The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

‘Downtown’ coming to Wesley Chapel

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Pasco County and Avalon Park Group/sitEX have reached an agreement on a package of incentives aimed at encouraging the development of a new downtown in Wesley Chapel.

The plan calls for a new mixed-use, urban-scale development on 215 acres, off State Road 54, in a community now being called Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

Beat Kahli, who grew up in Switzerland, wants to create a place where people can get their daily needs met, without having to leave the community. (Courtesy of Avalon Park Group/sitEX)

Avalon Park Group/sitEX proposes to spend more than $800 million to create the new downtown, which will feature multi-storied buildings, with a mix of uses that will be within walking distance — thereby greatly reducing the need to drive outside of the community to go to work, take kids to school or meet various daily needs.

The Pasco County Commission voted 4-0, with Commission Chairman Mike Moore out ill, to approve an incentive package totaling $33.5 million.

The agreement outlines that the developer will spend about $83.3 million to construct a spine road through the project, multi-story parking decks and transit-related infrastructure.

The county has agreed to provide an annual rebate limited to 20% of the previous year’s property tax payments, which will be capped at $32 million and represents 38% of the cost of the public improvements.

Avalon Park/sitEX also plans four freestanding Class A office buildings, and has agreed to expedite the construction of the phase, containing a minimum of 75,000 square feet, in exchange for a loan of $1,250,250, which was approved as part of the deal.

David Engel, manager of the county’s office of economic growth, spelled out some of the specifics during the county board’s Feb. 18 meeting.

“The typical buildings are four stories in height. Commercial will occupy the first floor and three floors of residential above it. There also are five to six parking decks and four freestanding Class A office buildings,” Engel said.

The project will include 2,695 residential units, 165,000 square feet of Class A Office, and 190,000 square feet of commercial space, Engel said.

“Fifty percent of the residential trip generation on the site will stay on the site, once the project is complete,” Engel said.

“The return on investment (ROI) to the county is substantial,” Engel said. “We looked at the ROI based on the nonresidential development for the downtown.”

The project is expected to generate 1,065 full-time jobs and have a total economic output of $84.4 million, according to county documents.

Beat Kahli, president and CEO of Avalon Park Group, envisions creating a place people won’t have to leave, to meet their daily needs. Instead, they will be within walking distance to many of the activities they need or want to do.

A new downtown is planned in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

“When I moved from Switzerland more than 25 years ago, it wasn’t actually the mountains which I missed in Florida.

“I knew there were none.

“It wasn’t even that it was hot and humid,” he said.

What he missed, was living in a place where he could live, work and play.

“If you want to satisfy a daily need, you wouldn’t have to go in your car. That’s what I was used to, when I was growing up in Zurich, Switzerland.”

“Instead of building subdivisions, we have to build towns,” Kahli said, noting that’s the only way to resolve the traffic congestion caused by daily commutes.

Pasco commissioners are enthused by the plans.

“It’s such a great project,” said Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “We’re just really excited to watch this come up out of the ground.

“This will really be downtown Wesley Chapel,” she said.

Kahli’s company already has done a similar project — Avalon Park Orlando — and is currently developing Avalon Park Tavares and Avalon Park Daytona Beach using the same standards.

Commissioner Jack Mariano said he’s aware of Kahli’s “tremendous success” in Orlando.

“I know you’re going to have it right here, as well. I’m glad you picked Pasco County,” Mariano said.

Commissioner Ron Oakley agreed: It’s going to be a great project for this area of Pasco County.

Starkey also noted: “This is cutting edge planning, right here. Being able to live, work and play in the same neighborhood is a great solution for sprawl.”

Published February 26, 2020

Planting the seeds of sustainable living

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Pasco County is pursuing a vision that’s aimed at giving people more opportunities to grow their own food, to learn the ins and outs of gardening, and to bring young and old together for a variety of activities.

A celebration was held recently at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., to unveil a new “Food for All” mural and to offer tours of a new community garden.

Dr. Whitney C. Elmore, director of the Pasco County Extension Office, told the crowd that the effort to create community gardens across the county began a few years ago.

Dr. Whitney C. Elmore, director of the Pasco County Extension Office, is working to expand the number of community gardens across Pasco County. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Feb. 15 to celebrate the new community garden at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (Christine Holtzman)

“No. 1, we wanted to provide recreational opportunities for folks of all ages and abilities.

“We also wanted to provide areas where we could beautify different parts of our county.

“We wanted to be able to provide a location for folks to be able to come and learn about a variety of topics, from horticulture all of the way over to water conservation, and composting and sustainable living practices.

“But, we wanted to ensure food sovereignty —  that anybody that was lacking, that was in need, would be able to have a place to go to grow their own food for their family; maybe even be able to start a small cottage industry, so they could be providing a source of income for their families,” Elmore said.

Such community gardens empower people, she added.

Elmore expressed gratitude to the Pasco County Commission for supporting the cause.

“They saw fit to see our vision to provide these spaces all across Pasco County, and you’re going to see more of these.

“We’re already on the east side of the county, here in Land O’ Lakes, and working on agreements for more community gardens on the west side of the county,” Elmore said.

She also expressed gratitude to master gardener volunteers who have been instrumental in helping to develop the community gardens.

“All of these plots are leased out for free to folks in our communities,” she said. “We have individuals. We have organizations. And, we have families, that are growing their own and learning to do so.”

Growing vegetables, and inclusivity, too
Elmore also noted the gardens can be used for special programs, such as the Gardening for Autism program, a six-week course that gives kids on the autism spectrum the chance to learn about horticulture.

Besides learning how to grow fruits and vegetables, they also can learn leadership skills, develop and hone social skills, and work on fine motor skills.

“And, we have been absolutely ecstatic at the response from the Autism Society of Florida and especially the impact that we can see these programs are having on children on the spectrum, as well as their families,” Elmore said.

Besides serving as the grand opening of the new community garden in Land O’ Lakes, the Feb. 15 event also featured the unveiling of the “Food for All Mural.”

Connor Laverty and Lucas Yingling, who are both on the autism spectrum, won the mural art contest. And, their work was transposed to the mural by Amy Nevins, an artist who lives in Palm Harbor.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, who spoke at the event, expressed gratitude to the Autism Society of Florida and to Nevins, for their involvement in the mural project.

“In Pasco County, what we want to do is to make sure that people of all abilities can participate in any activity we do,” he said.

That’s true, whether it means participating in an art contest and seeing one’s work on display, or having fun at a playground designed to be used by all children, such as the one at Wesley Chapel District Park.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis also dropped by the event and commended the efforts to create more community gardens.

“I’m a big fan of community gardening. I’d like to spread this throughout my congressional district. How can we miss with something like this?”

Sonide Simon, of the county’s planning and development department, noted, “Our mural is a prime example of what it means when county government and community come together to make something beautiful.”

She also pointed out the benefits of growing healthy foods in a garden.

The vegetables growing there are “natural medicine” that can help combat chronic diseases, such as obesity, that are plaguing the nation, she said.

She praised the mural, which she said proclaims the message:  “let’s get back to nature and let’s make sure that everyone has access to food.”

Community gardens are creating communal spaces, which children and families can enjoy, she added.

Stacey Hoaglund, president of the Autism Society of Florida, congratulated the county and extension office for their involvement in the mural project.

These kinds of opportunities don’t always come to children with autism, she said.

“What this is about really, is inclusion. Being included in our communities. Being able to show what our kids, our adults with autism, are able to do. And, to become part of the overall life,” she said.

“I believe that a lot of people just underestimate the abilities of people with autism, and don’t include them in their communities as much as we would like,” she said.

“The Food for All Mural you have here — every time people drive by here and they see this beautiful wall, they can think about how people with autism are included in our communities, and have some really great things to offer,” Hoaglund said.

Published February 26, 2020

Transit authority to roll out new campaign

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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded the Hillsborough County Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) with a Human Trafficking Awareness & Public Safety Initiative Grant totaling $100,240, according to a news release.

The grant will be used to conduct a public awareness campaign about human trafficking leading up to Super Bowl LV, in Tampa in 2021.

Human trafficking is a modern-day slavery, affecting millions of adults and children in the United States and across the globe.

Traffickers move their victims on all modes of transportation, and sometimes use public transit due to its low cost, greater anonymity in buying fare cards, and less direct interaction with government or transit officials.

“Human trafficking is an unfortunate reality of society today,” said Carolyn House Stewart, interim HART CEO, in the release.

“HART looks forward to utilizing this grant to train our employees, many of whom interact with hundreds of people daily, to help recognize the signs of human trafficking and create more awareness about the issue,” she added.

The campaign will include educational materials for the public, and provide critical training for HART employees in recognizing and reporting human trafficking.

The FTA’s Human Trafficking Awareness and Public Safety Initiative involves $5.4 million in grants.

Published February 26, 2020

Pasco County Fair lives up to its theme

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The Pasco County’s Fair’s theme this year was “It’s an Adventure,” and the crowd at the event seemed to bring that idea to life.

Children are seen having a good time on the kiddie-approved ‘Frog Hopper’ ride at the Pasco County Fair on Feb. 22. From left: Ryder Karppe, 6, of Land O’ Lakes; Wyatt Barthle, 8, of Land O’ Lakes; Abigail Warren, 6, of Dade City; Christine Runner, 9, of Zephyrhills; Lily Lentz, 5, of Wesley Chapel; and, Liam Galley Salgueiro, 8, of Ontario. (Christine Holtzman)

The fair, which recently wrapped, ran from Feb. 17 through Feb. 23.

Held at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City, it had a little of something for everyone.

Dozens of amusement rides dotted the landscape, giving thrill-seekers of all ages a wide selection of options.

Rides, such as the “Frog Hopper,” the kiddie coaster, the Ferris wheel and the carousel were just some of the child-approved choices.

For the more adventurous, one could try out the “Zipper,” in which people sat in caged carts that flipped upside down and spun, as they journeyed around a rotating oblong frame.

The “Ring of Fire” was another bold choice.

The ride was a giant loop fitted with track — similar to a roller coaster — which stood approximately 50 feet high. Riders, two to a seat, sat in a train that propelled forward, then backward, until the momentum would bring the train to stop on top of the loop, dangling riders upside down.

Angus, a life-like Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur (played by Nathanial Shufling), and his handler, Jeannine Tores, greet people as they walk along on the midway on Feb. 22. The pair are part of the ‘Walking with Giants’ attraction, presented by Prehistoric Adventures.

The rides weren’t the only attractions.

There also were daily agricultural shows and competitions, musical performances, magic shows, and even a Pirate high-wire aerial act.

There were lots of games of chance, too, with lucky winners walking away with plush dolls and goldfish.

Hungry patrons and foodies rejoiced — with a seemingly endless choice of concession options, including hot dogs, pizza, funnel cakes, fried Oreos and more.

Perhaps the highlight of the event, though, were the happy memories made by friends and family spending some time at the 73rd annual Pasco County Fair.

Published February 26, 2020

Five-year-old Clint Chessher, of Zephyrhills, reacts with excitement as he sits on the spinning wheel of the ‘Hillbilly Village’ funhouse. Clint was at the Pasco County Fair with his dad, Dwayne, and their friends, the Stoner family.

Nineteen-year-old Lucia Castillo, of Dade City, competes against her friend, Fletcher Jahn, in the ‘Water Gun Fun’ game at the 73rd annual Pasco County Fair on Feb. 22.
Jeremy Alford, of Dade City, plays a game that requires competitors to hang from a pull-up bar for at least 90 seconds, in order to win a prize. The longer the competitor hangs determines the size of the plush doll prize. On his first try, Alford came in at 90 seconds.
Seventeen-month-old Ridley Hoffman, of Indianapolis, enjoys a milkshake that his grandmother, Peggy Hoffman of Illinois, offers to him. This is the child’s first trip to Florida, and he and his family are staying in the Wesley Chapel home of his great aunt Kelly and great uncle Billy.
Andrew Bridegroom, of Dade City, holds the leashes of five of his goats that he and his children entered into various competitions at the Pasco County Fair on Feb. 22. His 7-year-old son, Eli, won first place for Showmanship in the Pee Wee category, and Eli’s twin, Kassie, came in second. The competitions were presented by, ‘No Goats, No Glory Dairy Goat Shows.’

 

New East Pasco school gets a name

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A new high school that will focus on technology, STEM and business programs on the east side of Pasco County will be called the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation.

The Pasco County School Board approved that name unanimously during the board’s Feb. 18 meeting.

The school is located at Curley Road and Keifer Road in Wesley Chapel on the former Kirkland Ranch property.

Program plans for the school include academies for Business, Finance & Marketing; Digital Technology; Engineering Technology; Health Science & Human Services; Transportation Technology; and Building Technology, according to Pasco County Schools’ Facebook page.

The school will serve grades nine through 12 and offer industry certification in high-demand career fields with a focus on technology, STEM, and business, the Facebook page adds.

The name Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation encompasses both the area where it will operate, and in general, to the school’s mission.

Board members received about 100 suggested names for the school.

Board member Alison Crumbley said there were so many fine people on the list that she couldn’t narrow it down to just one.

Board member Cynthia Armstrong said the name — Academy of Innovation — is broad enough to cover the ever-evolving direction of career and technical education.

“As we know, CTE is changing daily,” Armstrong said.

The new school is slated to open in August 2022.

Published February 26, 2020

Zephyrhills steps back to the 1920s

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This year’s Founder’s Day weekend in Zephyrhills will give event-goers a taste of what life was like during the 1920s.

The event kicks off with a public dance, on the evening of March 6, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Those attending are invited to wear period clothing and to enjoy recreating popular dance moves of the era, including the “Charleston,” “Black Bottom” and “Shimmy.”

These Model T Fords rolled down the road during a previous Founder’s Day celebration in Zephyrhills. (Courtesy of Main Street Zephyrhills)

The free event will be at Zephyrhills’ Eiland Clock Stage, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street.

The Run for Life event on March 7 will start at the same location.

A 5K begins at 7:45 a.m., and a 1-mile run at 7:50 a.m.

Refreshments will be provided, and awards will be given after the run.

Registration can be done online, or the day of the event at 6:30 a.m.

The Founder’s Day Heritage Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Main Street Zephyrhills, 38537 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills.

This free celebration includes games, live entertainment, vendors offering food, and arts and crafts.

It also will be the site for the 10 a.m. parade, where spectators can cheer on the stream of vehicles, bands and horse riders to grace downtown’s Fifth Avenue.

Online registration is $25 for the 5K run, and the virtual 5K run – for those contributing but not physically participating. The 1-mile run registration is $15 online. The price for each event goes up by $5, when registering the day of the run.

Proceeds will benefit the Zephyrhills Pregnancy Care Center, which helps to assist mothers and their young ones.

To register, visit tinyurl.com/vgv733j.

For additional information, call (813) 780-1414, or visit MainStreetZephyrhills.org.

Founder’s Day  
When: March 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; March 7 –  5K run at 7:45 a.m., 1-mile run at 7:50 a.m., festival at 9 a.m., and parade at 10 a.m.
Where: Main Street Zephyrhills, 38537 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills
Cost: Free admission for dance and festival. Online registration is $25 for the 5K run and $15 for the 1-mile run. Prices increase by $5 when registering the day of the event.
Details: Zephyrhills will step back in time to celebrate the 1920s era.
Info: For registration, visit tinyurl.com/vgv733j.
Info: Call (813) 780-1414, or visit MainStreetZephyrhills.org.

Published February 26, 2020

Aldi offers updates on Pasco stores

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The Aldi store in Odessa is expected to open this spring, and the Wesley Chapel store is expected to open by this summer.

That’s according to the latest information provided by Matt Thon, the vice president for the Haines City Aldi division.

The Lutz-Wesley Chapel area, Odessa and Zephyrhills are the chosen locations for three new Aldi stores. These branches will offer shoppers more grocery stores to choose from. (File)

An opening date for the Aldi in Zephyrhills has not been determined.

The Zephyrhills branch has not been built yet, says Todd Vande Burg, planning director for the City of Zephyrhills.

Work is underway to analyze the best relocation spot for traffic lights at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Pretty Pond Road, Vande Burg said.

The Aldi stores in Odessa, at 12134 State Road 54, and in the Lutz-Wesley Chapel area, at 2215 Sun Vista Drive, combined, are planning to hire 20 to 25 employees.

The Aldi website has information about available positions, explains the anticipated number of working hours, and details starting pay rates.

Openings include store associates, cashiers and stockers.

The website details duties for the various positions and qualifications needed for the job.

There also is information about benefits offered by Aldi and tutorial videos that give applicants an idea of what to expect.

The three new Pasco County Aldi stores will join the over 1,900 grocers nationwide.

To learn more about job opportunities, visit Aldi.us.

Published February 19, 2020

Under Construction 02/19/2020

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Wesley Chapel will soon offer more furniture options for comfort and style with the coming La-Z-Boy Furniture gallery. (Brian Fernandes)

Furniture store in Wesley Chapel
A La-Z-Boy Furniture gallery will be another outlet for those looking for the right home décor. The building is at 25960 Sierra Center Blvd., in Lutz, and is 13,650 square feet. As part of the Cypress Creek Town Center, the structure is near the intersection of State Road 56 and Interstate 75. No completion or open date has been announced yet.

 

 

 

Electric station emerging
Land O’ Lakes will soon have a new electrical substation at the intersection of Morgan Road and U.S. 41. The substation will help distribute electricity as a result of a growing regional population. The new Morgan Road Substation will connect with the current substation on State Road 54 by way of a transmission line. The new substation also will have a transmission line that will run approximately 2.5 miles south to the intersection of North Dale Mabry Highway and County Line Road in Lutz. The substation is scheduled to be operational in November 2021.

Cigar shop to come
Cigar enthusiasts will enjoy the soon-to-come Cigars International shop. This store will offer cigars of all shapes, sizes and name brands. Located at 2691 Creek Grass Way in Lutz, the establishment will stand at 12,922 square feet. The building will be a part of the Cypress Creek Town Center, within walking distance of the coming Main Event and Rock N’ Brews establishments. It will be the third branch in the U.S., and the first of its kind in Florida. The completion and opening dates have not been announced.

Lutz to get office site
The Northwood Office and Warehouse building will soon be erected at 1040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Lutz. As its name implies, the inside will be comprised of both office and warehouse space, ranging over 10,000 square feet. The construction site is on the east side of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, next to E&W Carpets Inc. Construction completion or opening date have not yet been announced.

Curious about something new that’s popping up in your community? Please send us the location — along with the address, if possible — and we’ll see what we can find out. Send your email to .

Published February 19, 2020

Lawsuit challenges Ridge Road extension

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The Sierra Club Florida Conservation has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for issuing a permit to Pasco County, to allow the construction of an extension of Ridge Road.

The legal action aims to halt the project, which is a 9-mile corridor that would add an additional transportation link in the county.

Those opposing the extension of Ridge Road across the wetlands of the Serenova Preserve rallied at the roadway intersection of DeCubellis Road and Moon Lake Road, on Feb. 9. (Courtesy of Elise Mysels, Pasco Activists group)

The extension would give another option to motorists who now travel east-west across the county, using State Road 54 and State Road 52.

The new link will reduce traffic on those other corridors, and it provides another evacuation route in the event of an emergency, according to Pasco County officials.

Plans call for the corridor to be lengthened from New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway, then further east to U.S. 41.

Ridge Road also would extend through the Serenova Tract of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve.

Currently, land is being cleared to establish what will be the new roadway, heading toward the wetlands.

Environmentalists, such as the Sierra Club, argue that going through that tract  will be detrimental to the wetlands and the wildlife that live in the preserve.

However, county officials assure that cautionary measures will be taken to minimize impacts.

The new roadway would be incorporated with 16 bridges that overpass wetlands.

Guardrails also would be installed to keep wildlife from entering onto the roadway.

This would lessen impacts to the Serenova Tract by 83%, said Sam Beneck, Pasco County project manager.

“We did understand that this was a project that was very significant to [the] Sierra Club,” he noted.

In regards to the lawsuit, filed on Feb. 6, the county anticipated that the “challenge was likely, and so did the Army Corps,” Beneck said.

Tim Martin is a member of the Sierra Club, and issued the press release announcing the legal action against the federal agency.

This aerial shot shows the clearing of land to lengthen Ridge Road to the east, eventually stopping at U.S. 41. The Sierra Club filed a lawsuit to attempt to stop excavation of land for the project. (Courtesy of Sam Beneck, Pasco County project manager)

“We feel that the Army Corps has made some serious mistakes and violations of federal regulations in granting this permit. I think we have a very strong case proving that,” Martin said.

The 59-page lawsuit contends that the Army Corps breached the National Environmental Policy Act – neglecting “to adequately evaluate the direct, indirect, and cumulative harm to threatened and endangered species, their habitats, and wetlands located within RRE (Ridge Road extension) permit area of impact.”

Martin said this speaks directly to the removal of gopher tortoises from the Serenova Tract, and its resulting implications.

The county has been working in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, to find another suitable habitat for the tortoises so they are not harmed during the extension project.

However, the Sierra Club has pushed back, stating that removal of the tortoises will only cause greater harm.

“When you remove the gopher tortoise burrows, you’re not just picking up tortoises and moving them to another park in South Florida,” Martin said. “You’re actually destroying this highly evolved, very critical habitat that 350-plus species depend on for survival.”

The extension project also has received the backing of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis who has been a staunch advocate for the roadway. He implored the Army Corps to issue a permit. And, in 2017, Bilirakis sent a letter to President Donald Trump, asking him to make the extension’s completion a priority.

Earlier this year, Bilirakis joined Pasco County officials during the project’s ribbon cutting ceremony.

There he explained the corridor’s importance to residents when faced with a natural disaster.

But, Martin contends that Ridge Road would not be a viable alternative for an evacuation route.

During Hurricane Irma, U.S. 19, which runs north and south from Pasco County into neighboring counties, did not have overcapacity and would have been a more suitable route, Martin said.

The documentation also claims that the Army Corps violated another law that requires that a least-damaging alternative be taken to sustain water-related ecosystems.

There were other locations for the corridor that would have caused less damage, Martin said.

Elise Mysels belongs to the Pasco Activists group, which has worked alongside the Sierra Club in resisting the extension.

She said that she is not against the county building a third corridor, but it shouldn’t be Ridge Road because of the wetlands it will cross.

“What they are basically proposing is to go in and fill 40 acres to allow for this highway to go in,” Mysels said.

She attended the gopher tortoise vigil held at the current dead-end of Ridge Road, where it intersects with DeCubellis Road and Moon Lake Road, in New Port Richey.

Environmentalists rallied at the intersection on Feb. 9, holding protest signs and encouraging passersby to get involved in the cause.

Legal action followed a two-decade wait for the permit to be issued.

Published February 19, 2020

U.S. 41 getting new look and feel

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Portions of U.S. 41 soon will be repaved, or will have new landscaping, on the corridor, which runs through Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

In Land O’ Lakes, resurfacing will be done on U.S. 41, to give motorists a smoother ride between Ehren Cutoff and Caliente Boulevard.

New trees, shrubs and groundcover are being installed at the apex where U.S. 41 and North Florida Avenue split. The $500,000 project will create a more inviting entry, as motorists head into Lutz or Tampa, depending which way they are driving. (Brian Fernandes)

Repaving began last summer and includes both sides of the four-lane stretch – divided by a median.

The $2.5-million project also includes a sidewalk on the west side of U.S. 41, where it intersects with Lake Bambi Circle and Gator Lane.

It also incorporates a shared use path along the east side of U.S. 41, where it intersects with Caliente Boulevard and Carriker Road.

Plans also call for minor drainage modifications.

Roadwork is occurring during the day and evening, with lane closures.

The Lutz project involves new landscaping at the apex of U.S. 41 and North Florida Avenue, to create a more inviting entry into Lutz or Tampa, depending which way you are driving.

The $500,000 project began in January.

New landscaping is being installed in the medians, which includes native trees, palms, shrubs and groundcover, surrounded by decorative wood fencing.

Both projects are scheduled to be completed by spring.

Published February 19, 2020