• 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

Westchase

Bexley Ranch divided in two

May 6, 2015 By Kathy Steele

The Land O’ Lakes property will be developed as Bexley North and Bexley South

 

The Pasco Commission has made it official.

The sprawling Bexley Ranch property, off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, has been split into rezoned tracts known as Bexley North and Bexley South.

Interior roads are being constructed for the development of Bexley South, a Land O’ Lakes community being developed by Newland Communities. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Interior roads are being constructed for the development of Bexley South, a Land O’ Lakes community being developed by Newland Communities.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Commissioners voted April 21 to allow the developer to do away with the original 2006 development agreement in favor of the two redrawn subdivisions.

Bexley South is under ownership and control of Newland Communities that is developing a master-planned community, similar in scale to the company’s Fishhawk Ranch and Westchase communities in Hillsborough County.

The Newland property is about 1,733 acres and includes the acquired properties of Ashley Glen and Suncoast Commercial on the north side of State Road 54, east of the Suncoast Parkway, and on north and south sides of Tower Road.

The Bexley family will retain ownership of Bexley North, which contains about 5,400 acres. The property is on the north and south of Tower Road, extending east to Suncoast and the CSX rail corridor. The planned subdivision is allowed about 11,000 single-family homes, 1,000 apartments and townhomes, about 295,000 square feet of commercial and retail, and about 537,000 square feet of offices.

Meanwhile, development preparation work continues in Bexley South.

“Newland (Communities) which has begun developing the southern portion is very excited to be in Pasco County,” said attorney Andrea Zelman, who represented both Newland and the Bexley family at the April 21 public hearing.

Site preparation and construction on the main entrance into the mixed use, residential and commercial community of Bexley South began last summer.

No buildings have yet been constructed. The community will be built in phases over 20 years.

The project includes construction of elementary, middle and high schools, an 80-acre district park and the option of an 18-hole golf course.

Bexley South’s master plan sharply reduces office space from a one-time high of about 2 million square feet to about 562,000 square feet. However, the county would allow up to 1.8 million square feet of offices, if needed.

In addition Bexley South is approved for 1,200 single-family homes, 520 apartments and townhomes, and more than 94,000 square feet of commercial and retail.

The vision also includes triggers for design and construction of roadway improvements based on housing volume and traffic analyses for both Bexley North and South. Among the developer’s obligations would be phased extensions of Tower Road and Sunlake Boulevard, linkage of Bexley Village Drive from State Road 54 to Mentmore Boulevard, a roundabout at Mentmore and Bexley Village, and construction of the intersection at Tower and Ballantrae Road.

The master plan anticipates neighborhood centers and pedestrian-friendly amenities including common areas, green spaces and trails.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey made a plea that developers design trails that “meander” and don’t merely follow a roadway, such as Tower Road, in a straight line.

Put it far enough from the curb that it is safe for families, she said.

“When a trail meanders,” Starkey said, “it’s a much better experience.”

Published May 6, 2015

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Ashley Glen, Bexley North, Bexley Ranch, Bexley South, Bexley Village Drive, FishHawk Ranch, Hillsborough County, Kathryn Starkey, Land O' Lakes, MEntmore Boulevard, Newland Communities, Pasco Commission, State Road 54, Suncoast Commercial, Suncoast Parkway, Sunlake Boulevard, Tower Road, Westchase

Pace picks up for construction in southern Pasco

February 25, 2015 By Kathy Steele

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published February 25, 2015

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: Bexley Boulevard, Bexley Ranch, FishHawk Ranch, Gary Nelson, Gunn Highway, Huckleberry Pond, J.D. Porter, John Hagen, Kitson & Partners, Lutz, M/I Homes, Matt Buehler, Matt Call, Mitchell West, Newland Communities, Pasco Economic Development Council, Paul Michael, Raymond James Financial Campus, Residence Inn at NorthPointe, Ryland Homes, Starkey Ranch, State Road 54, State Road 56, Steve Oakes, Suncoast Crossings, Suncoast Parkway, The Hogan Group, Tom Panaseny, Tower Road, TPA Group, Westchase, Wheelock Communities, Wiregrass Ranch

Buffalo Wild Wings planned for State Road 56

December 15, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Land is getting pretty expensive along State Road 56, which is exactly what the owner of the Buffalo Wild Wings chain found out late last month.

AMC Wesley Chapel Real Estate Inc., a company affiliated with Buffalo Wild Wings owner Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc., purchased a little more than 2.5 acres of land along State Road 56 just east of Cypress Ridge Boulevard for $2.3 million. That’s a price just north of $903,000 an acre.

The developer has plans to put that land to good use, however. AMC is seeking final approval to build a 6,400-square-foot restaurant on the site, with an 800-foot patio, with direct access to State Road 56. The Buffalo Wild Wings got initial approval from the Pasco County Planning Commission earlier this month, and will seek to get the same from the full Pasco County Commission in January.

This would become the second Buffalo Wild Wings in Pasco County after the State Road 54 location in New Port Richey. Other locations are in Ybor City and Tampa’s Westchase area, according to the restaurant’s website.

The chain, informally known as B-Dubs, first opened in Columbus, Ohio, in 1982, and now has locations in every state in the country. This particular restaurant will be located at 26725 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, next to the Gate gas station on Cypress Ridge Boulevard.

The cost of the land is well above the $542,000 an acre Walmart paid to buy its site at 27621 State Road 56 in July 2009, and even higher than the $697,000 Gate Petroleum paid per acre for the land next door in August 2012. Yet, it’s still not the most expensive land buy — the owners of the PDQ restaurant location at 27757 State Road 56 paid $1.4 million for a single acre of land close to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in January 2012.

Developers have not said when construction will begin, or when the restaurant would open.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: AMC Wesley Chapel Real Estate Inc., B-Dubs, Buffalo Wild Wings, Columbus, Cypress Ridge Boulevard, Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc., Gate, Gate Petroleum, New Port Richey, Ohio, Pasco County, Pasco County Commission, Pasco County Planning Commission, PDQ, State Road 54, State Road 56, Walmart, Wesley Chapel, Westchase, Ybor City

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

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 – Pancakes and trains

The Grand Concourse Railroad, 11919 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills, will offer a Pancake Breakfast and Unlimited Train Rides event on March 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for kids. For information, visit Grand Concourse Railroad on Facebook. … [Read More...] about 03/06/2021 – Pancakes and trains

03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to grow a tomato garden. Those interested can view the video at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary, all day, on March 8. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to make green grilled cheese on March 9 at 4:30 p.m., for grades four to seven. To view the video, visit the Library Cooperative on Facebook or Instagram. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will host a virtual poetry discussion group on “Female Power!” on March 9 at 6:30 p.m., for ages 16 and older, via Zoom. Participants can share a favorite poem or take part in discussions on poems about women or written by women poets. Themed poems will be sent out to help with the session. Registration is required. For information, contact Amaris Papadopoulos at 727-861-3020 or . … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will offer a Technology Tuesday: Robots & Machines on March 9, through a curbside pickup activity. The kit will help kids learn more about technology, from robots to coding, through online and hands-on activities. The pickup is limited to 35 participants and must be reserved ahead of time. A book bundle can be included. Kits must be picked up between March 9 at 10 a.m., and March 13 at 5 p.m. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

More of What's Happening

Follow us on Twitter

The Laker/Lutz NewsFollow

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

Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then. https://buff.ly/2Oky2lz

Reply on Twitter 1367882601093079041Retweet on Twitter 1367882601093079041Like on Twitter 1367882601093079041Twitter 1367882601093079041
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
4 Mar

SWFMD executive director wins geology alumni award. https://buff.ly/3uCXm6G

Reply on Twitter 1367520307708370944Retweet on Twitter 1367520307708370944Like on Twitter 1367520307708370944Twitter 1367520307708370944
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
3 Mar

Save money, get back behind the wheel. https://buff.ly/3rdM07h

Reply on Twitter 1367228541998350339Retweet on Twitter 1367228541998350339Like on Twitter 1367228541998350339Twitter 1367228541998350339
Load More...

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Top Stories

Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then

Helping people get from place to place, safely

Giving entrepreneurs tools they need to succeed

Zephyrhills discussing 911 dispatch

No plans to shutter Zephyrhills police department

Local Jewish temple gifted Torah

Save money, get back behind the wheel

Pasco County Fair lives up to its billing

Meals on Wheels looks to expand

Pasco Planning Commission seeks three volunteers

Operation Feed Pasco closes, amid success

It’s strawberry (shortcake) season again

Grove Theater now open in Wesley Chapel

Secondary Sidebar

More Stories

Check out our other stories for the week

Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then

Helping people get from place to place, safely

Giving entrepreneurs tools they need to succeed

Zephyrhills discussing 911 dispatch

No plans to shutter Zephyrhills police department

Local Jewish temple gifted Torah

Save money, get back behind the wheel

Pasco County Fair lives up to its billing

Meals on Wheels looks to expand

Pasco Planning Commission seeks three volunteers

Operation Feed Pasco closes, amid success

It’s strawberry (shortcake) season again

Grove Theater now open in Wesley Chapel

Sports Stories

Land O’ Lakes Little League celebrates 50th anniversary

Cypress Creek High coach earns regional honor

Saint Leo acrobatics coach steps down

Loving Hands Ministries golf tournament

First Tee – Tampa Bay awarded $100,000 grant

Copyright © 2021 Community News Publications Inc.

   