• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

  • 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
    • Reasons To Smile
  • 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
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices

Wilderness Lake Boulevard

New businesses beginning to pop up, along U.S. 41

March 9, 2021 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The signs sprouting along U.S. 41 — which is also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard — are an indication that new development is beginning to take root, on the main artery through Land O’ Lakes and Lutz.

New restaurants, a car wash and gas stations are coming. A new coffeehouse and meat shop have opened. A medical center and other developments, are planned, too.

None of this is on the same grand scale of the Tampa Premium Outlets or the Cypress Creek Town Center along State Road 56, but something is happening along Land O’ Lakes Boulevard that hasn’t happened in years.

A new restaurant is in planning stages on a site at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. It briefly was occupied by a restaurant called Mosquito Bar & Grill, and before that, Rapscallions. (Kathy Steele)

New businesses are taking a chance on a long overlooked, heavily traveled highway.

“This is great,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, whose district includes Land O’ Lakes. “As they have begun filling up along State Road 54/56, you’re seeing more happening along U.S. 41.”

Much of the new activity on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard extends from Bell Lake Road north toward State Road 52 and a nearly $50 million highway project that passes through Gowers Corner at U.S. 41.

For sale signs are plentiful, sites have been cleared and construction is underway — conveying a sense that new commercial projects are on the way, or could be coming soon.

A new Circle K gas station and convenience store is in the works at 7767 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., according to county records.

The project is being built by Frontier Building, according to a news release from that company, and the Circle K is expected to open in July.

Redstone Commercial is marketing more open land next to the Circle K.

Zaxby’s and Vortex carwash are planned for a location at U.S. 41 and Wilderness Lake Boulevard, according to posted signs and county records.

A 7-Eleven is anticipated at Bell Lake Road, along with another 7-Eleven at 9077 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., near the Tierra Del Sol subdivision, county records show.

Ps & Qs will be fluffing and styling pets from a new doggie day and boarding facility planned for 7495 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., near the community of Connerton.

Heights Meat Market, a longtime presence in the Tampa neighborhood of Seminole Heights, is operating at a small plaza at 5132 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. It opened in early 2020.

Aroma Joe’s coffeehouse is serving java, breakfast and sandwiches in a shop by the Preserve at Lake Wilderness.

Aroma Joe’s is a new coffeehouse open in a small plaza by the Preserve at Lake Wilderness, off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

A new restaurant is expected to open at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, the site previously occupied briefly by Mosquito Bar & Grill and before that by Rapscallions, a popular meeting place.

No details are yet available regarding what the new restaurant will look like, or the type of cuisine it will serve.

The old restaurant structure has fallen into disrepair, after its closure in 2013.

Longtime Land O’ Lakes resident Sandy Graves remembers how popular Rapscallions was, especially among nearby Bell Lake residents.

Graves is pleased to see some new development and redevelopment along Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

“It’s nice to see any kind of progress,” Graves said. “I’d love to see more. It’s nice to see a new restaurant.”

There’s definitely room for improvement, she added, noting there’s still a lot of Land O’ Lakes that looks “stuck in the ’60s.”

Graves looks forward to bicycle trails being built in the future that follow along the old railroad tracks. And the completion of the Ridge Road extension, which will emerge at U.S. 41 across from Connerton, also could help, she said.

“It will be a lot easier going east and west in the county. I think things are looking up for Land O’ Lakes, which extends to the outlet mall.”

Graves sees positive changes along the northern corridor at the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Frontier Building announced the construction of a Circle K gas station and convenience store, at 7767 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

County officials and officials from Pasco County Economic Development Council Inc., previously have touted potential economic investment in the area that is likely to result from the development of the K9 Tactical Center/Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security, and Tactics, or F.I.R.S.T., and the Adam Kennedy Memorial Forensics Fields, also known as the body farm.

These facilities are expected to attract forensics-related businesses and organizations, as well as national and international visitors to forensics conferences.

Road improvements on a northern segment of U.S. 41, plus substantial improvements along State Road 52, also are expected to support new development efforts.

And, the development of the Angeline community — along with a planned Pasco County campus of Moffitt Research Center — are expected to have a significant economic impact in Land O’ Lakes.

County records show developers are getting ready for what comes once the roadwork is finished.

Five years ago, the Tibbetts family rezoned its property at the southwest corner of Gowers Corner for residential and commercial development. No projects are announced as yet.

On property adjacent to the Tibbetts’ parcels, county records show Sandridge Commercial LLC applied for a “mass grading” permit to level and prep a large swath of land for an unidentified project.

Gowers Corner and U.S. 41 are on the development radar.

Meanwhile, the signs of new development on U.S. 41 are much less obvious south of Bell Lake.

O’Reilly Auto Parts has opened a store at 3600 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and the Walmart Supercenter, at 1575 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., is opening a fueling station.

Businesses along the southern end of Land O’ Lakes struggle to redevelop properties after a road widening years ago that chopped off frontage, Graves said.

The county may need to consider overlay districts at locations along U.S. 41, to foster redevelopment efforts, she said.

By Kathy Steele

Published March 10, 2021

A four-legged friendship tale

November 11, 2015 By Michael Murillo

As a professional writer for 25 years, Grace Maselli has penned everything from philanthropist features to executive summaries for advisory boards. She’s garnered compliments from CEOs, and praise from audiences when she reads her poetry.

But, her upcoming audience has her a little nervous.

It’s a gathering of elementary school children.

“They’re a tough bunch, man,” Maselli observed.

The real Francis and the real Coco do live together with author Grace Maselli and her family in their Land O' Lakes home. And, just like in her children's book, they're good friends. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
The real Francis and the real Coco do live together with author Grace Maselli and her family in their Land O’ Lakes home. And, just like in her children’s book, they’re good friends.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Fortunately, Maselli isn’t bringing a business profile or a PowerPoint presentation. Instead, she’ll read her first children’s book, “Francis and Coco: A Tale of Two Unlikely Friends,” on Nov. 15 at 2 p.m., at the Wilderness Lake Preserve Lodge, 21320 Wilderness Lake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Like her other nonfiction writing, the story of Francis, the poodle/Pekingese dog, and Coco the guinea pig, is real. They live with Maselli’s two other dogs, her two children and her husband. And, the story takes place in conjunction with their frequent moves before settling in Land O’ Lakes.

And yes, Francis and Coco really are friends.

“Francis will let her scramble all over his body. He’ll roll back. She curls up with him,” Maselli said. “They honestly get along.”

She wanted their story to be both authentic and relatable. Adults will recognize the familiar struggle parents feel when they allow a child to have a new pet, worrying how they’ll assimilate and interact with other pets. And she wants children to see the story as an example of very different beings coexisting and forging a special friendship.

“To me, this is universal because animals accept one another, and they don’t care if you’re a kangaroo or a lion,” Maselli said. “And, I think that, metaphorically, life would be a lot different for us if we didn’t judge people by their surfaces.”

“Francis and Coco” is a story for third-graders, but Maselli didn’t want to limit herself to simple words and phrases. The story contains words like “persistent,” “bluster,” and even “falderal” — which means trivial or nonsensical behavior.

Maselli wanted to tell a story and expose children to bigger words, acclimating them to some elevated language without making it difficult to follow the story. Parents might read the story to them, giving them the experience of hearing the language. If they end up learning new words, she considers that a bonus.

To accommodate the children who will be in attendance, Maselli plans to have assistants holding up the pages as she reads, making it easier to follow along. She wants the auditory experience to be a positive one, and the story easy to follow.

That story begins with Francis as a nervous puppy, and ends with a new friendship when another animal joins the fold. In between, the family disagrees on how things will turn out, and some members come around to the idea of new pets and how they’ll get along together.

Maselli hopes the realistic elements of the story appeals to children and those who might read it to them.

So far, the feedback has been very positive, she said.

In fact, one family member, who has a 2-year-old son, told her that he’s been captivated by the story.

“She sent me a picture of him thumbing through it, and he’s talking about the characters in the book,” Maselli said.

While it’s a different type of writing for her, it wasn’t an easy project.

Much of the story came to her at once, but she put it away for a while before returning to it.

Now that the work is done, she wants to not only entertain young children and teach them about getting along with someone different, but also have something for her teenage children to remember as a memento of a certain point in their lives.

“To me, this is more like something I want to leave for my kids as a gift from me after I’m gone,” Maselli said.

For information about Maselli’s book, visit TatePublishing.com or GraceMaselli.com.

Published November 11, 2015

 

Primary Sidebar

A Conversation with Lutz Filmmaker, Alexis Yahre

Search

Sponsored Content

A Guide for Summer Camps in Pasco County 

May 20, 2022 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Summer break is quickly approaching and organizations throughout Pasco County are offering camps for children of all … [Read More...] about A Guide for Summer Camps in Pasco County 

Avalon Applauds Kids Helping Kids Pasco County 

May 10, 2022 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Congratulations to Kids Helping Kids Pasco County for being applauded by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. The nonprofit … [Read More...] about Avalon Applauds Kids Helping Kids Pasco County 

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

05/21/2022 – Folk Art Festival

Carrollwood Village will host a Food & Folk Art Festival on May 21 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road in Tampa. The outdoor event will feature food trucks, storytelling and puppetry with Windell Campbell (11 a.m.), a folk dance performance with Grupo Folkloric Mahetzi (noon), and live music with Liam Bauman (1:15 p.m.), Rebekah Pulley (2:45 p.m.), His Hem (4:15 p.m.) and Ari Chi (5:45 p.m.) Guests can bring lawn chairs and sun umbrellas. Artisan vendors will be available, and guests will be invited to participate in a community art project. Admission is free. For information, visit CarrollwoodCenter.org. … [Read More...] about 05/21/2022 – Folk Art Festival

05/21/2022 – Founders Day Festival-CANCELLED

Main Street Zephyrhills will present the annual Founders Day Festival on May 21 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The “From Founders to Future” event will feature a parade (7 p.m.) and contest, food, kids zone, vendors, a historic ghost tour, and entertainment. Guests can dress in any decade from the 1880s to futuristic concepts, as the festival pays homage to the people who built the town, through the years. For information, visit MainStreetZephyrhills.org. … [Read More...] about 05/21/2022 – Founders Day Festival-CANCELLED

05/21/2022 – Free vaccines/microchips

Pasco County Animal Services will team up with Petco Love for a free, drive-thru vaccine and microchip event on May 21 from 9 a.m. to noon, at Lokey Subaru of Port Richey, 11613 U.S. 19. Participants can bring up to three pets per family. Dogs must be leashed and cats must remain in carriers, while everyone stays in the vehicle. Those participating should check their pets’ vet record to determine what services are needed. Rabies vaccines require the pet owner to purchase a county pet license. Space is limited, so advance registration is required, online at bit.ly/3OrUR1h. … [Read More...] about 05/21/2022 – Free vaccines/microchips

05/21/2022 – Garden Club

The New River Garden Club will meet on May 21 at 10:30 a.m., at the New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel. The meeting will be followed by an outdoor garden presentation on mosquito control. A separate registration is required for the meeting and the presentation, online at PascoLibraries.org. For information, call 813-788-6375. … [Read More...] about 05/21/2022 – Garden Club

05/21/2022 – Train show & sale

Regal Railways will host a Toy Train, Toy Show & Sale on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Hernando Fairgrounds, 6436 Broad St., in Brooksville. There will be more than 60 vendors, along with model trains, toys, die cast cars and more. There also will be a running train layout. Admission is $5 for adults. Kids ages 12 and younger are free. Guests can prepay at RegalRailways.com. … [Read More...] about 05/21/2022 – Train show & sale

05/21/2022 – Veterans Resource Fair

Congressman Gus Bilirakis will host the 16th annual Veterans Resource Fair on May 21 from 10 a.m. to noon, at the New Port Richey Elks Lodge, 7201 Congress St. Resources will include: health care, veterans claim services, education, benefits, job placement/employment services, and housing/social services. For information, call Bilirakis’ office at 727-232-2921. … [Read More...] about 05/21/2022 – Veterans Resource Fair

More of What's Happening

Follow us on Twitter

The Laker/Lutz NewsFollow

Home for all your local news in Land O' Lakes, Lutz, New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City.

The Laker/Lutz News
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
4h

Go Pasco — Pasco County’s public bus service — is planning to use technology to enable riders to get up-to-date information to track buses in real time https://buff.ly/3aafXS6

Reply on Twitter 1528073180073574404Retweet on Twitter 1528073180073574404Like on Twitter 15280731800735744041Twitter 1528073180073574404
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
7h

What an AMAZING transformation! 💫 The Block is housed in a historic building that was an auto dealership in the 1920s. Now, its a venue space, a brewhouse, a restaurant, a CrossFit gym and more ---> https://buff.ly/3PsLvTo

3
Reply on Twitter 1528027975391772673Retweet on Twitter 15280279753917726731Like on Twitter 1528027975391772673Twitter 1528027975391772673
LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
20 May

‘I don’t think there is anybody in the room that is not aware that the property market in Florida is just in utter chaos,’ – School board member Allen Altman. https://buff.ly/3ln5W6l

Reply on Twitter 1527741073874878465Retweet on Twitter 1527741073874878465Like on Twitter 1527741073874878465Twitter 1527741073874878465
Load More...

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2022 Community News Publications Inc.

    Doc