Vacancy: Guardhouse in Heritage Isles in New Tampa

Well, the on again, off again use of a guard at the entrance to Heritage Isles is now "off again"! A decision to discontinue the guard was recently made for this New Tampa CDD community. Additionally, the recreation assessment will increase to $1032 per household. The Tampa Tribune quotes Heritage Isles CDD Vice Chairman Barravecchio as saying that the general fund assessment will decrease in the coming year.

New Restaurants coming to Wesley Chapel

There are several new restaurants that are reported to be coming to Wesley Chapel.


Fuego Churrascaría, a Brazilian steakhouse is shown on the site plan for the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel (1/2 mile north of S.R. 56 on BBD) with 6,315 square feet. The developer’s website shows a 2007 opening, but I think that is unlikely viewing the construction progress to date. This one sounds like it could be different and fun!

Carrabbas Italian Grill (Shoppes at Meadow Pointe) is also showing on a site plan, with a previously reported opening later this year. Another unnamed Outback concept restaurant is scheduled for this parcel too. Website: http://www.carrabbas.com/

Buffalo's Southwest Cafe is coming to Old Pasco Road at Wesley Chapel Boulevard. www.buffaloscafe.com

Barnie’s Coffee and Tea Company café, with over 2,200 square feet will be moving in to the Eagle Plaza on Wesley Chapel Boulevard. Website: http://www.barniescoffee.com/

Lastly, Café Fresco and Bakery (S.R. 56) in the Cypress View Square Shopping Center, near Seven Oaks now has a website up and running, and showing an opening of Fall, 2007: http://www.cafefrescobakery.com/

Wesley Chapel Elementary School Named

The Pasco County School Board has decided that the name of the new elementary school in Wesley Chapel will be Veterans Elementary School. Under construction, the school is located at the Westbrook community on county road 54.

Cypress Point Community Church in New Tampa

Construction of the 30,000 sq. ft. Cypress Point Community Church on Morris Bridge Road, just north of Cross Creek Boulevard in New Tampa appears to be coming to a completion. The church's website indicates a grand opening month starting September 30th.. The church's website is: http://www.cpcconline.com/

Bruce B. Downs to become a Toll Road????

Well folks, the Hillsborough County Commissioners are having county staff investigate if they can install a toll booth on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) at County Line Road (CLR).

No, today is not April 1st!

Upset over not getting funding from Pasco County for the planned Hillsborough County widening of BBD from CLR to Pebble Creek, and worry over additional traffic that will come with the approved massive Wiregrass community in Pasco, Hillsborough Commissioners are thinking about using tolls for funding.

The vote was 5-2 in favor of finding out if a toll can be placed at the county border on BBD.

What's next? Customs and Immigration? This may give new meaning to the phrase: "South of the Border".

Cypress Creek Town Center Stores in Wesley Chapel

The Cypress Creek Town Center will be the largest of the three planned malls for the Wesley Chapel area and will have "big box" stores, as will The Grove. The list of stores going in at the Cypress Creek Town Center are:

Books A Million, Circuit City, Dress Barn, Kohl's, Linens N Things, Old Navy, Sports Authority, and Staples. Additionally, restaurants and smaller stores include: Panera Bread, P F Chang, Avaya Japanese Steakhouse, The Avenue, and Mens Wearhouse.*

I already have provided listings of stores slated to go in at the Shops at Wiregrass and The Grove. (See previous posts).

*St. Petersburg Times

Macy's coming to the Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel?

I have an unconfirmed report that Macy's has signed on to the Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel. Another source could only provide that "discussions are ongoing". We'll just have to wait and see on this. Retail corporate offices and mall developers keep secrets better than Karl Rove!

New River Elementary School in Wesley Chapel

Since the construction of the New River elementary school is not complete, the school will be taking up temporary residency in the portable classrooms at Sand Pine elementary school at 29040 County Line Road, Wesley Chapel, FL.

The portable classrooms were freed up by the new Double Branch elementary school that will be opening this month in Wesley Chapel.

The New River elementary school construction should be complete by February, 2008.

Havertys in Wesley Chapel to open this month

The new Havertys in Wesley Chapel, FL on S.R. 56 will be opening sometime in August between the 24th and the 27th according to a store representative. Additionally, a Grand Opening is planned for September.

Widening of County Line Road at Bruce B. Downs to begin

Widening of County Line Road (CLR) west of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) will begin this week. A left turn lane to travel north on BBD will be added and a new traffic signal will be installed. Widening of BBD north of CLR is scheduled for next year.

Update on The Grove in Wesley Chapel

Construction of the first phase of The Grove in Wesley Chapel is progressing (See photos taken this week), with an estimated completion of later in 2007. Once all phases are completed, this new Wesley Chapel mall will have 800,000 square feet of retail space and 90 stores including an upscale movie theater. I was surprised to see that paving is already underway for the parking lot.

The announced stores are: Bed Bath & Beyond, Babies R Us, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Michael’s, PetSmart, Ross, TJ Maxx, and ULTA. The sixteen screen Cobb Theatres megaplex is not included in Phase I, and has a projected opening of 2008.

The Grove is the lead horse in the horserace of the three new area malls under construction. (Technically, I guess some would say that the Shops at Wiregrass is first, because it previously opened JC Penney while awaiting planning approval for the rest of the mall.) The other two: Shops at Wiregrass, and the Cypress Creek Town Center have projected openings next year. Combined, the three malls will be offering up almost 3 million square feet of retail space, and may give new meaning to “shop until you drop” in 2008!

Within a short period of time, Wesley Chapel will undergo a major “shopping” transformation and become the shopping “mecca” of the area and will be drawing customers from nearby New Tampa, and the large Wesley Chapel communities of Meadow Pointe, Seven Oaks, and Lexington Oaks, as well as the future 5,000 acre community of Wiregrass.

The New Double Branch Elementary School in Wesley Chapel to open August 20, 2007

Double Branch Elementary School, located in Meadow Pointe on Chancey Parkway, off of Meadow Pointe Boulevard, South of highway 54 will open on August 20, 2007. The new elementary school is expected to provide learning to some 700 students and the school day will run from 9:35 to 3:45. Meet the teacher day is scheduled for August 15th from 9:00 to 3:00. Also, a Boo Hoo Breakfast will be provided on the opening school day in the cafeteria. PTA info can be found at http://doublebranchpta.org/ .

Controlled Burn at Flatwoods Park

Now that the rainy season is upon us, SWIFTMUD is planning a controlled burn of about 500 acres at Flatwoods Park in New Tampa. The planned burn for August will consist of manageable sections.

East-West Connector in New Tampa Delayed AGAIN!

Projections for a 2010 opening of the East-West Connector road connecting New Tampa (Bruce B. Downs) and I-275 will not materialize due to an additional study required by the Federal Highway Administration. This new study will add approximately $2 million to the cost of this already very pricey road and most likely delay the "projected" opening until 2012.

List of stores coming to The Shops at Wiregrass! Barnes and Noble!!

Chuin-Wei Yap, a staff writer for the St. Pete Times reports that site plans filed in the county records reflect the following stores slotted for the Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel. It should be noted that this list has not been confirmed by representatives of the Mall developer at this time. Yes, BARNES and NOBLE is on the list! This is the question I get asked most when people inquire about the new malls coming to Wesley Chapel.

Aeropostale, Aerosoles, Aldo, American Eagle, Apple, Aveda, Banana Republic, Bandolino, Barnes and Noble (two-story) Bath & Body Works, Bebe, The Body Shop, Brighton, Brookstone, Lane Bryant/Cacique, Buckle Inc., Build-A-Bear Workshop, Cache, Champs, The Children’s Place, Club Libby Lu, Coach, Coldwater Creek, Crabtree & Evelyn, Dillards, Everything But Water, Finish Line, Forever XXI (two-story), Francesca’s Collection, Gordon’s Jewelers, Gymboree, Hollister, Hot Topic, J.Crew, J.Jill, Kay Jewelers, Lady Foot Locker, Lenscrafters, Limited Too, Marks And Morgan, Motherhood Maternity, New York & Company, Origins, Paiva, PacSun, Paul’s Cafe, The Picture People, Pottery Barn, Charlotte Russe, Select Comfort, Sephora, Sharper Image, Solstice Sunglass Boutique, Soma by Chico’s, Starbucks, Talbots, Ann Taylor Loft, White House Black Market, Williams-Sonoma, Victoria’s Secret, Zales. NOTE: Since writing this post, in November, 2007 it was announced that Macy's will join the line up of stores at the Shops at Wiregrass.