in something — flooring, kitchens, or baths — and that’s what they do every day. You’ll never get someone who was randomly hired the day before and doesn’t know what they’re doing.” This hands-on, family-led structure ensures quality control and accountability from start to finish.
The Wesley Chapel location has already attracted many loyal clients, and local awareness continues to grow. Of Giovanni’s 20 Google reviews so far, every one of them is 5 stars out of 5.
For example, in his 5-star review, customer David Paloscio wrote:
“I recently had my bathroom remodeled from Giovanni’s Flooring Kitchen & Bath and they did a wonderful job replacing the whole shower, vanity and toilet. The tiles in the shower look beautiful. The shower, toilet and sink work great and they also adjusted the flooring to fit the vanity, which also was excellent. I highly recommend this company for anyone who wants remodeling done in their home.”
The showroom reflects everything that’s trending in home design.
“Right now, it’s all about the light wood-grain colors and European oak finishes,” Giovanni explains. “We’re also seeing a move away from traditional garden tubs to sleek, free-standing bathtubs (before-&-after photos above and left).” He adds that where people used to use a lot of different colors, monochrome has become the go-to: “Now, it’s all about tone-on-tone and different shades of the same color family.”
When asked to describe the customer experience at Giovanni’s, the owner says his clientele appreciates the smooth, no-hassle process, where customers can choose all of their finishes in the showroom. Design and pricing are finalized as quickly as possible. Installation begins on schedule and the same dedicated crew works on your home until your project is completed — with no interruptions and no bouncing between jobs.
“We commit to timelines,” Giovanni says. “If we say 10 days, it will be done in 10 days.”
The company’s commitment to quality and professionalism is what sets it apart.
“You can buy the most expensive tile or cabinets out there, but if the person doing the job doesn’t know what they’re doing, you’re not going to be happy,” Giovanni says. “We don’t take those chances. We know our crew and their specialties.”
Quality Products
Giovanni’ also is proud of the quality of the products he offers.
“We carry high-end brands like engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank and top-quality tile and fixtures,” he says. “We do not carry mirrors or lights, but we help customers pick the ones they want online, and we’ll install them, too.” Both the Wesley Chapel and Trinity showrooms feature extensive sample displays, giving customers plenty of inspiration and variety.
When it comes to materials, Giovanni is selective and focused on products that last. From exotic hardwoods like Brazilian cherry and Santos mahogany to eco-friendly vinyl plank options, everything the location carries is backed by warranties and is designed to last.
Speaking of eco-friendly, Giovanni is particularly proud of his vinyl plank flooring options, which include:
• Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials, which release minimal harmful chemicals into the air.
• Phthalate-free products, avoiding synthetic chemical additives that are linked to health risks.
• California Air Resources Board (CARB)- Certified selections, which meet strict indoor air quality standards.
These choices and others highlight the company’s commitment to both health and sustainability without sacrificing performance or style.
“When you purchase the higher-end products, you may spend a little more,” Giovanni says. “For example, on a 100-square-foot bathroom, the difference between what you can buy at a big-name store and ours is about $50 to $100. But with ours, you’ll get a lifetime warranty on the materials and installation. It’s worth that few extra dollars.”
From bathrooms (before & after photos in the middle of the page) to kitchens (above), Giovanni’s can remodel your home to your exact specifications. (Photos provided by Giovanni’s Flooring, Kitchen & Bath)
Customer Robert Wilson agrees. In his 5-star Google review, Wilson wrote:
“My wife and I had a leak [at our home] while we were out of town. Our floors and kitchen cabinets were ruined. We stopped in to Giovanni’s just to look around. The attention and knowledge we received from Andy was very attentive and comforting at the same time. The entire process was very easy. I also want to commend their installers. They were informative and meticulous in their work. I would highly recommend this company and look forward to doing business with them in the future with our bathroom remodels.”
Meanwhile, Giovanni says he hopes to expand to four or five locations across the state.
“But, we want to grow in a way that doesn’t sacrifice quality,” he says. “Our eyes are on areas like Riverview and possibly Naples.”
He also notes that he is a licensed general contractor in the state of Florida, “while many others are only licensed and insured in the county. We can help our customers anywhere in Florida — from their design needs, to choosing the right products and completing the job. We are a one-stop shop.”
Construction at the intersection of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. at MB Rd. (Photo by Joel Provenzano)
If it feels like Morris Bridge Rd. (MB Rd.) has been in a constant state of change lately, you’re not imagining it. From New Tampa through Wesley Chapel, this important north–south corridor, once considered little more than a two-lane country road, has seen closures, construction crews, and long-awaited reopenings — with even more changes on the horizon.
As Neighborhood News has reported over the past several years, MB Rd. is gradually transforming from a quiet rural connector into a critical link between several fast-growing communities in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.
Here’s a closer look at what’s recently been completed, what’s under way, and what’s still to come — with a focus on three intersections that are shaping the future of the MB Rd. corridor.
MB Rd. At Future K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.
As we first reported in April 2024, the final phase of K-Bar Ranch in Hillsborough County is more than just another residential expansion — it’s a long-planned transportation connection that will finally open all of K-Bar Ranch to MB Rd., benefiting both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents alike. That vision is now becoming reality.
Construction is under way on the eastward extension of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. past Easton Park to MB Rd. Once completed, this connection also will allow access from Wesley Chapel, including from Union Park and Meadow Pointe, via the planned Wyndfields Blvd. extension to the south and the existing Meadow Pointe Blvd. extension.
The map of the planned K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. extension we ran in Apr. 2024. (Source: NN)
Although the Neighborhood News first told our readers the story of this future connection about a year and a half ago (see map), crews are now actively building the new phase of K-Bar Ranch, and the collector road that will extend Wyndfields Blvd. south into the New Tampa development. For Union Park residents in particular, this means a new and more direct route into Tampa — and fewer bottlenecks on already-crowded roads.
Turn lanes are currently being added along MB Rd. at the future K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. intersection (top photo), and a traffic signal will follow. The signal is required under the developer agreement and will help manage the increased traffic once the road opens.
According to the K-Bar Ranch III CDD Preliminary Engineer’s Report (Jan. 2025), construction on the overall final build-out is planned to run from Mar. 2025 through December 2028, and is broken into two phases.
Phase 1 includes 471 single-family homes, followed by 188 townhomes in Phase 2. Based on issued permits and the pace of construction, it’s likely the road connection will be completed before Phase 2 even begins — possibly even this year.
In short, the long-anticipated direct connection between K-Bar Ranch, Union Park, Meadow Pointe and MB Rd. is now closer than ever.
MB Rd. At Bonnet Hole Dr.
Just north of Cory Lake Blvd. (less than two miles south of Cross Creek Blvd.), the Hillsborough County section of MB Rd. reopened the week of Christmas after a full closure that frustrated many residents — particularly those still remembering the road’s prolonged shutdown following Hurricane Milton in Oct. 2024.
The Dec. 8-Dec. 22 closure was necessary to complete stormwater drainage repairs between Apache Dr. and Bonnet Hole Dr., as Hillsborough County explained in a public release. To put it plainly — collapsing and aging culverts under the roadway had to be fully replaced.
Although only a small segment of MB Rd. was actually shut down, detours were lengthy due to the lack of alternative routes. During our communications, county officials acknowledged the inconvenience to residents.
Typically, fully closing the road allows crews to complete the work much faster than staged lane closures would have, especially on two-lane roads where it’s harder to shift traffic and breakup the digging into two phases, due to limited space.
Chris Wilkerson, senior media relations strategist for Hillsborough’s Public Works Dept., told us this single stormwater project cost approximately $240,000. When asked if more closures are coming, Wilkerson confirmed that two additional stormwater-related closures are expected on MB Rd. in 2026 — one just north and one just south of the recent work area — so residents will need to keep an eye out for when those closures are announced.
MB Rd. at Chancey Rd. (Pasco)
Meanwhile, in Pasco County, the long-closed intersection of MB Rd. between S.R. 56 and Chancey Rd. finally reopened just before Christmas, ending months of detours and speculation about what went wrong.
Despite early rumors of the closure being caused by a “sinkhole,” Pasco officials clarified that the issue was actually a damaged, buried 16-inch water main. When the main failed, it washed away soil beneath the roadway, creating a large underground void that looked like a sinkhole, but was not a traditional limestone collapse.
The unexpected discovery of the water line — struck during routine work — complicated the repair. Replacement parts had to be specially ordered, delaying construction for months. Pasco officials had warned residents back on Sept. 19 that delivery and installation of the water main alone could take at least eight weeks, followed by another five to eight weeks to rebuild the road.
In the end, the project was completed almost exactly within that extended timeframe.
But, while the intersection is now open, some residents have been disappointed to see no new left-turn lanes added. According to Pasco officials, those improvements are part of a larger widening project that is still in development.
The county’s current Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) list, adopted in June 2025, shows plans to widen MB Rd. to a four-lane divided roadway between S.R. 54 and S.R. 56. Construction is tentatively scheduled in two phases:
2028 – From S.R. 54 south through the Chancey Rd. intersection
2029 – From south of Chancey Rd. to S.R. 56
Of course, the project has already been delayed once and timelines could change again.
The Big Picture
Taken together, these three intersections tell the story of MB Rd. today — a corridor under pressure from rapid growth, environmental challenges and aging infrastructure — but also one that’s steadily being improved.
Some work is finished, some is still under way and more is coming in the next few years. For residents of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel alike, the changes along MB Rd. promise better connectivity in the long run, even as the short-term disruptions unfortunately continue.
As always, the Neighborhood News will keep you updated with what’s happening with the MB Rd. corridor — one closure, one construction zone and one reopening at a time.
