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

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ComPark 75

Soule Company plans expansion

August 11, 2020 By B.C. Manion

An economic incentive from Pasco County is supporting the expansion of a manufacturing business in Compark 75, off Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

Soule Company plans to construct a 100,000-square-foot building on a 7.7-acre parcel, at  26543 Wild Fern Circle. The new facility represents an $8 million investment, according to Pasco County figures.

The structure will be built next to the company’s existing 62,000-square-foot building, in the industrial business park.

Soule Company, based in Compark 75, plans to add a new 100,000-square-foot building. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.)

Soule Company has two divisions: One fabricates packaging products made to customer specifications; the other fabricates disposable foam positioning products for the medical community.

The professional packaging division distributes a full line of packaging and shipping supplies, including corrugated boxes, poly bags, strapping, stretch films, tapes, among others.

The medical division works closely with medical entities to design, develop, manufacture, and distribute products that assist in patient care, recovery, and healing.

The Pasco County Commission approved an economic incentive package worth $177,172 at its Aug. 4, to support the company’s plans.

The new manufacturing building will generate 25 full-time jobs, according to David Engel, the county’s manager of the office of economic growth.

The incentive package includes $50,000 for creating the 25 new jobs; a five-year reimbursement of tangible taxes, which totals $107,171; and, an employee training grant of $20,000 for Pasco-based employees, Engel said.

“The project will generate $4.69 million annually in gross county product, so the return on investment is very substantial,” Engel said, in recommending approval of the agreement.

Jennie Sammurr, who oversees business retention and expansion for the Pasco EDC, told commissioners “the Soule Company is a perfect example of why we have the BRE (business retention and expansion) program and why we do what we do.

“The Soule Company was incorporated in the state of Florida in 1956. This company has been very resilient, has overcome many economic climates that have been challenging — and have continued to grow and expand. Our small businesses are the backbone of our economy, our local economy and they are the backbone of our business community.”

When the Pasco EDC staff met with Jerry Flatt, the company’s CEO, they learned that the company has been considering an expansion for several years, Sammurr said.

“Their company manufactures packaging and shipping supplies and now they’ve added a medical division that allows them to service many of our health care facilities in the area, but also in the Southeastern United States,” she said.

The company has been located in Pasco County since 2001.

Flatt addressed commissioners, via a remote video feed, during the board’s hybrid remote-live meeting.

He told board members: “We’ve grown to the point that we need to add an additional facility.

“We do a lot of packaging with different companies, different manufacturers, both in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough county. We even sell some product on the East Coast of the state of Florida,” he said.

The company’s medical division has grown exponentially, Flatt said.

“We have new contracts with a number of groups purchasing organizations,” he said.

“We’re looking to increase our business. We supply patient-positioning products that are manufactured out of foam. These are used in surgery applications, for positioning the patient, and that part of our business is really growing.

“So, we decided to put up a new building, and we appreciate the help that you all are offering, to be able to accomplish that,” Flatt said.

“In putting up that building, our medical division will move out of our existing building, which will allow more growth for packaging and allow the growth we need on the medical side,” he said.

He expects the company to hire 10 new employees in the first year, and up to 25 within the third year of opening the facility.

Commission Chairman Mike Moore congratulated Flatt on the company’s success.

Commissioner Jack Mariano thanked the CEO for choosing to expand the company in Pasco.

“We’re delighted to have you,” Mariano said.

Published August 12, 2020

Filed Under: Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: ComPark 75, David Engel, Jack Mariano, Jennie Sammurr, Jerry Flatt, Mike Moore, Pasco County Commission, Pasco EDC, Soule Company, Wesley Chapel Boulevard, Wild Fern Circle

North Tampa Aero Park airport up for sale

June 20, 2018 By Kathy Steele

North Tampa Aero Park is on the market.

The sales price for the licensed public airport is $4 million, according to brokers with CBRE.

The company’s airport specialist group is in charge of marketing and selling the airport, located at 4241 Birdsong Blvd.

“We’ve had quite a bit of interest,” said Gary Bauler, broker and first vice president for industrial properties at CBRE in Tampa.

The North Tampa Aero Park airport is up for sale. The asking price is $4 million. (B.C. Manion)

The airport, which dates to the mid-1970s, covers 21 acres sandwiched between Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Interstate 75.

Compark 75, a business park with premier office, warehouse and manufacturing tenants, is adjacent to the airport.

The airport offers about 10,000 square feet of maintenance hangar space; 3,500 square feet of offices; three platted residential lots; office and hangar buildings; a fuel farm, 16 T-hangars; annual runway easement income fees; a licensed Lasergrade and PSI testing facility; and a licensed Federal Aviation Administration repair station.

While most local airports are regulated by municipalities or aviation authorities, Bauler said North Tampa Aero Park is unique in being privately owned.

The Brammer family has owned and operated North Tampa Aero Park for years. But, Bauler said, “They think it’s time to get out of the business, and do something else.”

The area has seen a lot of changes since the airport opened in 1975, Bauler said.

“When it was originally built, Pasco was a lot more undeveloped,” he said. “Now, you’ve got a lot of residential and more businesses, like Compark 75. We’re encouraged that this is the right time to sell. There are a lot more affluent owners in the area now.”

Tenants at the airport include Happy Hangar Café, American Balloons, and Tampa North Flight Center, which is the airport’s fixed-base operator (FBO).

The flight center offers a range of services, including flight instruction, aircraft sales, instrument proficiency checks, parts sales and biennial flight reviews.

It has been a training and teaching resource for the Wesley Chapel Civil Air Patrol.

Some hangars are leased, but others are condominium hangars, whose owners are represented by a condominium association.

For information, visit CBRE.com.

Published June 20, 2018

Filed Under: Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: American Balloons, Birdsong Boulevard, CBRE, ComPark 75, Federal Aviation Administration, Gary Bauler, Happy Hangar Cafe, Interstate 75, Lutz, North Tampa Aero Park, Tampa North Flight Center, Wesley Chapel Boulevard, Wesley Chapel Civil Air Patrol

All aboard for a bus tour of Pasco development

June 13, 2018 By Kathy Steele

A bus tour through Pasco County connected the dots, and highlighted both new development, and notable educational institutions, such as Saint Leo University.

The Central Pasco Association of REALTORS sponsored the tour to offer professionals in real estate and area residents an up-close look at what’s happening in Pasco. The bus tour on June 7 was the first, but CPAR officers say they plan for more in future.

Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese, center, president of Saint Leo University, welcomed bus tour visitors to the university’s campus.
(Kathy Steele)

“We’re looking to introduce people, to say, the (Florida Hospital Center Ice) rink,” said Jack Buckley, who is chairman of the CPAR committee that organized the tour. “Not everyone knows it’s here. We want to make them aware of activities in the area.”

About 60 people boarded the bus at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway. The all-day tour visited nine locations, including stops at Florida Hospital Center Ice, Saint Leo, and the historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

Other locations were the master-planned communities of Bexley by Newland Communities, Epperson and Mirada; the Dade City Business Center; the business park, Compark 75; and Tampa Premium Outlets.

A lunch break at Florida Hospital Center Ice included a tour of the ice rink facility, off State Road 54.

The CPAR bus tour also was about forging closer ties between Central Pasco and Dade City business and chamber of commerce communities.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez arranged a police-escorted drive through downtown Dade City, and touted its historic, small town charm.

“This is my little piece of heaven that I call home,” the mayor said.

The real estate organization will be supporting Dade City officials for “Discover Dade City,” an economic summit on Sept. 27 at the Pasco-Hernando State College.

“We’re feeding off one another, so residents and businesses get the benefits from our associations,” said Buckley.

The tour offered opportunities for networking, and getting to know new people, said Hernandez. “I’m excited about that.”

Jo Easton, a certified residential specialist, said the tour provided new experiences in getting to know not only about new development but well-established places such as Saint Leo.

She had driven by the university many times, but the tour was her first visit to the campus.

Florida Hospital Center Ice was new to her, too.

“This is really helpful to us,” Easton said.

John McCabe, a vice president and Small Business Administration lender with CBC National Bank, was also glad to get to know the area better.

“You see these places driving by, but to do a deep dive, it’s terrific,” he said. “I think the tour is a great thing.”

McCabe works out of Tampa but services the Tampa Bay area including Pasco.

For more information, visit CPARFl.com.

Published June 13, 2018

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Bexley, Camille Hernandez, CBC National Bank, Central Pasco Association of Realtors, ComPark 75, Dade City Business Center, Epperson, Florida Hospital Center Ice, Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway, Jack Buckley, Jo Easton, John McCabe, Mirada, Newland Communities, Pasco County Courthouse, Saint Leo University, Small Business Administration, State Road 54, Tampa Premium Outlets

Compark 75 sold to Atlanta investors

January 10, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Compark 75, a Class A industrial park off Wesley Chapel Boulevard, is under new ownership, according to a news release from Cushman & Wakefield.

Rick Brugge, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield

The real estate services company negotiated the sale of five buildings at the park to MDH Atlantic Acquisitions LLC. The Atlanta-based real estate investment company has more than 11 million square feet of properties in the southeastern United States.

Rick Brugge, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield; Mike Davis, vice chairman; and Michael Lerner, executive director, negotiated the sale as part of Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team. They represented HR Pasco LLP, and closed the deal in November.

The sales price was not made available.

According to the news release, Compark 75 is the only Class A facility currently serving the northeast Tampa Bay area, including north Hillsborough and south Pasco counties.

“It tends to attract very good leases and a high quality of tenants,” said Brugge, president of Cushman & Wakefield.

Compark 75 has about 286,000 square feet in five small-bay, light industrial buildings.  The buildings are about 91 percent occupied, with about 26,000 square feet available for lease.

The space could be suitable for two to three new tenants, said Brugge.

Current tenants include the Pasco County Tax Collector, U.S. General Services Administration, Ortho Technology, Morgan Auto Group and Streetside Classics.

The 165-acre site is zoned industrial, and is suitable for warehouse, manufacturing and office uses. About 105 acres is a wetlands and conservation area.

The five buildings were built between 2007 and 2016, using “tilt-wall” construction, where concrete panels are poured on site and later tilted into place. Suites range from 3,300 square feet to more than 41,000 square feet. Features include rear-loading docks, 18-foot to 24-foot clear heights, early suppression fire sprinkler systems and 118-foot truck courts.

Compark 75 recently sold to an Atlanta-based investment company, MDH Atlantic Acquisitions LLC. The park has five industrial buildings that are close to fully occupied. (Courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield)

While the park is largely leased to tenants, two industrial condominiums under private business ownership are located at Compark 75. They weren’t included in the sale.

The Pet Lane mailing address for Compark 75 puts it in Lutz, but the 165-acre site is located off County Road 54 (Wesley Chapel Boulevard), about halfway between the interchanges of State Road 54 and State Road 56, with Interstate 75.

Suncoast Parkway is about 12 miles to the west. And, the Tampa Aero Park is on the park’s northern boundary.

The park provides diversity to the central Pasco area, which is booming with residential and retail development, such as The Shops at Wiregrass, Estancia, Bexley, and Tampa Premium Outlets.

In 2014 owner Larry Morgan launched a $15 million expansion of the privately-developed park. Morgan is the founder of Tires Plus, and his family-owned business has several automobile dealerships. Gov. Rick Scott attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion.

The construction marked the first major investment in commercial office construction in Pasco County since the real estate crash in 2008.

Published January 10, 2018

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Bexley, ComPark 75, County Road 54, Cushman & Wakefiled, Estancia, HR Pasco LLP, Interstate 75, Larry Morgan, Lutz, MDH Atlantic Acquisitions, Michael Lerner, Mike Davis, Morgan Auto Group, Ortho Technology, Pasco County Tax Collector, Pet Lane, Rick Brugge, Rick Scott, State Road 54, State Road 56, Streetside Classics, Suncoast Parkway, Tampa Aero Park, Tampa Premium Outlets, The Shops at Wiregrass, Tires Plus, U.S. General Services Administration, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel Boulevard

Pasco Economic Development Council honors businesses

September 14, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The Pasco Economic Development Council honored eight businesses at its 30th annual Banquet and Industry of the Year Awards on Sept. 8.

More than 600 community and business leaders attended the event at the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

Shauna McKinnon, center, of Bayfront Health Dade City, accepts a special recognition award during the 30th annual Banquet and Industry of the Year Awards presented by Pasco Economic Development Council. Bill Cronin is to her left and Barbara Wilhite is to her right. (Photos courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)
Shauna McKinnon, center, of Bayfront Health Dade City, accepts a special recognition award during the 30th annual Banquet and Industry of the Year Awards presented by Pasco Economic Development Council. Bill Cronin is to her left and Barbara Wilhite is to her right.
(Photos courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council)

Courtney Robinson, 10News WTSP anchor, emceed the event.

The winners, according to information provided by Pasco EDC, were:

  • Ortho Technologies Inc. – New Business Award
  • Crestmark Pharmacy Services LLC – Manufacturing Industry of the Year (one to 25 employees)
  • Leggett & Platt Adjustable Bed Group – Manufacturing Industry of the Year (26 or more employees)
  • Optimum Plumbing LLC – Service/Distribution Industry of the Year (one to 25 employees)
  • Bayonet Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning – Service/Distribution of the Year Award (26 or more employees)
  • Global Electronics Testing Services LLC – Technology Award
  • Bayfront Health Dade City – Special Recognition Award
  • Marjorie’s Hope – Special Contribution Award

Companies were nominated in the spring and then interviewed by members of the Pasco EDC awards committee.

Vladimir Breton, of Optimum Plumbing, addresses the audience. His company won Service/Distribution Company of the Year.
Vladimir Breton, of Optimum Plumbing, addresses the audience. His company won Service/Distribution Company of the Year.

Winners are selected based on exemplary growth in job creation, capital investment, technology, innovation and community service.

Other finalists this year were:

Compark 75, Dixie Belle Paint Company, First National Bank of Pasco, Nicopure Labs LLC, Premier Community Healthcare Group, Rogers Tower P.A., Southeast Bottling & Beverage Co., Southeast Personnel Leasing Inc., Trxade Inc., and USA Underwriting Solutions of America.

In addition to the announcement of the awards, the banquet featured a keynote address by Attorney Barbara Wilhite, the Pasco EDC’s chairwoman.

Those pictured here represent the companies which won awards during the 30th annual Banquet and Industry of the Year Awards presented by the Pasco Economic Development Council.
Those pictured here represent the companies which won awards during the 30th annual Banquet and Industry of the Year Awards presented by the Pasco Economic Development Council.

It has been a year of transition for the council, including the hiring of Bill Cronin as the group’s president and chief operating officer, according to the Pasco EDC release.

Wilhite noted the approval by Pasco County commissioners of a cooperative agreement with the Pasco EDC to direct about $3.2 million from Penny for Pasco dollars toward job growth and economic development.

Wilhite also touched on the recent announcement that Mettler Toledo, a Swiss-based manufacturer, planned to relocate from Tampa to Pasco, and also build a new facility at Northpointe Village, near the Suncoast Parkway.

The Pasco EDC helped bring another 14 projects to fruition.

Wilhite said these efforts are expected to result in nearly 850 new jobs and more than $145 million in Pasco investment, according to the release.

Published September 14, 2016

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Barbara Wilhite, Bayfront Health Dade City, Bayonet Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning, Bill Cronin, ComPark 75, Courtney Robinson, Crestmark Pharmacy Services, Dixie Belle Paint Company, First National Bank of Pasco, Global Electronics Testing Services, Leggett & Platt Adjustable Bed Group, Marjorie's Hope, Mettler Toledo, Nicopure Labs, Northpointe Village, Optimum Plumbing, Ortho Technologies Inc., Pasco Economic Development Council, Premier COmmunity HealthCare Group, Rogers Tower, Saddlebrook Resort, Southeast Bottling & Beverage, Southeast Personnel Leasing, Suncoast Parkway, Trxade Inc., USA Underwriting Solutions of America, Wesley Chapel

Wesley Chapel Boulevard to be six lanes

August 24, 2016 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County now is on a path to widen County Road 54 — also known as Wesley Chapel Boulevard — to a six-lane divided road.

The move comes nearly 15 years after the county proposed widening the road from two lanes to four lanes.

The project also will include a multi-use trail on one side and a sidewalk on the other side.

No construction start date is announced, but the road’s design is about 90 percent complete.

Sierra Properties, the developers for Cypress Creek Town Center, are building an entrance into the mall off County Road 54, also known as Wesley Chapel Boulevard. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Sierra Properties, the developers for Cypress Creek Town Center, are building an entrance into the mall off County Road 54, also known as Wesley Chapel Boulevard.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

The Pasco County Commission approved a road re-evaluation study on Aug. 9, which is the next step in what has been a drawn out process.

A 2003 study that looked at future traffic needs anticipated widening the road to four lanes. At the time, data showed that by 2025 slightly more than 20,000 vehicles a day would travel the corridor.

More recent data estimates that the average daily vehicles by 2040 will exceed 52,000.

“(The original study) didn’t capture all of the growth going on in this dynamic part of the county,” said Mike Campo, of Kisinger Campo & Associates. The Tampa-based engineering firm was hired in 2008 to provide design services for the road project.

The extra traffic lanes take into account the explosive growth at an intersection where State Road 54, State Road 56 and County Road 54 meet up. The intersection is just west of the Interstate 75 interchange.

All-around growth is evident at Tampa Premium Outlets, the soon-to-open Florida Hospital Center Ice sports complex and Holiday Inn Express, and the soon-to-rise Cypress Creek Town Center.

A newly announced project, Brightworks Crossing, could add a maximum of 350 apartments, offices, self-storage and a 150-room hotel on vacant land across from a planned entrance into Cypress Creek Town Center.

The mall’s developers currently are building the entrance as part of the initial roadwork to improve County Road 54.

As part of the study, residents weighed in with their opinions at a workshop held in January at Veterans Elementary School. They expressed frustrations with a road that no longer can handle the volume of motorists moving north and south along County Road 54.

Getting in and out of subdivisions, such as Stagecoach and Grand Oaks, means long waits and safety risks, they said.

“We are tired of playing Russian Roulette every time we leave or enter the subdivision (Grand Oaks),” wrote Robert Potts in a written comment from the workshop.

Beyond the mall entrance, the county plans to widen the corridor to six lanes to just north of Magnolia Boulevard. There will be 4-foot bicycle lanes, a median, 5-foot sidewalks on the eastern side, and an 8-foot multi-use trail on the western side.

No additional right of way will be purchased.

The widening will take advantage of rights of way donated to the county from Stagecoach and Grand Oaks subdivisions. Three traffic signals are planned at Stagecoach, at Grand Oaks near Veterans Elementary School, and at Cypress Creek Town Center.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore pressed for a traffic signal at Compark 75, an industrial park off Wesley Chapel Boulevard. Campo and Pasco County engineer Chris Wert said all intersections would be reviewed.

However, because Compark is less than a half-mile from the Grand Oaks signal, it isn’t certain the industrial park could meet distance requirements.

Compark currently is expanding its facilities, and Moore said nearby vacant land could be developed in the future.

“We’re talking basically about an employment center there,” Moore said. “People are going in and out of there on a daily basis.”

Published August 24, 2016

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Chris Wert, ComPark 75, County Road 54, Cypress Creek Town Center, Florida Hospital Center Ice, Grand Oaks, Holiday Inn Express, Interstate 75, Kisinger Campo & Associates, Magnolia Boulevard, Mike Campo, Mike Moore, Pasco County Commission, Stagecoach, State Road 54, State Road 56, Tampa Premium Outlets, Veterans Elementary School, Wesley Chapel Boulevard

Pasco is real estate ready

March 9, 2016 By Kathy Steele

The real estate market in Pasco County is thriving.

And, evidence of that was on display at “Meet the Developers: The Future of Real Estate.”

The annual breakfast meeting, hosted by the Pasco Economic Development Council, brought together developers, real estate brokers, investors and community leaders at the Residence Inn on March 2.

Four examples of Pasco’s current and future development initiatives were highlighted: Compark 75, Starkey Ranch, Connected City and the Duke Energy Site Readiness Program.

Compark 75 defied conventional wisdom that building on speculation in the midst of an economic meltdown would be a bad idea. The initial developer in 2008 abandoned the project.

Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, standing by the podium, moderated a panel on the future of real estate in Pasco County. On the panel, from left, were: Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy; Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development; Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty; and Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, standing by the podium, moderated a panel on the future of real estate in Pasco County.
On the panel, from left, were: Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy; Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development; Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty; and Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

But, Larry Morgan of HR Pasco LLC, and Ross Kirk, of KVR Development LLC, joined forces as owner and developer, respectively, to take on the challenge.

The industrial park is next to Interstate 75, about halfway between State Road 54 and State Road 56 interchanges. Suncoast Parkway is 12 miles to the west. The Tampa North Aero Park is along Compark 75’s northern boundary.

In 2014, a $15 million expansion of the industrial park broke ground. It was the first major investment in commercial office construction in Florida since the 2008 recession.

More expansion is under way, with the ongoing construction of a new 65,000-square-foot building. It will be the fifth building at the 165-acre site.

Every building has gone vertical without signed tenants. But, the park is nearly filled to 100 percent capacity. Plans also are  are under way for a new building that can be designed as a multistory office, or built-out for light industrial or manufacturing.

“As fast as we can build them, we are finding quality companies to go in them,” said Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, a broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty who handles leasing for the park.

Starkey Ranch is a master-planned community of more than 5,500 homes under development by Wheelock Communities in Odessa, off State Road 54.

Groundbreaking on the first model homes took place in 2014. Homes are now selling in Whitfield Park. The welcome center opened in spring. And, Taylor Morrison anticipates a grand opening in April for its model home center for the Esplanade subdivision at Starkey Ranch.

The interest in the ranch is evident in the 2,400 visitors on average who click onto the community’s website each week, said Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities.

Interest also is high on the proposed business park and retail sites planned at State Road 54 and Gunn Highway.

Call said announcements would be made on an anchor grocery store, likely in June. And, an apartment complex also is coming at that location, with an announcement expected soon.

“We’ve had a lot of interest in this opportunity,” Call said.

A one-of-a-kind gigabit community and a crystal lagoon are the centerpiece attractions for Metro Development’s “connected city” corridor.

State lawmakers created a special development district for about 7,800 acres in central and eastern Pasco County as a 10-year pilot program. Interstate 75, State Road 52, Curley Road and Overpass Road border the district. Development in the district will be able to bypass the typical state reviews in favor of local control in the hands of Pasco County commissioners.

Metro Development is developing master-planned communities on the former Epperson Ranch within the special district. One town center feature will be a 7-acre man-made swimming pool, known as a crystal lagoon.

“We want that to be integrated into the community,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development.

But, Metro Development also will create the first planned gigabit community, or Connected City, in the nation. Residents and business owners will live, work and play in an environment linked by Ultra Fi, a broadband system with speeds so fast that photos can be downloaded in seconds, not minutes.

Assistance in its development will come from US Ignite, a nonprofit group founded by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation.

Future development on property adjacent to Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is getting a boost from Duke Energy through the Duke Energy Site Readiness Program.

In 2015, Duke Energy representatives worked with the city of Zephyrhills on a study of about 440 undeveloped acres around the airport.

The site is centrally located in Florida, and is in proximity to such highways as State Road 54, I-75 and Interstate 4. In addition, there is the bonus of a CSX rail line in the area.

Duke Energy has reviewed nearly 190 sites in six states in the southeast during the past 10 years.

Information from these reviews serves as a guide for local communities that want to create pad-ready sites for development.

One obstacle is expansion of the site’s wastewater capacity at an estimated cost of $1.7 million, said Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy.

However, she said tax revenues from the Penny for Pasco program could provide funds for this project.

Pasco County recently launched a revolving loan program, with up to $15 million available to make sites pad-ready or to build shell buildings for potential industrial, manufacturing or flex-space. The deadline to submit proposals to the county is April 11.

Published March 9, 2016

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: ComPark 75, Connected City, Curley Road, Duke Energy, Epperson Ranch, Gunn Highway, HR Pasco, Interstate 4, Interstate 75, Kartik Goyani, KVR Development, Larry Morgan, Matt Call, Metro Development, National Science Foundation, Overpass Road, Pasco Economic Development Council, Penny for Pasco, Ross Kirk, Starkey Ranch, State Road 52, State Road 54, State Road 56, Suncoast Parkway, Tampa North Aero Park, Taylor Morrison, US Ignite, Wheelock Communities, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Zephyrhills Municipal Airport

Fate of flight festival remains up in the air

September 16, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Traffic jams caused tempers to flare and poor weather kept balloons from launching during the third annual Festival of Flight at the Tampa North Flight Center.

Scores of motorists complained via the festival’s Facebook page about being stuck in traffic for hours.

Greg Lasher of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, left, and Lenny Carver of Sidney, Montana inspect the radial engine of a vintage PT-17 Stearman. (Steve Hollingshead/Photos)
Greg Lasher of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, left, and Lenny Carver of Sidney, Montana inspect the radial engine of a vintage PT-17 Stearman.
(Steve Hollingshead/Photos)

Some said they were turned away from the venue because there was no place to park. Others said they gave up and voiced irritation for being inconvenienced.

Numerous posts criticized event organizers for failing to secure enough parking, for not having law enforcement to direct traffic and for not letting people know early enough when events were cancelled.

The Friday Night Balloon Glow was held, but balloon launches scheduled on Saturday and Sunday mornings were cancelled because of the weather.

Some activities also were able to go on, but much of the event was a washout.

Jessica Warren, festival director for Festival of Flight, said “We are reconsidering all of our options.” That includes, whether to stage the event again.

“Everybody says it was disorganized,” Warren said, but months of hard work and planning went into the event.

Parking was arranged for 20 acres on Compark 75, which is next to Tampa North Flight Center. Warren and her husband mowed the field to prepare it for parking.

Fifty-six volunteers were also secured to help with parking, she said.

Tom Huntington of Warbirds America gives passenger, Adam Silva of Tampa, a post flight briefing after experiencing his first AT-6 trainer flight.
Tom Huntington of Warbirds America gives passenger, Adam Silva of Tampa, a post flight briefing after experiencing his first AT-6 trainer flight.

But festivalgoers began showing up four hours before the event on Friday afternoon and volunteers had not arrived to direct parking.

To make matters worse, some people disregarded directions by volunteers and parked in areas and wound up blocking off areas that were intended for additional parking, Warren said.

Some Facebook posts recommended that a remote parking arrangement be made with shuttles to ferry people to the festival for a fee.

Warren said that was done, with five shuttle buses and three golf carts giving people rides from the adjacent Compark 75 parking area to the venue.

She said the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office came to help with parking and officers were hired to help for the rest of the event.

“We knew the popularity had grown,” Warren said. But she said, organizers did not expect so many people to show up at the same time.

Despite the criticism, there were some positive Facebook posts, particularly about the beauty of the balloon glow.

Warren did not see the balloon glow.

“I was directing traffic,” she said.

Published September 16, 2015

 

Filed Under: Top Story Tagged With: ComPark 75, Festival of Flight, Jessica Warren, Tampa North Flight Center

Festival shares joys of flight

September 2, 2015 By B.C. Manion

People who are drawn to hot air balloons and aircraft enthusiasts will have plenty to see and do at Festival of Flight 2015.

The event, which will take place from Sept. 11 through Sept. 13 at Tampa North Flight Center, features hot air balloon rides, tethered balloon rides, two balloon glows, two balloon launches, helicopters, planes, live music, a specialty car show and more.

Admission is free and parking is $5.

Inflated hot air balloons create a colorful spectacle during the balloon glow at last year’s Festival of Flight. (File Photos)
Inflated hot air balloons create a colorful spectacle during the balloon glow at last year’s Festival of Flight.
(File Photos)

The festival expects to have 30 balloons coming from Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, said Jessica Warren, the festival director. There may be even a balloon coming in from Colorado, she said.

Warren also expects about 30 other aircraft: biplanes, war birds, a glider, Cessna and others.

“We have a lot of planes coming in from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, New Smyrna Beach,” Warren said. The festival is advertised through airports, to let pilots know what is happening.

“A lot of the Facebook advertising that we do targets aviation enthusiasts. There are different clubs on there that we’ve shared the information with, to let them know that it’s happening,” she said.

The festival also will have kites, radio-controlled aircraft, food vendors and entertainment.

There are some new features at the festival, too.

“We have bounce houses this year, which we didn’t have in years past. We have the balls that walk on water. You get inside of them and you walk,” Warren said. And, she added, “We’re trying to get a gyrosphere.”

A hefty dose of rain last year put a damper on attendance at the second annual Festival of Flight, but Jessica Warren, the festival director, is hoping that won’t be the case this year.
A hefty dose of rain last year put a damper on attendance at the second annual Festival of Flight, but Jessica Warren, the festival director, is hoping that won’t be the case this year.

This year’s food vendors include Happy Hangar Café, Salsa Slow Smoked BBQ, Collins Concessions, Heavenly Snow – New Orleans, The Bacon Boss Food Truck, Jimmy’s Slider Food Truck, Kona Ice of Wesley Chapel and Churroland.

There’s also going to be a car show, featuring BMWs and exotic cars.

Helicopter rides start at $25 and tethered balloon rides are $10. The hot air balloon rides are sold out, but a waiting list is being kept. The hot air balloon rides are $189.

There also will be a Quilt of Valor presentation on Friday night, to honor veterans who served in a war zone.

It’s a special presentation, Warren said. “You have to be nominated, and you only receive one in a lifetime.”

All together there are 56 vendors, 11 bands, 30 balloon pilots and at least 30 airplane pilots.

“We have about 20 volunteers coming from Grow Life Church. We have about 30 volunteers from the Civil Air Patrol,” Warren said.

Parking will be at the Compark 75 property, which is next door to the airport and shuttle service will be provided.

When the event started three years ago, Warren knew it would grow.

And, it is attracting widespread interest.

“We have people flying in just for the festival all of the way from Puerto Rico, Maryland, New York. I have people who have called me from all over the United States. These are people who are just coming to see the balloons,” Warren said.

“We still want to kind of keep it in the small-town feel that Wesley Chapel, is. But just like Wesley Chapel is growing, we are growing, too,” Warren said.

Festival of Flight 2015
What:
American Balloons and Tampa North Flight Center host the Festival of Flight 2015
When: Sept. 11 to Sept. 13
Where: At the Tampa North Flight Center, 4241 Birdsong Blvd., in Lutz. The particulars: There will be hot air balloons, planes, kites, helicopters, live music, tethered balloon rides, a specialty car show, vendors and more. On Sept. 11 and Sept. 12, there will be an evening balloon glow. On Sept. 12 at and Sept. 13, there will be a hot air balloon launch. Admission is free. Parking is $5. For information and full schedule of events, visit FestivalOfFlightWesleyChapel.com.

Published September 2, 2015

Filed Under: Top Story Tagged With: Birdsong Boulevard, Churroland, Civil Air Patrol, Collins Concessions, ComPark 75, Festival of Flight, Grow Life Church, Happy Hangar Cafe, Heavenly Snow New Orleans, Jessica Warren, Jimmy's Slider Food Truck, Kona Ice of Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Salsa Slow Smoked BBQ, Tampa North Flight Center, The Bacon Boss Food Truck, Wesley Chapel

Retail jobs on the rise

August 5, 2015 By Kathy Steele

But more jobs are needed to diversify Pasco’s economy

Heading south on Interstate 275 into Tampa, and points beyond, cars stack up and slow to a crawl as commuters in the morning rush hour out of Pasco County’s bedroom communities hit the brakes.

Motorists going north, mostly zip along at a steady clip.

In the afternoon the traffic flow reverses.

It’s all about where the jobs are and where they aren’t.

The volume of people who commute daily to jobs outside Pasco is about 46 percent, according to county data.

But flipping that trend is the goal of the county’s Planning and Development Department, and its marketing partner, the Pasco County Economic Development Council.

Holiday Inn Express is one hotel ready for construction with an opening in 2016. The hotel is next to Florida Hospital Center Ice, an ice rink and sports complex that is under construction, off State Road 56. Both will be job producers. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Holiday Inn Express is one hotel ready for construction with an opening in 2016. The hotel is next to Florida Hospital Center Ice, an ice rink and sports complex that is under construction, off State Road 56. Both will be job producers.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

There are good signs in the job market especially in retail, but county officials say Pasco needs higher paying jobs and a diverse employer-base to shed its bedroom community status.

And that could take years of steady, patient marketing.

For now, dirt is flying especially along the prime corridors of State Road 56 and State Road 54, around the Interstate 75 interchange.

“The retail is following the rooftops,” said Melanie Kendrick, senior planner for economic development in Pasco.

Tampa Premium Outlets, the centerpiece for Cypress Creek Town Center, is sprouting. It is expected to have more than 110 stores and will provide an estimated 800 jobs.

The Shops at Wiregrass is expanding. And, other retail development, including Mercedes Benz, Buffalo Wild Wings and Dairy Queen, is popping up.

Abutting the outlet mall, the town center also will have more retail including Kohl’s, Costco, Culver’s, Cheddar’s Casual Café, and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. Job numbers for this project aren’t available.

More hotels, shops, restaurants and offices are on a waiting list, marked ‘coming soon’ for a site on the north side of State Road 56, also part of Cypress Creek Town Center.

On Oct. 29, Tampa Premium Outlets will be the first to hit the start button.

“This is like a bonus,” said John Hagen, president of the PEDC. “It will definitely raise the amount of money coming into the community. It makes the economic pie bigger.”

People are put to work, the Penny for Pasco program gets fattened with more pennies and Pasco’s image shines brighter in the marketplace.

“It is a destination… It will help people understand that there is a Pasco County,” Hagen said. “This is a place. It has place-making attributes that are important to us. It’s hard for people to think about (Pasco) in terms of a place.”

Retail already has shown it can spark other development.

Pasco-Hernando State College located its Porter Campus at the mall. It currently has a staff of about 60 employees and 100 adjunct faculty members.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, near Wiregrass, added 600 jobs to the economy when it opened nearly three years ago. The hospital is investing $78 million in an expansion at the hospital. And Florida Medical Clinic, just north of Wiregrass, also is expanding in Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes.

On State Road 54, a new Lowe’s warehouse store opened in April, bringing with it as many as 160 jobs.

Businessman Gordie Zimmerman is building Florida Hospital Center Ice, a sports complex with four ice rinks and a removable pad that can allow for more sports such as volleyball, soccer, basketball and lacrosse. The 150,000 square foot facility, off State Road 56, can also accommodate non-sports events such as dog shows and graduations.

It is expected to attract national and international sports competitions.

All of these generate more sales tax revenues from people shopping and dining in Pasco.

And, a portion of those Pasco pennies will be dedicated this year to the Jobs and Economic Trust Fund to provide business incentives to locate in Pasco.

County officials have estimated that $45 million to $50 million will flow from the Penny for Pasco program to stimulate economic development.

Hagen recently delivered the PEDC’s third quarter report to the Pasco County Commission. The data showed that to date, 415 jobs had been created through the agency’s efforts in 2015.

On July 24, the PEDC upped that number by 124 jobs with its announcement that Leggett & Platt, a global manufacturing company, plans to open an 80,000-square- foot facility near Spring Hill. The plant will assemble adjustable bed bases. Company officials have pledged to hire locally and contract with suppliers within the Tampa Bay region.

Hagen sees Leggett & Platt taking a position as one of the county’s top employers with room for expansion in future.

On another front, the SMARTstart business incubator program has created 45 jobs. Currently, 13 startup companies are sharing space on-site in Dade City. Another three entrepreneurs are located off-site. “They are all trying to get their businesses off the ground,” Hagen said.

While some of these new businesses may only generate a small number of jobs, there always is potential that one or more could take off with an idea that is “scalable” into a regional or national company, Hagen said.

The county set clear goals in the long-range Economic Development Plan, adopted in 2013.

One target is to add between 160,000 and 185,000 new jobs to the economy over the next decade, said Richard Gehring, the county’s planning and development administrator.

That has to be reached by fostering a business-friendly environment where private companies want to invest in Pasco, Hagen said.

“I kind of like to differentiate between creating a business climate and making business deals,” he said. “I think we’re creating a business climate where things can happen.”

One example of private investment that paid off is Compark 75. The business park, off Wesley Chapel Boulevard, will expand in 2016 with the addition of a 65,000 square foot building. The existing park, with four buildings, is leased nearly to capacity.

Two new tenants, Streetside Classic Cars and an as yet-unidentified orthodontics company will open there in October.

Hagen would like to see 10 more projects similar to Compark 75.

Over the years, Pasco has evolved from a rural community into a service-based economy that catered to senior retirees and then into the bedroom community for counties such as Hillsborough and Pinellas.

The current building boom is picking up where developers left off before the Great Recession. Predictably, the new development began with housing because that offers reasonably quick turnaround on investment, Hagen said.

But many of these projects have also set aside space for retail, offices and in some cases industrial, Hagen said.

“It’s kind of setting the stage for other development,” he said.

But, it is crucial to Pasco’s economic growth to encourage more business parks. That was one issue identified in a study completed recently by Duke Energy of the large acreage in and around the Zephyrhills airport.

“I don’t mean to sound alarmist,” Hagen said. “I think we’re trying to put some thought into that. We probably need to be more active in acquiring and controlling parcels that would make good industrial parks before they get gobbled into retail.”

Still Hagen isn’t what he describes as a “retail snob.”

Jobs of every kind are needed, he said. “If it puts them to work, then it’s a good thing.”

Tampa Premium Outlets hosts center-wide job fair
What:
The grand opening of Tampa Premium Outlets is scheduled for October.

Retailers are seeking job applicants for more than 800 open seasonal, part-time, full-time and management positions. The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is the job fair sponsor.

When: Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Embassy Suites Tampa USF/Busch Gardens,  3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa

Cost: Free and open to the community. Dress professionally and bring lots of resumes.

Information: Call (813) 909-8716, or visit PremiumOutlets.com/tampa.

Published August 5, 2015

Filed Under: Top Story Tagged With: BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cheddar's Casual Cafe, ComPark 75, Costco, Culver's, Cypress Creek Town Center, Dairy Queen, Duke Energy, Florida Hospital Center Ice, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Gordie Zimmerman, Interstate 75, John Hagen, Kohl's, Land O' Lakes, Lowe's, Melanie Kendrick, Mercedes Benz, Pasco County Commission, Pasco County Economic Development Council, Pasco-Hernando State College, Penny for Pasco, State Road 54, State Road 56, Streetside Classic Cars, Tampa Premium Outlets, The Shops at Wiregrass, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel Boulevard, Zephyrhills

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