The Laker/Lutz News

South Branch Boulevard

Pasco keeps growing, despite COVID-19

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Business in Pasco County is coming back to life as residents, weary of a pandemic-enforced lockdown, venture back to the world of shopping and dining.

There are hopeful signs for commercial rebirth.

Continued residential growth in Bexley by Newland Communities generates foot traffic for nearby shops, restaurants, grocery stores and other small businesses. (B.C. Manion)

Neon “open” signs are visible in storefronts.

Banners planted at the roadside’s edge wave at passing motorists.

Parking lots at malls and shopping centers are filling up again.

But, it’s not just the established businesses that are reviving Pasco’s economy. Business owners and developers continue to invest in new retail especially along one of the county’s busiest east/west corridors – State Road 54 and State Road 56.

On State Road 54, west of U.S. 41, The Preserve Marketplace and two retail centers at Starkey Ranch are adding shops, restaurants, health care services, and offices.

At Bexley Ranch, in Land O’ Lakes, land is being cleared and leveled on Lot A for the Bexley South Office Park, off Bexley Village Drive, near Springhill Suites.

A Crunch Fitness is scheduled to open Aug. 25, off State Road 54 in Trinity.

This sign signals future plans for a car wash, just south of the new Aldi that opened at Cypress Creek Town Center. (B.C. Manion)

Meanwhile, on the State Road 54/56 corridor east of U.S. 41, there are new developments, too.

Near the juncture of State Road 56 and Interstate 75, a banner announces that Tidal Wave Auto Spa is coming to an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets.

In the same general area, Main Event, a 50,000-square-foot entertainment venue, celebrated its grand opening less than two weeks ago.

And, another Crunch Fitness is planning to open in October in the old Winn-Dixie location, off Collier Parkway and State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes.

The Collier Parkway location is a great choice for a fitness gym because it’s along a high traffic corridor, said Geoff Dyer, president of Crunch Fitness. “It’s in the heart of the (Land O’ Lakes) neighborhood,” he said.

Crunch Fitness is planning to open a gym in October in the former Winn-Dixie grocery store, at State Road 54 and Collier Parkway. An employee manned a display outside the site to take membership applications. Another Crunch Fitness is opening Aug. 25, off State Road 54, in Trinity. (Kathy Steele)

During the COVID-19 shutdown, work continued on the Trinity and Land O’ Lakes locations, Dyer said, adding, “for all intents and purposes, we haven’t seen any slow-down in our developments.”

He noted that Crunch Fitness gyms shut down for about two months at the start of the pandemic, but now the gyms are open and adhering to safety guidelines of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Membership has returned to about 95% of what it was pre-shutdown,” Dyer said.

While activity, in general, appears to be picking up and new construction continues to kick up dirt — a cloud hovers over business decisions due to the uncertain nature of COVID-19.

Ralph Santell and his family moved to Starkey Ranch and began plans to open Santelli Pizza & Pasta nearly three years ago. They saw the growth happening in Pasco.

His storefront is at Starkey Ranch Town Square, a plaza located at State Road 54 and Gunn Highway. A few tenants in the center, including J. Joseph Salon, are open.

Santelli Pizza & Pasta will open around September at Starkey Ranch Town Square, at State Road 54 and Gunn Highway. (Kathy Steele)

Santell plans to open by September, possibly with outdoor dining and takeout. He said he’ll decide closer to opening whether he’ll initially offer indoor dining.

“That (COVID-19) has been an extra challenge that influences things on a daily basis,” Santell said. “It’s been hard to navigate the whole COVID-19 situation. We take it one day at a time.”

Santell also owns a restaurant in the Westchase subdivision in Hillsborough County. That restaurant closed, then reopened, but is now closed again — except for takeout.

Another Starkey Ranch retail center at State Road 54 and Heart Pine Avenue – Starkey Ranch Business Park – also has a roster of tenants slated to open, including The Wicked Pour, Tropical Smoothie Café and Hungry Greek.

The pandemic slowed opening plans, but construction on the retail park is nearly finished.

“All of these are coming along,” said Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch. “With COVID-19, things take a bit longer.”

Additional outparcels at both retail centers are available for development — though it could take longer to get projects going, Call added.

Typically, residential construction is a key to spurring on new retail, Call said.

He said Starkey Ranch and Bexley by Newland are the top residential sellers in the Tampa Bay area. Together, they add about 800 residential units annually to Pasco, he said.

Work is underway on the Bainbridge Sunlake, an upscale apartment development, being built at Mentmore Boulevard and State Road 54, next to The Shoppes at Sunlake Centre. (B.C. Manion)

Pasco also is on an apartment building spree with about nine complexes planned or under construction.

Near the Tampa Premium Outlets and Cypress Creek Town Center, Brightwork Crossing apartment complex is attracting new renters to the commercial epicenter of the Wesley Chapel area.

Two Altis apartment complexes, one by Wiregrass Ranch on State Road 56 and a second on South Branch Boulevard at Starkey Ranch, are adding to Pasco tenant population.

Bainbridge Sunlake is an upscale apartment complex being built at State Road 54, and Mentmore Boulevard, next to The Shoppes at Sunlake Centre.

A new standalone Starbucks is coming soon to the Sunlake shopping center, as well.

Retail developments, including The Preserve Marketplace, are adding new tenants, including the recently opened anchor store – Greenwise. Majik Touch Cleaners is open, too.

Other tenants with plans to open include Chipotle, Heartland Dental and CVS Pharmacy.

“It’s going to be a cool little plaza when it’s done,” Call said. “I think Pasco is going to continue to grow. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

What’s happening along State Road 54
Here are some of the office, retail or residential developments that have opened or are in progress along State Road 54.

Construction on a dental office is nearing completion at Starkey Ranch Town Square, at State Road 54 and Gunn Highway. (Kathy Steele)

The Preserve Marketplace (State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway)

  • Greenwise Market, owned by Publix, is a specialty grocery store offering an array of organic and natural food products.
  • TouchPoint Medical manufactures medical dispensing equipment, including high-tech carts.
  • Organic Nails offers nail art and design services.
  • Heartland Dental provides administrative support and career development services among a network of dental partnerships
  • CVS Pharmacy is a national chain of drugstores.
  • Majik Touch Cleaners provides laundry and dry-cleaning services in Pasco and the Tampa Bay area.
  • Sport Clips provides haircuts for men and boys.
  • Panera Bread is a national chain that serves sandwiches, salads and pastries.
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill is a national chain restaurant serving made-to-order burritos, tacos, wraps and salads.
The Wicked Pour and Hungry Greek will open soon at Starkey Ranch Business Park, at State Road 54 and Heart Pine Avenue. (Kathy Steele)

Starkey Ranch Business Park (State Road 54 and Heart Pine Avenue)

  • The Wicked Pour is a craft beer, wine and taproom with board games, giant Jenga and cornhole.
  • Hungry Greek is a casual restaurant chain offering fast Greek food.
  • Urgent Vet offers after-hours care for pet illnesses and emergencies.
  • Abela Story, a women’s boutique, offers trendy styles for all tastes, and accessories.
  • Encore Nail Salon provides nail art and design, and other services.
  • Chase Bank is a full-service bank.
  • YogaSix is a hot yoga-style studio.
E sushi and Grill, a Japanese restaurant, is expected to open soon at Starkey Ranch Town Square, at State Road 54 and Gunn Highway. (Kathy Steele)

Starkey Ranch Town Square (State Road 54 and Gunn Highway)

  • Santelli Pizza & Pasta is a family-owned Italian restaurant with pizzas and pasta dishes.
  • E sushi & Grill is a Japanese restaurant.
  • J. Joseph Salon is a luxury hair salon.
  • Great Clips is a discount, walk-in hair salon.
  • Quality Plus Cleaners provides laundry and dry-cleaning services.
  • The UPS Store offers mailing, printing and mailbox services.
  • A dental office, which has not yet been identified, is on the outparcel across from Santelli Pizza.

Published July 29, 2020

TouchPoint Medical’s headquarters to open in 2020

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Construction began last week on TouchPoint Medical Inc.’s global headquarters on South Branch Boulevard in The Preserve, a new residential community off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Parkway.

Brian McNeill, president and CEO of TouchPoint — the parent company of TouchPoint Medical Inc. — offered remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony at TouchPoint Medical’s new global headquarters in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

The 142,000-square-foot facility in Land O’ Lakes is expected to be completed during 2020. The company will bring a total of 228 jobs to Pasco County, including 116 new jobs and other positions transferred from several locations.

The project represents more than $23 million in capital investment in Pasco County, according to officials with Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., the agency that seeks to attract new businesses and strengthen existing ones to bolster the county’s economy.

Officials from TouchPoint Medical and its parent company, elected leaders, TouchPoint employees and members of the community celebrated the groundbreaking on Feb. 6.

It was a blue sky kind of day, with speeches filled with enthusiasm — regarding the promise and potential that the new project represents.

When TouchPoint Medical Inc. began working with Pasco County officials, it discovered it shared many common values, said Pascal Testeil, the company’s president.

Brian McNeill, president and CEO of TouchPoint Inc., the parent company of TouchPoint Medical, told the crowd that as a private company the focus is “on doing what’s right for the long-term of the business. And, we look to create value over a long period of time.

“The investment that we’re making here in Pasco, Florida, is an example of our long-term commitment to our business, to our people, and to the communities in which we work and live,” McNeill said.

“I think this moment clearly demonstrates the power of aligning shared interests of private and public resources to create something new and exciting,” he added.

Pascal Testeil, president of TouchPoint Medical, said the company began looking for a location about a year ago, to enable its growth and expansion.

When it began working with the Pasco Economic Development Council’s staff and Pasco County, “we quickly discovered that we shared common values, such as growth, diversity, passion for creating value for customers and a strong sense of community.

“For all of those reasons, we were convinced that our new home should be here, in Pasco County,” Testeil said. “We want to be a contribution to the local economy,” he added.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells said he was pleased to see such a strong turnout of TouchPoint Medical employees at the groundbreaking ceremony, at the site where the company will have its new global headquarters.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells marveled at TouchPoint’s commitment to its employees, and at the sizable presence of TouchPoint team members at the event.

The commissioner added: “We are very excited to bring more jobs and economic growth to Pasco County. The new jobs coming to the county will range from product development, business services, customer and technical support, as well as manufacturing.”

Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco EDC, said “this land represents a great foundation to do business. It’s a wonderful location in the middle of the fastest-growing market in the United States, the southeast U.S.

“The foundation here is also strengthened by the community leaders and elected officials,” Cronin said.

The economic development leader also pledged a continuing partnership with the company.

Company and local officials fling shovels of sand to mark the groundbreaking for TouchPoint Medical Inc.’s global headquarters. It is expected to create 116 new jobs in Pasco County.

“We thank you for making the decision to move here,” Cronin said. “We are here for the long-run. We want to see you grow and prosper.”

TouchPoint Medical incentives
The Pasco County Commission previously approved $1.7 million in incentives to attract TouchPoint Medical Inc., to Pasco County.

The packages includes:

  • About $464,000 to be paid over eight years in return for providing new jobs
  • Up to $150,000 in payments or credits for permitting fees
  • An estimated $980,000 in property tax rebates over 10 years
  • $100,000 in reimbursable employee training costs

TouchPoint Medical will partner with AmSkills as part of training and recruitment.

AmSkills is an initiative that helps high school students, adults and veterans learn manufacturing job skills.

Published February 13, 2019