Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club volunteered, as they traditionally do, at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at The Shops of Wiregrass. The club also manned an information booth and dispensed water to the walkers, as did its affiliate club, the GFWC Little Women of Lutz. The women dressed in shades of pink embellished with attention-getting headgear, tutus and boas. Members Linda Mitchell (Chair) & Debbie Cardona.
The Shops at Wiregrass
Model Townhomes By Mattamy Homes Now Open in Wesley Chapel
Mattamy Homes has opened four new decorated model townhomes with contemporary exterior styling in its all-new Wesley Chapel community of Volanti, located on Wesley Chapel Boulevard at Hay Road. Models are professionally decorated and open for tours daily, with private personalized appointments available.
“Mattamy Homes is delighted to open these new, thoughtfully designed townhomes in one of Pasco’s most desirable locations,” said Lisette Minnick, the homebuilder’s Tampa & Southwest Florida Division Vice President of Sales. “The community is ideally located in a peaceful setting, but close to everything any homebuyer could want or need.”
Four floor plans are available, ranging from 1,667 to 2,574 square feet, with three to four bedrooms and 2.5 to three baths. There are three exterior styles available at Volanti — Craftsman, French Country and Contemporary. Base pricing begins in the low to mid $300s.
“Volanti is the debut of our new Contemporary exterior style of townhomes, designed to offer a more modern, fresh look,” said Minnick. “We are excited to show off our models and invite people to stop by to see all this community has to offer.”
Four distinct floorplans are available at Volanti — Marianna, Ormond, Sebring and Venice. All have one- or two-car attached garages and large lanais. The gated community will have 200 homes at build out, and fun-filled, family friendly amenities, including a resort-style swimming pool with an open-air pavilion, a barbecue area and a fire pit.
Making the community even more attractive is free lawn maintenance, and no Community Development District (CDD) fees. Townhomes are released for sale regularly, but home offerings may be limited for a temporary time frame, due to the current high demand for homes and labor and material constraints.
Located just 4 miles from I-75, Volanti boasts excellent access to the best of the Wesley Chapel area, including premier shopping and dining destinations at Tampa Premium Outlets, The Grove, and The Shops at Wiregrass.
For pleasure or business flyers, the Tampa North Flight Center is close by to Volanti, and provides flight opportunities with an airstrip, hangars and a café. Many of Tampa Bay’s top employers are within easy driving distance, and Pasco County Schools are highly rated, including Veteran’s Elementary, which is just minutes away on Wesley Chapel Boulevard.
The Volanti community is surrounded by lakes and golf courses, and offers homebuyers endless recreational opportunities, including nearby Saddlebrook Resort, historic Tarpon Springs and the Gulf’s white-sand beaches.
Lutz Communities – Parkview at Long Lake Ranch and Avea Pointe
Located along State Road 54, close to U.S. 41 and Sunlake Boulevard, is Parkview at Long Lake Ranch, which offers single-family homes and townhomes. Last month, Parkview opened a new amenity center, called Parkview Pavilion, that features a resort-style pool, shaded breezeway, cabanas and social gathering areas. Residents of this gated community also enjoy a paw park for dogs, tot lots and fun park areas. Homesites in Parkview, which have a low-cost HOA, are released regularly.
Just south in Hillsborough County, on Van Dyke Road, just minutes from the Veterans Expressway, is the townhome community of Avea Pointe. Children at this popular community are assigned to some of the best schools in the area, including Steinbrenner High. Only 11 townhomes remain at this community, and buyers are encouraged to call or visit now while there is still an opportunity to live in this top location.
Citron Grove Coming Soon
Mattamy Homes recently announced that it also is building 60 new townhomes in Citrus Park, on Gunn Highway. Called Citron Grove, the Craftsman-style townhomes will be similar to those at Avea Pointe, with updated exterior styles. Two floor plans will be available — the Marianna and Ormond. Pre-sales will begin in January. Citron Grove is just 1.5 miles from the Veterans Expressway, 2 miles from Citrus Park Mall and 12 miles from Tampa’s Westshore Business District and International Airport. The gated community includes a number of trees and was formerly Be Mac Nursery. It offers low maintenance living, value-oriented price points and outstanding schools. Potential buyers of Citron Grove, who want to see similar floor plans before its grand opening, can visit Avea Pointe’s sales center, which is just 10 minutes away.
Mattamy Homes Sales Process
Mattamy Homes is thrilled that the level of interest and excitement for our communities is heightened. Mattamy takes pride in providing a fair and easy process to allow prospective homebuyers an opportunity to purchase homes, as they become available. The availability of homesites vary in each Mattamy Homes community, and New Home Counselors can provide guidance on how and when buyers will have an opportunity to purchase. Please call or visit to learn more.
About Mattamy Homes
Mattamy Homes is the largest, privately owned homebuilder in North America, with 40-plus years of history across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps more than 8,000 families realize their dream of homeownership. In the United States, the company builds homes in Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, Jacksonville, Orlando (where its U.S. head office is located), Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and Southeast Florida.
For more information about all of Mattamy Homes’ local communities, go to MattamyHomes.com/florida/tampa.
Published October 27, 2021
New retail popping up along busy highway corridor
Total Wine & More kicked off its grand opening at Cypress Creek Town Center in celebratory fashion — with giveaways, a live band and a festive atmosphere.
The wine and beer emporium is the newest retail at the expanding town center, off the Interstate 75 interchange at the State Road 54/State 56 corridor.
The commercially vibrant corridor is a magnet for economic development in the heart of Wesley Chapel and Land O’Lakes, stretching over through Odessa to Trinity.
Retail and restaurants are chasing the booming rooftop construction — with residential growth in Pasco County breaking records.
As the pandemic recedes, established residents and newcomers alike are eager to be out and about.
And, they’re finding plenty to do.
Plus, more options are on the way.
County permits, signs planted on the roadside and company websites provide a snapshot of what’s under construction and what’s on the future horizon.
An ale house, a fitness studio; fast-food and dine-in restaurants; a Krispy Kreme; and two specialty car washes are among the new and coming attractions.
Established shopping meccas such as the Tampa Premium Outlets, The Shops at Wiregrass, and Cypress Creek Town Center are expanding their store directories, as new tenants take up residence.
Total Wine & More slipped into a spot at Cypress Creek Town Center that was once occupied by the specialty grocer Earth Fare.
Troy Rice, chief operating officer for Total Wine & More, said the former grocery store space was a good fit for his company.
The plumbing and electrical work had been done, and Total Wine knew it had a gap in its coverage area, Rice said.
An appreciative crowd of wine and beer aficionados packed the store’s grand-opening festivities.
Other new developments coming to Cypress Creek Town Center include Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and new apartments that will be built near the Hyatt Place hotel.
A Harley-Davidson dealership is coming to the area, too. It will be on Wesley Chapel Boulevard, across from the town center’s entrance at Pondside Drive.
Meanwhile, there’s new activity at the Tampa Premium Outlets.
Miller’s Ale House is coming to an outparcel along the Wesley Chapel Boulevard entrance into the mall. And Zaxby’s Chicken Fingers & Buffalo Wings, and Chicken Salad Chick will settle into parcels bordered by Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Sun Vista Drive.
The Shops at Wiregrass, near the intersection of State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, has recent new tenants that include Sephora, Optimal Wellness, Perfume Palace and Gold Mine jewelers.
The mall’s coming-soon list includes JABZ, a boxing gym; Sky Jewels; Spirit, a Halloween costume store; and Fresh Produce Market, a produce stand in the parking lot of Dillard’s.
A shopping center next to Florida Avenue Brewing — at State Road 56 and Arrowgrass Drive — has attracted Green Market Café; Fyzical Therapy & Balance Center; and Lufka, an environmentally friendly health and beauty shop.
New development is coming to Land O’ Lakes, too.
Grand openings aren’t planned yet for the Shoppes at Cypress Creek, but construction is underway on State Road 54 next to the Circle K convenience store, west of the town center and outlet mall.
Signs tout Fazoli’s Italian Restaurant and Woodie’s Wash Shack at 24749 State Road 54. Additional tenants are anticipated.
Woodie’s car wash promises a “fun and funkie” experience, according to a marketing video. The beach-themed car wash acquired 11 sites in the Tampa Bay area, with expectations of turning on all its washing spigots by the end of 2021.
Beach vibes, coconut smells and a light show inside the car wash add up to family fun, with a final touch of vacuuming and sweeping out car trash at “Muscle Beach.”
Heading west along State Road 54, Krispy Kreme has planted a sign in a vacant parcel, just west of Camp Indianhead Crossings shopping center. So far, though, no permits have been filed.
The Shoppes at Ballantrae — west of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 — is expanding its commercial offerings, with a Valvoline shop on Aprile Drive, and another Woodie’s Wash Shack at 17322 State Road 54.
On a vacant parcel opposite from the Shoppes at Ballantrae, there’s an Aldi sign staked in the ground.
Matt Thon, Haines City division vice president for Aldi, didn’t provide details on the chain’s plans in Land O’ Lakes.
However, in a written statement, he reported that Aldi has “secured property in Pasco County with hopes to service more customers in the area.”
First Watch, Starbucks and AutoZone are settling in, near the intersection of State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard.
Starkey Ranch Business Park, which opened last year with fare such as The Wicked Pour, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Encore Nail Salon, is adding Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Butcher’s Mark Fresh Meat & Marinades, at State Road 54 and Heart Pine Avenue.
The sandwich chain’s website currently shows no restaurants in Florida.
The Preserve Marketplace at South Branch and State Road 54 will add Chipotle Mexican Grill and Lin China restaurant. The shopping center is anchored by Publix GreenWise, and last year opened with tenants that included CVS Pharmacy and Panera Bread.
Suncoast Crossings, which lost an anchor store when the Super Target closed more than four years ago, is undergoing a revival.
The approximately 115,000-square-foot building is being remodeled for two tenants – Santander Consumer USA and Rasmussen University.
Santander anticipates adding about 875 jobs. Rasmussen will bring in hundreds of students.
Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard is a new strip mall built on outparcels of Suncoast Crossings shopping complex.
Tenants will include Touch Nail Spa; Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists; PT Solutions, a physical therapy clinic; Jimmy John’s Sandwich Shop; Smoothie King; and Hot Worx, an infrared/sauna fitness studio.
Hot Worx, set to open July 15, is a new venture for Debbie Upright, a former pharmaceutical representative and her husband, Scott, a retired dentist.
The infrared-heated fitness studio will be open 24/7. Memberships and walk-ins are welcome for a variety of isometric workouts, yoga, Pilates and spinning.
Upright said she and her husband considered various sites, but said the area’s robust activity was a key consideration, in selecting where to set up shop.
“This is a prime location,” she said.
By Kathy Steele
Published July 21, 2021
New sheriff’s substation at the Grove
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has set up a new substation at the Grove in Wesley Chapel.
Patrol deputies now will work out of this substation and desk officers will join them once lobbies reopen, according to a sheriff’s office newsletter.
The sheriff’s office lobbies remain closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, patrol and desk officers worked out of a substation at The Shops at Wiregrass. That location now will be used as an office for the sheriff’s community relations deputies, the newsletter says.
Anyone needing assistance from the sheriff’s office can call 727-847-8102, option 7, to report a crime or speak with a desk officer.
Published April 07, 2021
Shedding light on human trafficking
The Human Trafficking Foundation raises awareness to educate communities about the perils of men, women and children enslaved through human trafficking. This form of modern-day slavery involves the exploitation of vulnerable persons through commercial sex, forced labor or involuntary servitude.
On a local scale, according to national human trafficking hotline tips and complaints, Florida ranks as third in the proliferation of human trafficking, with the Tampa Bay area being second in the state.
The David Maus Foundation will sponsor the annual Light Up the Night Human Trafficking Awareness Event scheduled for Jan. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.
The free, family friendly event will take place at the shopping center’s parking garage, upper level.
There will be live music by Brooke Robertson; intermission music hosted by Northwest Community Church; a performance by Vine Church’s Dunamis Dance Ministry; a Kids’ Zone; a teen area with games; educational speakers; and, a candlelight ceremony to conclude the event.
To learn more about the Human Trafficking Foundation, visit HTFoundation.us.
If you think you have come into contact with a victim of human trafficking in Pasco, Hillsborough or Pinellas County, call the National Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 888-373-7888.
Published January 27, 2021
Pasco is ushering in 2021 with more shops, restaurants
Shopping centers along State Road 54 and State Road 56 are continuing to attract more new stores and restaurants.
The Cypress Creek Town Center, Tampa Premium Outlets, The Preserve Marketplace, the Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard, Starkey Ranch Town Square, Starkey Ranch Business Center, The Shops at Wiregrass and the Grove at Wesley Chapel are building and remodeling in anticipation of new openings.
Total Wine & More is moving into the Cypress Creek Town Center in space formerly occupied by the Earth Fare grocery store.
The building, at 25535 Sierra Center Blvd., will undergo “interior alteration” for a remodel, according to a permit filed with Pasco County.
The town center, at the juncture of Interstate 75 and state roads 54 and 56, soon also will have a grand opening for Floor & Décor, now under construction on Sierra Center Boulevard. And, a Good Feet Store is on tap for the boulevard, too, according to county records.
Across from the town center, construction is underway on an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets for a Tidal Wave Car Wash. A Zaxby’s restaurant also is anticipated. Recent arrivals at the outdoor mall include Main Event, Cigars International and Rock & Brew restaurant.
Along State Road 54, west of U.S. 41, online shopping will get a boost from an Amazon shipping center under construction at 17030 Mentmore Blvd. The facility is within the Bexley by Newland master-planned community, at the intersection with Bexley Village Drive.
The Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard, west of Bexley, is completing a makeover with a Hooters restaurant under construction. And, Pasco County just sealed a deal to bring Santander Consumer USA to occupy a portion of the former Target Superstore. The deal includes bringing 875 new jobs to the county.
Rasmussen College also previously submitted plans to the county, indicating it would occupy 44,000 square feet in the former big box retail store.
Further west, The Preserve Marketplace and two shopping centers by Starkey Ranch, off State Road 54, have construction work in progress. But, some shops and restaurants are open.
CVS Pharmacy is open at The Preserve, along with the anchor grocery store, Greenwise. Majik Touch Cleaners is open, and 100 % Chiropractic is coming soon. Other businesses coming are Heartland Dental, Chipotle, Panera Bread and Papa John’s.
At Gunn Highway and State Road 54, Publix is the anchor of the Starkey Ranch Town Square. Other tenants include e sushi & grill, J. Joseph Salon, The UPS Store, Polish The Nail Bar, and Zampelli’s Pizza and Pasta restaurant.
At Heart Pine Avenue, the Starkey Ranch Business Center hosts shops and restaurants including The Wicked Pour, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Yoga Six and Hungry Greek restaurant.
The Shops at Wiregrass, off State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs, and the Grove at Wesley Chapel, off State Road 54 west of Interstate 75, both are welcoming new stores and restaurants, too.
The Grove is in the midst of a major makeover, in progress, following the $64 million purchase of the shopping center by Mishorim Gold Properties in 2019.
The company is investing more than $110 million to renovate the Grove. Plans include a shipping container park – known as KRATE – with shops, offices and restaurants. A stage will feature daily live entertainment. A dog park and a playground will build on the overall design in promoting a community place in Wesley Chapel.
On its Facebook page, the Grove recently began teasing to future tenants at the container park with the “12 Days of KRATEmas.” Among the tenants are 365 Café Italiano; ATO, specializing in sushi and burritos; Provisions, with specialty coffees and an artisan café menu; and The Cake Girl.
RAW, a workspace collaborative, held a grand opening Dec. 3.
In addition, Prime Barbershop and Brooklyn Water Bagels recently opened. King of the Coop, a Nashville hot chicken eatery, soon will open, too, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page. It will be the second location for King of the Coop, currently located in the restaurant-rich Seminole Heights neighborhood in Tampa.
County permits also show Best NY Pizza Worx is coming to 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd., in the Grove.
The Shops at Wiregrass has opened, or will soon open, 11 new shops, according to a news release from the mall.
New shops are Beauty In Abundance, a beauty, hair care and make-up shop; Crimson Chain Leatherworks, specializing in costumes and accessories for Renaissance fairs, fantasy and historical reenactments; and Arega NY, a swim and activewear boutique.
Additional stores include a lululemon Pop-Up, specializing in yoga-inspired and athletic clothes for women and men; Chuck Lager’s American Tavern, a family restaurant with a classic menu of pasta and burgers; GO! Calendars Games and Toys; Ornament Shoppe, with decorative and personalized ornament selections; Design Hut, a boutique with personalized gifts including custom shirts; Hickory Farms, featuring cured meats, cheeses, wine pairings and hand-picked fruits; and, Fit2Run, a superstore with brand name athletic footwear, running apparel and accessories.
Sephora, a makeup and accessories boutique, is slated to open in spring 2021.
By Kathy Steele
Published December 23, 2020
New Dunkin’ coming to Land O’ Lakes
The Pasco County Commission has approved a rezoning that will allow for a new convenience store, with gas pumps and a Dunkin’, near Ehren Cutoff, in Land O’ Lakes.
The 2.38-acre site is on the southeast corner of the intersection of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and Ehren cutoff.
The rezoning involved joining two parcels together, one zoned for commercial and the other for rural residential.
Denise Hernandez, county zoning administrator, said the request would not introduce a new gas station onto the property — but replace one that’s already there.
The site plan also calls for a Dunkin’, she said.
County Commission Chairman Mike Moore noted that the new plan is essentially an upgrade from current conditions.
“So, it could use a little makeover and it’s getting a makeover, thankfully,” Moore said, noting that the Dunkin’ (previously known as Dunkin’ Donuts) will be an amenity in the area.
Commissioner Ron Oakley agreed with Moore’s assessment: “That’s what it says on the site plan — they’re redoing that to enhance it. It needs that in that area.”
Moore added: “It kind of goes in line with what we’re trying to do, to try to clean up (U.S.) 41.”
One resident, Rob Park, who lives on Ehren Cutoff, objected to the rezoning.
He questioned a discrepancy between two transportation studies done in the area.
A county staffer said it’s not unusual for two different transportation studies to have different data.
In other action, commissioners:
- Approved a request for a conditional use to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages: beer, wine, liquor; package sales and on-premises consumption, anywhere within the common areas of The Shops at Wiregrass, in conjunction with the operation of a shopping center.
- Heard an update from Moore regarding tourism prospects. Moore told board members that the county will be getting a volleyball tournament, a golf tournament, a fishing tournament and a basketball tournament. Some tournaments are coming from out-of-state, but others are shifting from other parts of Florida.
Published September 02, 2020
Families Will Soon Begin Moving Into Persimmon Park In Wesley Chapel
Afrika and Dawvel Brooks researched just about every homebuilder in Tampa Bay before deciding ICI Homes was the best one for their family.
“We wanted the ability to move walls and customize our new home, and ICI Homes was the only builder to welcome structural changes, and to do so at an affordable cost,” said Afrika.
The Brooks family discovered ICI Homes in the Asturia community in Odessa, and learned that the builder had just opened a new community in Wesley Chapel called Persimmon Park.
“While we loved ICI Homes’ floor plans in Odessa, Wesley Chapel was a better location for my family,” said Afrika. “It is the middle of so many things — shopping, restaurants and entertainment, and also close to hospitals and health care services. Especially for our two teenage daughters, building our new home in Wesley Chapel was a huge draw.”
The Brooks family is one of the first to buy in Persimmon Park, which is located off Bruce B. Downs within the master-planned development of Wiregrass Ranch. The community is directly behind The Shops at Wiregrass and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, and across the street from a new $200 million hospital and health care complex being built by BayCare Health Systems.
“My husband and I both work in the health care field, so being so close to two hospitals is very attractive,” said Afrika, who recently retired from the U.S. Air Force. (Dawvel is still active duty and based at MacDill Air Force Base.)
The family choose the two-story Primrose floor plan, which, at over 2,400 square feet, is the largest home ICI Homes builds in Persimmon Park. All homes in the community have two-car garages in the rear, which are accessed by private alleyways and provide ample parking.
Afrika loves that the master suite in her new home is downstairs, as is a second bedroom and adjacent bath that is ideal for an office. Her girls’ bedrooms are upstairs with a shared bath, along with a large game room.
“Because ICI Homes can make structural changes very affordably, we decided to add a studio/bonus room above our garage to give our family the additional space we desired,” said Afrika. “I’ve been told that our bonus room idea has worked out so well, that other buyers are adding it to their homes.”
The Brooks’ home is in the drywall stage of construction, and the family expects to move into their new home in November.
“The entire homebuilding experience with ICI Homes has been excellent,” said Afrika. “From our salesperson, Carmen Worrels, to the architects who added our bonus room, to our project manager and customer service team. Everyone has been so helpful, nice and responsive.”
“In addition to Persimmon Park’s desirable location, buyers are excited that the community’s amenities will be completed in late November,” adds Greg Jones, Tampa Division Manager for ICI Homes.
Amenities include a unique, T-shaped luxury pool with cabanas and grilling area. Coming soon are dog parks for small and large breeds, and trails that wind through the community and connect to the Wiregrass Ranch trail system.
In Persimmon Park’s first phase, ICI Homes is building 40 homes; at build out, 97 homes. Prices begin in the high $200s, and buyers can choose from two, one-story and four, two-story homes, with more plans coming soon. There are four inventory homes available for families needing to move quickly.
“Our cottage-style floor plans feel open and airy with lots of windows, and exemplify Florida’s casual lifestyle,” says Jones. “Our homes are designed for people wanting to simplify their life, who want less square footage to clean and maintain, yet want all the upscale finishes and details offered by ICI Homes.”
Jones adds that many builder upgrades are standard features for ICI Homes, including 6-foot windows, 8-foot doors and energy-efficient construction that boasts a 50-SEER rating. Persimmon Park offers low CDD fees at less than $2,000 a year, and its affordable HOA fee includes internet and cable television for just $90/month.
Families with school-age children are drawn to Persimmon Park because the community is zoned to the area’s highest-rated schools —Wiregrass Elementary, Dr. John Long Middle and Wiregrass Ranch High.
ICI Homes is currently offering an exceptionally low interest rate of just 2.75% on 30-year mortgages, when using the builder’s preferred lenders. A lower interest rate increases a buyer’s spending power and allows them to more quickly build equity in their home.
Persimmon Park is the first Wesley Chapel community for ICI Homes, which is celebrating 40 years of business. Based in Daytona Beach, the company is family owned and managed, and is proud of its very personalized, no-pressure approach to sales.
Published August 26, 2020
An overpass at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs?
It’s a long way from reality, but Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore wants to begin taking steps toward the possibility of an overpass at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.
The commission chairman broached the idea during the commission’s Aug. 19 meeting.
“If you know the intersection of 581, that’s Bruce B. Downs, and (State Road) 56 — that’s one of the largest intersections in the nation. It’s huge,” Moore said.
“For bikers and walkers, that is impossible to cross,” he noted.
“It’d be great for our citizens to have access, especially bike access, all across there,” Moore said. “All four corners have numerous things to benefit the citizens.”
In addition to The Shops at Wiregrass, there also are a number of shops and restaurants along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, the county leader said.
There’s also a multi-use path, and State Road 56 has been extended over to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.
“I would love to see if we can look at possibly getting — I’m going to call it a flyover — for bikes and walkers. I mean, golf carts would be cool, too, but if that can’t happen, at least for bikes and walkers,” Moore said.
Creating this overpass would help the county move closer to its concept of creating walkable communities, Moore added.
“We have a number of neighborhoods, very close to that intersection,” he said, mentioning Seven Oaks and Northwood, as well as numerous townhouse and apartment communities.
“It’s just hard for them to get over,” Moore said. “If you want to make this bike-able, walkable — you need to have access.
“We have the new brewery coming, that’s going to be one of the largest in West Florida,” he added.
Moore said he raised the issue because he wanted to get a conversation going about the potential improvement.
Fellow Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told Moore: “I think that would be great to have something like that over there, it’s just a process.”
To move forward with the idea, she advised him to get in touch with Tina Russo, who heads up the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
Starkey also added that getting an improvement like that built would need to go through the Metropolitan Planning Organization process.
Published August 26, 2020
Top Parade of Homes Awards For ICI Homes
It’s always exciting for a builder to be recognized in a community’s Parade of Homes competition, but this year ICI Homes outdid itself by winning two of the most prestigious awards in Tampa Bay.
In early March, a total of 79 homes were entered in the Parade of Homes from a variety of builders and developers, in the competition organized by the Tampa Bay Builders Association. And, once again, ICI Homes — a relatively new builder in the Tampa market — was chosen to receive two of its top honors.
The top award went to its Costa Mesa model in Asturia, a master-planned community in Odessa where ICI Homes has been building for the past three years. The Costa Mesa was honored with the Grand Award in the $600k-$649k price range — one of the most competitive categories in the Parade of Homes.
This 2,565-square-foot model home is absolutely stunning. A huge kitchen and extra-large island sets apart this spacious, one-story home that features four bedrooms, three baths and a three-car garage. One of its most unique features is a closet-size, walk-in pantry that is hidden behind beautiful kitchen cabinetry.
The builder’s second big win is for its Lantana model, which won a Silver Award in the $350k-$399k price range. This 1,800-square-foot home is one of six new floor plans that ICI Homes is introducing in Persimmon Park, a brand new community in Wesley Chapel within the master-planned development of Wiregrass Ranch.
Located off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and directly behind The Shops at Wiregrass and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch is a 5,000-acre, walkable community with trails that lead to parks, schools, entertainment, recreation and top-notch medical facilities.
“Persimmon Park gives our residents immediate access to all that Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel have to offer,” said Rosemary Messina, vice president of marketing and sales. “And, adding to the community’s appeal are amenities that families want, but without going overboard — a unique T-shaped pool and cabana, outdoor grilling, interconnecting trails, and dog parks for small and large breeds.”
The winning Lantana floor plan has a spacious kitchen/great room, with a large dining room and open flex room connecting to the kitchen. The master bedroom is at the rear of the home to give easy access to the garage, covered lanai and main living area. The one-story model is the craftsman elevation and, at 1,793 square feet, also offers two bedrooms and a bath at the front of the home.
All of ICI Homes in Persimmon Park have open floor plans with front porches, and garages and alleys at the back of the home. The first phase has 40 homes, with prices beginning in the high $200s.
Light and bright with lots of windows is how Messina describes the cottage-style floor plans at Persimmon Park. “Our plans feel open and airy, and exemplify Florida’s casual lifestyle,” she says. “These homes are designed for people wanting to simplify their life, who want less square footage to clean and maintain, yet want all the upscale finishes and details offered by ICI Homes.”
Inventory Homes In Asturia
In Asturia, ICI Homes has four inventory homes that are ready now or will be available soon. Two homes are of the award-winning Costa Mesa floor plan and one is a two-story Palisade. A one-story Arden will soon be completed.
“All of our floor plans are perfect for entertaining,” said Messina. “Our gathering rooms, gourmet kitchens and dining rooms blend together as one expansive space, highlighted by lots of windows that capture tons of natural light.”
ICI Homes has over 25 homesites remaining in Asturia, with many backing up to conservation and water. Prices begin in the high $300s. This 550-home community includes a unique trail system that winds through wetlands, parks and neighborhoods, and an award-winning Amenity Center that is known for its zero-entry pool, contemporary community center and state-of-the-art fitness center.
Bexley Showpiece
This is the last chance to buy an ICI Home in the first phase of Bexley, a master-planned community in Land O’ Lakes with thousands of acres of preserved wetlands, miles of recreational trails and a great location off State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway.
The builder’s Egret VII inventory home is one of the most beautiful and functional move-in ready homes available in Bexley. This one-story, four-bedroom, three-bath home has 2,813 square feet of living space, and features luxury finishes, an extended lanai, deluxe kitchen, huge gathering room and, at the home’s grand entrance, a large dining room and flex room. Separate from its side-entry two-car garage is a tandem garage ideal for a compact car, golf cart or storage.
This beautiful home sits on a 70-foot corner homesite in one of Bexley’s most prestigious neighborhoods, located close to the clubhouse and pools.
Published June 24, 2020