A new cinema and grocery store are in the offing for the next phase of development on the former Wiregrass Ranch.
A preliminary site plan shows a 1,050-seat movie house and a 30,000-square-foot grocery store, according to county records.
Plans also show three, four-story buildings containing about 250 apartments. And, the development also includes shops and restaurants.
Forest City Enterprises, the developers of The Shops at Wiregrass, and NRP Group are partnering on the project on about 34 acres of the former Wiregrass Ranch property in Wesley Chapel, off State Road 56. The new development, located next to The Shops at Wiregrass, will be linked to the mall, with shared access points for motorists and pedestrians.
A dine-in cinema is a possibility, though no tenant announcements have been made.
“We wanted to do something we thought would be complementary to the property next door – The Shops at Wiregrass,” said Abbas Hasan, manager of planning and development for the Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises.
“It really adds to the experience of the area, providing customers with extra options than restaurants and shopping.”
A construction start date is on hold until a permit is received from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An application was submitted in September.
“That’s kind of driving the entire schedule,” Hasan said.
In the meantime, details such as parking, landscaping, and the design and look of the new development are proceeding.
“All these things take time, so we’re trying to work on these items now,” he said. “Whatever we can move ahead, we will.”
The overall project includes apartments, seven garages, a clubhouse, a dog park, pool and fitness area. About 120,000 square feet is set aside for retail and/or restaurants including the cinema and grocery store.
Published February 10, 2016
