Fresh market at Wiregrass this Saturday

Don't forget this Saturday is market day at Wiregrass.  Hours are from 10:00 to 3:00, but most vendors are set up before ten. 

Featured vendor:

Pappardelle's the fine art of pasta

Pappardelle's at the Wiregrass fresh market

Pappardelle's offers are large variety of gourmet dried pastas including lemon garlic, Spanish saffron, lime cilantro,  & green jalapeño. 

Note:  From November thru January the fresh market at Wiregrass will be held only on the first Sat. of each month.

The Fright Factory = Halloween costumes in City Plaza

There's more than one Halloween costume store open in New Tampa.  In addition to Spirit Halloween, The Fright Factory is located in New Tampa's City Plaza (Tampa Palms Publix & Stein Mart shopping center).  The store is open from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Mon-Sat and from 11:00 to 5:00 PM on Sundays and the locally owned store has a very pleasant staff.  The store has a Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/thefrightfactory) which offers coupons, so like their page for future coupons/discounts!  Also, visit their Facebook page for a coupon for 20% off on a Pirate costume this weekend!

Tampa listed in top 5 golf cities in the US!

The October issue of Golf Digest lists Tampa as #4 of top US golf cities based on factors such as climate, cost, amount, and quality of public golf, etc.  Link

Chase offers $30,000 and debt forgiveness to homeowners who stop paying mortgage

Chase offers $30K to delinquent homeowners: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

Wiregrass Ranch

Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel

Considering all the projects underway at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel, it might not be long before Bessie is served up at the new Burger King under construction in neighboring New Tampa!

Mortgage rates hit record low

MSN Money reports that the average 15 year mortgage rate fell to 3.29% this week and 30 year mortgage rates averaged 4.09%.  These are reported to be the lowest rates since they were first tracked in 1971.

New Tampa Boil Water advisory lifted

Following water quality testing, the City of Tampa has advised that areas of New Tampa are no longer under a precautionary boil water recommendation.

A New Orleans style snoball from Roux's Snoballs



Roux's Snoballs in New Tampa

Cool off with a snoball from Roux's Snoballs in New Tampa!
 Located in the Pebble Creek Collection on BBD
www.rouxssnoballs.com  Phone:  813.992.7689

Tampa one of most searched markets for homes

The National Association of Realtors reports that Tampa was in the top ten of most searched housing markets in August. 

Search homes for sale link

Tampa issues precautionary Boil Water notice for New Tampa

City of Tampa Water Department customers in the New Tampa area may have experienced a temporary decrease in water pressure this afternoon as a result of construction activity in the area. Full water pressure was restored to the area shortly afterwards.

The potentially affected area was east of I-275, west of Morris Bridge Road, north of Dona Michelle Drive and south of County Line Road.
...
As a precaution and in conjunction with Health Department guidance, the City of Tampa recommends customers in the area:

• Flush all exterior spigots first and then run interior faucets to clear the interior system.
• Boil water for drinking and food preparation.

As soon as water quality testing is completed the precautionary boil water notice will be lifted.

Press release

A new splash pad for the kids in Meadow Pointe!

The new splash pad for kids opened this past week in Meadow Pointe:

Splash pad in Meadow Pointe I

New home builder confidence remains low

The National Association of Home Builders this week reports that builder confidence in new home sales dropped one point to 14 in September and that it has remained between 13 and 16 for the past six months. The association's chairman added that: "both builder and consumer confidence took a hit in recent weeks with the market disruptions caused by the S&P downgrade and congressional gridlock on the budget deficit."

Raymond James = Jobs jobs jobs for Wesley Chapel

View Proposed Raymond James Campus in Wesley Chapel in a larger map

Pasco County Board of County Commissioners today will consider approving up to $10 million in financial incentives including 5 new roads to lure Rayond James Financial Services to build  two towers with 100,000 sq. ft. in each and eventually as much as a one million sq. ft. campus on Wiregrass Ranch property in Wesley Chapel. 

The proposed site is on the NW corner of Mansfield Blvd., and SR 56 and surrounded by a hotbed of commercial projects already in the works for Wiregrass Ranch.  To the south, Pasco-Hernando Community College is planning the Porter Campus at SR 56 & Mansield, with expectations of groundbreaking occurring later this year on a 7 story building.  To the west, just north of the popular mall, The Shops at Wiregrass, construction is underway on the 200,000 sq. ft. and estimated $121 million Wesley Chapel Medical Center.  To the north of the proposed Raymond James campus, construction on a new super Walmart on SR 54 also is expected to begin later this year.  Lastly, the $27 million widening project of SR 54 on the northern border of Wiregrass Ranch, is expected to be completed by December.

Why financial incentives to lure Raymond James to Pasco County?  Jobs, jobs, jobs!  The local papers today are reporting that the company plans to bring 100 jobs, possibly as early as early as 2014 and as many as 750 jobs by 2024, paying an average salary of $38,900.  Additionally, the St. Petersburg Times reports the project will bring in $20 million in revenue over the next 17 years through sales taxes, property taxes and taxes paid by new residents and businesses.

Spirit Halloween returns to New Tampa

Spirit Halloween once again is located in New Tampa on BBD in Highwoods Preserve, so check out their Halloween costumes! Phone: 813-631-5236

New signs for Hunter's Green

Hunter's Green in New Tampa

The golf course community of Hunter's Green in New Tampa gets new entryway signs.

 Currently there are over 20 single family homes listed for sale in Hunter's Green with prices ranging from $140,000. to over $2,000,000.

August foreclosure filings in Hillsborough soar

RealtyTrac reports that foreclosures in Hillsborough County increased significantly and that 1 in every 269 housing units received a foreclosure filing in August, 2011.   Hillsborough ranked third highest in the state, following Miami-Dade and Broward.

Have it your way in New Tampa!

A Burger King is under construction in front of the Sweetbay in New Tampa on BBD, just south of County Line Road and I am told it should be open before the holidays.

New Tampa Burger King on BBD at CLR

Quail Hollow Golf and Country Club to reopen

After a one year renovation, the Quail Hollow Golf and Country Club on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel reopens to the public on Friday.  Director of Golf Operations, Keith Kulzer says the golf shop will be open from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM seven days a week.  The place looks great and it's wonderful to see it reopen!  According to Kulzer, golf fees will be $25.00 for the remainder of the year and a Grand Opening is planned after the first of the year.  Additional info:  Phone:  813.333.0033

9/11

9/11

Wesley Chapel Fall Festival to be held next month

The Wesley Chapel Fall Festival will be held on October 15, 2011 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. at The Grove mall.
In addition to a variety of Arts and Crafts, the Wesley Chapel Fall Festival will feature:

Ronnie Setser Custom Car Show, WC Battle of the Wings contest, Beer Garden, Lil Mr & Miss Pumpkin Patch Contest, Hay Rides, and a Pumpkin Patch.

Applications for interested vendors can be found at this link.

Arts & Crafts Under the Palms to be held in October

This year the Tampa Palms' Women's Club will hold its annual Arts and Crafts Under the Palms at Market Square in Tampa Palms on October 15th and 16th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Interested artists and craftsmen may contact:
Stella Hardman, Applications Chairman

TAMPA PALMS WOMEN’S CLUB

(813) 977-2261  e-mail:  Tampapalmswomensclub@yahoo.com

subject: A&C Under The Palms

Landscaping experts to address Pasco Alliance of Community Associations

Chris Dewey of the Pasco County Extension Service and Paul Woods, Florida representative of OLM, a large landscape contract management company will speak at the next PACA meeting.  Dewey and Woods will talk about their approaches to community landscape management.

The meeting will be held on September 8, at 7:00 PM at the Land O Lakes Community Center (5401 Land O Lakes Blvd.).

Florida Orchestra to present Pops in the Park in New Tampa in October

Mark your calendars for this year's free Pops in the Park by the Florida Orchestra to be held October 23, 2011 in Compton Park in New Tampa!

Picnic under the stars with your Florida Orchestra offering a fun mix of familiar symphonic and pop favorites. Be sure to bring plenty of canned goods for Tampa Bay Harvest’s annual food drive! Collection points will be available throughout the park.  Oh, and don't forget your lawn chairs and blankets!

Don't forget today is fresh market day at Wiregrass!

Fresh market at The Shops at Wiregrass from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Tampa Palms August real estate update

Nine single family homes sold in Tampa Palms in August according to information reported in our local MLS.  Sold prices ranged from $153,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 car garage home, to a high of $1,200,000. for a six bedroom home with over six bathrooms, four car garage and pool on 15 acres of land.
There are over 50 single family Tampa Palms homes listed for sale in New Tampa ranging from $119,900 to $2,590,000.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

Grand Opening for Roux's Snoballs in New Tampa

Roux's New Orleans Style Snoballs will have its grand opening on Saturday, September 3, 2011.  The new establishment plans hourly specials and prizes and offers over 35 flavors of snoballs from blackberry to cotton candy and strawberry cheese- cake. Roux's Snoballs is located in The Pebble Creek Collection on BBD in New Tampa, next to Las Palmas Cafe, and opens at 11:30 AM daily.  Roux's Facebook page

A new Kohl's department store and RaceTrac for Wesley Chapel?

This week The Laker reports that efforts are underway for a possible Kohl's department store next to  Dillard's at The Shops at Wiregrass mall on SR 56 in Wesley Chapel.  Years ago, a Kohl's was announced for the Cypress Creek Town Center to be built by the Richard E. Jacobs Group, but that mall never has been built. Nothing is confirmed at this time for the Wiregrass location, but this would be New Tampa's and Wesley Chapel's only Kohl's, saving shoppers a drive to Lutz or Brandon.  (Kohl's has 1,067 stores in 49 states.)

Additionally, I have a report from one of this blog's readers (not confirmed) that RaceTrac purchased property at the BBD and SR 54 intersection across from Walgreen's.