The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Bill Brown

Live In Avalon Park West — Wesley Chapel’s New Downtown

By

When families are looking for a new place to call home, they have several master-planned communities to choose from in Pasco County. But, there’s none quite like Avalon Park West in Wesley Chapel.

“We are not just developers— we are building a brand new town,” said Stephanie Lerret, senior vice president of marketing and community relations for the Avalon Park Group. “We’re so much more than just another planned community – we’re bringing together everything a family needs to enjoy life today, and in the future.”

Artist rendering of downtown Avalon Park West. It’s first phase, with 130,000 square feet of mixed commercial, will open next summer.

Avalon Park West has been welcoming families since 2012, when this community on State Road 54, east of I-75, began building its first homes. Today, 700 homes have been completed or are underway, and 1,500 people live in the community enjoying its unique amenities, neighborhood schools, and convenient location with easy access to Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando.

Residents can choose floorplans from the community’s builders, Avex Homes and Beazer Homes, who offer a variety of home styles, including single-family homes and townhomes. Apartments and senior housing are planned for future phases.

“Our builders offer homes for all demographics — from young families buying their first home, to folks looking to move up to a new home in an upscale community, to empty-nesters wanting the convenience of the no-fuss, townhome lifestyle,” said Lerret. “Avalon is just like a real town — we have homes priced for everyone, from teachers to physicians.”

In addition to its desirable selection of homes ranging from the low $200s to over $400s, Avalon also offers residents places to shop and work in its downtown hub that will be connected to its residential neighborhoods by tree-lined streets, walkways and bike paths.

Construction began last fall on the first phase of downtown Avalon Park West, which includes 130,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial space, with 100 apartments being built above the storefronts.

“We’re building beautiful, two-story buildings with commercial space designed for businesses our residents want close to home — restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, bars and entertainment, hair and nail salons, as well as activities like dance, gymnastic and karate studios,” said Lerret.

And, unlike most subdivisions, Avalon Park West’s commercial area is not strip centers facing the busy road at the community’s entrance.

“We are building a traditional downtown, with stores located inside of our community on the boulevard road leading to our residences, parks and schools,” said Lerret. “We are creating a town that spreads out from the town center connecting to individual neighborhoods — very much like the footprints of small towns found across America.”

The first phase of downtown Avalon Park West will open next summer, at the same time that the expansion of State Road 54 is completed to become a four-lane road.

“We already have a traffic light installed at our residential entrance, and a second light has been approved for our downtown entrance. With these lights, and the widening of State Road 54, it will be easier and quicker for our residents to get to I-75 to the west, and U.S. 301 to the east,” said Lerret.

Downtown Avalon will continue to be built over the next several years, as more residential units are built. Eventually, there will be more than 560,000 square feet of retail, and 120,000 square feet of office space, in its bustling, pedestrian-friendly downtown.

“Our community will not only be a place to live and learn, but also a place to shop and work,” said Lerret. “Joining our retail stores will be small businesses in office parks that will employ our residents, such as doctors, dentists, veterinarians, service businesses and satellite offices of larger companies.”

At the same time that the community’s downtown opens, a new charter school, Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, will open at the community’s entrance.

Students who live in Avalon Park West are zoned to excellent public schools, including New River Elementary (located inside the community), Thomas E. Weightman Middle School and Wesley Chapel High School.

When not in school, youngsters and families enjoy a wide array of amenities at Avalon Park West, including a community garden, swimming pools, tot lots, basketball courts, pocket parks with mini-libraries, dog park, and trails and walkways that will interconnect with its downtown.

Opening later this summer is a second amenity center with a zero-entry pool, splash pad, workout area and spa, and covered picnic area. Looking ahead, a Regional Park with soccer, football and baseball fields is planned for Avalon Park West, in conjunction with Pasco County Parks & Recreation.

Avalon Park West will continue to be developed for the next several years. At build out, this 1,650-acre master-planned community will have about 4,400 single and multi-family homes, and become home to 10,000 residents.

“We have been planning Avalon Park West for many years, and have a clear vision of its future,” said Lerret. “Our owners bought the land in the mid 1980s from the Bill Brown family – one of Wesley Chapel’s pioneer families, and have always been committed to being good stewards to this beautiful land, and making it the premier community in the area.”

Avalon Park West

Wesley Chapel
– State Road 54, 7 miles east of I-75

1,650-acre master-planned community
– Developer: Avalon Park Group, Orlando

Single-family homes and townhomes
– Today: 700 homes and 1,500 residents
– Build Out: 4,400 homes and 10,000 residents
– New homes begin in low $200s

Schools
– New River Elementary
– Weightman Middle
– Wesley Chapel High
– Pinecrest Wesley Chapel charter school opens fall 2020

New Amenity Center
– Opens fall 2019
– Zero-entry pool, splash pad, covered picnic area

Town Center
– Opens summer 2020
– First phase: 130,000 sq. ft. of mixed commercial
– Apartments above retail

Builders
– Avex Homes
– Beazer Homes
– Homes beginning in low $200s

Published July 24, 2019

Mail-in votes racking up for municipal elections

By

In less than 24 hours, polls will open in Dade City, St. Leo and Zephyrhills to decide three local government races. And it’s not clear if any last-minute campaigning by any of the candidates may matter.

Mail-in ballots already represent an average 7 percent turnout in all three municipalities. St. Leo is leading all the cities and towns in Pasco County with a 17 percent turnout by mail so far with 50 of a possible 286 votes already registered as of late Sunday, according to the Pasco County elections office.

Zephyrhills, where Alan Knight is challenging Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson, nearly 540 votes have already been mailed in, more than half the total of ballots cast in the 2013 election, where Kenneth Compton and Lance Smith retained their seats.

Dade City has had 240 ballots cast leading up to the final days before the election between Scott Black and Angelica Herrera, a little less than half of the total turnout the last time Dade City had an election in 2012 when Jim Shive and Bill Dennis were victors.

St. Leo, however, still has a long way to go. Unlike Dade City and Zephyrhills, where turnout is well below 20 percent, the most recent elections in 2013 represented a 51 percent turnout, with 157 of a possible 305 ballots cast. Donna DeWitt, however, will need to hope most of those are cast for hers as she caught in a race with Lake Jovita-supporter Raphael Davis.

Black, by far, has raised more money than any other municipal candidate in the county, with just under $10,000 through April 3. He’s out-raised Herrera more than 3-to-1, but has only slightly outspent her. Between March 22 and April 3, Black has raised just over $2,000. However, half of that has come from state Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, and marks the only contributions for Black this reporting cycle that came from outside Dade City.

Herrera raised $462.50 during the same time period, bringing her entire campaign war chest to just under $3,100. Herrera provided $100 of that herself, with another $100 coming from Saint Leo University president Arthur Kirk.

Fundraising in Zephyrhills remains neck-and-neck, with Wilkeson holding a slight $275 edge over Knight. Wilkeson raised $325 in the most recent reporting cycle, while Knight finished with $500. However, $200 of Wilkeson’s total came not only outside Zephyrhills, but outside Florida, while Knight picked up $150 from the Ferman family, and a $250 check from a Tallahassee political action committee representing firefighters.

DeWitt has maintained her position that she won’t do any fundraising for her seat, and will use her history and name-power to battle the $695 raised by Davis. His most recent donation came from a $100 cash donation made by Bill Brown of Dade City.

Polls open Tuesday.