Grove 16 Theatre and Cinebistro in Wesley Chapel

Previously it was reported that Wesley Chapel's first movie theatre Cobb Theatres was scheduled to open in June. Considering the construction progress I saw today, I doubt that a June opening will happen for the Cobb Theatres in Wesley Chapel. (See slideshow below.)

The website shows a summer/fall opening and provides a teaser for the CINEBISTRO concept.

Wiregrass Roadwork in Wesley Chapel

Roadwork has begun on a right turn lane from Bruce B. Downs (across from Mystic Oak Blvd.) into Wiregrass. The posted site development permit reads: "Chancey Road--SR 581 to Porter Blvd".

Additionally, there is lots of heavy equipment working on the S.R. 56 extension from BBD east (in between the Shops at Wiregrass and the Shoppes of New Tampa).

Reciprocal Library Agreement Between Hillsborough & Pasco Counties May End

Lisa Buie of the St. Pete Times reports that: "The Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library Board has recommended that Hillsborough County withdraw from the arrangement because its north Hillsborough libraries are devoting so much staff time to serving Pasco County residents." Full Story

Meadow Pointe Housing Market Update

11 single family homes were reported sold by our MLS in Meadow Pointe in the past month with sold prices ranging from $145,000 to $320,000 and currently there are 30 homes in the community under contract waiting to close. The list prices of homes for sale in MLS in Meadow Pointe range up to $599,900.

Memorial Day

The following contains music, so you may want to adjust your speakers:

Pasco County Administrator To Address Pasco Alliance of Community Associations

Pasco County Administrator, John Gallagher will address the Pasco Alliance of Community Associations (PACA) on June 12, 2008, at 7:00 p.m in the Land O Lakes Community Center. For additional PACA information, contact Bill Parsons at (813) 991-6003.

Tampa Palms Market Update

Tampa Palms: There are currently 78 Tampa Palms single family homes listed for sale in our MLS, priced from $250,000 to $2,999,000 including some pre-foreclosures and bank owned homes. In the past month 8 Tampa Palms single family homes were reported sold in our MLS with sold prices ranging from $200,000 to $825,000.

Big League Dreams in Wesley Chapel

While ground hasn’t been broken yet for the construction of the Pasco National Tennis Center in Wesley Chapel, Pasco County is considering having a sports complex built and it too could be located in Wesley Chapel. (Other locations in Pasco are under consideration too.) If the complex becomes a reality, it would provide a forum for league tournaments. The Pasco Times reports that county officials heard pitches from two companies—Big League Dreams and Sportsplex USA, and afterwards a recommendation was made to proceed with discussions with Big League Dreams.

Under consideration is a concept where the county provides the land and the construction, and Big League Dreams would pay the county for the rights to operate the park for 30-40 years. The Times reports that Pasco could get “from $100,000 to $400,000 a year from events and the sale of hot dogs and beer”. Where does the money come from for the construction of the complex which could cost up to $35 million? Well, from the tourist tax dollars paid on hotel rooms rented and new home impact fees according to the Times. The sports complex would have to be approved by the Pasco BOCC and if it goes before the board, it will be interesting to see how commissioners vote.

Pasco National Tennis Center in Wesley Chapel

The planned 5,000 seat Pasco National Tennis Center in Wesley Chapel is scheduled for a special meeting with the Pasco Tourist Development Council next week and for review by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners at the end of May. The Tampa Tribune reports that the $7.9 million complex (paid for with tourist tax dollars) "is projected to take two years to design and build once contracts are in place".

Seven Oaks Builder Has Overdue Property Taxes

The St. Pete Times reports that new home builder, Smith Family Homes has more than $1.2 million in delinquent property taxes in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Times Staff Writer Chuin-Wei Yap further reports that the builder is "delinquent on 352 properties from the 2007 tax roll and 185 properties that have been delinquent since 2006". Smith Family Homes is reported to owe taxes in Connerton, Wilderness Lake Preserve, Seven Oaks, and other Pasco and Hillsborough communities.

Wesley Chapel Area Malls

Just a reminder. To find information on the status of the three Wesley Chapel area malls, on the right sidebar you will find a section labeled POPULAR. In that section, click on New Wesley Chapel Malls . Then SCROLL DOWN and you will find previous posts relating to the local area malls including slideshows and virtual tours of the construction progress on our local malls.

Also, beneath the photos in the lower right sidebar you will find "Labels" if you wish to find specific information previously posted by topic.

Live Oak Preserve Developer Asks For Extension For Its Chapter 11 Recovery Plan

Laura Kinsler of the Tampa Tribune reports that TOUSA (Parent company of Engle Homes and developer of Live Oak Preserve) in New Tampa, has requested its Chapter 11 recovery plan date be extended from May until October of this year.

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel Housing Market Activity

The following sold and under contract information is from our local multiple listing service and shows the single family homes sold in April and the number of homes currently under contract. (Just a sampling of some of the larger communities in our area.)

Cory Lake Isles

See the report by St. Pete Times staff writer Dong-Phuong Nguyen about today's Cory Lake Isles taxing board meeting.

Lexington Oaks

Three single family homes sold in Lexington Oaks in April, per our mls with prices ranging from $179,900 to $190,000, and all three had 1956 sq. ft. Currently there are 13 Lexington Oaks homes under contract and 42 single family Lexington Oaks homes for sale in mls. Prices range from a low of $135,000. (opening bid on foreclosure) to $419,900. for a 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home.

SR 56 Extension

I snapped this picture today of construction activity between the Shoppes of New Tampa and the Shops at Wiregrass. (You can't see the work being done from Bruce B. Downs.) It looks like work on the extension of SR 56 in Wesley Chapel may finally be underway.

Tampa Home Prices

Average Home Prices for March, 2008 Sales in Tampa:

Brandon: $222,844.
Carrollwood: $299,033.
New Tampa: $322,153.
Lutz/North West: $389,200.
Pasco: $192,977.
Temple Terrace: $164,232.
S. Tampa/Davis Islands: $533,909.

Information provided by the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors® and deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

East-West Connector in New Tampa Highly Unlikely

• In today’s New Tampa Transportation Summit, comments by representatives of different governmental entities suggest that this proposed road connecting New Tampa to I-275 is unlikely. Recent new developments include the widening of New Tampa Blvd for the connector. Mayor Iorio: “This doesn’t seem to be a good business deal.” Hillsborough County Commissioner Rose Ferlita: “The toll rates are not realistic…..We need to quit giving people false hope”.

During the comments by government officials about the East-West Connector I could almost hear “taps” playing in the background. I would expect a decision to be made within the next 30-45 days to kill this project based on the pessimism expressed in this meeting, unless something significantly new magically appears.

Other highlights of the meeting:

• News that the widening plan of Bruce B. Downs from Bearss to Palm Springs Blvd is not funded was not well received by some residents in attendance. Plans are to widen BBD from Palm Springs Blvd. to Pebble Creek to 8 lanes and also to widen BBD from Pebble Creek to Pasco. Pasco County also will be widening BBD and this widening will probably start first.
  
• Kinnan Street: Connecting this road before SR 56 is extended to Mansfield (later this year) isn’t going to happen and maybe not then. Since Mansfield is a 2 lane road, Pasco prefers that another road within the K-Bar Ranch community connect to Meadow Pointe Blvd., designed to be a major north-south road.
  
• BBD Flyover Ramp: Ahead of schedule, to open this year perhaps late summer
• Pasco County has plans to widen Morris Bridge Road to the Hillsborough County line. Unfortunately, Hillsborough County has no plans to widen Morris Bridge Road.

New Tampa & S. Pasco Co. Transportation Meeting

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio will hold a meeting for the public at the New Tampa Regional Library on Cross Creek Boulevard on Monday, May 5, 2008 at 10 a.m. to noon to discuss planned road improvements for New Tampa and southern Pasco County. Representatives from the Florida DOT, the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority, Pasco County, Hillsborough County, and the City of Tampa will also participate.

The agenda includes:

• East-West Road
• New Tampa Blvd/I-75 Bridge
• Cross Creek Blvd. widening
• I-75/BBD Flyover
• I-75 widening
• I-75/SR 54 Interchange
• SR 54 widening--Curley to Morris Bridge Rd.
• SR 54 widening I-75 to Curley
• SR 54/56 widening--US 41-I-75
• SR 56 Extension from BBD to MP Blvd.
• CR 54-- Magnolia to SR 56
• BBD widening in Pasco Co.
• BBD widening from Bearss to Pasco Co.
• Plans for Morris Bridge Rd.
• Kinnan St. (aka The Road to Nowhere)
• BBD and New Tampa Blvd. Intersection

This meeting appears to be similar to the road workshop held in Wesley Chapel last January by Pasco County. Since that workshop was held in the evening, it was widely attended by hundreds of local residents. I would be surprised to see as large a turnout on a Monday morning.

Market Update on the Grand Hampton in New Tampa

Four homes sold in the Grand Hampton in April according to information reported to our Multiple Listing Service. They ranged in sold prices from $305,900 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home to $612,675 for a 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom, and 3 car garage home.

Currently there are 65 single family homes listed for sale in the Grand Hampton according to MLS. Prices range from $215,000 for a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home to $875,000 for a 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom pool home with a 3 car garage.

Staples to open in Market Square

The Staples in Tampa Palm's Market Square will open on May 3, 2008. Already open at Market Square: CVS/pharmacy, BJs, and Bed Bath & Beyond.

New Tampa Recreation Center Grand Opening!

The grand opening of the New Tampa Community Park Recreation Center will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 9 a.m. Following the ribbon cutting, there will be a gymnastics demonstration in the new center.

Shops at Wiregrass Photo Tour

Below is a May, 2008 slideshow of the Shops at Wiregrass, under construction in Wesley Chapel. The Wesley Chapel mall is scheduled to open this fall and work is progressing. Store managers and owners who will be relocating here already are starting to call me regarding buying houses, and I have had three calls this past week alone. Meanwhile, work on the Cypress Creek Town Center remains stopped pending resolution of permitting issues.