The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Suncoast Parkway

ICI Homes Continues to Sell and Expand in Today’s Market

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ICI Homes, one of Florida’s best-known and prestigious homebuilders, is continuing to sell and expand, as a large number of buyers from different markets across the country are still trying to move to Pasco County.

“Out-of-state buyers from east to west coast are attracted to Pasco County because of its highly desirable master-planned communities, excellent schools and superior road network,” says Greg Jones, Tampa division manager for ICI Homes.

For ICI Homes, Pasco is the hub of its Tampa Bay operations. Its team is dedicated to helping families find beautiful lots and select from a variety of floor plans in some of Pasco’s most prestigious communities — Asturia in Odessa, Bexley in Land O’Lakes, Persimmon Park in Wesley Chapel, and Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club in Dade City.

Move-in Ready Homes are Available at Lake Jovita
Move-in showcase inventory homes are currently under construction and will be ready by the end of this year in Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club, for customers who are looking to settle down in Dade City for that short, 20-minute drive to Wesley Chapel and the old-fashioned charm of downtown Dade City.

Some of the inventory homes that will be offered in Lake Jovita include the Charlotte, Costa Mesa and Egret. According to Jones, all three floor plans are some of the most popular floor plans throughout the state of Florida.

The Charlotte, Costa Mesa and Egret range from just over 2,000 to 3,000 square feet and are all offering large indoor and outdoor living areas along with oversized bedrooms. Each floor plan is positioned on premium homesites throughout the community and are well appointed with the latest design features.

Phase Two of Persimmon Park is Opening Soon
The land development team is working hard on phase two, which is almost completed. ICI Homes will be starting to offer a VIP interest list this July.

“With the continued high demand for the Wesley Chapel area, we are excited to have finished phase one of Persimmon Park and are looking forward to starting phase two,” says Jones.

Located in Wesley Chapel by The Shops at Wiregrass, all Persimmon Park homes have open floor plans with front porches, and garages and alleys at the back of the home. Its amenity center includes a unique T-shaped luxury pool, with cabanas and a grilling area.

The Primrose is Persimmon Park’s most popular floor plan. This two-story plan features nearly 2,500 square feet of living space, with a master bedroom suite on the main level, along with one guest bedroom and bathroom. The spacious living area is connected to a beautiful kitchen and dining area, with plenty of room for family and friends to gather. The second story includes two additional bedrooms, a full bath, and a bonus room that is perfect for gaming, entertaining, family time or guest privacy.

Connerton is Almost Sold Out
As for Connerton, Jones says the demand is equally as high and warns that the community is almost completely sold out.

“Connerton, Pasco County’s largest, master-planned, mixed-use community is located in Land O’ Lakes and is one of the developments that many people are interested in,” says Jones.

Only four homesites currently are available at Connerton, but a recent showcase home in the community will be ready by the end of the year for potential buyers.

A popular gated community within Connerton, Rose Pointe, offers a clubhouse with a full-time activities director, fitness center, gym, large resort-style pool and more. This small, gated community is one of the many features that makes Connerton stand out to potential homebuyers.

Another gem in the Rose Pointe community is the Connerton Nature Preserve, which features a scenic 2-mile trail that winds through natural wilderness, lakes and wetlands. The trail’s 10-foot-wide sidewalks allow for easy biking and walking through Connerton’s picturesque landscape.

A New Phase is Coming to Bexley
ICI Homes is excited to be back in Bexley and offering a wide range of floor plans. A VIP interest list will be offered to potential buyers this July.

Bexley, a planned community that embraces Land O’Lakes natural settings, has thousands of acres of preserved wetlands, miles of recreational trails and a great location off State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway.

ICI Homes model homes are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m., on Sunday. The Persimmon Park model is at 3793 Lajuana Blvd., Wesley Chapel; the Lake Jovita Sales Center is at 12330 Lake Jovita Blvd., in Dade City; and the Asturia model is at 2112 Secret Cove in Odessa. To schedule a VIP appointment, call 844-349-6401, or email Jones at .

Published June 29, 2022

Dayspring Academy is planning a school in Angeline

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The Pasco County School Board and Creation Foundation, doing business as Dayspring Academy, plan to work together on a new elementary charter school to serve an emerging community in Central Pasco.

The Pasco County School Board approved an agreement at its June 21 meeting, which sets the stage for a new elementary school for 600 students to be built in Angeline, in an area just south of State Road 52 and west of Sunlake Boulevard, according to an agreement in the board’s agenda packet.

Dayspring and the school board have agreed to fund the project through impact fees. The school will serve kindergarten through fifth grade students.

“Dayspring and the school board desire to partner with each other in this endeavor and as such will work to blend the charter school program and curriculum with the future board STEM 6-12 magnet,” the agreement says. The objective is to open the school in 2024.

The agreement also spells out how construction should proceed, how payments will be made, and so on.

Angeline is a new development spanning 6,200 acres, which is south of State Road 52 and east of the Suncoast Parkway. The new 6-12 magnet school already is under construction in the heart of a town center that is near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County campus.

That campus is expected to become a magnet for world-class cancer researchers and life science companies.

The board approved the agreement as part of its consent agenda, meaning it was approved with a number of other agenda items without board discussion.

Published June 29, 2022

Model homes expected soon in new ‘city’ of Angeline

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Crews are busy at Angeline, a new 6,200-acre master-planned community in Central Pasco.

A recent tour of the property, given by Vaike O’Grady, vice president of marketing and communications for Metro Development Group, provided an early glimpse of the emerging development.

Fabric banners proclaim Angeline, on a portion of Sunlake Boulevard, just south of State Road 52.

Angeline is a massive community that’s in the early stages of development. It is being likened to a small city, built from the internet up, by Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development Group. (Courtesy of Metro Development Group)

A welcome center is under construction.

Some street signs already are posted, including Banyan Breeze Boulevard and Anchor Dune Drive.

Vibrant signs proclaim some of the community’s values: Thrive. Nourish. Learn. Connect.

Lennar will build the first homes in Angeline, from its Active Adult Collection, with model homes expected to open this summer.

A multimillion amenity center and clubhouse will be constructed within Lennar’s gated neighborhood — featuring a resort-style swimming pool, fitness center, tennis, pickleball and bocce ball courts, and more.

“We are currently launching with four (builders). Just like in any of our large communities, we would expect to have a very diverse mix — anywhere from eight to 10 builders, over time,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development Group.

“We like to create multigenerational communities, so everything from townhomes, villas, entry-level single-family homes, move up, luxury, for rent, multifamily apartments.

“Our goal is to be able to offer a very diverse product mix, so there’s something in it for everyone,” he said.

Angeline will be massive
When completely built out, Angeline is expected to have about 35,000 people, Goyani said.

The community will be home to H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County 775-acre campus, which is entitled for up to 24 million square feet of planned clinical and research facilities.

Plans include a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

Its footprint is larger than downtown Tampa.

“It’s super exciting. We can’t more thrilled to have an anchor like Moffitt Cancer Center here,” Goyani said.

Recently, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $20 million in funding for Moffitt, which would have been recurring for 30 years. At the same time, he left intact $106 million in funding for infrastructure for Moffitt.

Goyani said the governor’s veto will have no impact on Metro Development Group’s plans in Angeline.

Moffitt issued a statement following the recent legislative session, thanking the governor and legislative leadership for their support of Moffitt’s efforts.

In part, that statement says: “The new funding approved will help accelerate Moffitt’s expansion efforts in Pasco County to better serve more patients, increase our research and education efforts, create new jobs and make our vision to build a global destination to live, work and cure cancer a reality.”

Not far from the planned Moffitt site, Pasco County Schools is building a 6-12 STEAM Magnet School, focusing on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Goyani said the school is significant.

This depicts the 6-12 STEAM Magnet school under construction in Angeline. It’s on a site near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County research and medical campus. (Courtesy of Metro Development Group)

“That’s an integral part of our town center. It’s the first of its kind, not only from an educational standpoint, but from a place-making standpoint that we’ve integrated a four-story school, right within the heart of the town center,” Goyani said.

Angeline also will feature the latest in technology.

“We’re creating an entire city, from the internet up,” said Goyani, obviously passionate about what that will mean to the people who live and work there.

“Angeline is going to have the fastest connectivity in the Tampa Bay area at over 2 gigs —included for everyone who moves into the community.

“At a very fundamental level, we see technology as the great connector and the great equalizer, especially in today’s world.

“Technology is the only thing that can bridge the digital divide.

“So, you could be a school student, you could be a CEO high-level executive, you could be an hourly laborer — but guess what, one thing in common to everyone is technology.

“When I’m looking for a restaurant, I’m connecting to the same level of connectivity. I’m using the same maps, I’m using the same websites that a CEO or an executive or someone else would do, if you bring the same technology to everybody, regardless of where they live.

“They rent an apartment, the live in a townhome, or they live in a multimillion dollar home — we want them to be able to connect, learn, stay healthy, by getting access to the same technology,” Goyani said.

Angeline promotes wellness
The new community in Central Pasco is designed to promote good health.

It will have a professionally managed working farm. It will have a regional park.

(B.C. Manion)

An extensive trail network will weave throughout Angeline and will have connections to the Starkey Preserve, the Connerton Preserve and the Crossbar Ranch Preserve.

“We want to create the healthiest zip code in the country,” Goyani said.

For one thing, people who want to do telehealth appointments are unlikely to encounter problems with the strength of their internet connection.

Besides encouraging good health, the trails provide easy connections between people and the places they want to go, he said.

“You could go on a bicycle, golf cart. You can take an e-bike, you could take a scooter; (or) autonomous golf carts, when they arrive eventually. Or, you could just bike and run,” Goyani said.

“You should be able to get to anywhere within the community without hopping in your car,” Goyani said.

Angeline also promotes sustainability, he said.

It will have state-of-the art battery- and solar-powered streetlights that are completely off-grid and are dark-sky compliant.

It also will retain much of its natural beauty.

“Preserving the natural area is part of our sustainability goal. More than half of the Angeline project is conservation and preserve areas,” Goyani said.

“The way we do that is basically bending our building footprints and subdivision phases around the existing natural areas, and respecting what’s out there that came before us.

“It’s obviously harder. It’s also expensive. But we think that’s the right way to do it,” Goyani said.

One manmade amenity that’s expected to be popular is Angeline’s planned crystal lagoon. The development group established the first lagoon in Florida in Epperson in Wesley Chapel, and another one is under construction in its Mirada development.

This aerial shows the welcome center for Angeline that’s under construction near Sunlake Boulevard and State Road 52. (Courtesy of Metro Development Group)

The lagoon sparks interest, Goyani said.

“So, you’re in California, you’re in New York, you want to move to Florida. Or, you’re living in South Tampa, and you say, ‘OK, why would I go up to Angeline?

“The lagoon provides that visual ‘Wow,’” Goyani said.

He also noted: “What we saw during Covid was that it was just a great way for people to safely gather outdoors, continue with their life.

“It just provides for good, all-around family enjoyment,” he said.

Metro Development Group’s involvement in Angeline began in 2018, when it acquired the property.

“Originally, Lennar had it under contract, and based on what they saw what we’d done at Connected City, the ability to transform an entire region, they approached us to see if we would be interested in taking over Angeline. That’s how we got involved,” he said.

The property’s size and its access to the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 52, as well as the Ridge Road extension running through it, made Angeline appealing to Metro Development Group.

“We want to create something that is of this size and scale, that can also handle traffic for the next 50 years,” Goyani said.

Angeline, a 6,200-acre master-planned community, one day will be like a small city.

Plans for the area, which is south of State Road 52 and east of the Suncoast Parkway, include:

  • Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus, a 775-acre life sciences and research park, expected to attract researchers and companies from around the world
  • A diversity of residential options, expected to appeal to be people of all ages in different stages of life
  • A community farm
  • A 6-12 STEAM Magnet School (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).
  • 3,600 acres of green space and an extensive trail system
  • A MetroLagoon
  • The fastest internet in the nation, accessible to all within the community
  • Access to State Road 52, the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road. An extension of Ridge Road will run through the property, ending at U.S. 41.

Published June 22, 2022

Pasco readies for Suncoast Parkway Trail overpasses

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Pasco County continues to lay the groundwork for overpasses on the Suncoast Parkway, at State Road 52 and at State Road 54.

The Pasco County Commission on May 3 adopted an amendment to a Locally Funded Agreement between the county and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the planned bicycle/pedestrian overpass at Suncoast Trail, over State Road 52.

Board members approved the amendment for $216,447, as part of the board’s consent agenda — meaning it was approved as part of a bundle of items, without discussion.

This trio of cyclists, led by Tom Spock, completes a ride on the Suncoast Parkway Trail, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Land O’ Lakes man is accompanied by Michael Russell and Leslie Spock. Plans call for installing overpasses at State Road 54 and at State Road 52, giving cyclists safe access to the trail. (File)

At its Feb. 3 meeting, the board approved a lump sum for the design and construction of the overpass, and the agreement calls for FDOT to be responsible for preparing the design plans, advertising, and letting the construction contract, to include utility coordination, permitting and the Construction Engineering Inspection for the project.

In the agreement, the county is responsible for the completion of all required survey, geotechnical exploration, and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE).

Since then, it has been decided that the FDOT would be responsible for completing the work the county was going to do, since FDOT already has consultants in place to perform the necessary work.

The total estimated project cost is slightly under $10 million, which the county has provided.

It now will furnish the additional funds, by May 27, for geotechnical exploration, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) and survey activities associated with this project.

The design, including geotechnical work, is slated to begin this year and be completed by 2023, Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

In another action, the county board approved amending an agreement with the FDOT for work associated with the planned overpass at State Road 54 and the Suncoast Trail. That agreement increased the county’s contribution by $190,007.

That action also was on the board’s consent agenda.

Like the work for the other overpass, this agreement covers expenses for work that FDOT will now do, instead of the county, relating to geotechnical exploration, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) and survey activities associated with this project.

The design work on the State Road 54 overpass is expected to be completed in 2023 and the construction is expected to be completed in 2024.

Published May 11, 2022

State Road 52 is becoming a magnet for new development

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a rezoning to allow more than 1,400 residential units, and nearly 117,000 square feet of commercial and office uses on a site on State Road 52.

Specifically, the rezoning would allow 953 single-family detached units, 119 single-family attached units, 336 multifamily units and 116,882 square feet of commercial/office uses on 493 acres.

The site is within the Central Pasco Employment Village, an area designated by the Pasco County Commission years ago to create a coordinated vision among a group of landowners.

The plan envisions a mixed-use employment village on more than 2,400 acres, located along the south side of State Road 52, roughly between Collier Parkway Extension and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard. The employment village is expected to contain commercial, residential and industrial uses.

Attorney Joel Tew represented Lennar Homes, applicant/developer, and the Swope family entities, which own the land.

Tew reminded the planning board: “You’ll recall that last summer, we completed a plan amendment that updated and modified the CPEV (Central Pasco Employment Village) overall master plan for the entire acreage that has the 20 or so multiple landowners.”

During that plan amendment process, Tew said, his client was strongly encouraged to entertain an entitlement exchange with another property owner.

“We relocated a large quantity of industrial, corporate office entitlements that were in the center of the overall plan, we relocated that to the eastern part, so they would be adjacent to the existing Southworth site, where the Amazon facility was being contemplated.

“So, we have now been able to better concentrate the large employment areas in, say, the eastern third of CPEV, and then we moved the residential to the center.

“That did two things. Obviously, you got the critical mass for the employment that (the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.) EDC was looking for on the eastern end. It’s closer to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, where they had existing sewer/water and infrastructure.

“We’re here to now rezone the Swope parcel to memorialize, primarily, the residential entitlements that were traded for, together with this quantity of support commercial/office that’s being retained in that center part.

“We’re doing exactly what we promised you and the board, a year ago, we would do,” Tew said,

“To our knowledge, as of today, we now have no objections from any of the other stakeholders in CPEV,” Tew said.

Achieving that consensus was not easy, given the number of owners involved in CPEV, he said. But he speculated the harmony among owners may stem from the Swope family’s willingness to take considerably less entitlement than the methodology would allow.

He explained that Heidt Design came up with a methodology and a chart for assigning entitlements, based on net developable acreage and the different levels of density or intensity that the master plan assigned to parcels.

Tew told the planning board: “Swope is only asking you to zone about 25% of the multifamily that they would have been entitled to, under that methodology. So, they’re leaving a large number of multifamily units, in the pot.

“They had high density residential on virtually all of their acreage, so they could have taken a lot more,” Tew explained.

The planning board unanimously recommended approval of the rezoning request, which now goes to the Pasco County Commission for final approval.

As an aside, Tew told the planning board that “there’s very high interest in the portion of CPEV that has industrial entitlements. I think we’re going to get a lot of action there,” Tew said.

He also noted that he represents Pasco Town Center, at Interstate 75 and State Road 52, which has modified a pending master-planned unit development to increase entitlements to 4 million square feet.

“The market believes that you have arrived, that Pasco County has arrived on the industrial and office employment jobs,” Tew said.

Requests coming before the planning board for new mixed-use projects and apartment developments along State Road 52 signal the growing interest in the area.

One significant project that plans to set up shop on State Road 52 is Amazon, which intends to  build a 517,220-square-foot facility, on a site at State Road 52 and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard.

The $150 million Amazon Robotic Sortation Center (ARSC) is being built at Eagle Industrial Park, a 127-acre property that was identified as part of the Pasco EDC Ready Sites Program. It is expected to employ 500 workers.

Meanwhile, further to the west, the new Angeline mixed-use community — being billed as a wellness-themed community — is planned on thousands of acres, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52.

Within that community, Moffitt Cancer Center plans to have a Pasco campus that will include  a massive research and corporate innovation district.

Site entitlements for Moffitt’s project, which encompass 24 million square feet, include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space.

The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

Published May 04, 2022

Plans moving forward in Angeline community

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Pasco County Schools has begun construction on a $52.7 million magnet school in the Angeline community, which is expected to offer an array of new opportunities for students in grades six through 12.

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools, offered a brief update on the project during the Pasco County School Board’s April 19 meeting.

Work has begun on putting up the stem walls on the project, Gadd said. “We’re on time, despite supply chain issues,” he said.

“It’s going to be another great facility in Pasco County,” the deputy superintendent added.

The school board approved a contract in November with Ajax Building Company, to construct the building on an 18.8-acre site in the new Land O’ Lakes development, which is being billed as a wellness community.

Angeline will emerge on thousands of acres of land, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52. The area includes Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County campus.

County Administrator Dan Biles anticipates the cancer center’s presence in Pasco to spur what he has described as “generational change.”

The project is expected to include a massive research and corporate innovation district.

It has site entitlements that encompass 24 million square feet, and include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

At previous school board meetings, Gadd has reported that the school district, Moffitt and Pasco-Hernando State College are collaborating to create a magnet school, featuring unique offerings and opportunities for students.

The school is designed for 1,700 students. Its plans call for a facility with 186,882 gross square feet.

The project is expected to be substantially completed in April 2023, with final completion in June 2023.

In an unrelated action, the Pasco County Commission has approved earmarking $50,000 for a park project in Angeline.

County board members approved the expenditure during their April 19 meeting, allocating the money to be used for a stormwater and flood plain engineering analysis related to a future park.

Published April 27, 2022

Pasco transportation planning board talks priorities

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has adopted a draft of its transportation improvement plan for fiscal years 2023 to 2027.

The board, which is made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Port Richey, New Port Richey, Dade City and Zephyrhills, gave preliminary approval to a draft brought to them at their April 14 meeting, by the MPO staff.

Scott Ferry, a transportation planner for the MPO, outlined some of the major improvements included in the draft TIP. They are:

  • The widening of State Road 52, from east of U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard: $121.5 million
  • Interstate 75 to Interstate 275 corridor improvements, from County Line Road to State Road 56: $57.6 million
  • U.S. 98 Bypass, around Dade City: $35.8 million
  • U.S. 41/State Road 54 interchange design and right of way acquisition: $33.6 million
  • Pedestrian overpasses over the Suncoast Parkway, at State Road 54 and State Road 52: $18.7 million
  • Roadway lighting projects on State Road 52, State Road 54 and U.S. 301: $4.7 million

A final approval is not expected until the board’s meeting in June. Once adopted, the TIP, as it’s known, will become effective July 1.

Ferry also told the board that Pasco has been faring extremely well, in terms of funding from the Florida Department of Transportation.

“Comparing funding levels with the current TIP, with the draft TIP, we see that funding is increasing by 68% in fiscal year 2023; 9% in (fiscal year) 2024; 145% in fiscal year 2025; and, 56% in (fiscal) year 2026.

“Comparing current total funding, with the draft TIP funding, spending is projected to increase by an overall amount of $154 million, for an increase of funding of almost 50% over a five-year period.

“This very large increase reflects the Florida DOT’s commitment to Pasco County and the recognition of the many transportation improvements that exist in the county. The MPO and the county are very grateful to the Florida DOT, for their strong commitment to their partnership with the county.

“It goes without saying, it’s very significant to the county and it’s going to go a long way toward addressing a great many unmet needs,” Ferry said.

Before he shared some of the high points, Ferry provided an overview regarding why adopting the TIP is both significant, and essential.

Without it, Ferry said, federal funds could not be spent on projects within the county.

“The TIP is a five-year schedule and program of federal, state and locally funded transportation projects in Pasco County. It reflects the Pasco MPO’s short-term transportation programming priorities,” Ferry said.

Developing the TIP is required by federal law and it must be updated annually, under state law, he said.

“The TIP is required to be fiscally constrained, which means the amount that is planned to be spent on the projects in the TIP cannot exceed the estimated amount of funding that’s available during the five-year period.”

It includes a list of all transportation programs and projects funded by federal and state funds, and includes all regionally significant projects, regardless of the funding source.

“That includes any projects that are county funded or privately funded, that are deemed to be regionally significant.”

Categories that are included among the priorities in the TIP include:

  • MPO planning efforts
  • Traffic operations and safety improvements
  • Intelligent Transportation projects
  • Additional roadway capacity improvements
  • Resurfacing projects
  • Bicycle and pedestrian improvements
  • Transit projects

It also includes funding for improvements to the Suncoast Parkway.

The agenda backup materials also included maps for:

  • Proposed highway capacity improvement projects
  • Bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects locations
  • Safety improvement projects
  • County capital project locations

On another note, Commission Kathryn Starkey offered a shorter-term solution, to address congestion on State Road 52, before the final segment of that roadway is widened in Pasco.

“I drive it all of the time to get here (to Dade City), Starkey said.

“I was wondering if it is possible to at least get a passing lane, because it is full of construction trucks, pulling in and off.

“And, if we could get some passing lanes here and there, that would make a huge difference in that five years.”

“A few passing lanes in the meantime would make a huge difference to commuters on that road, especially as more and more construction trucks, with Angeline and other projects coming on there.

“It’s going to be stop-and-go, and someone is going to get hurt, like me, trying to zip around those cars and trucks.”

Published April 20, 2022

Commercial growth popping up in Pasco

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Brick-and-mortar projects are rising rapidly, expanding Pasco County’s booming growth.

Construction crews are building shops, restaurants, Class A offices, gas and convenience stores, and car washes — on sites with “Coming Soon” signs.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill is under construction at the Cypress Creek Town Center, off Sierra Center Boulevard, next to Bonefish Grill. (Kathy Steele)

The county’s major commercial corridors – State Road 54 and State Road 56 – remain the epicenters of a construction juggernaut.

But Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41, is an emerging source of expanded commercial and retail development.

Workers in hard hats and construction equipment engaged in projects are common sights on primary corridors in Pasco County.

Beginning on State Road 56, east of Interstate 75, options at The Shops at Wiregrass are expanding, or have expanded, to include Body Details; Crazy Sushi; Leonidas; and The Living Room.

New arrivals nearby include the Fairfield Inn & Suites, and Morningstar Storage.

On the west side of I-75, on State Road 56, new businesses are opening at Tampa Premium Outlets and Cypress Creek Town Center.

Zaxby’s opened in September on an outparcel on the south side of State Road 56, as part of the Cypress Creek Town Center. A Chicken Salad Chick restaurant is expected to open in a shell building under construction next door.

Tampa Premium Outlets, on the south side of the state highway, is adding Zumiez, according to the outlet’s website. The store features “cutting-edge” clothing, shoes, accessories and brand names for skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing.

Zaxby’s fast-food chicken restaurant opened in September on an outparcel of the Cypress Creek Town Center expansion, also on the south side of State Road 56, between Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Sun Vista Drive. Chicken Salad Chick is expected to occupy space in a new building under construction next to Zaxby’s, according to county permits.

On the north side of State Road 56, a Carrabba’s Italian Grill is under construction, next to Bonefish Grill in the Cypress Creek Town Center.

El Dorado is a 70,000-square-foot furniture store that will showcase as many as 20 storefronts offering furniture choices from contemporary to traditional. It is being built in front of Brighthouse Crossings apartments, near the Cypress Creek Town Center and Tampa Premium Outlets. A June opening is anticipated.

Also, a January 2023 opening is expected for the 300-unit, four-story Silversaw apartment homes, on Garden Village Way, off the town center’s Sierra Center Boulevard. Work also continues for the 260-unit Garrett Apartments at Cypress Creek Town Center..

Heading toward Land O’ Lakes, the Avila Living apartment complex is rising at State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard. Brick-and-mortar also is visible now at EOS Fitness.

U.S. 41, heading west from State Road 54, has had activity in recent months, too.

Circle K and 7-Eleven opened new gas stations and convenience stores on the federal highway, which locally is known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

The Circle K replaced a demolished older strip mall at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Hale Road. The 7-Eleven and a Radiant car wash filled out a vacant corner at the Bell Lake Road intersection.

Land O’ Lake residents are eagerly awaiting the opening of Stonewater Grill, which fronts Bell Lake.

Stonewater Grill is a waterfront restaurant that is expected to open on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard in early May. The restaurant will offer a range of menu options, craft beers and cocktails, a wine room, and an outdoor bar with patio dining.

In its previous renditions, the restaurant operated as Rapscallions, was rumored to be a future Hooter’s location that never came to fruition, and then served customers as Mosquito Grill and Bar, before closing and falling into disrepair.

Years ago, county officials moved to demolish the vacant and dilapidated structure.

But co-owners Dominic Difante and Scott Harris saw potential and now plan to open Stonewater Grill in early May.

They tore down most of the old structure and replaced it with a modern, stone-infused restaurant that will offer what Difante describes as an “elevated casual” dining experience.

The menu will include burgers, wings, tuna, steaks, chicken, and other options to please all tastes, Difante said.

There also will be patio dining with a bar, a wine room, a large event room with a bar, and an outdoor lounge area. He hopes to see customers dining, watching sports on large screen television, and returning two to three times a week, he added.

He hopes in the future to build a 75-foot dock, also suitable for outdoor dining.

“It’s a good area, a visible area,” Difante said. “I’m glad to be here.”

Projects galore on State Road 54
On State Road 54, moving west of the U.S. 41 intersection, an array of shops, restaurants, Class A offices and new apartments are transforming former pastureland.

The Shops at Ballantrae and the Cypress Ranch residential and commercial development especially are busy.

The Hub at Bexley is a new shopping and activity center at Bexley by Newland master-planned community, off State Road 54. Several shops and restaurants are scheduled to open by the end of 2022.

At Ballantrae, on Aprile Drive, the 54 Crossings Professional Center is under construction. The Class A office project includes two 60,000-square-foot office buildings. It will offer luxury flexible office space, lush landscaping, bicycle racks, a pavilion and walking trails, according to its website.

A shell building is under construction, also on Aprile, that will include a Five Guys restaurant and Trulieve, a medical marijuana store, according to county permits.

Opposite Ballantrae, Cypress Ranch is adding apartments and retail. Aldi’s grocery store, on Skybrooke Road, and Panda Express, on Harpers Run, are under construction. County permits also show work underway for EOS Fitness, Pacific Dental Services, The Learning Experience, and Chick-fil-A.

Next to a new Circle K gas and convenience store, Burger King is serving burgers and Woodie’s Car Wash is cleaning cars.

4 & Co. is a luxury business center and co-working space under construction on Bexley Village Drive in Bexley by Newland master-planned community.

Further west toward the Suncoast Parkway, The Hub at Bexley, off Bexley Village Drive, plans to open by the end of 2022. Its website lists future tenants for what is promised as a community gathering center, where residents can “come, stay and play.”

Among future tenants are Amazing Lashes; Bubbakoo’s Burritos; Checkmate Escape Rooms; Downright Deli & Donuts; Dr. Bawany dental office; Duckweed Liquors; Headlines Barbers; Haute Nails and Spa; P-Fit Fitness; Revolution Ice Cream; and The Poke Company.

Off Bexley Village Drive and Early Riser Drive, 4 & Co. Is planned for a summer 2022 opening. The company will offer about 35,000 square feet of Class A offices and co-workspaces. Amenities include a gym, yoga studio, sauna, a treatment room for acupuncture, and conference rooms.

The Springhill Suites by Marriott, also on Bexley Village Drive, is checking in guests.

In Odessa, commercial development at Starkey Ranch is expanding.

A new retail center – Shoppes at Starkey Crossings – is scheduled for an early 2023 opening on the north side of State Road 54 and Gunn Highway, opposite the Starkey Ranch Town Square, anchored by Publix. Details on tenants are not announced, but the shopping center will have 20,000 square feet of leasable space, including a drive-thru window at one end.

Stay tuned. There’s more to come in Pasco, soon.

By Kathy Steele

Published April 20, 2022

Pasco officials await final word on state appropriations

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Pasco County officials were awaiting word early this week on the fate of a proposed $14 million appropriation to help cover the costs of the completion of the Ridge Road extension.

State lawmakers were set to have their final vote on the budget on March 14, which was after The Laker/Lutz News went to press.

Even if the appropriation was approved, Gov. Ron DeSantis has until June 30 to act on the budget, which becomes official on July 1.

The one-time $14 million appropriation is being sought to help pay for the final phase of the Ridge Road extension, which ultimately creates a connection between Moon Lake Road, in New Port Richey to U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco officials have lobbied for the state spending. They say Ridge Road provides a needed hurricane evacuation route for coastal residents. They also tout the project’s ability to improve mobility within the county, by creating another east-west traffic corridor, in addition to state roads 52 and 54.

Plus, the project, which is due for completion in 2025, is expected to have a positive impact on economic development.

It is viewed as a critical piece of infrastructure to support the development of Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned 775-acre acre in Central Pasco.

Besides awaiting word on the appropriation, Pasco County officials are pushing for an agreement with Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, to allow traffic to head northbound  from Ridge Road to the Suncoast Parkway.

The county board had authorized County Administrator Dan Biles to pursue an agreement that would allow the county to temporarily pay for tolls on the Suncoast Parkway — to accommodate the complete opening of the Ridge Road extension at that interchange.

The agreement is needed because Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise must collect tolls for users on the toll road.

But Commissioner Mike Moore and Biles reported to the board that no progress had been made because the county had not heard back from Turnpike Enterprise.

With that, the county board voted to authorize a letter to be sent to the governor, seeking prompt action.

Meanwhile, Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey reached out to David Gwynn, secretary of the District 7 office of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Gwynn reached out to an official at Turnpike Enterprise, and he was assured that action would be taken later that day or the next day.

Once that agreement is reached, the interchange is expected to be fully opened within a week, according to county staff.

In another action on March 8, the county board approved a change order to the professional services agreement with NV5 Inc., in the amount of amount of $701,994.70 for fiscal year 2022, to provide additional design, permitting, utility coordination, and bid services for Phase 2b of the Ridge Road extension, from Sunlake Boulevard to U.S. 41.

Details of the change order were spelled out in the board’s agenda packet. The item was approved as part of the board’s consent agenda, meaning there was no public comment and it was approved with other agenda items, in a single action.

Approval of the change order will result in a cumulative subtotal amount of $1,391,724.70 for Phase 2b of the project and a cumulative total amount of $16,143,847.99 for all phases of the Ridge Road extension, from Moon Lake to U.S. 41.

On Dec. 8, 2020, the board approved a change order with NV5 for design services and CSX coordination for the Ridge Road Extension Phase 2b project.

The design services were limited to roadway plans up to 60% completion and structural plans up to 90%, which was the minimum necessary for the coordination with CSX.

The change order was awarded for the not-to-exceed amount of $689,730 for FY 2021.

The change order approved on March 8 will add funds to complete the design of Ridge Road Extension Phase 2b.

That includes the development of signing and marking plans, signalization plans, landscaping plans, completion of roadway plans, drainage plans and permitting, and utility coordination. The change also adds a time extension of 150 days from Oct. 8, 2022 to March 7, 2023.

Published March 13, 2022

The Demand is High for ICI Homes in Pasco County 

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There’s a large increase in buyers from all different markets across the country trying to move to the Tampa Bay area and Pasco County.

“We’re seeing an overwhelming amount of interest from the East to West coasts,” says Greg Jones, Tampa division manager for ICI Homes.

Because of the high demand, ICI Homes is offering limited releases on a monthly basis in Lake Jovita and Connerton.

“We are seeing a lot of growth in Dade City. Families love the short, 20-minute drive to Wesley Chapel and the old-fashioned charm of downtown Dade City,” says Jones.

Only one inventory home, with the Arden floor plan, is still available and move-in ready in the residential community.

The Arden is a 2,402-square-foot, 4 bed/3 bath one-story home that is designed for entertaining and gracious family living. The foyer leads to a large living room centrally located for maximum convenience. A spacious gourmet kitchen and dining area are perfect for entertaining guests or spending quality time with the family. Views from the dining room look out on the covered lanai and large backyard.

“My favorite part about the Arden is the open living area, along with the master suite and bathroom,” says Jones.

The master suite features a luxurious bath and a large double-entry walk-in closet. The home is designed so that children and guests can enjoy their own separate spaces. It also includes a 3-car garage.

As for Connerton, Jones says demand is equally as high.

“Connerton, Pasco County’s largest, master-planned, mixed-use community is located in Land O’ Lakes and is one of the developments that many people are interested in,” says Jones.

Rose Pointe, a small gated community within Connerton, offers a clubhouse with a full-time activities director, fitness center, gym, large resort-style pool and more. This small gated community is one of the many features that makes Connerton stand out to potential homebuyers.

Another gem in the Rose Pointe community is the Connerton Nature Preserve, which features a scenic 2-mile trail that winds through natural wilderness, lakes and wetlands. The trail’s 10-foot-wide sidewalks allow for easy biking and walking through Connerton’s picturesque landscape.

Phase Two of Persimmon Park Is Progressing
The land development team is working hard on phase two, and Jones is excited for the recent progress.

“With the continued high demand for the Wesley Chapel area, we are excited to have finished phase one of Persimmon Park and are looking forward to starting phase two as soon as possible,” says Jones.

Located in Wesley Chapel by The Shops at Wiregrass, all Persimmon Park homes have open floor plans with front porches, and garages and alleys at the back of the home. Its amenity center includes a unique, T-shaped luxury pool with cabanas and a grilling area.

The Primrose is Persimmon Park’s most popular floor plan. This two-story plan features nearly 2,500 square feet of living space, with a master bedroom suite on the main level, along with one guest bedroom and bathroom. The spacious living area is connected to a beautiful kitchen and dining area with plenty of room for family and friends to gather. The second story includes two additional bedrooms, a full bath, and a bonus room that is perfect for gaming, entertaining, family time or guest privacy.

Asturia Is Temporarily Sold Out
Asturia, a 550-home master-planned community situated on 500 pristine acres in Odessa along the State Road 54 corridor, just five minutes from the Suncoast Parkway, is sold out of lots.

“Even though we are currently sold out, we are still welcoming VIP appointments to potential buyers in Asturia,” says Jones.

ICI Homes is the exclusive builder in Asturia and has built plenty of inventory homes, including the one-story, 2,193-square-foot Juliette III, for families looking for open and spacious floor plans that include Florida-lifestyle features like summer kitchen patios, open balconies, and tons of windows.

“Asturia is one of the most successful developments in Pasco County, which residents love for its smaller size and convenient location to major roadways,” said Jones.

Asturia offers a kid-friendly, family oriented lifestyle surrounded by miles of multi-use trails, interspersed with dog parks and pocket parks. Its distinctive, 5,800-square-foot Amenity Center includes a fully equipped fitness center, covered outdoor living rooms, a luxurious resort-style swimming pool and expansive lawn areas for recreation.

ICI Homes model homes are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m., on Sunday. The Persimmon Park model is at 3793 Lajuana Blvd., Wesley Chapel; the Asturia model is at 2112 Secret Cove in Odessa; and the Lake Jovita Sales Center is at 12330 Lake Jovita Blvd., in Dade City. To schedule a VIP appointment, call 844-349-6401, or email Jones at .

Published February 23, 2022