The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes News

Sunlake extension offers new route for drivers

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The blockades disappeared a few weeks ago, and suddenly Sunlake Boulevard was no longer a dead-end street at the construction site of Long Lake Ranch, the master-planned community south of State Road 54.

Motorists slowly are beginning to realize they can travel in a mostly straight line from State Road 54 in Pasco County to North Dale Mabry Highway in Hillsborough County, with a bonus of bypassing the traffic-clogged intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Motorists traveling north on Sunlake Boulevard, away from the roundabout, will see speed limits increase from 35 mph to 45 mph. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Motorists traveling north on Sunlake Boulevard, away from the roundabout, will see speed limits increase from 35 mph to 45 mph.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Portions of the approximately 3-mile stretch provide a smooth, four-lane road for drivers, with a roundabout in the middle.

The road narrows to two lanes soon after passing Long Lake’s entrance. Varying speed limits are posted along the journey toward Hillsborough County, with the slowest speed of 20 mph through the roundabout.

At the southern end, Sunlake Boulevard enters Sunlake Park, a mature tree-lined neighborhood of 36 single-family homes, built in the 1960s. A series of three speed bumps and a speed limit of 25 mph keep speeders at bay.

“It’s convenient to drivers,” said Melissa Greene, commenting on the Sunlake Boulevard connection. She recently was waiting in mid-afternoon at the intersection of the boulevard and Evergreen Oak Drive for a Hillsborough County school bus to drop off her son.

But Greene and other parents at the school bus stop say they also worry about speeding motorists, increased traffic especially during rush hours, and confusing speed limits that change from one side of the road to the other.

They would like speed bumps similar to those in Sunlake Park.

“I don’t know if that would happen because there are no houses on every section of road,” Greene said. “It would be nice. It would slow people down.”

She also would like to see school buses drive into the subdivisions dotting the boulevard, but Greene said that might not happen.

Still Greene said, “We see drivers fly by here.”

The roundabout also is troublesome to some who worry about accidents as motorists approach and leave the traffic circle.

Heading south toward the roundabout, speed limits drop from 35 mph to 30 mph. On the opposite side on the same stretch of roadway, heading northward, speed limits bump up from 35 mph to 45 mph.

It’s confusing to drivers,” said Jennifer Todd, who waited with Greene for the school bus.

The sequence of speed limits meets national standards for road design for roundabouts, said Deborah Bolduc, Pasco County’s program administrator for engineering services. “It’s for safety reasons,” she said. “It’s supposed to do that.”

Hillsborough and Pasco signed off on the project, but Amprop Development Corp., did the road design and construction to extend Sunlake Boulevard. The company developed the Shoppes at Sunlake Centre on the north side of State Road 54, at Sunlake Boulevard. It also sold land to T. Rowe Price at the southwest corner of the intersection. However, the financial investment firm backed away from plans to build a campus there.

Making Sunlake Boulevard into a connector route has been part of long-range planning for decades, said Hillsborough County engineer Mike Williams. “As you make additional connections, it helps facilitate the distribution of traffic in the area.”

Heavily traveled North Dale Mabry Highway and U.S. 41 are expected to see some traffic diverted to the boulevard, but area residents say traffic congestion in their neighborhoods will only get worse — especially at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard, and at the left-turn lane off North Dale Mabry Highway, near a 7-Eleven convenience store.

“That backs up pretty far, “ Greene said, describing the traffic at those intersections.

Published April 1, 2015

Traffic signals by Lowe’s ready for action

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Traffic signals outside the new Lowe’s Home Improvement store on State Road 54 are expected to be operational within two to three weeks, according to officials with the Florida Department of Transportation.

The addition of stop lights and turn lanes that will help get motorists in and out of Lowe’s and the Village Lakes Shopping Center is welcome news to area residents and business owners.

Cars and trucks attempting to make a left-hand turn off of State Road 54 into the Village Lakes Shopping Center, east of the intersection of U.S. 41, will find it much easier once a new set of traffic signals are activated. The lights have been installed near the Lowe’s store, on State Road 54, expected to open in April. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Cars and trucks attempting to make a left-hand turn off of State Road 54 into the Village Lakes Shopping Center, east of the intersection of U.S. 41, will find it much easier once a new set of traffic signals are activated. The lights have been installed near the Lowe’s store, on State Road 54, expected to open in April.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Billy Fotopoulos, owner of Pizza Villa, remembers when the shopping center and his restaurant were under construction three decades ago.

“We needed the light there 30 years ago,” Fotopoulos said. But he said state highway officials turned down a request for a traffic signal from Fotopoulos and other business owners.

“Without the light there, you can’t get out of (the parking lot) to go east or even going west, you’re taking your life in your hands,” he said.

Charlene Wingo agreed. She and some friends were leaving the shopping center last week, laden with their purchases. “The light will make it a lot easier to head east on State Road 54,” she said. “I was just thinking now, ‘How am I going to get out of the parking lot?’ ”

Fotopoulos said he loses business due to the lack of traffic signals. Residents living on State Road 54, southeast of the shopping center, are reluctant to try and cross over, he said.

“It will save businesses. It will save lives there,” Fotopoulos said.

The signal will give motorists a green light to turn left, going east on State Road 54. Motorists also can cross over the road to access entrances to either Lowe’s or the Village Lakes Shopping Center.

When the traffic signals are activated, highway officials say they will be synced with signals at the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 to help ease traffic flow. The signals will be the only ones between U.S. 41 and Collier Parkway about 2 miles away.

The half-mile distance between the signals at the intersection and those by Lowe’s are standard, highway officials said.

The 152,000 square-foot Lowe’s, at 21500 State Road 54, is expected to open in April.

Published March 25, 2015

The adventurous life of Seva Granin

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In the “Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” author James Thurber describes a meek and mild man who imagines himself as a wartime pilot, an emergency room surgeon and a devil-may-care killer.

While Walter Mitty only dreamed of living a life of adventure, Vsevolod “Seva” Granin, of Land O’ Lakes, actually has been living one.

Seva Granin, left, met up with his friend from college, Zach Lee, to climb to the top of Mt. Fuji. (Courtesy of Vesvolod 'Seva' Granin)
Seva Granin, left, met up with his friend from college, Zach Lee, to climb to the top of Mt. Fuji.
(Courtesy of Vesvolod ‘Seva’ Granin)

Granin graduated from Academy at the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes and later from Rollins College, in Winter Park.

He studied Chinese at both schools, studied abroad in China while enrolled at Rollins, and returned to China to work after graduation.

He’s back home now, after initially working for an American hotel chain in China and later for a Chinese subsidiary of a European logistics company.

Before returning to the United States, he also set off on a number of adventures including backpacking through Vietnam, trekking up Mt. Fuji and running in the Great Wall of China marathon before returning to Pasco County.

Granin, who is an avid photographer, blogger and artist, recorded his experiences through words and photographs in a blog.

“I see things artistically,” said Granin, whose mother is an artist.

In fact, some of the photographs he took in China recently were on exhibit at Hillsborough Community College. He has another exhibit scheduled from May 22 through June 19 at the Oglesby Gallery at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Granin was born in Moscow and spent his early years in Russia before moving with his family to Land O’ Lakes.

When he arrived here, he was 14 and barely spoke English.

“I was lucky with Academy at the Lakes,” the 26-year-old said. “It’s a small, private school. The teachers are very helpful. I learned quickly and a lot.”

Living in China, however, was an experience that took learning to an entirely new level.

Although he had a foundation in Chinese, he soon discovered how little he knew.

“Chinese is one of those languages it takes a lifetime to master, I think.”

He worked eight months for the hotel chain then networked his way into a job with the logistics company whose main customer is the largest online retailer in Russia.

“For them, we developed a list of over 500 factories in China,” said Granin, who worked with a buyers’ team from Russia.

He and his team handled the factory negotiations, contracts, logistics, the supply chain, getting through customs, documentation and getting goods to the warehouse.

It was challenging, but rewarding work.

“If you’re adaptable to other cultures — it really expands your world,” Granin said.

“If you’re willing to accept different cultures and go so far away from home, you can get amazing work opportunities,” Granin said. “It’s not going to be easy, but you will have that opportunity.”

Granin also took advantage of his time overseas to delve into a series of other adventures.

He did a backpack trip through Southeast Asia, visiting 11 countries in like two months. He also climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan and ran the Great Wall marathon in China.

The Great Wall marathon was grueling.

He describes that experience in blog entries.

In the beginning, he remembers taking his first steps and “raising my head up and seeing a few white doves flying a few meters over my head, from left to right. (It was a) simple, short and beautiful moment, but the crowd around me was picking up speed, and so was I. The marathon was on.”

Shortly after the race began, though, “I felt a sharp and intense cramp in my right calf. Ouch, that was sudden and painful.”

Around a quarter of the way into the race, he was slowed down and limping.

“What do you do? Do you stop? Do you quit? Do you stretch for as long as it takes?”

He stretched for a bit and even though his muscles did not relax, he decided to continue.

There were many places along the route that were difficult to navigate, but he kept going, describing his increasing pain.

“…the spaghetti legs with iron shackles were barely cooperating with the mind, the desert dry cotton mouth was making it hard to breathe and swallow.”

He wasn’t the only one struggling.

“People were stumbling, leaning on the (Great) Wall, sitting, laying down, crawling … Medics ran up to each person.”

But he pushed through the pain and finished the race.

Granin said he decided to return home because he missed his family, but now is applying to graduate school — waiting to see where he’ll start the next chapter in life.

If you would like to read more about Granin’s adventures, visit Vgranin.com.

Published March 18, 2015

Second-grader advises Orlando aquarium

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When Land O’ Lakes resident Maddy Smith was asked to serve on a special panel for Sea Life Orlando, a new aquarium, it gave her an opportunity to share her thoughts on marine education and conservation.

The second-grader also is taking part in events leading up to the aquarium’s May 4 opening.

Maddy Smith of Land O' Lakes loves talking about her fishing class, and it helped the second-grader get selected to a special panel for a new aquarium opening in Orlando this May. (Courtesy of Jessica Smith)
Maddy Smith of Land O’ Lakes loves talking about her fishing class, and it helped the second-grader get selected to a special panel for a new aquarium opening in Orlando this May.
(Courtesy of Jessica Smith)

She just has to be sure nothing conflicts with her bedtime at 8 p.m.

Maddy attends Imagine School Land O’ Lakes, a Pasco County charter school for children in kindergarten through eighth grade.

She is one of just six children selected to the aquarium’s Young Environmentalists Panel. Before the aquarium opens, she’ll oversee the habitats’ progress and will watch the animals get accustomed to their new home.

She’ll also be on hand as a VIP for the grand opening.

“She was completely in shock and excited,” her mother, Jessica Smith, said in describing how Maddy reacted when she learned she had been selected. “She felt really special.”

The honor wasn’t a random selection.

Maddy had to earn her way onto the panel.

To qualify, children had to submit an essay or video talking about their interest in conservation and the environment.

The seven-year-old made a video discussing Florida’s marine animals, and she shared her enthusiasm for a fishing class she takes at her church.

“Last Saturday, I caught and released three freshwater fish!” Maddy said in the one-minute video. “Kids can do a lot to help our environment when we learn about how to be safe around Florida’s wildlife.”

Some parents may take the lead and do a lot of the work on a child’s project, but that didn’t happen in this case.

Maddy’s mother made it clear that it was her daughter’s video from start to finish. She gave Maddy advice and helped her express her thoughts, but it was the young girl’s concept, topics and presentation that won the judges over.

“I do everything I can to help her, but I’m not going to do her work for her,” Smith said. “She has to own it.”

And when she owned it, she wasn’t even nervous about speaking into the camera.

“I just wanted to talk about my fishing and the environment,” Maddy said.

In addition to serving on the panel, Maddy enjoys her fishing classes and also plays piano. But her parents also make sure that she has time to relax and unwind and isn’t overwhelmed by too many activities.

“There’s probably two evenings during the whole week where she has stuff,” Smith said. “And then we try to make sure that she has enough unstructured time to read and play, because she’s a child.”

She’s also a child who enjoys science — her favorite class in school — and wants to keep learning.

Her mother credits Imagine School with giving Maddy the opportunity to expand her interests in a supportive environment.

“We love it. This is actually her first year at Imagine,” Smith said. “I think it’s excited her and inspired her. The teachers give her a lot of individual attention.”

And now that Maddy’s on the Young Environmentalists Panel, she can focus on teaching others about marine wildlife, as she stated in the video that got her the job.

“I want to help other kids learn about Florida’s water system and taking care of animals that live there,” she said, while being filmed.

Published March 4, 2015

Pace picks up for construction in southern Pasco

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Commercial and residential developments are popping up at the Suncoast Parkway interchange and along State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor at an ever-quickening pace.

There’s so much happening that it’s difficult to keep up with what’s under construction, what’s on the drawing board and what’s moving toward final sale.

To help sort things out, the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., brought developers and brokers together for a meet-and-greet session on Feb. 19 at the Residence Inn at NorthPointe.

“We see the dirt flying,” said John Hagen, president and CEO of the Pasco EDC. “It struck us there’s really a lot of people who don’t know what’s going on here.”

So, in 10-minute bursts of information, representatives for the various developments presented highlights of a half-dozen mixed-use, master-planned and commercial communities.

Wiregrass Ranch, on the eastern end of the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor is the most advanced of the developments.

But there’s still much more to come, said J.D. Porter, whose family owns Wiregrass Ranch.

The long-delayed Raymond James Financial Campus, off State Road 56, is approaching the permitting stage, Porter said.

About 600,000 square feet of office space is planned with opportunities to expand to 1 million square feet, he said.

“There’s no exact start date, but we feel very comfortable,” Porter said. “It’s a no-brainer. It’s going to get done.”

The first phase probably is about $18 million in roads and utilities, he added.

Future projects include a new park, a charter school, and a convention and performing arts center.

“We’re starting to take our business to the next level,” Porter said.

Meanwhile, close to the Suncoast Parkway, construction has begun on Bexley Boulevard, the entrance to Bexley Ranch, a 5,000-acre master-planned community. That development will be at the northeast quadrant of State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway.

About 1,700 acres will be developed in the development’s first phase, including about 93,000 square feet of retail and 563,00 square feet of offices, said Tom Panaseny, vice president of California-based Newland Communities.

Newland Communities is the same company that developed Fishhawk Ranch and Westchase in Hillsborough County.

The future Tower Road, which will link to Ballantrae subdivision, will be a four-lane divided roadway with a flyover across Suncoast, Panaseny said.

Thousands of homes, a town center, specialty shops, hotel, medical uses and office space are part of the mix, he said. More than 12 miles of internal trails will link with existing trails in the community.

“Everything we do, we try to connect to trail systems,” Panaseny said.

Another development — NorthPointe at Suncoast Crossings at the southeast quadrant of State Road 54 and Suncoast Parkway — is planned to have a mixture of uses, with up to 1 million square feet of offices, research and development, and hospitality.

Two parcels are potential locations for hotel, office or retail, said Steve Oakes, vice president of development for The Hogan Group, based in Lutz.

Developers are keeping options open for how NorthPointe moves forward, said Paul Michael, vice president of Atlanta-based TPA Group. “We’re all in this together…to create a sustainable live, work, play environment which we hope to be a success in Pasco County.”

Asturia, another master-planned community, is off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Parkway. The 500-acre development has approval for up to 300,000 square feet of commercial, 530,000 square feet of office or light industrial, 550 single-family homes, 200 town homes and 440 apartments.

“You can see piles of dirt and a lot of construction,” said Lane Gardner, managing director for Houston-based-Hines. A groundbreaking was held in December with completion of the first construction phase scheduled for May 2015.

Starkey Ranch is a 2,400-acre master-planned community off State Road 54 with approval for 206,500 square feet of Class A offices, 43,500 medical offices, 300,000 square feet of light industrial, 100,000 square feet of support retail, 220 hotel rooms and small commercial infill parcels.

More than 2,000 residential units are planned including homes in an “adult lifestyle” subdivision near Huckleberry Pond. It will, however, not be age-restricted.

“We are focusing on creating community,” said Matt Call, project director for Wheelock Communities. “We don’t want to be another subdivision. We want a true community.”

A town center with a grocery store as the anchor is planned at Gunn Highway and State Road 54. Other amenities include a business center, light industrial, a hotel, medical office, shops, day care center, coffee shop, church and more than 20 miles of trails.

A welcome center and model homes from Ryland and M/I are nearing completion. A groundbreaking is expected later this year for the Starkey Ranch District Park.

The park is not a tourism destination, Call said. “It’s really for local residents.”

Mitchell West 54, at Little Road and State Road 54, will feature a neighborhood shopping center with a movie theater amid its proposed 800 residential units.

“We think this is an infill location,” said Gary Nelson, senior vice president of Kitson & Partners based in Palm Beach Gardens.

Groundbreaking on the 330-acre site is planned for early 2016 with an opening day expected in 2017. There will be about 980,000 square feet of retail, medical and offices. A hotel and senior living component are possible.

The first development in the project will be the neighborhood center with grocery store, pharmacy, restaurants and some high-end retail, said Matt Buehler, retail specialist director for Kitson & Partners.

Published February 25, 2015

Eagle Scout’s gazebo project benefits church

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Eighteen-year-old Robert Sturm has been a scout most of his life.

He became a Tiger Scout when he was 5 and has been involved in scouting ever since.

He’s also attended First United Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes since he was quite young, too.

Building a gazebo isn't a one-man project. Eagle Scout Robert Sturm recruited help to get it built for the church. (Courtesy of the Sturm family)
Building a gazebo isn’t a one-man project. Eagle Scout Robert Sturm recruited help to get it built for the church.
(Courtesy of the Sturm family)

In fact, the church formed his first scout packs and troops.

So, when it came time to choose an Eagle Scout project, an important part of qualifying for the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, it was pretty easy to decide to combine the two together.

“I’ve been going there my whole life,” Sturm said about the church. “And they support our troop, too, so it’s nice to be able to give back to them.”

With help from around a dozen people, Sturm managed a project to create a gazebo for the church, located at 6209 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The idea was to create a place where church members and their families can enjoy the comforts of a covered outdoor area.

After a few months of work, the gazebo was finished last summer, and Sturm became an Eagle Scout later that year. His Eagle Court of Honor was held at the church.

Taking the lead on that kind of project takes more than just pointing fingers and sketching out plans.

First, Sturm contacted the church trustees and worked with them on what they’d like to have.

Once they decided on a gazebo structure, there was the issue of money: Building a quality, outside structure that can survive the elements isn’t cheap. Sturm had to raise around $1,300 to make it happen, and traditional fundraising methods weren’t going to raise a lot of money quickly.

So instead, he started buying and selling used items to make a quick profit.

So, he and his friends began hitting up garage sales, looking for good deals.

“After we bought stuff at garage sales pretty cheap, we could turn it around and make money off that.”

A good day of searching could result in some pretty good bargains: A two-dollar investment in a tent turned into $60.

At the end of one garage sale, someone gave him and a friend a T-shirt press for free. His cut of the resulting sale netted $200 toward his project.

After few months of getting up at 7 a.m., to go bargain hunting for tools, video games and whatever else he could find, he had the money necessary to build the gazebo.

Now that the project is finished, when he comes home for a visit from his classes at the University of Central Florida, Sturm can see his and his helpers’ handiwork.

As he looks at the completed gazebo, he’s reminded of the hard work and challenges he faced along the way.

The paving was especially difficult, he recalled, because the gazebo had to have a level and strong foundation.

With its paver-stone floor, tin roof and wooden construction, the gazebo was built to last well into the future.

So, in addition to recalling the challenges, Sturm feels the sense of pride that comes from knowing that he’s created something for his church that enhances the property and helps people enjoy their time there.

The church is happy, too, not only to have something new and useful, but to know it came courtesy of a longtime member.

“I’ve been at the church for 22 years, but on staff for 10. I remember Robbie before he was born,” joked Bob Swan, facilities manager at First UMC of Land O’ Lakes.

The church gets occasional Eagle Scout project requests, and wasn’t surprised that Sturm wanted to give back.

The gazebo is getting good use, Swan added. It serves as a meeting place on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. And, the church is still finding more uses for it as time goes on.

Now that the work is completed, Swan is impressed by the quality of the work.

“I think it went real well. He had a good plan,” Swan said, adding that Sturm had some capable advisors and helpers along the way.

“It came out as it was planned,” Swan said.

Sturm might not have planned to gain experience for college out of the project, but he’s finding the lessons he learned building the gazebo are serving him in higher education, too.

The fundraising experience has proved valuable, as he learns about marketing, the college freshman said. Organizing a group project and getting everyone focused on the same goal also has everyday applications in the world of business, he said.

Beyond those practical benefits of the experience, Sturm said there’s a feeling of satisfaction that comes from creating something worthwhile.

“It feels really good to actually have a finished project and have people be able to go sit in it and use it,” he said.

February 25, 2015

Improvements planned on State Road 54

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Pastoral scenes of as-yet untouched land in Pasco County still exist amid the office complexes, shopping centers and subdivision rooftops that dot parts of State Road 54.

But the “for sale” and “for lease” signs planted on large open fields in between those developments portend the future story for traffic counts on what is already one of Pasco County’s busiest east-west corridors.

The Florida Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin work this month to widen State Road 54 from four lanes to six lanes from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 (also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard). (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
The Florida Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin work this month to widen State Road 54 from four lanes to six lanes from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 (also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard).
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

State highway officials are ready to unveil a $16 million road project to widen the highway from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 from four lanes to six lanes. The widening will bring that section of the roadway into alignment with the existing six-lane divided highway that narrows to four lanes at the Suncoast Parkway.

Survey teams began work Feb. 9. Construction is scheduled to be completed in spring 2016.

Residents can look at the road design at an open house Feb. 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Residence Inn at 2101 Northpointe Parkway, off State Road 54, at the Suncoast Parkway interchange and Northpointe Village. No formal presentation is planned. State road department staff will be on hand to answer questions.

The project will cover a 6.7-mile stretch of highway that passes by Long Lake Ranch, a master-planned community that has its first homes on the market.

Other subdivisions along the route are Suncoast Meadows, Suncoast Pointe, Stonegate, Concord Station and Ballantrae. Professional office complexes and the Shoppes at Sunlake Centre are other developments along the heavily traveled corridor.

State highway records for 2013 reveal that daily round-trip vehicle trips — along the segment that will be widened — ranged from 39,500 to 47,000.

In addition to extra lanes, the project includes new sidewalks and more highway lights. Bicycle lanes will remain.

A new traffic signal will be installed at Meadowbrook Drive, east of the parkway by the entrance into Suncoast Meadows and Suncoast Pointe. All existing traffic lights will stay in place.

Alberta Bland, partner and managing director at Flagship Title, welcomes the new traffic signal.

“It’s a dangerous intersection,” said Bland, whose company is in Suncoast Meadows Professional Center.

Motorists stop on an incline at Meadowbrook as they approach on the south side of State Road 54, she said. They also must look west for oncoming traffic zipping along a curve in the state highway.

“I’ve seen near accidents and accidents because of the way the street is shaped,” Bland said. “It’s difficult to see both ways especially at night.”

The traffic signal will improve safety, she said.

But widening the road is a mixed bag, she added.

“If they are going to widen it, (traffic) is going to get worse,” Bland said. “There is enough traffic that they need to do it, but they need to slow everything down.”

During construction, speed limits will be 50 miles per hour. Once the roadwork is completed, the existing limits, which range from 45 mph to 60 mph, will apply, state road officials said.

While traffic during construction won’t be a cakewalk for motorists, road officials said the widening will occur in the median, not in rights-of-way along the road’s shoulder.

“It’s a construction site, of course, but there shouldn’t be too much disruption,” said Kris Carson, a spokeswoman for the state roads department.

Roy Schleman said he sees a considerable amount of bad driving on the roadway, with some motorists speeding or texting.

And, he noted, the intersections at Ballantrae Road and Oakstead Boulevard, where there are existing traffic lights, can be as bad or worse than Meadowbrook.

But, like Bland, he thinks a traffic signal at Meadowbrook is a good idea.

Schleman owns All Insurance Underwriters in the Suncoast Meadows office complex.

“I’m a dad,” he said. “Thinking about moms and kids, I’d rather (the intersection) be safer.”

When deciding where to locate his business nearly five years ago, he rejected New Tampa because of the traffic congestion on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The widening of State Road 54 makes sense in view of the new development that is coming, he said. “I think it’s good to get ahead.”

But he keeps thinking about Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. “I feel we’re going to be like that in some way,” Schleman said.

Want to see the plans?
The Florida Department of Transportation is having an open house to give the public a chance to see the plans for a construction project to widen a section of State Road 54, from east of the Suncoast Parkway to west of U.S. 41 (also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard).

The meeting will be Feb. 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Residence Inn, 2101 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz.

Published February 18, 2015

Lowe’s is hiring workers for new Land O’ Lakes store

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Construction is down to the wire at the new Lowe’s Home Improvement warehouse on State Road 54, east of U.S. 41.

Job training for new hires is in full swing and applications are being accepted online for up to 160 job openings anticipated by company officials.

A pedestrian makes her way past the safety fence in front of the new Lowe's store that is aiming to open in April. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
A pedestrian makes her way past the safety fence in front of the new Lowe’s store that is aiming to open in April.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

The store is aiming for an April opening is expected this spring.

“Everybody, everybody is asking ‘when are you going to open the doors?’” said Steve Petrone, Lowe’s pro services specialist.

When the store does open area residents in Land O’ Lakes will have a hometown, one-stop Lowe’s warehouse for their do-it-yourself projects, Petrone said.

The 152,000-square-foot store is across from the Village Lakes Shopping Center. It is Pasco County’s third Lowe’s location.

The other stores are in Zephyrhills and New Port Richey.

Lowe’s began accepting job applications in October.

Some of the employees opening the new store worked at other Lowe’s locations and competed for openings because they wanted to work in Land O’ Lakes, closer to their homes, Petrone said.

Those who are interested in applying should visit Lowe’s website, Careers.lowes.com, to find job postings and submit separate applications for each job the applicant would like to pursue.

The job list changes, so repeat visits to the site are useful, Petrone said.

Recent job listings were for delivery driver and seasonal inside garden customer service associate.

Before it has its soft opening, Lowe’s will be making its local presence felt by being the principal sponsor for Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Community Fun Day and Business Expo.

The two-day event is free and open to the public. It will highlight businesses and service providers in the northern area of Hillsborough and the central area of Pasco counties.

Hours for that event are March 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and March 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The expo will be at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Lowe’s associates will be on hand to answer questions about indoor and outdoor repairs or remodeling chores. They can help with items such as paint choices and color schemes, Petrone said.

For gardeners, there will be experts who can give helpful tips on how to grow healthy lawns and get rid of pesky insects.

There will be an activity that gives families a chance to grow, build and bond, too, on March 7.

Lowe’s is enthused about its new Land O’ Lakes location.

“We’re chomping at the bit to get started,” Petrone said.

Published February 11, 2015

Tampa Premium Outlets beginning to take shape

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Tampa Premium Outlets is no longer just wishes and speculation.

There are still lots of questions, however, about what tenants will fill the 441,000 square feet of shopping space.

This is a sign letting people know that Tampa Premium Outlets will be opening this fall. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
This is a sign letting people know that Tampa Premium Outlets will be opening this fall.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

Bulldozers are moving earth, and walls are going vertical on what has been a shopping destination in the making going back more than decade.

Plans have changed through the years, but now an outlet center is on the horizon: Opening day is scheduled for late October, well in advance of the 2015 holiday season.

Shopaholics, of course, are eager to see the center’s anticipated 100-plus retailers open their doors.

Like other large enterprises, the outlet center also is expected to have some ripple effects on the local economy.

Businesses that can provide accessory goods or services are likely to benefit.

And, students at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch also could reap internships to help them in their studies or jobs to help cover their expenses.

Simon Property Group, the mall’s developer, has estimated that the project will yield 300 to 500 construction jobs and as many as 800 retail jobs, once the outlet center opens.

Hope Allen, executive director for the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, is looking forward to the center’s arrival.

“We are very excited about it,” Allen said.

While the mall may create some new opportunities for local businesses, Allen doesn’t foresee a huge jump in chamber membership.

“Typically big corporations don’t join as individuals of chambers,” Allen said.

“We want the benefits to be for our members, and it means they have opportunities to do ancillary products,” she said.

One company, Signarama of New Tampa-Wesley Chapel, already has experienced a benefit.

It produced display boards that were used during the mall’s groundbreaking ceremony, Allen said.

The chamber executive anticipates similar opportunities will materialize for local businesses as the project moves forward.

While no information is available yet about the tenant mix that the outlet center will offer, Simon Property Group announced more than two years ago that Saks Off Fifth Fashion Outlet would anchor the center. And, Danielle DeVita, senior vice president of the company’s Premium Outlet Group, confirmed that during the December groundbreaking.

Simon Property Group has more than 80 Premium Outlets worldwide with a mix of upscale retailers such as Banana Republic, Diane Von Furstenberg, DKNY, Dior, Burberry and J. Crew.

The outlet mall is a major feature within the proposed Cypress Creek Town Center, a master-planned community with three developers working on different residential and commercial phases of the project.

This project isn’t the only thing kicking up dirt along the State Road 56 corridor, near Interstate 75.

Mercedes Benz is building a dealership on the east side of the interchange, Richard E. Jacobs Group and Sierra Properties are working on plans for more retail, and an ice hockey and skating complex is on the drawing board.

Stanley Giannet, provost at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, sees new opportunities arising for students at the PHSC campus.

Besides internships and jobs, there may be scholarships, too, Giannet said.

The college offers associate degrees in areas such as business administration, business operations and marketing. All are relevant to Pasco County’s retail growth, including the outlet mall, Giannet said.

“It’s going to have a positive effect for students on campus and the community at large,” Giannet said.

Besides leading the college, Giannet was named Business Leader of the Year and Honorary Mayor of Wesley Chapel in 2014 by the Wesley Chapel chamber. He also serves on the chamber’s board of directors.

He envisions future partnerships between college faculty, chamber members, store representatives and the developer that will benefit everyone and contribute to the outlet center’s success.

“I’m looking forward to doing outreach to them,” Giannet said.

Published February 11, 2015

Sanders Memorial Elementary: Past and Future

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Notifications went out last week to parents of students who have been accepted for the inaugural year of Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School.

Sanders’ roots in Land O’ Lakes date back to 1948.

Gertrude Godwin was known for being a strict disciplinarian, who was devoted to teaching. She’s shown here with her second-grade class at Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Andrea Frank)
Gertrude Godwin was known for being a strict disciplinarian, who was devoted to teaching. She’s shown here with her second-grade class at Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes.
(Courtesy of Andrea Frank)

The school was closed for a few years, pending reconstruction, but the crash of the housing market stalled that redevelopment.

In August, the school now made up of a combination of new structures and redeveloped buildings will open as Pasco County’s first magnet program.

It will focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Sanders received 1,690 applications from across Pasco County. The school will serve kindergarten through fifth grade and can accommodate 762 students.

While students streaming into the school this fall will be greeted by the latest in technology and new approaches to learning, the school’s history also will be honored through a special display.

Some people don’t need a special display to remind them how the school used to be.

Andrea Macomber Frank is one of five grandchildren of Gertrude Godwin, who taught at Sanders for about five decades.

“Of course, her children, our mother, aunt and uncle went there also,” said Frank, who now lives in Daytona Beach.

Long-time residents of Land O’ Lakes likely recall her grandmother, who was known as a strict disciplinarian, said Frank, who was in the area during the holidays with her brothers, Bruce and Mike Macomber.

“She used to thump people,” Bruce Macomber said.

“She could pinch you,” Mike Macomber added.

Her approach to discipline wouldn’t fit in today, they said, but her devotion to teaching would.

Because she was their grandmother, they had the benefit of learning from her at home and at school.

“She taught me to read when I was 3 years old,” Bruce Macomber said.

Their grandmother had high expectations, especially of them, they said.

“You were always expected to be a little better than everybody else because if you weren’t, the principal didn’t come to you, they went to your grandmother.

“In the ninth-grade, we all went on strike one day because we wanted to have a school dance and they wouldn’t let us have a school dance. So we all sat out by this huge pine tree. There were only about 20-some kids in our class.

“And, all of a sudden I hear yelling out the window: ‘Bruce Macomber, you and those kids get up right now and get back in your class,’ ” he said.

She commanded respect.

“The kids would listen to her,” he said.

She taught generations of families, and when she died, the church was packed with people who came to pay their respects, they said.

They don’t know what she would make of the new approaches that will be used at Sanders when it opens, but they know she would support efforts to provide a quality education for children.

During a news conference, announcing that applications were being accepted for Sanders, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said that the district’s first magnet school makes it clear that the district recognizes the need to offer more educational choices.

“As a district, we know we need to compete for the students we serve,” Browning said, at the time.

Published February 11, 2015