The Laker/Lutz News

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Cypress Creek Town Center buzzing with activity

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If you haven’t been in the area west of Interstate 75, off State Road 56, during the past several months, chances are you’re not aware of the increasing activity happening at Cypress Creek Town Center and in nearby areas.

Five Below, at 25609 Sierra Center Blvd., in Lutz, is set to have its grand opening on March 29, according to a banner posted at the store.

Five Below is planning a grand opening on March 29, at the Cypress Creek Town Center, according to a sign on the company’s storefront. (B.C. Manion)

Five Below sells everything from cellphone cases and chargers to yoga pants, footballs, candy, and seasonal items from Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

Meanwhile, Burlington, at 25589 Sierra Center Blvd., also is set to have its grand opening on March 29, according to the company’s website. Burlington also is hiring, according a banner on the company’s storefront.

Burlington is an off-price apparel and home product retailer, which operates 567 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico, according to its website. The store offers a large selection of coats, clothing, shoes, linens , home décor and baby items.

Those grand openings come on the heels of Hobby Lobby’s grand opening on March 18.  Located at  25675 Sierra Center Drive, it is the national retail chain’s 865th store. Each store offers more than 70,000 crafting and home décor products, including floral, fabric, needle art, custom framing, baskets, home accents, wearable art, arts and crafts, jewelry making, scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies, according to information provided by the company.

HomeGoods is planning an April 14 grand opening at Cypress Creek Town Center, according to the company’s website.

Meanwhile, Earth Fare, a North Carolina-based grocer, also at Cypress Creek Town Center, entered the Pasco County market when it opened its 51st store in February. The 24,000-square-foot store aims to promote the health and well-being of its customers by selling an assortment of healthy foods.

Coming soon to the town center will be HomeGoods, at 25557 Sierra Center Blvd., which is scheduled to have its grand opening on April 14 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to its website.  It also is “now hiring” according to a sign on the storefront’s exterior.

HomeGoods is an off-price retailer, which offers brand name and home fashion assortments that are 20 percent to 60 percent less than department and specialty store regular prices, the company’s website says. It offers merchandise from thousands of vendors throughout the world.

Many other establishments already are operating at the town center, which has shops and restaurants on both sides of State Road 56.

Diners have a wide array of options on the north side of State Road 56, including Chipotle Mexican Grill, Fast-Fire’D Blaze Pizza, Taco Bell, Pollo Tropical, Wendy’s, Ford’s Garage, Mellow Mushroom, Sweetea Café, Chuy’s Tex Mex and Bahama Breeze.

Burlington is planning a grand opening on March 29, at the Cypress Creek Town Center, according to the company’s website. It also is hiring, according to a sign on the exterior of the store.

Meanwhile, Walk-ons Bistreaux & Bar, on the same side of the road, is under construction. The New Orleans-based sports bar was founded by business partners who were walk-ons to the Louisiana State University basketball team. They opened their first restaurant near LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

On the south side of State Road 56, diners can select from LongHorn Steakhouse, McDonald’s, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Culver’s, Panda Express, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks  and MOD Pizza.

Other developments on the south side of the road include Costco Wholesale Warehouse, an At Home Home Décor Superstore and smaller shops.

Tampa Premium Outlets also is on the south side of State Road 56, just west of I-75.

And, another project is coming, on the  east side of Creek Grass Way, about 600 feet south of State Road 56, according to county records.

Main Event is planning a 48,608-square-foot entertainment center and has requested permission to sell alcoholic  beverages there. The Pasco County Planning Commission and county planners have recommended approval, and the Pasco County Commission was scheduled to consider the request on March 26, after The Laker/Lutz News’ press deadline.

The Main Event is a bowling, laser tag and dining entertainment center, which has locations in 16 states, including Florida, according to its website.

On the north side of State Road 56, shops include T-Mobile, Noire Nail Bar, Men’s Wearhouse, Mattress One, Aspen Dental, Great Clips, Pearl Vision and Sleep Number. Verizon Wireless and Wesley Chapel Smile Dentistry are coming soon.

There’s also Hyatt Place Hotel & Conference, a 130-room hotel, has opened and already has hosted a variety of community events there.

Also, on the north side of State Road 56, to the west of Cypress Creek Town Center, there’s a new Burger King in front of the Brightwork Crossing apartment development, and nearby a Wawa gas station under construction nearby.

El Dorado Furniture-Wesley Chapel is planning a 70,000-square-foot, two-story showroom at State Road 54 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard, according to county documents.

Published March 27, 2019

Cypress Creek plaza still expanding

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The pace of development at Cypress Creek Town Center is picking up, with new shops and restaurants under construction at two sites within the town center.

Most of the action is taking place along Sierra Center Boulevard, a main artery that cuts through the town center, which is located at State Road 56 and Grand Cypress Drive. Two new shopping strips, each fronting Sierra Center Boulevard, will significantly boost the retail development.

Signs staked amid construction activity herald the coming of HomeGoods, Five Below and Burlington. County records also show additional shops will open, including Hobby Lobby, Sleep Number, Pacific Dental, Verizon Wireless, Dollar Tree and America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.

Restaurants include Blaze Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Walk-on’s Bistreaux & Bar. Earth Fare, a specialty grocery store, is coming, too.

The town center is part of a mixed-use project of retail, offices, hotel and residential under development by Sierra Properties Inc.

The new retail at Cypress Creek will add to established shops and restaurants that line the south side of Sierra Center, including Men’s Wearhouse, Great Clips, T-Mobile, Noire Nail Bar, Ford’s Garage, Bahama Breeze Grill and Chuy’s Tex-Mex.

Even here, new retail is coming, including Sweetea Café. The restaurant’s menu will have freshly brewed bubble tea, and homemade Vietnamese food and snacks.

The new 130-room Hyatt Place Hotel & Sierra Conference Center opened recently at the far eastern end of the boulevard.

On the south side of State Road 56, Sierra Properties also will gain an Aldi grocery store, at 2215 Sun Vista Drive, on a parcel fronting the Tampa Premium Outlets.

The bounty of new shops, restaurants and offices at Cypress Creek represents a fraction of the development rush that is remaking Pasco County.

It is all part of the warp and weave of bringing a mix of retail, office, hotel, industrial and retail to a county with a long-held reputation as a bedroom community.

Development is bringing rooftops, retail, offices, manufacturing and jobs to the county.

“That’s refreshing,” said Bill Cronin, president/CEO of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

More development brings new residents, more jobs and added amenities, and it all adds up to a county where people “live, work and play,” Cronin said. “They don’t have to get on the road every day. They don’t have to make the commute.”

More development is on the way in the area surrounding Cypress Creek Town Center, too.

One recent arrival is At Home Décor Superstore on an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets.

To the immediate west of Cypress Creek, Brightwork Crossing is well under construction of up to 350 apartments. A WaWa gas station and El Dorado Furniture store also are planned.

The Shoppes at Cypress Creek is being proposed for development at the northwest corner of State Road 54 and Old Cypress Creek Road. Site plans filed with the county last summer show two 9,000-square-foot buildings separated by a breezeway. A “quick service” restaurant also is proposed for an outparcel at the site.

The following stores are scheduled to  open in 2019 at Cypress Creek Town Center:

Hobby Lobby
Plans are for a February 2019 opening, according to an email from Hobby Lobby representatives.

Hobby Lobby is primarily an arts and crafts store, but it offers a broad array of merchandise and hobby materials, including picture-framing, jewelry-making, floral and wedding supplies, cards and party favors, and home accessories.

The Oklahoma-based national chain began with a $600 investment in a home-based venture by owners David and Barbara Green. They opened a 300-square-foot store in Oklahoma City in 1972, according to the company’s website. Today, Hobby Lobby has more than 800 stores in 47 states.

Burlington
Burlington traces its roots to 1924 and a wholesale operation selling women’s coats and junior suits.

Its first outlet store opened in 1972 in Burlington, New Jersey, according to the company website.

Today, Burlington sells clothes, shoes and other accessories at discounted prices to women, men and children.

HomeGoods
The Massachusetts-based discount home furnishing store is part of the family of TJX Companies Inc., which includes TJ Maxx.

Five Below
Five Below sells everything from cellphone cases and chargers to yoga pants, footballs, candy and seasonal items for Halloween, Easter and Christmas.

Sleep Number
The Minnesota-based national chain sells mattresses, beds and bedding.

Pacific Dental Services
The California-based chain provides a full-range of dental services. It has more than 630 offices in 20 states.

Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless sells phones and accessories, as well as tablets and “fitbit” products.

America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses
America’s Best offers discounted services, including eye examinations, glasses and contacts.

Dollar Tree
The discount store traces its roots back more than 60 years to the Ben Franklin Variety store, and a concept of selling products for $1. It offers a wide array of products, including drinks, toys, candy, school supplies, home décor, gifts and cards.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
The Denver-based fast-casual restaurant is known for its burritos and tacos, and a philosophy of preparing meals-to-order with fresh ingredients. The company has more than 2,000 restaurants nationwide.

Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar
Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar is a New Orleans-based sports bar that is co-owned by New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees. It was founded by business partners who were walk-ons to the Louisiana State University’s basketball team. They opened their first restaurant near LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

Blaze Pizza
Blaze Pizza is a California-based fast-casual restaurant that serves made-to-order, fresh-from-scratch pizzas.

Earth Fare
The North Carolina-based specialty grocery store stocks its stores with organic, natural and local foods.

By Kathy Steele

Published January 2, 2019

More shops coming to Cypress Creek and Tampa Premium Outlets

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New retail is on the way to Cypress Creek Town Center, located west of the Interstate 75 interchange, on the north side of State Road 56.

Across the road, Tampa Premium Outlets will add a new big box store – the At Home Décor Superstore.

Construction on the infrastructure for the new shops is in early stages.

Berry Construction has obtained permits for Burlington (formerly Burlington Coat Factory), Earth Fare grocery store, Home Goods, and Five Below, for Cypress Creek Town Center.

At Home Décor Superstore is under construction at Tampa Premium Outlets. (Kathy Steele)

A representative for Sierra Properties, which is developing the site, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Permits are for parcels located along Sierra Center Boulevard, which already is populated with restaurants and shops.

Ford’s Garage, Mellow Mushroom, Men’s Wearhouse, Pollo Tropical, Chuy’s Tex Mex, Great Clips and Bahama Breeze are among existing tenants.

A 130-room Hyatt Place Hotel & Conference is nearing completion.

At Home Décor Superstore is under construction on an outparcel, off Grand Cypress Drive at the outlet mall, which is being developed by Simon Property Group. The store will be directly behind the Costco Warehouse Store.

Advertising on the exterior of a parked Home Décor truck touts a summer 2018 opening.

A company representative couldn’t be reached for comment.

The new retail will offer a range of shopping choices.

Burlington
The company began in 1924 as a wholesaler of women’s coats and junior suits. An outlet store opened in 1972 in Burlington, New Jersey. The shop expanded from women’s clothes to add men’s wear, sportswear and accessories.

Earth Fare
Earth Fare is a full-service supermarket that offers natural, healthy food choices. It began in 1975 as Dinner for the Earth, a health food store in Ashville, North Carolina. The first Earth Fare grocery store opened in 1994.

Home Goods
Home Goods is a discount home furnishings store with a range of departments, including furniture, gifts, bedding, pets, and home accents.

Five Below
Five Below is aimed at teens, preteens and their parents, selling an eclectic mix of items, including cellphone cases and chargers, yoga pants, footballs, and candy and seasonal items for Halloween, Easter and Christmas.

At Home Décor Superstore
The Texas-based discount home décor store sells upwards of 50,000 items in warehouse-size spaces. Departments include furniture, rugs, storage and organization, pots and planters, and lights.

Published June 20, 2018

Hotel, retail, restaurants — arriving soon

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More retail, and a Hyatt hotel, are coming to Cypress Creek Town Center, even as other new shops and restaurants are opening for business.

Along Sierra Center Boulevard, Mellow Mushroom, Great Clips, Mattress One, Men’s Wearhouse and Aspen Dental are open for business. Noire Nail Bar will soon open its doors, too.

Great Clips, Men’s Wearhouse, Noire Nail Bar, T-Mobile and Mellow Mushroom are storefronts in a small retail center at Cypress Creek Town Center. (Kathy Steele)

To the east, Chuy’s Tex Mex is headed to a spring opening, according to a news release from the national chain.

Next door, Bahama Breeze Island Grille is under construction.

A 132-room Hyatt Place hotel and convention center will open in July at the Cypress Creek Town Center, said Dilip Kanji, president and chief executive officer of Impact Properties Inc.

There is a lot of demand for hotels in the Wesley Chapel area, but Kanji said, “There’s not a lot of choices.”

The growth in the area is what attracted Impact Properties to build there.

“Pasco County is the fastest-growing county in the southeastern United States,” he said. “We typically prefer to get in when there are (more) spaces for growth.”

Kanji said the selection for prime locations narrows as more development happens.

At Cypress Creek Town Center, the hotel is situated at the Interstate 75 and State Road 56 interchange with immediate access also to Florida Hospital Center Ice and Tampa Premium Outlets.

Hyatt Place Hotel will open in July at the Cypress Creek Town Center.

Sierra Properties’ plans to build a 330,000-square-foot shopping center within the town center also was a draw, Kanji added.

Cypress Creek Town Center is approved for up to 2 million square feet of retail, hotel, apartments and offices, according to county records.

In the past year, new restaurants have opened at the town center along Sierra Center Boulevard, which leads to the Hyatt property. There is Ford’s Garage, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Pollo Tropical.

Other shops anticipated including Pet Smart and Burlington Coat Factory.

Kanji provided a list of other anticipated retail in the 330,000-square-foot project when he spoke at a luncheon, sponsored by The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (renamed the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce).

Kanji said he had permission to release the store’s names, which include Chipotle Mexican Grill, HomeGoods, Earth Fare, Hobby Lobby, Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar, and Blaze Pizza.

Kanji said he expected permitting as soon as April.

Spokespersons for the stores either didn’t respond to emails from The Laker/Lutz News, or wouldn’t confirm their plans.

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill is a Denver-based fast-casual restaurant founded in 1993. Menu items include burritos, bowls, tacos and salads, made to order. There are more than 2,200 Chipotle’s nationwide.
  • Earth Fare is a North Carolina-based specialty grocery store offering organic and natural foods. It has about 45 locations. Most are in the southeast and Midwest.
  • HomeGoods is a discount home furnishing store, based in Massachusetts. It is part of the family of TJX Companies Inc., which includes TJ Maxx.
  • Hobby Lobby is a family owned arts and crafts store that also sells picture frames, jewelry-making items, fabrics, and floral and wedding supplies. Founded in 1972 in Oklahoma City, there now are more than 800 stores in 47 states.
  • Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar is a New Orleans-based sports bar founded by Brandon Landry and Jack Warner. The business partners met in 1997 when they were walk-ons to the Louisiana State University’s basketball team. They opened their first location near LSU’s Tiger Stadium. Today, the company is co-owned by New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees.
  • Blaze Pizza is a California-based fast-casual restaurant founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel of Wetzels Pretzels. Similar to Chipotle, customers select the ingredients for their made-to-order, fresh-from-scratch pizzas.

Published March 14, 2018

More construction pops up on State Road 56

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Until recently the south side of State Road 56, by the Interstate 75 interchange, created the most commercial buzz.

Tampa Premium Outlets and a slew of restaurants turned grassland into a shopping and dining mecca.

More is on the way.

Construction is nearly complete on Wendy’s and Taco Bell, on Sierra Center Boulevard at Cypress Creek Town Center. The restaurants will join Ford’s Garage and Pollo Tropical, which opened a few months ago. (Kathy Steele)

Starbucks is the latest opening on the south side of the highway. It’s next to Culver’s.

But, now it’s the north side of the state road that’s starting to see a surge of new restaurants and shops as the next phase of Cypress Creek Town Center kicks into gear.

Sierra Center Boulevard, off the entryway at Grand Cypress Drive, is the center of the activity.

The town center straddles both sides of State Road 56, at its juncture with Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Interstate 75. The southern side largely is being developed by Simon Properties and Richard E. Jacobs, with Sierra Properties in control on the northern side. Its properties are listed under the ownership of Pasco Ranch, Inc.

Ford’s Garage and Pollo Tropical, which opened in recent months, were first up for Sierra.

Now, Wendy’s and Taco Bell are nearly ready for fast-food delivery.

Heading east along Sierra Center, work crews are rolling out a parking lot and laying landscaping for a multi-store retail center.

According to county permitting records, Men’s Wearhouse, Mellow Mushroom, Mattress One, T-Mobile, and Great Clips are future tenants.

Hutton, with headquarters in Chattanooga, is developing the retail center. Hutton representatives could not be reached for additional details.

A stand-alone Chuy’s Mexican Restaurant is slated for a spot just east of the shopping strip, according to county records.

In January, a pre-application meeting was held with county planners to discuss a location on Sierra Center for Bahama Breeze Island Grill.

Another restaurant headed to Cypress Creek is Newk’s Eatery. According to QSR Magazine, the company, based in Jackson, Mississippi, plans to open as many as 30 new restaurants in Florida in five years. Central Florida and the Tampa Bay area are target markets, with a menu of fresh-made soups, salads, sandwiches and California-style pizzas.

According to its website, the founders also opened McAlister’s Deli.

On the northern side of Sierra Center, permits for infrastructure have been issued attached to brand names of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Pet Smart and Burlington.

Five Below also is landing in the town center. The shop is a cornucopia for teens and preteens looking for games, jewelry, candy, makeup, computer gear, DVDs, books, school supplies and novelties. Everything is low-budget at $5 or below.

A six-story, 132-room Hyatt hotel is in permitting stages for infrastructure on another outparcel in the eastern area of Cypress Creek.

Cypress Creek could end up with two grocery stores.

Aldi representatives inquired in March about opening one of its discount grocery stores on an outparcel owned by Sierra that is at an entrance into Tampa Premium Outlets.

In June, a pre-application meeting was scheduled to discuss an approximately 24,000 square-foot grocery store at the northwest corner of State Road 56 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard – across from the Aldi site. That grocery store was not identified.

Plans also call for another 11,500 square feet of retail.

Published July 12, 2017

Facility upgrades highlight Leaguerettes 2017 season

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Coming off a calendar year of fast-pitch softball, the Lutz Leaguerettes have taken another step forward.

The girls recreational softball league recently announced the completion of several new capital improvement projects at both Oscar Cooler and Nye parks.

Some of the highlights:

  • Field refurbishments, including new clay and magnetic break-free bases on all five fields
  • Outdoor batting turfs and mats for hitting cages
  • New remote-operated scoreboards
  • Updated concession area with a sound system
  • Remodeled board room with new carpet and paint job
  • Park security cameras

Hillsborough County owns both parks, but the Leaguerettes have a field-usage agreement, and work closely with county’s parks and recreation department.

New clay surfaces are one of the many facility upgrades for the Lutz Leaguerettes 2017 spring fast-pitch season. The girls recreational fast-pitch organization plays its games at both Oscar Cooler Park and Nye Park. (Courtesy of Mike Cook)

Mike Cook, president of the Lutz Leaguerettes, said the additions were made gradually during the past 18 months to two years.

He estimates more than $40,000 in upgrades were made via a combination of donations, league funds and various sponsorships.

“We try not to skimp on equipment, because it gets used every day,” Cook said.

Affiliations with local professional sports teams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, USF Bulls) and other businesses (Disney World, Great Clips, Publix) also helped make the upgrades possible, he said.

“We work with a lot of different organizations,” Cook said. “We work with whoever we can.”

Though he’s unsure of a timeline, the league president said he’d eventually like to install CCTV video cameras for each field; the cameras would allow players’ families and friends to live stream Leaguerettes games through a computer.

The announced upgrades, meanwhile, follow what was an eventful 2016 for the organization.

Last January, the Leaguerettes announced they were offering a recreational fast-pitch league for the first time in its 37-year history.

Just six months later, the Leaguerettes discontinued their slow-pitch leagues altogether, citing dwindling registration figures and an overwhelming preference for fast-pitch.

(Other softball programs — the Brandon Leaguerettes, North Tampa Leaguerettes, Tampa Bay Velocity and FishHawk Miss Tampa Bay Softball — all transitioned exclusively to fast-pitch over the past few seasons.)

For the Leaguerettes, the exclusive move to fast pitch has been a success thus far.

The 2016 fall fast-pitch season reportedly had about 160 players.

That figure, Cook said, was about three times as many as previous slow-pitch fall leagues, which typically drew “40 or 50 players.”

“We were pleasantly surprised to get as many registered players as we did,” Cook said of the fall season. “I think a lot of that has to do with the upgrades to the field…and the word spreading of moving over to fast pitch.

“I’m really happy with the turnout.”

Meantime, the 2017 Leaguerettes spring season is just around the corner.

Registration is open through Jan. 21, with the season slated to kick off in February.

The spring league is limited to the first 300 players that sign up, due to available field space and resources; about 130 players were registered, as of Jan. 11.

Cook said six divisions will likely be offered, for girls ages 4 to 18.

They include: t-ball (ages 4-5), 8U (ages 6-8), 10U (ages 8-10), 12U (10-12), 14U (ages 12-14), 16U (ages 14 to 16) and 18U (ages 16 to 18).

Despite “some growing pains” in the initial transition to fast pitch, the second full season should be smoother, Cook acknowledged.

“We’ve had a lot to learn—a lot of meetings and a lot of different ideas,” Cook said. “We had to learn the rules of fast pitch compared to slow pitch.”

In fact, the organization brought in a few fast-pitch experts, training Leaguerettes coaches and players via skill clinics. League board members, too, spoke at length with high school coaches and athletic directors, learning the nuances of the game.

In general, the offensive strategy differs between fast pitch and slow pitch.

In fast pitch, the general offensive approach is to play ‘small ball,’ where bunting, slapping and hitting singles are heavily relied upon to generate runs. Conversely, offensive players in slow-pitch softball are often taught to hit the ball as far as possible, due to the relative ease at making contact.

More protective gear, such as facemasks, is also required in fast pitch.

“We’re at the point where we’re pretty sufficient in our knowledge of the game; a lot of people are happy about fast pitch,” Cook said. “We’re continuously evolving,”

The league president also noted there aren’t too many requests for slow pitch anymore.

“I think we’re at the point where everybody realizes we’re completely fast pitch, and now we’re just in the process of growing the league.”

Even so, the league’s “ultimate objective” remains the same — create a family based atmosphere in a community setting.

And, let the youngsters have fun. The Leaguerettes are a PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) Softball affiliate. For more information, visit LutzSoftball.com.

Published January 18, 2017