• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
  • Online E-Editions
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

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

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits

Lennar Homes

Pasco County purchasing land in Land O’ Lakes

October 13, 2020 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Commission has approved the purchase of 24.87 acres from Lennar Homes LLC, for $1.25 million, plus closing costs and $50,000 to be paid to Connerton Commercial Property Association, the closing agent.

The property is part of the Connerton Employment Center master-planned unit development.

The county’s Fleet Management department plans to use the vacant property, which is centrally located within the county, for the department’s future growth.

The property is strategically located adjacent to the 300-acre central campus of the Utilities Department and the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, according to the board’s Oct. 6 agenda materials.

Commissioners also passed a resolution declaring Oct. 4 through Oct. 10 as Fire Prevention Week in Pasco and acknowledging this year’s theme of “Serve up fire safety in the kitchen.”

The resolution notes that 2,630 people were killed nationally in home fires in 2019, including five in Pasco County. The resolution also points out that cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, with two of every five home fires starting in the kitchen and 31% of these fires resulting from unattended cooking.

The resolution offers these suggestions to prevent fires related to cooking:

  • Stay in the kitchen when cooking food on the stovetop
  • Keep a 3-foot kid-free zone around cooking areas
  • Keep anything that can catch fire away from stove tops

To reduce potential deaths, the resolution advises that residents have smoke alarms that are in working order, and practice fire escape plans.

On another matter, County Administrator Dan Biles told commissioners that the county’s Animal Services department is going to affected areas of Hurricane Sally and bringing back animals for adoption.

In other actions, commissioners:

  • Approved a rezoning to allow up to 150,000 square feet of retail and commercial uses on approximately 38.62 acres at the southeast quadrant of Gunn Highway and State Road 54.

Plans call for construction of a maximum of 7,000 square feet for two fast food restaurants with drive thrus; a 10,000-square-foot day care (with a maximum of 180 students); 100,000 square feet of mini-storage; and, 33,000 square feet of general commercial.

  • Approved a large-scale comprehensive plan amendment to the future land use map, which will allow light industrial and commercial on slightly more than 90 acres at the northeast corner of the Interstate 75 and Blanton Road interchange, extending northerly along I-75 to the Hernando County line. The previous designation was for an employment center and agricultural uses.
  • Approved an increase of $304,000 in the fund used to pay for medical autopsies because of an increase in autopsies performed by the medical examiner this fiscal year.
  • Approved up to $800,000 in purchases of library books, resource subscriptions, and related items within fiscal year 2021. The items will be purchased from various vendors.

Published October 14, 2020

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Blanton Road, Connerton Commercial Property Association, Connerton Employment Center, Dan Biles, Fire Prevention Week, Fleet Management, Gunn Highway, Hurricane Sally, Interstate 75, Land O' Lakes Detention Center, Lennar Homes, Pasco County Commission, State Road 54

Bexley Is Top-Selling Community In Tampa Bay

August 28, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Prospective homebuyers don’t have to travel far to experience one of the country’s best master-planned communities. Real estate advising group, RCLCO, has named Bexley by Newland the top-selling master-planned community in Tampa Bay, and one of the top 50 in the United States, in its annual survey.

At Bexley, home sales are up more than 45 percent at the mid-year mark this year, compared to the same time last year. That is in comparison to a national average increase of 3%, according to the survey.

“It’s always rewarding to see our community plans come to life,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland. “Becoming the best-selling community in Tampa Bay is part strategic planning, part providing home designs for a range of buyers, and part incredible word-of-mouth from our Bexley families who are constantly sharing their pride in this great community.”

Bexley offers a variety of floor plans from low-maintenance townhomes, to one- and two-story single-family starting in the mid $200,000s, as well as luxury homes, from some of the best-known builders in the country.

Homebuyers can tour 11 models at Bexley, built by Cardel Homes, David Weekley Homes, Lennar, Homes by West Bay and Arthur Rutenberg Homes. Pulte will soon join the community’s list of builders, with the opening of its model home later this year. Del Webb Bexley, a 55-plus community, also offers an additional six model homes to tour.

Located in Land O’ Lakes along the in-demand State Road 54 corridor, Bexley provides a prime location convenient to many of the area’s diverse attractions.

At the heart of the award-winning community is The Bexley Club, where people enjoy scenic lakefront views at the Twisted Sprocket Café. The restaurant is open to the public for breakfast, lunch and happy hour, and offers an outstanding menu of breakfast items, gourmet lunches, desserts, smoothies, wine, craft beer and coffee drinks.

Next door to the clubhouse, Suncoast Trailside Bicycles sells a variety of bikes, gear and clothing, and offers repairs and rentals. If you’re looking to cycle around the community or hit the Bexley BMX pump track, you’ll find everything you need at this one-stop shop.

Two additional buildings make up The Bexley Club: a cardio-focused fitness center and a screened-in game room with air hockey, foosball and a pool table. There are also two resort-style pools, an outdoor fire pit and an event lawn.

Bexley was designed so that residents can enjoy the great outdoors. The community is home to miles of multi-surface Avid™ trails, ideal for walking, biking, jogging and strollers. Along the way, residents can utilize several Fit Stations, which add fun and variety to workouts.

Several community parks dot the landscape at Bexley. Sports lovers of all ages use Mud, Sweat and Gears Park for impromptu soccer or football games, and younger kids spend hours on the custom-built wonderland designed by Asheville Playgrounds. Dogs and their owners enjoy the BarkYard, a park to call their own with separate spaces for big and small dogs.

Best of all, Bexley offers an exclusive Resident for a Day program, which gives potential residents a chance to experience the amenities, trails and café first-hand. To learn more, visit BexleyFlorida.com, or call (813) 425-7555.

Published August 28, 2019

Filed Under: Home Section Tagged With: Arthur Rutenberg Homes, Bexley by Newland, Cardel Homes, David Weekley Homes, Del Webb Bexley, Homes by West Bay, Land O' Lakes, Lennar Homes, Pam Parisi, Pulte, RCLCO, State Road 54, Suncoast Trailside Bicycles, Twisted Sprocket Cafe

Changes recommended for Connerton’s master-plan development

August 28, 2019 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of changes to the Connerton Village II Master Planned Unit Development to adjust the boundaries for the regional park and elementary/middle school, and to remove the extension of the Plains Parkway north of Connerton Boulevard.

These changes are based on a land swap between Lennar Homes LLC, the Pasco County School Board and Pasco County.

The applicant also proposes to add an additional neighborhood encompassing 268 acres, adding 225 single-family units from the remaining Phase I entitlements. The changes also call for updating the Connerton Village II internal access points to reflect the pending development.

The county’s planning staff recommended approval of the changes, which they said are consistent with the previously approved land swap.

No one from the public spoke for or against the proposed changes, during the Planning Commission’s Aug. 22 public hearing on the request.

In backup materials provided to the planning commission, the county’s planners noted that the previously proposed extension of Pleasant Plains Parkway north of Connerton Boulevard would “bifurcate the new district park site and frustrate the basic purpose.”

Planners also noted that “the additional 225 units are being drawn from the remaining Phase 1 residential entitlements approved for the Development of Regional Impact. With the additional 225 units, the total aggregate units in Village II increases from 1,704 to 1,929.

The property is on the east and west sides of Flourish Drive, and the north and south sides of Connerton Boulevard.

The request is slated for public hearing before the Pasco County Commission on Sept. 18, 2019, at 1:30 p.m., in the board’s chambers at the West Pasco Government Center, at 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey.

Published August 28, 2019

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Citizens Drive, Connerton Boulevard, Connerton Village II, Lennar Homes, New Port Richey, Pasco County Planning Commission, Pasco County School Board, Plains Parkway, Pleasant Plains Parkway, West Pasco Government Center

Eddie Herrmann, a pillar in San Antonio, was an original

November 1, 2017 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Edward Joseph Herrmann, known as “Eddie” to most everyone in San Antonio, was an original, and with his passing on Oct. 21, the community paused to reminisce about a pillar of the community.

Eddie wore many hats. He was a father, a son, a husband, an uncle, a former Mayor of San Antonio, an award-winning winemaker, a writer and a respected historian.

His death came on the evening of the 51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, an event which he co-founded with Deputy Sheriff Willy Post, as a project of the Jaycees.

Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Herrmann died on Oct. 21, on the first evening of the 51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, an event he co-founded in the town of San Antonio, in East Pasco County. (Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

To know Eddie was to appreciate a man who revered his community, and valued the facts and lessons of history.

Local history buffs and museums regularly consulted with Eddie.

“Eddie gave me many photos to use on the Fivay.org website, and he was able to provide information about a number of old photos,” said Jeff Miller, who operates the website and is a respected local historian.

“Eddie knew of the existence of a large collection of high-quality vintage photos of Dade City, San Antonio and surrounding towns. Most of the photos were taken by the Dade City Chamber of Commerce in the late 1920s, and before. He asked Oliver and Barbara DeWitt of Dade City, who are now in possession of the photos, to allow me to scan the photos, which are known as the Helen Eck Sparkman Collection. They can be viewed and downloaded in high resolution on the Fivay.org website,” Miller said.

These photos of public places and historic homes are indicative of Eddie’s zeal to capture accurate information and to share his knowledge, often through anecdotes, about the culture and flavor of a specific time or event.

Herrmann co-authored “The Historic Places of Pasco County,” commonly called “the orange book,” with James J. Horgan and Alice Hall in 1992.

The volume traces the history of the county from 1887 to a hundred years later, in 1987, describing 264 buildings, sites, and homes that were designated as historic. The book also provides a map and guide to the county’s cemeteries.

Compiling the information was a gargantuan task.

And, Eddie told others about a time he once spent 24 hours, without a break, conducting research for the book, along with his great friend, the iconic Zephyrhills activist Alice Hall.

“We spent the night together at the Zephyrhills City Hall poring through records, and they just left us there all night,” Eddie said.

Eddie was a charter member of the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee, formed in 1977 by the Pasco County Commission.

In his role on the committee, he was involved in the placement of historical markers throughout Pasco County.

His work was valuable in protecting landmarks, said Scott Black, another local historian and a member of the Dade City Commission.

Eddie identified “important sites around the county that were in danger of being forgotten,” Black said, via email.

“I particularly remember how often he would talk about his quest for the ‘26-Mile House,’ which was a stagecoach stop 26 miles south of Chocochattee (present-day Brooksville) on the old road to Tampa,” Black said.

Eddie pinpointed the location so well that he was able to persuade the county to require Lennar Homes to fund an historical marker at the entrance of the Stagecoach Village housing development in Land O’Lakes — as one of the permitting conditions for the development, Black recalled.

Pat Mulieri, a member of the Pasco County Commission at the time, recognized Eddie’s contributions in a proclamation he received in 2014 on the steps of the Pasco County Historic Courthouse in Dade City.

Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Herrmann is in the front row on the far left, in this photograph taken at one of scores of historic marker dedications he took part in, throughout Pasco County.

Eddie rarely missed a meeting of the Pasco County Historical Society, and he served the organization in every capacity, from president to board member to program chairman, for many years.

He provided a wealth of information, and was always ready to help others unearth historic facts.

For example, he delved into assisting Eva Martha Knapp and Hernando High School students with documenting the 1944 German POW Camp No. 7 that was operated in Dade City during World War II. During the course of that work, Eddie forged friendships with several former soldiers — hosting them at his home and then visiting them in Germany.

Eddie had the knack of seeing both the forest, and the trees.

He recognized the interweaving of the economy, resources and changing political issues.

For instance, he had extensive knowledge about Florida horticulture, and proved to be an invaluable resource for me, when I was conducting my research for local history books about Dade City and Wesley Chapel.

As an example, he encouraged me to include the impact of a cactus farmer, Anthony Tuzzolino of Wesley Chapel, who raised 15 acres of cacti and imported cacti, and other produce, from Wesley Chapel to Ybor City during the early 1940s.

Beyond merely telling me that, Eddie researched the issue, contacting the Pasco County Cooperative Extension Office, as well as the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences on Opuntia Cactus, and then he passed along several citations to me.

Thus, I wasn’t surprised when I later learned that Eddie himself was an accomplished gardener and grower. As a matter of fact, he won the Florida Grape Growers Association’s first winemaking competition in 1974, and then went on to spend years continuing to hone his skills in growing grapes and making wine.

When gopher tortoises were declared a “species of special concern,” Eddie embraced the opportunity to protect the tortoises — which had been used in races at the Rattlesnake Festival. He spearheaded the design of a large wooden version of a toy that resembled a gopher tortoise to be used instead.

Eddie’s research also helped correct the record on one of Dade City’s most iconic buildings, Miller said.

“It had long been thought that the historic 1909 courthouse in Dade City was designed by a local man, Artemus Roberts, but Eddie discovered that it was actually designed by Edward Columbus Hosford, an architect who designed many courthouses and other buildings in the South,” the local historian explained.

“Eddie’s discovery came about after his brother Gregory moved to Mason, Texas, and told Eddie that the courthouse there looked almost exactly like the one in Dade City, but that it was designed by Hosford. Eddie looked through the old minutes of the Pasco County Commission and found that Hosford did indeed design the Pasco courthouse, and that Roberts was the Superintendent of Construction,” Miller added.

In addition to his public life, Eddie was a man who treasured his faith and family.

Every Sunday, he could be found kneeling in his pew in church at his parish of St. Anthony of Padua in San Antonio. Then, the family gathered for a pancake breakfast at his parents’ home.

He also was an active member of the St. Leo community and participated in St. Leo Abbey events. Articles he wrote about Father Felix Ullrich, former pastor of Saint Anthony Church, and about the history of San Antonio can be found on Miller’s website, Fivay.org.
With Eddie’s passing, San Antonio has lost a man who worked tenaciously for the community’s good.

Those of us who were lucky enough to know him, will miss Eddie’s optimistic outlook and energy.

In his final email to me, he signed off in customary way: “Keep smiling. It looks good on you!”

It was the same kind of upbeat sentiment that he conveyed, in so many different ways, during a life well-spent in San Antonio.

Edward “Eddie” Joseph Herrmann

  • Edward Joseph Herrmann, widely known as ‘Eddie,’ was born to Joe Herrmann and Rose Ullrich Herrmann on July 25, 1936 in the Jovita Building in San Antonio.
  • Eddie grew up in the Jovita Building that was built by his grandfather, Lucius Herrmann, a baker by trade, and Tony Rachel, with help from his father, Joe, and his aunt, Margaret Herrmann Kirch, who were teenagers at the time. The family lived upstairs, with businesses downstairs.
  • Eddie had several siblings: Margaret Herrmann Beaumont, Paul Herrmann, Rosemary Herrmann, Joseph Herrmann, Barbara Herrmann Sessa, John Herrmann, Mary Sue Herrmann Keenan and Gregory Lucius Herrmann.
  • Eddie started school a year early at St. Anthony School and skipped a grade. He graduated when he was 16 from St. Leo College Prep School.
  • Eddie married Mary Patricia “Patsy” Miller on Oct. 19, 1955. Their 62nd anniversary was just two days before Eddie died. The couple’s five children are: Michael Joseph Herrmann, Amy Herrmann Greif, Larry Herrmann, Laura Herrmann Bailey and Eric Herrmann.
  • After finishing high school, Eddie worked for his dad’s Saf-T-Gas Company, but eventually bought the Culligan Soft Water Business from his dad and raised his kids in ‘Culligan Kindergarten,’ with the children riding around with him for years in his big truck, as he serviced his route. His wife, Patsy, was the bookkeeper.

This biographical information was supplied by Margaret Herrmann Beaumont, Eddie’s sister.

By Madonna Jervis Wise

Published November 1, 2017

Filed Under: Local News, People Profiles Tagged With: Alice Hall, Anthony Tuzzolino, Artemus Roberts, Barbara DeWitt, Dade City Chamber of Commerce, Dade City Commission, Edward Columbus Hosford, Edward Joseph Herrmann, Eva Martha Knapp, Felix Ullrich, Florida Grape Growers Association, Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Helen Eck Sparkman, Hernando High School, James J. Hogan, Jaycees, Jeff Miller, Lennar Homes, Oliver DeWitt, Pasco County Commission, Pasco County Cooperative Extension Office, Pasco County Historic Courthouse, Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee, Pasco County Historical Society, Pat Mulieri, San Antonio, San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, Scott Black, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Leo Abbey, Stagecoach Village, Willy Post, Zephyrhills City Hall

Not All Communities are Created Equal

September 28, 2017 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

It’s been such an exciting year at Connerton that visitors and residents continue to be amazed by “The Community of More.”

The year began with Connerton being named the 2017 Showcase Community for the Parade of Homes sponsored by the Tampa Bay Builders Association. The month-long Parade brought hundreds of people to the Land O’ Lakes community for the first time in April, and many became new homeowners, with more than 30 homes being sold during the Parade.

Also in April, a brand new, mortgage-free home was presented to David Roca, a deserving Army veteran and his family. The dedication of the Roca home was an emotional outpouring of community support by local residents, Connerton’s developer Hayman Woods, and Lennar Homes, which built the Roca home.

Then, on July 1, more than 8,000 people came to Connerton for an old-fashioned Independence Day celebration with music, games, food and fireworks. Many other special events are held throughout the year for Connerton residents, which bring neighbors together to mingle and get to know each other in a friendly neighborhood setting.

 Discover the Connerton Difference

When Connerton visitors stop at the community’s beautiful clubhouse, they often ask, “Why does Connerton feel so different than other communities?” The answer is that Connerton is different because it is one of only three communities in Florida that has been formally recognized as a “New Town.”

Connerton earned its “New Town” designation because of its outstanding community planning and design, which reduces residents’ reliance on cars and promotes a more sociable, pedestrian culture. The mature trees, picturesque ponds and many conservation areas preserve the beauty of nature, and allow native foliage and wildlife to flourish.

As the town of Connerton grows, it is opening new neighborhoods and expanding its unique Town Center with its of mix of residential, retail, professional, commercial space and 20 acres set aside for a future government center. The Town Center will be the focal point of the community, connecting a hometown main street, open spaces, gathering places, and educational and recreational opportunities.

Everyone Loves A Winner

Connerton is an award-winning community. In May, it brought home trophies for Best Consumer Promotion for its Independence Day Celebration, and for Best Mobile Website, at the annual Award Presentation of the Sales and Marketing Council of the Tampa Bay Builders Association.

In July, Connerton won an award for Best Special Charity Event at the Southeast Builders Conference in Orlando. Numerous other awards have been presented to Connerton over the years, and are proudly displayed at Club Connerton, the resort-style clubhouse where the new Visitor Center is located.

Why Residents Chose Connerton

The diversity in ages and wide variety of interests are just two reasons why residents chose Connerton as their home.

At community gatherings, you’ll find people asking, “what brought you to Connerton?” Varied responses include the community’s connection to the outdoors, and its preservation of the natural beauty and pristine environment of the land.

Others love the “hometown American feel and the Norman Rockwell look about it.” The extended trails, bike paths and parks are favorites for many families, and pet lovers enjoy the dog park where even their four-legged family members can make friends.

It is interesting to note that 44 percent of new homeowners who purchased their home this year came from the Land O’ Lakes/Lutz area, 25 percent from Tampa, 7 percent from Wesley Chapel, 6 percent from West Pasco and 5 percent from other Florida counties. Another 13 percent are buyers from outside Florida, with the largest percentage of those coming from the northeast Atlantic area.

 Home Builders

Five quality builders offer beautiful floor plans and furnished models where homebuyers can choose their home site and style of home. Taylor Morrison, Homes by WestBay, M/I Homes and Lennar continue to build in The Arbors and Gardens villages. Most models are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

In September, Connerton is welcoming Inland Homes to their model lineup. Inland will be offering homes from 1,700 to 2,000 square feet priced in the mid $200,000. Watch for their grand opening invitation.

Connerton is located approximately six miles north of the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. For more information, visit Connerton.com.

Published August 23, 2017

Filed Under: Home Section Tagged With: Best Consumer Promotion, Best Mobile Website, Best Special Charity Event, Community of More, Connerton, Gardens villages, Hayman Woods, Homes by WestBay, Inland Homes, Land O'Lakes, Lennar Homes, Lutz, M/I Homes, New Town, Parade of Homes, Southeast Builders Conference, Tampa Bay Builders Association, Taylor Morrison, The Arbors

Army vet gets big surprise: A mortgage-free home

March 8, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

An unseasonably chilly and windy March morning wasn’t going to disrupt one family’s warm welcome to Land O’ Lakes.

Retired U.S. Army Sgt. David Roca and his three children were on their way to receiving a new home in Connerton, the 4,800-acre mixed-use, master-planned community in central Pasco County.

Yet, they had no idea.

Retired U.S. Army Sgt. David Roca and his three children received a new home in Connerton. The 2,065-square-foot, four-bedroom is mortgage-free. From left, Alex, 14; Amelie; 15; David Jr., 3; and, David.
(Courtesy of Grey Street Studios Inc.)

The Roca family, who currently live in Orlando, assumed they were just going through Operation Finally Home’s preliminary interview process on March 3.

Instead, they were treated like VIPs, as they received an escort by the Patriot Guard Riders, and were greeted at the site of their new Land O’ Lakes home by dozens of residents, dignitaries and fellow veterans.

The groundbreaking for the family’s new one-story, four-bedroom home was a patriotic celebration that left the 36-year-old single father smiling.

And, speechless.

“It’s a great feeling,” Roca said afterward. “It’s hard finding the words.”

Lennar Homes and Connerton partnered with Operation Finally Home to provide the custom-built, mortgage-free home to the army veteran and his children, Amelie, 15; Alex, 14; and, David Jr., 3.

Based in Texas, Operation Finally Home has provided more than 150 mortgage-free homes for veterans during the past 10 years.

The nonprofit was one of three organizations that MacDill Air Force Base recommended to Connerton officials.

Construction is already underway at 8743 Savory Walk Drive. The family of four is expected to move in on April 30, thanks to an expedited permitting and review process by Pasco County.

The ceremony marked the sixth home Lennar has provided to military families around the country, and the first in the Tampa Bay market.

Construction has already begun on the 2,065-square-foot home, at 8743 Savory Walk Drive.

The family of four is expected to move in on April 30, thanks to an expedited permitting and review process by Pasco County.

Like other recipients of Operation Finally Home, Roca’s background is honorable, yet heart-wrenching.

The native of Queens, New York, enlisted in August 2004 as a 13F Forward Observer.

During his deployment to Iraq, he sustained several traumatic brain injuries in combat, one of which occurred when an improvised explosive devise hit his vehicle.

Upon returning home, Roca’s injuries prevented him from performing in physical training.

He experienced mood swings and severe headaches, too.

After thorough evaluation, Roca medically retired in December 2008.

Dozens of residents, dignitaries and fellow veterans attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Roca family’s new home.

Today, Roca still suffers from several brain injuries, migraines, sprained ankles and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In service, Roca received numerous accolades, including the Valor Device, an award for saving his Commander’s life in battle. He has also received an Army Commendation Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award and Army Good Conduct Medal.

Rusty Carroll, executive director of Operation Finally Home, was particularly moved by Roca’s background.

“He suffered through countless incidents that nobody would want to go through,” Carroll said. “But, his courage and valor stood true, and he helped save lives.”

Upon retiring in 2008, Roca moved his family to Long Island, where he hoped to recover and continue his bachelor’s degree at Nassau Community College.

But, he struggled with concentration and memory due to his wartime injuries, and opted to focus on his mental and physical health before continuing school.

He and his three children moved to Florida for a “better life.”

“The thing that stood out to me when I first saw David’s story, was his commitment to his family,” Carroll said. “That certainly has shined through ever since I was able to know David and meet him.”

Operation Finally Home, Carroll noted, simply “connects the dots” among communities, builders and subcontractors, to honor veterans.

“David and others just like him don’t feel like they deserve it, but they do,” Carroll said. “He has paid for it. He’s paid it through his service and his sacrifice to this country, so he’s earned it.”

Once the family moves to Land O’ Lakes, Roca said he eventually wants to work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to find employment that suits his skills, and immerse his family into the community.

Published March 8, 2017

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Connerton, David Roca, Land O' Lakes, Lennar Homes, Nassau Community College, Operation Finally Home, Patriot Guard Riders, Rusty Carroll, Savory Walk Drive, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Connerton and Pasco on the path to new homes

December 30, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Kyle and Melody Marks fit in nicely with the demographics that are driving residential growth in Pasco County.

And, these young professionals are clear on the lifestyle they want for themselves and their two children, Amelia, age 5, and Brody, age 7.

In six months, they plan to move from a starter home to a new and larger home in Connerton, a master-planned community off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41.

Kyle Marks, left, Amelia, age 5, and Melody Marks sit on a couch in the Lennar model home that is similar to one where they’ll live. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Kyle Marks, left, Amelia, age 5, and Melody Marks sit on a couch in the Lennar model home that is similar to one where they’ll live.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

Connerton is one of Pasco’s up-and-coming neighborhoods attracting eager buyers who want bang for their buck, a touch of the rural, and the amenities of big city life.

The Marks are saying goodbye to the temptation to cross the county line into Hillsborough or Pinellas, in search of a good restaurant or a shopping excursion.

“There is no more traveling back to Tampa for everything,” said Melody Marks.

The Marks set their sights on Connerton months ago, and became the first buyers of a Lennar-built home in the community.

Lennar is the newest homebuilder to offer homes at Connerton.

The Marks are part of an overall resurgence of home buying in Pasco County, which is recovering from the disastrous economic downturn in 2008.

Back then, new home construction constricted.

And, many residents saw their existing housing values plummet.

Some are still underwater, with mortgages that are higher than their property values.

But, that is changing, said Jeff Morin, vice president of sales for Lennar Homes.

“People wouldn’t sell before, because they were upside down,” he said. “This uptick has allowed people to be more comfortable that they can break even or make a little money.”

Developers are building more rooftops, and a growing population has hit critical mass and pay dirt for retail.

The sign at the entrance to Connerton is decorated for the holidays. The master-planned community is seeing an uptick in housing sales.
The sign at the entrance to Connerton is decorated for the holidays. The master-planned community is seeing an uptick in housing sales.

Tampa Premium Outlets is the most visible tip of an explosion of new shops, restaurants, hotels and offices that are here or on their way.

“We do everything over here,” Melody Marks reiterated.

When the Marks signed their contract, it wasn’t just for the shops and restaurants or because Kyle Marks’ parents already live in Connerton.

“It’s a lot more affordable here,” said Kyle Marks.

Statistics bear that out.

The year-to-date median price of a home in Hillsborough and Pinellas is about $218,000, while Pasco’s median price is about $154,000, according to data from My Florida Regional MLS.

Connerton’s housing prices generally begin in the low $200,000s, said Stew Gibbons, president and chief executive officer of Gibbons Group.

That price falls into the sweet spot for Pasco housing sales of between $140,000 and $250,000, again based on data from My Florida Regional MLS.

More than 350 families live in Connerton.

Connerton’s new home sales have averaged 100 or more annually in the past two years, and Gibbons anticipates that will increase by 50 percent in the next year.

Gibbons pioneered living in Connerton when he bought a home in 2006. He and a few other residents waited out the recovery.

“We knew ultimately it’s cyclical, even though this is one of the worst cycles ever seen and the worst downturn the nation has seen.” Gibbons said.

But, he said now, “That’s created pent up demand. It’s growing as confidence grows.”

For a time, the economic downturn turned the master-planned community into a poster child for a stalled future.

New construction of roads and streetlights stuck out in a neighborhood of blank spaces where hundreds of homes should be.

The future is much rosier now.

Kyle, Amelia and Melody Marks, left, will wait about six months for their new Lennar home to be built in Connerton. Stew Gibbons, president of Gibbons Group, and Jeff Morin, vice president of sales for Lennar joined them at the newly opened Lennar model home.
Kyle, Amelia and Melody Marks, left, will wait about six months for their new Lennar home to be built in Connerton. Stew Gibbons, president of Gibbons Group, and Jeff Morin, vice president of sales for Lennar joined them at the newly opened Lennar model home.

Plans for a town center and shops are back in the picture, likely to happen within two to five years, Gibbons said.

Pasco County owns about 20 acres that is set aside for a government center.

Connerton Elementary School is open, and Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM School, an elementary magnet school, is located to the south, off U.S. 41.

Residents currently can enjoy about two miles of nature trails.

Connerton is unique in pegging its housing numbers to job creation, as part of a state incentive program.

At 2,000 homes, for instance, 500 jobs must be documented within a one-mile radius.

More houses, shops, offices and hotels are on the way.

“Pasco should be pretty robust,” said Gibbons. “The number of rooftops relates to retail that can be supported. They withheld until the market returned. It’s rising everywhere.”

At the height of the housing bubble, 6,000 homes were selling annually. Gibbons said it hit a low of about 1,000 homes a year, but has risen to about 2,500 this year.

There is potential within five years to reach between 6,000 and 7,000 housing sales a year, he said.

Gibbons remains sold on Pasco’s economy, and Connerton, in particular.

“It’s easy to meet people. I’m still here. I still love it,” Gibbons said.

Published December 30, 2015

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Connerton, Connerton Elementary School, Gibbons Group, Jeff Morin, Kyle Marks, Land O' Lakes, Land O' Lakes Boulevard, Lennar Homes, Melody Marks, Sanders Memorial STEAM Elementary School, Stew Gibbons, Tampa Premium Outlets, U.S. 41

Primary Sidebar

Top Shelf Sports Lounge in Wesley Chapel

Foodie Friday Gallery

Search

Sponsored Content

Avalon Applauds… Norah Catlin

February 23, 2021 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

CONGRATULATIONS to Norah Catlin, for being applauded by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. Catlin, a senior at Wiregrass Ranch … [Read More...] about Avalon Applauds… Norah Catlin

More Posts from this Category

Archives

What’s Happening

‘Aladdin jr.’

Live Oak Theatre is now selling tickets for its Acorn Theatre production of “Aladdin jr.” Performances will be March 18 through March 28, at the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for the Arts, 21030 Cortez Blvd., in Brooksville. Seats are $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 13 and younger, when accompanied by an adult. For show times and tickets, visit LiveOakTheatre.square.site, email , or call 352-593-0027. … [Read More...] about ‘Aladdin jr.’

03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will offer “Foodie Feast: Apple Pie Bombs” on March 5. Participants can learn how to make tasty, apple pie bombs. Watch the prerecorded video between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., online at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

03/06/2021 – Bridal Trunk Show

The Gulfside Hospice New Port Richey Thrift Shoppe, 6117 State Road 54, will host a Bridal Trunk Show on March 6 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be more than 250 dresses to choose from, starting at $29.99 and many brand new. Admission is free, but limited spots are available to allow for social distancing. Brides must register online in advance, by March 3, at bit.ly/NPR-Bridal-Trunk-Show. All proceeds from the shop go to help hospice patients in Pasco County. For questions, contact Jeremi Sliger at , or call 727-842-7262. … [Read More...] about 03/06/2021 – Bridal Trunk Show

03/11/2021 – Economic security

The Pasco Unit of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County will sponsor a panel discussion on “Economic Security in Pasco County During the COVID Outbreak” on March 11 at 7 p.m. Panelists will include Brian Hoben, community services director, Pasco County Public Services; Marcy Esbjerg, director of community development, Pasco County Public Services; Don Anderson, CEO, Pasco Homeless Coalition; and, Mike Bishop, director, Stakeholder Engagement, Pasco Economic Development Council. For information on how to register, email . … [Read More...] about 03/11/2021 – Economic security

03/13/2021 – ‘Grease’ event

T-Mobile will sponsor “Grease is the Word” on March 13 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. There will be a sing-along contest pitting Pasco County Fire Rescue against the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, a free movie “under the stars,” and a classic car show with prizes. There also will be food trucks and games. Admission is free. … [Read More...] about 03/13/2021 – ‘Grease’ event

03/13/2021 – Exhibitors needed

Demene Benjamin and UrEsteem will host “UrSelf: A Dabble in Self-Care” on March 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Exhibitors can be anyone who has a product or service to promote physical, mental and social health, including physical and massage therapists; counselors; churches; nail techs/hairstylists; yoga/pilates/exercise; or natural products. For information, call 813-334-6006, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/13/2021 – Exhibitors needed

More of What's Happening

Follow us on Twitter

The Laker/Lutz NewsFollow

The Laker/Lutz News
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
10h

State testing should not be punitive, board members say. https://buff.ly/2O8dRY0

Reply on Twitter 1366795716232941573Retweet on Twitter 1366795716232941573Like on Twitter 1366795716232941573Twitter 1366795716232941573
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
1 Mar

An entertainment venue in downtown Zephyrhills? https://buff.ly/3suOzCe

Reply on Twitter 1366433116852805636Retweet on Twitter 1366433116852805636Like on Twitter 1366433116852805636Twitter 1366433116852805636
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
28 Feb

This week in SPORTS: Sports agency in Lutz building reputation, clientele. https://buff.ly/3qZDdpc

Reply on Twitter 1366070716072943616Retweet on Twitter 1366070716072943616Like on Twitter 1366070716072943616Twitter 1366070716072943616
Load More...

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Top Stories

Grove Theater now open in Wesley Chapel

Pasco board looks to put pause on multifamily

An entertainment venue in downtown Zephyrhills?

Ash Wednesday events vary, across region

State testing should not be punitive, board members say

Retiring ‘Old Glory’ with dignity

SWFMD executive director wins geology alumni award

Perils on Pasco roads continue to climb

New fire truck welcomed with a ‘push-in’ ceremony

Efforts underway to help deputy’s family

PHSC panel seeks solutions on racial equity, social justice

Celebrating one life, saving another

Two Rivers will offer places to live, work, play

Secondary Sidebar

More Stories

Check out our other stories for the week

Grove Theater now open in Wesley Chapel

Pasco board looks to put pause on multifamily

An entertainment venue in downtown Zephyrhills?

Ash Wednesday events vary, across region

State testing should not be punitive, board members say

Retiring ‘Old Glory’ with dignity

SWFMD executive director wins geology alumni award

Perils on Pasco roads continue to climb

New fire truck welcomed with a ‘push-in’ ceremony

Efforts underway to help deputy’s family

PHSC panel seeks solutions on racial equity, social justice

Celebrating one life, saving another

Two Rivers will offer places to live, work, play

Sports Stories

Sports agency in Lutz building reputation, clientele

Conference champs!

1,000-point club

Locals athletes ink with colleges on National Signing Day

Seniors keep active at East Pasco Family YMCA

Copyright © 2021 Community News Publications Inc.

   