Brandon Development News [Archive]

Jahi98

January 9th, 2006, 11:13 PM

Westfield Brandon plans $50-million expansion; [SOUTH PINELLAS Edition]
MARK ALBRIGHT. St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Dec 30, 2005. pg. 2.D
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/952662071.html?MAC=43a36b15b8f1b78591588cff2550bcb7&did=952662071&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+30%2C+2005&author=MARK+ALBRIGHT&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&printformat=&desc=Westfield+Brandon+plans+%2450-million+expansion

The owner of Westfield Brandon plans to announce on Jan. 11 a $50- million expansion of the mall that would open in spring 2007.

Westfield Group, which has made no secret it has been planning an addition for the past three years, on Thursday confirmed the price, completion time and the size of the 150,000-square-foot addition.

The extension off the western front door to the mall's center court will be an outdoor-oriented lifestyle center with restaurants and shops.

"We'll explain all the details we can when we unveil the plans," said mall manager David Josker.

The Australian mall developers are negotiating with county officials over how to handle the extra traffic. The mall is on Interstate 75 and flanked by two major congested highways - State Route 60 and the terminus of the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway.

Westfield is proposing to give up development rights granted years ago to build more office space and residential projects on their property in return for their not kicking in millions more pledged to expand adjacent highways to serve them. Because there are few parallel north/south roads in the neighborhood, the mall road network carries a lot of nonmall traffic. Part of the plan in discussion would add lanes to the mall access road at State Route 60, which is routinely backed up, said Biff Crane, a Tampa lawyer guiding negotiations for Westfield.

Westfield, which owns 68 malls in the United States, has not identified possible tenants nor indicated how far it is in negotiations with them. A variety of chains are looking for space in the Tampa Bay area ranging from Kohl's to Dick's Sporting Goods, a Sports Authority clone that recently said its first store in the region will be in the Groves at Wesley Chapel. The Brandon mall is known to have approached Old Navy.

The expansion would make the Brandon mall, which has been neck- and-neck with International Plaza among Tampa Bay malls in traffic with 10-million shoppers, almost as large as its five largest rivals in the market. Each of them cover about 1.2-million square feet. The Brandon mall covers 987,000 square feet after recently adding a Sam Seltzer's Steak House. The mall projects the population of 530,000 people living in its primary trading area will grow about 13 percent within three years.

The Brandon mall had been the region's second most popular shopping destination, but its traffic slipped 7 percentage points to fifth place in 2005. According to the 2005 Scarborough Report, 25 percent of Tampa Bay metro area adult shoppers said they had been to International Plaza in the past 90 days. The same figure for the Brandon mall fell from 24 to 17 percent in 2005.

After buying the Brandon, Countryside and Citrus Park malls in the Tampa Bay area and Sarasota Square and Southgate Shopping Center in Sarasota in the past four years, Westfield pledged upgrades and expansions at all its Florida West Coast properties. A $50-million renovation and expansion of Sarasota Square is under way.

The Brandon addition is part of a larger rethinking that all malls go through as they mature and retail trends change.

Over the next three years, 65 of the original store leases in the decade-old mall are up for renewal. That means tenants are being shuffled around as stores expand or contract to the amount of business they think they can do there. Stores typically remodel to renew while those that drop out are replaced. The process brought several resized storefronts and new retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Hot Topic, Lady Foot Locker and Ann Taylor Loft to Brandon. With 170 stores and kiosks, the Brandon mall is 98 percent leased.

Times staff writer Bill Varian contributed to this report. Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.

Maxim98

January 9th, 2006, 11:32 PM

RM, its a new hotel chain I think.

And score for a new mall addition.

loureed

January 10th, 2006, 12:09 AM

LONG LIVE BRANDON INDEPENDENCE AND THE BRANDONER IDENTITY!!!!!!!!!

:grouphug:

Jasonhouse

January 10th, 2006, 06:03 AM

^???

Brandon has no independence or any discernable identity, so thus, it cannot "live".

loureed

January 11th, 2006, 12:22 AM

That's what you Tampians what us to think.

Booooo! Hisssss!

Viva la Brandon!!!!! :cheers:

Jasonhouse

January 11th, 2006, 01:08 AM

I tell you what, you guys can have your independence from county govt, but you have to take Rhonda Storms with you.

moxwax

January 11th, 2006, 02:49 AM

I tell you what, you guys can have your independence from county govt, but you have to take Rhonda Storms with you.
ZING!!!

Dave01walk

January 11th, 2006, 05:03 AM

I don't live in Brandon...but I think 60 has enough trafic on it now as it is. Man I hate that road through there!

Jasonhouse

January 11th, 2006, 07:19 AM

Traffic has been amplified due to the seamingly endless construction on the Crosstown and I-4.

cee

January 11th, 2006, 08:28 AM

does anyone know when the hell the new Mellow Mushroom Pizza will be finaly finished? its located in that new plaza on lumsden right when you get off falkenburg from the x-town.. its taking FOREVER to finish.. also, i'm jacked up about GIORDANO'S taking over for where the old HOP'S was on lumsden

secondly, does anyone think a new hooters should be built in brandon? the only one is the one at the corner of 60 and falkenburg.. i think the entire east side of brandon is deprived of any sort of sports bar.... buffalo wild wings is open at boyette/fish hawk and bell shoals, but thats more of east riverview area.. i think a hooters or winghouse should be built on east 60 close to where the cracker barrell is.. there's ton of land out there

loureed

January 11th, 2006, 02:37 PM

What's Giordanos???

Is it the clothing store? That would make me squeal.

randommichael

January 11th, 2006, 03:53 PM

Its a REALLY good pizza place from Chicago. I'll be eating there opening night.

randommichael

January 11th, 2006, 03:55 PM

The mellow mushroom is good pizza too. They were hiring there last week...so I would expect them to open soon.

randommichael

January 11th, 2006, 07:19 PM

Has anyone heard anything about the announcement concerning the expansion of the Brandon mall? It was supposed to have been today.

Jahi98

January 11th, 2006, 09:26 PM

^^already posted

Lemonhead II

January 15th, 2006, 01:56 AM

The mall expansion looks really nice... at least of what I know of it and seen. But I'm confused as to where the hell can they put an expansion?

Agent Orange

January 15th, 2006, 05:14 AM

^ The parking area in front of the west entrance.

Jasonhouse

January 15th, 2006, 07:31 AM

There's a west entrance? I thought that the mall abutted I-75 on the west?

smiley

January 16th, 2006, 04:03 AM

Dude, it's a mall. There are entrances from every side floating in a sea of parking. . . let it expnad - maybe one day it can become more urban rather than less - like Westshore did (many year from now, of course)

SDK4

January 17th, 2006, 05:26 AM

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Brandon mall develop into a huge mega regional mall for the whole bay area in the next decade. I mean its right on I-75, and is in the middle of a booming suburb in Brandon and eastern Hillsborough County.

cee

January 21st, 2006, 04:33 PM

what's the best MEXICAN food in brandon? i'm jonesin for some mexican this week and need some ideas

smiley

January 21st, 2006, 07:31 PM

see if there is a Vallarta's out there. That's the best in town (at least the old Carrollwood one was)

cee

January 23rd, 2006, 02:41 AM

i drove by the winthrop shopping center (corner of bloomingdale and providence) and they are building a MOE'S in the "downtown" area.. thank the lord, i was really getting fed up with having to drive to regency square.. does anyone know how big that winthrop downtown is actually going to be? i just hope its bigger than hyde park

Maxim98

January 23rd, 2006, 03:07 AM

i love winthrop.

Maxim98

January 23rd, 2006, 03:08 AM

ps for cee

http://www.dpz.com/project.aspx?Project_Number=9929&Project_Name=Winthrop

loureed

January 23rd, 2006, 04:02 AM

see if there is a Vallarta's out there. That's the best in town (at least the old Carrollwood one was)

Brandon no tiene una la Vallarta's. Pero, la ciudad de independicia Brandon tiene un Don Pablos y la Estelas.

smiley

January 23rd, 2006, 05:21 AM

To my knowledge, unlike Vallarta's, those chains are not actually owned by Mexicans - though Estelas is local and better than don Pablos. Vallartas is the real deal.

IT appears there is one in Temple Terrace - if you are willing to go up the road:

9255 N 56TH St

SDK4

January 23rd, 2006, 05:37 AM

Or Tampa

http://tampabay.citysearch.com/profile/2680134/

cee

January 23rd, 2006, 06:59 AM

ya, estelas isnt really that spectacular.. dont get me wrong, its better than the chains.. is vallarta's along par with miguel's on kennedy?

smiley

January 23rd, 2006, 06:51 PM

cee

January 23rd, 2006, 08:18 PM

NO. Miguel's is ok, but it is all South Tampa with wannbee yuppie servers, etc. Vallarta's is all Mexican (or at least Central American - I haven't surveyed them) staff. It is the closest thing to the real deal. They show MExican soccer games in the bar.

hell yes.. ya, miguel's is the best mexican i've tasted in tampa so far (and thats not really saying much).. but i'll probably give vallarta's on 56th a go.. ya, that is sooo true with miguel's and its servers-- i hate south tampa yuppies.. the whole south howard scene makes me wanna go postal :gunz:

smiley

January 23rd, 2006, 09:13 PM

Well, before you go flying I will give the caveat that I go the the Carrollwood one all the time but have not been to the 56th one, though I would think it is just as good.

Some background:

Vallarta's Stakes Claim Near Theater
By PEGGY LIM plim@tampatrib.com
Published: Dec 2, 2004

TAMPA - For years, visitors to the AMC Veterans 24 movie theater complex could fill up on baby back ribs and roadhouse steaks. Now, they can also chow down on chimichangas, tamales or chiles rellenos.
Last week, a Vallarta's Mexican Restaurant quietly opened its doors at 9219 Anderson Road, where Italian-style eatery TuscaBella used to be.

``The area just needed a good Mexican restaurant,'' restaurant manager Vicente Leon, 31, said between preparations, such as last-minute grocery runs for peppers and phoning a mariachi band for the store's grand opening.

Leon comes with strong credentials as a member of the three-family clan that owns and operates four other Vallarta's in the Tampa Bay area and about 80 restaurants across the Americas. The restaurant's success, however, isn't surefire. Vallarta's is joining a plaza where several businesses have opened and shut, unable to draw enough foot traffic from the neighboring moviegoer Mecca and nearby communities.

One restaurant, Oyster Bay, closed shop about a year ago, reopened with a different owner only to be shuttered again a few months later. Another tenant, Cajun-style Copeland's of New Orleans, closed last August after struggling for three years. It tried to reinvent itself as the sandwich-centered Florida Grille, but that, too, tanked within three months.

The two venues have remained unoccupied for more than a year with unsightly weeds cropping up around the vacant lots.

It's a puzzle to some why so many restaurants in such a prime spot have failed to survive or attract new bidders for fresh ventures.

The center is in an industrial area, between the densely populated communities of Town 'N Country, Citrus Park and Carrollwood. Its anchor tenant, AMC Veterans 24, is one of the three top-grossing movie theaters in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market, according to Pam Blase, AMC's vice president of corporate communications.

What's The Problem?

Curtis Rorebuck, a real estate manager, said he's been ``surprised and disappointed'' that the former Florida Grille property has taken so long to sell. He acknowledged, however, some buyers may be spooked about going into a restaurant that closed because of poor business.

It has been a blow to expectations, which soared five years ago based on predictions that the area would get explosive growth.

Such expectations are why the Lutz-based DeBartolo Property Group, a national real estate giant, invested in the plaza in 1999. Next to the theater, it launched an ice cream shop and Tomatina's pizzeria, which would later become TuscaBella.

``When Ed Muransky [the group's former CEO] picked that spot, he wanted to be ahead of the development curve,'' said Eddy Midyett, vice president of the DeBartolo's diversified holdings.

The problem was others in Tampa Bay were thinking the same thing.

Shortly after the Veterans 24 complex opened, so did International Plaza with its Cheesecake Factory; WestShore Plaza also added Maggiano's and Palm Restaurant; and Outback Steakhouse Inc. opened several new restaurant concepts near Tampa International Airport.

Then, just as this glut of new restaurants was arriving,terrorists struck Sept. 11. People started staying in more or spent less when they did dine out.

``Everything just got overbuilt during the downturn of the economy,'' said Jerry Gabet, former chief executive of the Copeland's restaurant. ``There wasn't enough traffic on Anderson Road to support that number of restaurants.''

Pricier restaurants, such as Copeland's, where the average check per person was about $20, suffered.

Finding The Right Formula

A few restaurants, however, have been able to thrive in the Veterans 24 complex.

Logan's Roadhouse, a moderately priced casual-dining steakhouse, was the first restaurant in the complex, opening five months before the theater. It's still going strong, with business improving each year, general manager Michael Batte said.

A key to the restaurant's success has probably been its affordability and quick service. This is especially appealing to the lunch crowd, which, Batte said, makes up the majority of Logan's business.

When customers enter Logan's, they are immediately served a bucket of hard-shell peanuts, bread and drinks. Their orders come within eight to 10 minutes.

``They could be in and out of here in 20 minutes if they eat fast enough,'' said Jackie Gallant, 18, a Logan's server.

``They always serve us promptly,'' Hillsborough County sheriff's Deputy Jeffrey A. Chitwood said. She and her colleagues eat at the restaurant once a week during their 45-minute lunch breaks.

Bennigan's, the only other original restaurant to have lasted in the complex, makes similar promises on mid-range prices and speedy service. During lunch, if an order arrives after 15 minutes, customers get a voucher for their next lunch free.

Drawing a loyal lunch crowd seems crucial to survival. Most movie watchers don't come until after 6 p.m. or on weekends, Blase said.

A Test Case

With Vallarta's now adding to the mix, it seems less a test if the area's ready for Mexican food than if the restaurant can match the affordably priced, ``good food, fast'' model that Bennigan's and Logan's have perfected.

Leon, however, doesn't seem overly nervous about entering a plaza still haunted by the skeletons of past restaurants.

Leon, whose motto is ``Mi casa es su casa'' (or ``my home is your home''), banks on the popularity that other Vallarta's have experienced in the Tampa Bay area. Although the venue won't have a lunch buffet, a major component of other Vallarta's, most of the restaurant's lunch offerings range from $4 to $6. He also has confidence in his cooks, who were trained by his parents, chefs in another family-owned restaurant in Pennsylvania.

Leon dreams about starting his own miniature tequila museum in the front lobby.

``There are over 1,800 [brand] names of tequila,'' he explains, adding that Vallarta's is the name of a famous beach in Jalisco, the Mexican state from where his family hails and also where tequila is made.

If Vallarta's presence signals the beginning of a turnaround for the plaza's restaurant businesses as a whole, that's something that many would be likely to toast.

Reporter Peggy Lim can be reached at (813) 731-8135.
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:5mm2Lc1crbUJ:westchase.tbo.com/westchase/MGB1F98282E.html+vallarta%27s+tampa&hl=en

cee

February 14th, 2006, 07:38 AM

http://gardendistrict.fishhawkranch.com/events.aspx

i was bored one day and drove into fishhawk ranch (off of fishhawk trail, which is between lithia pinecrest and bell shoals.. it eventually turns into boyette road.. anyways, i drove into fishhawk ranch (NOT fishhawk trails) and was just looking around and browsing the houses.. i didnt not realize that it was its own, practically, self-sufficient community!.. the best is when i stumbled upon PARK SQUARE (see link above).. its a little semi-urban area that serves as fishhawk ranch's townsquare.. although only 1/2 of the stores are moved in, its pretty cool, reminded me of downtown celebration florida in disney.. has anyone else seen this place? its pretty cool
http://gardendistrict.fishhawkranch.com/images/events.jpg

TamHavPolis

February 14th, 2006, 07:27 PM

SDK4

February 14th, 2006, 09:40 PM

Multicolored buildings in a suburban neighborhood? Not so sure about that one.

Quegiebo

February 14th, 2006, 09:54 PM

I like the palm trees. They're really, really green! :tyty:

TampaMike

February 14th, 2006, 11:37 PM

Some reason I like it.

Afguy1985

February 15th, 2006, 04:59 AM

I own a house there in the Garden District which is under construction at this point! I love the neighborhood!

Jahi98

February 15th, 2006, 06:28 AM

The Times did an article on it a few months ago. Didn't realize that was out there, either. The real thing looks better than that model, IMO.

tampaguy75

January 22nd, 2007, 12:39 AM

Sorry to bring back an old thread that's not quite the purpose of this site, but I have been seeing some development right at the intersection of Falkenburg Rd. and the Crosstown expressway, and it's driving me crazy trying to figure out what's going on. On one side of Falkenburg it looks to be at least 50 acres that is being worked. I did see a sign that said "coming soon full service spa and hotel". Does anyone know what else is going to go there or how tall the hotel will be? (Also, it looks like the buildings that they have started working on are completely wood frame. I didn't know that was acceptable in Florida for new construction.)

What about on the other side of Falkenburg? Maybe about 30 acres of land jus started being cleared. I think I remember reading a while back that it was slated to be a commercial, entertainment, and residential mix use are. I was just wondering if there were more details on the development.

Finally, what about the new building going up at the intersectino of SR 60 and I-75 (right by the 7 story hotel that went up in 2006)? I'm assuming this new building is also a hotel. Any chance it will be at least 10 stories tall?

Tampa on the move.

January 22nd, 2007, 12:49 AM

Man have not been out that way to see all of that, but I can only imagine how much that area from Brandon north to New Tampa will change as Tampa starts to grow more towards the east and north in Hillsborough county.. I do believe the I-4 ---I 75 corridor will one day be full of homes--- retail and office parks in the next 5-10 years..

Maxim98

January 22nd, 2007, 12:56 AM

To bring up a dead topic, the Fishhawk development looks better than one would expect. It's about the best one can do with sprawl in terms of planning and (surprisingly) density. It isn't half bad, and I'd call it the best development in Brandon....

tampamobster21

January 22nd, 2007, 03:02 AM

Maxim98

January 22nd, 2007, 05:17 AM

A Cheesecake? Just what I needed - more calories. Panera is going to be returning with a larger location - I was told this b the manager at the Panera in Westshore I had lunch at today. :-P

The building going up at 75 and 60 is probably another hotel, yes. Hopefully it'll be taller - it seems to be a bit larger than the other....

FloridaFuture

January 23rd, 2007, 10:49 PM

Here's the list of new stuff for the Brandon Mall

Westfield Brandon additions include Fossil, Cheesecake Factory
Tampa Bay Business Journal - January 17, 2007

As part of the $60 million expansion set to be complete by March, Westfield Brandon mall is adding 12 new retailers to its mix. Also, interior renovations to the food court are complete and the new Westfield Family Lounge is open.

Among the new retailers:

The Cheesecake Factory, the upscale casual restaurant with more than 200 menu items.

Teavana, a retailer that provides more than 100 teas and serving products.

Sephora, a fragrance, cosmetics and facial skin care products seller.

Swarovski, a retailer of full cut crystal gifts and jewelry.

Fossil, a watch and accessories retailer.

Solstice Sunglass Boutique, a luxury sunglass specialty store.

Esmer Fashion Jewelry & Accessories, which sells Turkish jewelry.

Quiksilver, a surf-inspired clothing and accessories retailer.

Cache, a retailer of social-occasion sportswear and dresses.

Swim 'N Sport, a seller of designer swimwear for women.

The Walking Co. which provides comfort footwear.

Clark's, another comfort footwear retailer.

The new Westfield Family Lounge, located in the food court, features three private nursing stations, five diaper changing stations, a diaper machine, microwave, child-sized "facilities;" and a large, carpeted play area.

A new 45,000 square foot Dick's Sporting Goods anchors Westfield Brandon's new shopping wing. When construction is completed for the wing's opening in March, the center will boast more than 1.1 million square feet of retail space.

Westfield Brandon will also offer valet parking as well as a second family lounge and additional restrooms in the new wing, a release said.

Located on State Road 60, just off of I-75 and originally opened in 1995, Westfield Brandon is the location for four major department stores - Dillard's, Macy's, JCPenney and Sears - and more than 130 specialty stores and eateries.

Westfield Brandon is owned by the Westfield Group (ASX: WDC), an Australia-based company with interests in 120 shopping centers in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

In the United States, it has a portfolio of 60 shopping centers that house more than 9,000 specialty stores and comprise approximately 64.6 million square feet of leasable space in 13 states including Florida, the company said.

http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2007/01/15/daily33.html

Jasonhouse

February 2nd, 2007, 06:40 AM

Lost in all of this is the opening of a Giordano's pizza in Brandon. Anyone who loves Chicago style pizza needs to at least check it out once.

Maxim98

February 2nd, 2007, 03:16 PM

Passed it, but didn't stop. We opted for Crispers last night. :-P

youngkg

February 2nd, 2007, 03:54 PM

Lost in all of this is the opening of a Giordano's pizza in Brandon. Anyone who loves Chicago style pizza needs to at least check it out once.

I was just in Chicago and ate at the original Giordano's next to the Sears Tower and the pizza was awesome. I have tried Chicago pizza around here and nothing compares to that pizza. Just be warned it takes around 45minutes to cook the Deep Dish so don't expect to be in-and-out.

http://lh3.google.com/image/ken.g.young/RbUrRVl8j7I/AAAAAAAAAHg/2eJt4w-xg7o/s288/giordanos_pizza_chicago.jpg

youngkg

February 2nd, 2007, 04:00 PM

There is also a Giordano's planning to open in South Tampa. I can't wait...

randommichael

February 2nd, 2007, 05:39 PM

Actually I went to Giordano's the other week and waited well over an hour and a half. I would recommend calling and ordering it to go.

tampamobster21

February 2nd, 2007, 09:30 PM

I wonder, why does it take so long?

randommichael

February 2nd, 2007, 09:37 PM

Well they are very deep dished pizzas. I understand it can take 45 minutes, but double that and making it an hour and a half makes no sense to me. Maybe their pizza oven wasn't big enough to handle all the pizzas...I don't know. Needless to say, I was about to starve to death by the time the pizza actually came.

tampamobster21

February 2nd, 2007, 10:04 PM

You had your limbs...lol. They make an ok substitute.

Jasonhouse

February 4th, 2007, 05:50 AM

I was just in Chicago and ate at the original Giordano's next to the Sears Tower and the pizza was awesome. I have tried Chicago pizza around here and nothing compares to that pizza. Just be warned it takes around 45minutes to cook the Deep Dish so don't expect to be in-and-out.

http://lh3.google.com/image/ken.g.young/RbUrRVl8j7I/AAAAAAAAAHg/2eJt4w-xg7o/s288/giordanos_pizza_chicago.jpg

There is a good Chi pizza joint over in Largo on Walsingham... Chicago Pizza & Pasta Co

And yeah, they also take a solid 45 mins... I reccomend some pizza bread while you wait.

(plus here in Tampa we have Windy City Pizza and Cappy's, which both serve a decent deep dish pie.)

FloridaFuture

February 23rd, 2007, 11:29 PM

:nuts: :scouserd: :nuts:
Increase to 50 feet in height turned down
By TIMES STAFF
Published February 23, 2007

VALRICO: The County Commission earlier this month returned a zoning request to the drawing board.

RGG Properties will go back to a zoning hearing master after downsizing a request to add four floors of office space to a retail building at the northwest corner of State Road 60 and Church Street.

RGG wanted to increase the building's commercial use from 26,000 to 57,000 square feet. In siding with a 4-2 majority, Commissioner Rose Ferlita said the proposed height increase to 50 feet is not compatible with surrounding businesses.

The request goes to a zoning hearing master on April 5. Petition 06-1695

RIVERVIEW: Property owners Dawn and Albert Carapella will take their zoning request back to a zoning hearing master. The developer sought to change 2 acres at 10760 Bloomingdale Ave. from agricultural residential to office retail.

A previous owner applied in 2005 for multifamily rezoning as part of a 14-acre tract before withdrawing that request.

The Planning Commission has called the proposal incompatible with surrounding development, which is mostly residential.

The case was to be heard by county commissioners Feb. 13, but will now go to a zoning hearing master on April 5. Petition 06-1386

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/23/Brandontimes/Increase_to_50_feet__.shtml

Jasonhouse

February 24th, 2007, 05:11 AM

ah yes... thank you for reminding me why I loathe the HC BOCC... Not like Commissioner Fajita has ever been particularly adept at having perspective on development issues, but it seems like the BOCC is the blackhole of death when it comes to intelligent people suddenly forgetting how to evaluate development proposals, and see the big picture.

Maxim98

February 25th, 2007, 05:39 AM

hahahaha

FloridaFuture

March 1st, 2007, 01:21 PM

Mall's New Wing Aloft And Open
Skip directly to the full story.
By TOM BRENNAN The Tampa Tribune

Published: Mar 1, 2007

BRANDON - After months of construction and confusion for area mall hounds, the curtain will rise today on the first part of Westfield Brandon's $60 million, 150,000-square-foot expansion.

"We are anticipating a new level of excitement and success when the doors open," said Taylor Clifton, Westfield's marketing director.

Mall operators and administrators will unveil a new wing with 13 specialty retailers selling food, apparel, cosmetics, accessories and shoes.

The wing's additional 16 stores and restaurants will open over the next two months, Clifton said.

Among them will be a 45,000-square-foot Dick's Sporting Goods that will anchor the expansion when the store opens March 15 and a Cheesecake Factory set to open April 23, one of the new wing's four sit-down restaurants.

Clifton said Westfield has contracts awaiting final signatures on the remaining retail space and is in negotiations on the other three eateries.

Future stores announced Wednesday were Books-A-Million, Lucky Brand Jeans, White House/Black Market, Gymboree, an Abercrombie children's clothing store and a Crush Tan Spa.

Opening today are apparel retailers Coldwater Creek, Cache, Quicksilver, Swim 'n Sport and Bebe; cosmetic and accessory stores Sephora, Swarovski, Fossil and Solstice Sunglass Boutique; shoe stores Clarks, The Walking Company and Bakers; and the specialty tea seller Teavana.

Clifton said the new wing combines the styles of a traditional indoor mall and an outdoor entertainment district.

"We want this to be a one-stop shopping experience that is convenient and fun," she said.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4538 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

http://www.tbo.com/news/money/MGBEXBBJQYE.html

Jasonhouse

March 1st, 2007, 09:45 PM

At least now when I go to the Cheesecake Factory near my house, I won't have to wait in line for 2 hours.

I have seen the expansion... It's nice.

Maxim98

March 2nd, 2007, 04:28 AM

Yeah, it looks nice. I'm not sure about the flimsy Dick's facade, though. Last time I was there, I couldn't spot Cheesecake's spot - I guess I'll see it taking shape over the next month. Nothing seems to have that distinct, Cheesecake architecture yet, I guess.

I like White House/Black Market quite a bit. Quiksilver is also a staple in my closet. All the better.

Hopefully one of the other eateries is a P.F. Chang's. I reaaaally don't care for the drive/wait in Westshore. :-D

tampamobster21

March 3rd, 2007, 06:18 AM

If you go to the new wing and go out onto the promenade you can see the Cheesecake Factory and its extremely overdone decoration. I am glad to have one in town though.

Maxim98

March 7th, 2007, 11:23 PM

The Cheesecake Factory is definitely taking shape - ostentatious architecture and all. Dick's and the rest of the expansion is slowly opening up from the looks of it. The project is a nice addition, but the landscaping isn't very inspired compared to the rest of the mall, which (imo) really works well - lots of lush trees and thick shrubbery. Obviously, the new area will "grow in" over time, but the choice of trees seems a little on the stingy side. It's all good... I'm probably the only shopper that notices things like that, haha.

For a less obscure discussion.... the second hotel near I-75 that is U/C appears to have topped out at only 5 stories. It's disappointing, to a degree.

Progressive is finishing work on a fifth building in the Brandon area. They have the three modern buildings in the Crescent Park and a substantial amount of space across the street on 301. The new building looks like a customer service center where you can drive in, get help, and be on your way. It's almost like an expanded bank. They've got quite a presence in the area.

A Southshore update....
-Little Harbor is putting the finishing details on the first of the high-density projects for their expansion. Although Jason swears this building is around a dozen stories, I'm almost certain it's actually around 7 or 8 - but it does have an abnormally tall first "service" floor, high ceilings in the units, and a tall roof structure. It's a significant addition and looks quite nice.
-Apollo Beach's Bellagio complex of condominium towers are quickly nearing completion. Of the half-dozen mid-rise buildings, the first should be ready for move-in shortly. Each building is five stories and quite nice looking.
-Also in Apollo Beach is Aqua, slated to go up on Tampa Bay on Surfside Drive. It's a modestly sized condominium project - four stories. No word on a construction start time....
-The 8 story project replacing the Ramada inn on the bay is still for sale. The lot is vacant and the plans are up for sale to the highest bidder. The same developer drafted plans for a community of around 100 three and four story townhomes across the street. The first block of units is nearly complete.
-If you are familiar with Apollo Beach, you'll remember the complex of apartments on Apollo Beach Blvd. on the Abaco canal. These units have been gutted and are being completely remodeled as condo conversions. The exterior update is significant, with a Key West tone to suite the rest of the town's new style.

That's it for today's update on Sprawlsville, USA. At the least the high(er) quality of construction and high(er) density housing is becoming more prevalent in the area.

cee

March 23rd, 2007, 02:42 AM

i went into dick's last night. nothing special. more outdoorsy stuff like kayaking crap. otherwise, its kinda like sports authority. i walked past the cheesecake factory too.. looks pretty nice, i just wish that they could build more restaurants along with the expansion. i know they've got sam seltzer, but they need MORE MORE MORE.

brandon needs a nightlife district. it is safe to say that it is big enough to support one now. something as simple as a strip mall with restaurants that turn into bars. i guess the only thing close is that strip mall at the corner of lumsden and kings with "The Drink" and "O'Brien's".

WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THAT OTHER TARGET? ya know, the one at the corner of 301 and bloomingdale?!? THAT IS SO STUPID. just 5 miles north where the mall is, there is a target there.

the people of valrico need a target, dammit. south brandon is becoming the upscale part of brandon, and we need a target to supress the insatiable shopping thirsts of our SUV-driving soccer moms. hopefully, fishhawk will land one... there's a lot of land down there.

moxwax

March 23rd, 2007, 04:49 AM

Cee, just out of curiousity, do you post on the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Bulletin Boards?

Anyway, I disaggree with the fact that Brandon needs a nightlife district. Let all the people wanting to go out come to a central location that needs the activity such as say.......... downtown Tampa? Why not build more nightlife there instead of way out in Brandon, separating them more from the rest of the region?

Jasonhouse

March 23rd, 2007, 05:19 AM

^totally agreed...

Will never understand the desire by a lot of folks around my age to hang out in some corporate run bar located on an outparcel from some big box retail built on land that was a cow pasture or orange grove just a few years ago... And this is somehow supposed to be "cool" and "trendy" and represent "culture"... Yeah, because the trek to your car is cool when all you experience is... cars, exhaust stench, cow shit stench, mosquitoes that can kill, canned elevator muzak on the PA and a sea of hulking SUVs glimmering with blinged out wheels better suited for a child's toy... No, it is not cool, and no it does not speak well to the "culture" of our region. The only redeeming quality of any of these places are the people who go there, who sell themselves far short by hanging out in such uninspiring places.

It's pathetic that this is all our region is capable of. It's even more shameful that residents don't stand up and demand real leadership which actually produces results, not just fat govt contracts for their pals.

And the saddest part to me is that realization that this isn't uniform myopia, like it used to be, when Tampa was still new enough to get a pass on being such a poorly managed region... Nowadays, it's basically a handful of "leaders" holding up the region's maturing into a place that is worth the price of admission... It seems that while cities like Tampa and St Petersburg are generally trying to create the exact things which make our region better, the unincorporated governments of Hillsborough and Pasco seem to be hell bent on making the region a ring of monotonous corporate sprawl housed in modular "town centers", surrounding former cities which have been completely torn down and rezoned to be the next phases of single family homes for Westchase, Trinity and Fishhawk...

moxwax

March 23rd, 2007, 05:51 AM

very well said

FloridaFuture

March 24th, 2007, 02:26 AM

cee

April 10th, 2007, 02:54 AM

Cee, just out of curiousity, do you post on the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Bulletin Boards?

yes, i do.. and, like here, i run that msg board with an iron fist

Maxim98

April 10th, 2007, 03:01 AM

^You run this board with an iron fist? :-P

Jasonhouse

April 10th, 2007, 03:26 AM

^News to me too. ;)

smiley

April 10th, 2007, 05:26 AM

I went ot the new Dick's Sporting Goods at Citrus Park Mall today and was equally unimpressed. Especially when I can shop at a Sports Authority right across the street.

BUt where else can you find firearms in the mall?

Jasonhouse

April 10th, 2007, 05:33 AM

^Umm, in about 10% of the cars in the parking lot? Or was your question rhetorical? ;)

Hey, does anyone know anything about a subdivision called Lake Heather, that is not too far from the mall, off Lumsden or something.... Is that place any good?

AKBTampa

April 10th, 2007, 04:05 PM

Jason - It's called "Heather Lakes" older subdivision (80s-90s) - What do you mean by is it good? Is it safe? More run down and crime ridden than other walled subdivisions in Brandon, but that isn't saying much.

Cee - I hear a lot of people go to Taiga next to the BP station on Lumsden/Causeway and Falkenburg. It's usually open late every night and I believe they even have hookah's now - so it sounds a little more upscale but I have never been there personally. For more of a "dive" scene check out some of the places on East Brandon Blvd. - Fox & Hounds, etc...

If people would just leave the ultra-corporate "Brandon Town Center" area they would see that Brandon has a ton of bars and restaurants all over the place, many of them locally-owned. You've got the original Beef O'Brady's on Kings, Babe's Pizza is a classic, La Septima is amazing (Parsons). I could go on and on.

tampamobster21

April 10th, 2007, 09:12 PM

Taiga is great, but unless you are ready to put down 8 dollars for a bloody mary or shots of patron, then I do not recommend it. The food during the day is great. I love their fried grouper sandwich, which is not that expensive. Great place. My favorite locally owned bar is O'Briens, the owner Shawn is a personal friend and I am their more often than not. That bar is a bar that will finish the best of them. They make their drinks really strong.

Maxim98

April 11th, 2007, 12:45 AM

Fox & Hounds is fantastic.

Taiga? Not so much. Unless you like dining near the dumpster of a BP.... (actually, I'm being cruel... their food is decent and it's a nice bar).

cee

April 12th, 2007, 02:26 AM

these places are good.. if you are a 50 yr old divorced single father/mother.. this area needs to be infused with YOUTH

FloridaFuture

April 12th, 2007, 03:04 AM

Arts proponent has a backup plan for center
By Amanda Palleschi
Published April 6, 2007

One way or another, Wayne Otto wants Brandon to finally have a performing arts center.

If an adequate arts facility ends up as part of a proposed multipurpose community center, that's fine with Otto. If not, he's poised to push ahead with his own effort to get a 500-seat theater.

For about a year, community leaders have studied and talked about the Brandon Advantage Center, a $13.4-million facility that's envisioned as a community gathering spot with many uses. The problem: There's still no site or guaranteed funding.

Otto, founder of Stagedoor Performing Arts and a candidate for honorary Brandon mayor, believes his vision for a theater could merge with plans for the Advantage Center.

But to be a useful arts venue, Otto said, it needs certain amenities: 500 seats, plenty of rehearsal space, a scene shop, and professional lighting and sound equipment for dance, theater and music performances.

"A multipurpose facility isn't designed for that. It's designed for all kinds of things," Otto said of the Advantage Center. "Of course, I think Brandon is plenty large enough to allow for a multipurpose facility and a performing arts center."

Otto has pledged the funds raised from his honorary mayoral candidacy - donations from residents and businesses that go to charitable or community causes - as seed money for a performing arts center.

Site woes

But even getting a site for the Advantage Center has been problematic since former state Sen. Tom Lee of Valrico snagged $3.4-million of state money for the facility in 2006.

A consultant identified a site near Brandon Parkway and Lakewood Drive as the best spot for the Advantage Center. While Lee said it's the best location, the area's inadequate roads can't support a large venue.

"While there's a demand out there and a desire to move it forward, we've been unable to identify a piece of property that will accommodate a 50,000-square-foot facility with parking demands and with a centrally located position in the community," he said.

The consultant is now evaluating other locations, including property at Hillsborough Community College.

State Rep. Trey Traviesa, who took over the project when Lee's term ended in 2006, is concerned about finding a site that keeps taxpayers' costs down. "We want to spend as little taxpayer money as we have to," Traviesa, R-Tampa, said. "We can't get to the number at Main Street that makes sense from a taxpayer perspective."

Searching for funds

While Traviesa works to find more state money, Otto and others have their own ideas about where to locate funds.

The Greater Brandon Arts Council will support plans for the Brandon Advantage Center if it includes a performance space, said Kim Hall, the council's chairwoman. Until the Advantage Center's plans are finalized, the council will have its own fund-raisers.

"So many organizations are interested in supporting the arts, and we haven't tapped that resource yet," she said.

But Lee doubts the community's needs - a center that is flexible enough to support multiple uses such as a job training center, art studio and lecture hall - can be met without substantial government funding.

"You could put something together where you have state, local and private funding all coming together," he said. "But for this community to raise any substantial portion of what it would cost to build this facility, I think, is unrealistic."

Aside from his personal interest in a standalone performing arts center, Otto said funding is another reason to strike out on his own. His proposal, at 12,000 to 15,000 square feet, would be much smaller and less expensive than the Brandon Advantage Center. He hopes the money he raises in the honorary mayoral campaign will attract federal and state grants. "My thinking is that if we build it with grant money, it doesn't come with strings attached," he said.

For any plan to come together - whether it's a community theater, a multipurpose Advantage Center, or both - everyone must put their heads together, said John Sullivan, owner of The Barn, a black-box theater in Brandon. That hasn't happened yet.

"To be successful you have to get an agreement on what they want before anybody goes too far," he said.

Amanda Palleschi can be reached at apalleschi@sptimes.com or 813-661-2453.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/04/06/Brandontimes/Arts_proponent_has_a_.shtml

tampamobster21

April 12th, 2007, 03:21 AM

I think that would be cool if Brandon got its own performing arts center. I think it would be another step in Brandon realising that it is a city. a good sized one at that. I would say the site couls be right off of Oakfield where the chamber of commerce and Bank of Tampa is on Paul Dr.

AKBTampa

April 12th, 2007, 11:55 PM

Is there really a lack of theaters in the area? Let's look at the big picture here folks!

FloridaFuture

April 28th, 2007, 03:14 PM

Developer envisions shopping mecca
By Catherine E. Shoichet
Published April 27, 2007

If county commissioners approve a developer's plans, South Shore shoppers could have 1-million square feet of new stores to explore in 2009.

Developer Equity Inc. has announced plans to buy 133 acres at the southwest corner of Interstate 75 and Big Bend Road and build a $200-million project there.

"It's the hottest piece of retail ground left in the Tampa Bay area," Equity chief executive officer Steve Wathen said.

For residents of Riverview and other South Shore communities, it means more shopping options closer to home than Brandon. Details of the development - which could rival the Westfield Brandon mall in size - are still in the works, he said. Up to 450,000 square feet of office space, a movie theater and 250 hotel rooms may also be part of Equity's plans.

The vacant site, where cattle now graze alongside rush-hour traffic jams, is across the street from East Bay High School.

The mall will mark a significant milestone for the area, Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce executive director Joanne Gadek said.

"It will be a big change," she said. "This is going to be the community's hub, the town center that we don't have."

But before construction begins, developers will have to deal with one thing the area already has in abundance: traffic.

Gadek - and members of other local business and residential groups who met recently with Equity officials - said that should be a top priority.

"It's going to be an interesting development, but there are some concerns," Covington Park Homeowners Association President Rick Reidt said.

Residents of the 1,194-home subdivision just south of the proposed mall site are also worried about the impact of noise and lighting, he said.

Wathen said he hopes crews will break ground next spring. Before that happens, state, regional and county officials will evaluate its impact on traffic and the environment. The County Commission will have the final say. As a condition of approval, commissioners could require the developer to chip in for significant street improvements, such as widening Big Bend Road.

Equity beat out about 20 developers vying for the property, said Karon McDonald Tyson, co-owner of McDonald Realty Services.

The Columbus, Ohio, developer, which opened an office in Tampa last year, is not the first to announce plans for the property. A previous deal with Morin Development Group was mired in litigation and ultimately fell through last year.

But speculation about possible tenants for the property never stopped.

Wathen declined to name stores that have expressed interest in the site. He said restaurants will include fast food, casual dining and fine dining options. At least part of the project will be designed in the popular town center style.

"We want to have value-oriented retail there. We want to have a department store. We want to have higher-image and higher-end elements," he said. "It's at the stage where most of the really cool stuff is in the future."

For years, speculation centered on a SuperTarget there, said Patrick Berman, senior director of retail brokerage at Cushman & Wakefield. Other possibilities, based on the site's location and available square footage, include JCPenney, Home Depot, Kohl's and Best Buy, he said.

No matter which retailers move in, Berman said, there will be no shortage of shoppers. The site is at the heart of the fastest growing area in Tampa Bay, he said, but the closest major shopping area is more than 10 miles away in Brandon.

"There's definitely a gap there," Berman said. "There's a strong demand and almost no supply."

Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at cshoichet@sptimes.com or 813 661-2454.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/04/27/Brandontimes/Developer_envisions_s.shtml

Maxim98

April 28th, 2007, 10:54 PM

Yuck.

Apollo Beach needs a new or resigned exit. This doesn't help.

ChuckScraperMiami#1

April 28th, 2007, 11:19 PM

Yuck.

Apollo Beach needs a new or resigned exit. This doesn't help.

MAXIM:) , my friend,
I agree with the Yuck,
I know this area well, and I've been there at that Southwest corner of that Big Bend Interchange many times,
and This MALL:bash: is a Huge Mistake !!!
Too close to the Manatee Wildlife Refuge Center,
I can see a protest now in the county commission meeting,
Leave the property to the Cows:banana: ,
Its' too close to the waters of Tampa Bay !!!

I'm Sorry Florida Future,
But I'm against this Mall on any West side of I-75 south of the " s.r.301 - Cross town expressway - I-75 " Interchange,
If you have been to the Manatee Free Wildlife Center next to BIG BEND Power Plant,
You would agree with me,
Please visit there first,
and you'll agree with me,
:cheers: thanks for this important update:nuts:

FloridaFuture

April 28th, 2007, 11:33 PM

I'm Sorry Florida Future,
But I'm against this Mall on any West side of I-75 south of the " s.r.301 - Cross town expressway - I-75 " Interchange,
If you have been to the Manatee Free Wildlife Center next to BIG BEND Power Plant,
You would agree with me,
Please visit there first,
and you'll agree with me,
:cheers: thanks for this important update:nuts:

Hey Chuck, I don't agree with the mall project one bit I just posted the article. ;) I sincerely hope the Wildlife Refuge (I'm pro-enviorment heavily) doesn't close for some suburban mall. :)

Maxim98

April 29th, 2007, 01:49 AM

Oh, the mall isn't that close to the Manatee Visitor Center. It's no more threatening than, say, TECO (which is actually an asset to the manatees - it's a warm, protected environment).

My concerns are purely based on traffic. The roads are in horrible condition (think Gandy Blvd. in South Tampa - a huge mess) and are always congested. There is no direct exit to Apollo Beach, meaning you have to fight with people going to Summerfield, Covington Park, King's Lake, and a slew of other developments to get to it. It's not a huge woe, but this certainly won't help. They've (the powers that be) have been tossing around the idea of a new exit with a direct connection to Apollo Beach Blvd., but I've yet to see anything proposed.

It's already a precarious situation and there's no doubt going to be homes going up on every plot of land for sale in the area. It's already getting congested... I can only imagine what's next. New Tampa syndrome, no doubt.

ilyssa schechter

May 9th, 2007, 06:20 AM

Hi...i'm new to this forum. Just wanted to let everyone know that off of providence lakes blvd-- right next to LA FITNESS, my second franchised restaurant called Bagel Bagel Cafe will be opening june 18th. This name should not fool you--- yes our breakfast is to die for, but our lunch kicks the breakfast's butt !!! Please visit www.bagelbagelcafe.com for full menu. I promise--- you will be hooked on our food. Anyone that is an FSU alum- YES this is the same one as in Tallahassee!!!

PS--- sorry for the randomness! I know this is about skyscrapers however--new restaurants in brandon falls into the development catagory- no?!?! :)

tampamobster21

May 9th, 2007, 06:41 AM

I work right in front of your cafe. I have been waiting for you to open for ever.

ilyssa schechter

May 9th, 2007, 01:33 PM

well... let everyone know.. june 18th is the opening date!!!! ill let you know if anything changes!!!

randommichael

May 9th, 2007, 03:39 PM

ilyssa schechter

May 9th, 2007, 07:10 PM

yeah.. that LA fitness is a NICE gym. Too bad I will be working all the time to use it :(

FloridaFuture

May 9th, 2007, 10:41 PM

There is a Bagel Bagel Cafe up in North Tampa that I've been to a few times that recently opened. Both times I've tried it has been good.

ilyssa schechter

May 10th, 2007, 01:04 AM

which one? the one off of dale mabry and van dyke or the one off 56 in wesley chapel??? hope your experience was good too! :)

FloridaFuture

May 10th, 2007, 02:40 AM

which one? the one off of dale mabry and van dyke or the one off 56 in wesley chapel??? hope your experience was good too! :)

Van Dyke and Dale Mabry, and yes the experience was good.

jonknee

June 8th, 2007, 10:29 PM

There is also a Giordano's planning to open in South Tampa. I can't wait...

I found out where today, the former Hops location on N Dale Mabry (just North of Kennedy). It is the Northern of the two Hops buildings... They are still under construction, but the sign was put up recently. It's a pretty big place considering they added onto the Hops building.

Jasonhouse

June 10th, 2007, 07:02 AM

ChuckScraperMiami#1

June 11th, 2007, 03:16 PM

^Hey folks... All of this stuff about restaurants and such... All of this kind of discussion goes in the Skyway Lounge now... People need to start using that forum... There is obviously interest among people here to talk about such things in the community, and we'll start organizing things about such topics... Just as soon as there are enough topics to actually organize. :yes:

Thanks Jason:) ,
my master chief,
I'm happy about the great choice of a name for the " Skyway lounge ":cheers:

Now, back to the main issue here of the Proposed Mall near the Manatee Center off I-75 and Big bend Road
My daughter lives in Brandon,
and she's against this Mall since WestPort Mall is only " Less than " 15 miles away from this proposed up to a Million square foot Mall in a cow field southwest of the exit off I-75 where there's mostly farm land and huge power lines coming into the area from the Big Bend Plant there in that area of the Free and Fantastic view of the Manatee Center and wildlife center .

Please someone, let me know what's the latest here,
since my daughter cannot attend the meetings ,
thanks for any answers on this " Don't Need Mall "
If you drive around this exit off I-75 , you can tell there's nothing in that area, and a Huge mall:bash: is " NOT " the answer, IMO :nuts: !!!

TampaMCS

June 13th, 2007, 06:31 PM

You obviously aren't from around here. I have friends that live in SouthFork, believe me, 301 and Big Bend's cow pastures are pretty much non existant. The 4 corners of that intersection are going crazy.

I am almost kicking myself for living off Boyette and not Big Bend.

With FishHawk Ranch, RiverHills and many many new developments going in between Boyette and Sun City Center, belive me, we need it. Besides that the Brandon town center is about as overgrown as it can be. Now that they eliminated 1/4 of their parking to put new shops in and DIDNT build a garage, I can't imagine what the holidays are going to be like around there.

randommichael

June 13th, 2007, 07:37 PM

I agree we need this new mall. I just wish they would build up and have like a 3 story mall or something instead of building out.

Jasonhouse

June 14th, 2007, 04:46 AM

^The county should require better land use within large developments like that.

FloridaFuture

June 15th, 2007, 04:42 PM

Developer gets bigger, taller building
By ANDREW MEACHAM
Published June 15, 2007

VALRICO: Despite unfavorable recommendations by a zoning hearing master and the Planning Commission, the County Commission on Tuesday approved a developer's request for increased height and square footage.

RGG Properties won the right to add office space to a retail building at the northwest corner of State Road 60 and Church Street, expanding the building from 26, 000 to 57, 000 square feet.

Commissioners turned down the same request in March by a 4-2 vote, saying increasing the height to 50 feet made the building incompatible with other businesses.

A zoning hearing master agreed, even after RGG offered to reduce the project to 42, 500 square feet.

Sandra Murman and George May urged commissioners to approve RGG Properties' request on behalf of the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce.

Consultant Kevin Mineer, representing the developer, pointed to the 41, 000 cars passing the site each day on State Road 60 and called the location prime for expanded commercial development.

Commissioners voted 5-1 to approve the developer's original request.

Commissioner Mark Sharpe said he sees no reason to scale back the project, adding that the area would support increased traffic brought on by the development.

Commissioner Rose Ferlita, who voted against the first request in March because she said the project was incompatible with neighboring businesses, cast the dissenting vote. Petition 06-1695

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/06/15/Brandontimes/Developer_gets_bigger.shtml

randommichael

June 15th, 2007, 05:36 PM

I would like to see more midrises built in the Brandon area. I dont think it would be unreasonable for buildings up to 10 stories to be built.

jonknee

June 15th, 2007, 05:49 PM

Except for the traffic situation. It's already hell and it's not dense. I avoid that area like bird flu.

randommichael

June 15th, 2007, 05:51 PM

I agree, traffic is a huge problem in Brandon. If the county or state would put in some light rail, I would hope that helps the situation. I live in the Brandon area, but hardly drive on Highway 60 ever.

jonknee

June 15th, 2007, 05:55 PM

Light rail would be a stretch in Brandon, it's very suburban. People don't move their for the location, it's the price. There's no concentration of residents, everyone is spread out. It sort of defeats the purpose when you have to fight traffic for 15 minutes to park at a station and wait for a train, wait for your stop and then walk to wherever you are going.

IMO light rail would be much better suited connecting the airport with Westshore, CBD and if you want to go into the burbs USF.

smiley

June 16th, 2007, 10:07 PM

I just want to point out to many of you who apparently have never lived where there is rail that in many place rail runs partially through essentially suburban areas where people either take a bus, get dropped off at, or park at the station. IT does not have to be 10+ story buildings all the way. I am talking ranch home developments . . .

fishfinder

August 17th, 2007, 10:23 PM

Have you all heard of Palm River? There is development going on for a midrise on Washington Street just east US 41. WSG of Miami is doing a project on the river just behind racetrack, A midrise and marina guess the timing is just bad. Another group is doing a project just down the street. This will be a nice little nitche area just minutes from downtonn but a world away. Theres also a neat little buddist wat on the south side of river. Always thought this was a neat area.

Jasonhouse

August 21st, 2007, 04:11 AM

What does it have to do with the Brandon thread?

Sorry, but I had to delete JVance's rambling, off topic commentary and the resulting confusion, because it was sending this thread way off topic.

AGAIN... THIS THREAD EXISTS EXCLUSIVELY TO DISCUSS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BRANDON AREA.

If your post isn't about Brandon development, expect it to be deleted. To prevent deletion, simply post your remarks in the correct place. If you don't know what the correct place is, then don't post until you do.

FloridaFuture

October 1st, 2007, 01:01 PM

Shopping mall aims for 2009 opening
Traffic is an issuefor the project, which may have offices and a hotel.
By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET, Times Staff Writer
Published September 28, 2007

APOLLO BEACH - Developers are moving forward with plans to build a 1-million-square-foot shopping center at the southwest corner of Interstate 75 and Big Bend Road.

NRI Equity Inc. paid $24-million for 66 acres of pasture land in June, according to county records. Bayview Properties still owns the remaining land where developers hope to build the 128-acre Southshore Commons project.

By fall 2009, major retailers and a movie theater could be open for business. The project could also include more than 450,000 square feet of office space and 250 hotel rooms.

But before crews break ground, developer Equity Inc. must work with county and regional planners to deal with a major issue: traffic.

"There will be significant impacts to the roadways," said John Meyer, Development of Regional Impact coordinator for the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

In the next year, planners from that agency will analyze traffic studies submitted by the developer.

County planners will then hash out a deal with the developer. They could require Equity to shell out millions of dollars for road improvements, such as widening Big Bend Road.

The County Commission will have the final say.

Meanwhile, Equity officials are presenting their plans to possible tenants. The company has not announced any of the stores that could be part of Southshore Commons.

Philip Kirkpatrick, Equity's senior development officer, met with several community groups this month to discuss the project and solicit feedback from nearby residents.

"We're trying our best to make this something that will be a very positive impact to the area, visually, for a sense of community," Kirkpatrick said.

John Evon, who attended Kirkpatrick's meeting with the Apollo Beach Civic Association last week, said residents were excited to see that the proposal includes ideas from the Apollo Beach Community Plan.

"There's a town center. It's going to be really for the community," the 53-year-old salesman said. "It's exactly what we've been talking about."

Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at cshoichet@sptimes.com or 661-2454.

Fast facts

Check it online

For more information, go to the Web site www.southshore-commons.com

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/28/Brandontimes/Shopping_mall_aims_fo.shtml

FloridaFuture

October 1st, 2007, 01:03 PM

There's a rendering in Adobe at the project's website at the end of the article. It looks kinda nice. The small part of the project it shows has lots of water interaction.

Maxim98

October 1st, 2007, 08:35 PM

The County paid Duany's team to develop a comprehensive development plan for Apollo Beach. If it isn't followed (to a degree, of course), that'll be a huge waste in money... and we'll get more sprawl. Big Bend is buckling under current traffic conditions, so I'd like to think that the road will have been widened BEFORE this project gets thru... as unlikely as that is. Fuckkkkk sprawl. As for the "water interaction," I sure as hell don't know where that's coming from. Retention ponds? Yum. That project is on a fugly site, bounded by I-75, East Bay HS, and a county works garage.

smiley

October 2nd, 2007, 11:51 PM

Ha - up to the county - it will suck and have no good roads . . . sorry

Jasonhouse

January 2nd, 2008, 10:18 PM

Brandon Hits Growth Spurt In 2007

By TOM BRENNAN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 29, 2007
http://brandonnews2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/29/br-brandon-hits-growth-spurt-in-2007/

BRANDON - It was a year of growth, sadness and celebration.

Stores opened. A favorite sheriff's deputy was killed. A plume of toxic ammonia threatened homes and lives.

Any slack left by a slumping housing market was more than tightened by the birth of new stores, places for a snack and other commercial endeavors.

Developers unveiled plans for new residential and commercial projects. Residents rallied to keep new development from disturbing their neighborhoods.

The year 2007 had its fair share of big news. As the dawn of 2008 approaches, we take a look back at the year's major headlines.

Officer Down

A reminder that Brandon is no longer a bucolic, small-town community came in the early hours of Aug. 15 when .45-caliber slugs slammed through Hillsborough County Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Hamlin Harrison's cruiser as he crossed Lumsden Road and Kings Avenue.

The popular, 55-year-old lawman had just finished a night of operating DUI checkpoints when he was ambushed by Michael Allen Phillips, sheriff's officials said. Investigators said Phillips killed Harrison with two shots to the upper body.

Phillips died shortly afterward in a shootout with sheriff's deputies at his nearby home. Two sheriff's office snipers each put a shot into Phillips, 24, who had a rap sheet of 19 arrests. The sheriff's office has not determined why Phillips killed the veteran officer.

The county named the intersection of Lumsden Road and Kings Avenue in Harrison's honor this month.

Toxic Plume

Tales of hidden treasure tempted a trio of teenagers to tap into an ammonia pipeline running under the U.S. 301 bridge over the Alafia River in Riverview in early November, unleashing a billowing, toxic cloud that caused days of havoc.

The 16-year-old boy accused of drilling into the steel pipe was burned over 20 percent of his body and is facing criminal charges. Officials said he had heard a tall tale that money was buried under the bridge and tried to find it.

The ammonia leak forced the evacuation of 300 residents from a half-mile area, cost shop owners untold sales and closed a major commuter artery for two days.

A welding expert was flown in from Houston to help cap the pipeline. But it started leaking again five days later, again closing U.S. 301 for an hour until a valve could be repaired.

The pipeline runs from Polk County to the Port of Tampa and carries about 697,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia daily. The chemical is used in fertilizer processing.

New Stores, Homes

Shoppers got some new outlets in the past year.

Operators of the Westfield Brandon mall and area shopaholics celebrated the opening of a new $60 million, 150,000-square-foot expansion in March.

The new western wing added 16 stores and restaurants, including the anchor, Dick's Sporting Goods. The Cheesecake Factory was the first of four new sit-down restaurants to open. Merchandise at other shops includes a mix of books, children's clothing, upscale cosmetics, shoes and teas.

The crush of commercial openings wasn't limited to the mall. New stores and gyms opened nearby and crept eastward along State Road 60 into Valrico and along Bloomingdale Avenue and Lithia-Pinecrest Road.

Seffner got a new CVS pharmacy where a Texaco station used to operate at Parsons Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Smaller strip centers proliferated along the area's major and less frequented roads.

At the same time, Falkenburg Road emerged as a major growth corridor.

Construction began on a 256-unit town home complex at Falkenburg Road and Progress Boulevard, where Centex homes also plans to build about 1,400 single-family residences.

Nearby, land is being cleared for the Crossroads Town Center retail project at Causeway Boulevard and Falkenburg Road. A developer is awaiting final approval for another mega-project that includes 700 apartments, a 400-room hotel, a corporate park and a 565,000-square-foot retail center with space for big-box retailers.

Road Work

Residents got glimpses of future road projects throughout 2007.

As part of the county's approval for a massive residential development west of FishHawk Ranch, formerly called Lake Hutto, FishHawk developer Newland Communities agreed to make $72 million in transportation improvements. Newland inherited the obligation when it purchased the 3,200-home, 1,129-acre project from Pulte Homes in May.

Newland's engineers have unveiled their plans for a four-lane Bell Shoals Road south of Bloomingdale Avenue. Work is expected to begin in January 2009 and be finished by July 2010.

Newland also is widening FishHawk Boulevard to four lanes between Bell Shoals and Lithia-Pinecrest roads. Work is expected to begin in November 2008 and last until May 2010. The Lake Hutto agreement also calls for Newland to make Lithia-Pinecrest four lanes from Bloomingdale south to Adelaide Avenue.

The county also is in the midst of an engineering and environmental study of Lithia-Pinecrest from State Road 60 south to County Road 39. The results of a traffic study showed Lithia-Pinecrest must be six lanes to handle traffic increases anticipated in the next decade.

The county also debuted plans to extend Gornto Lake Road to create a new north-south artery. Work will wait until 2009 while the county tries to find the $11 million it needs to finish funding the $23 million extension.

Bus Route Debacle

Although no new schools opened this year in the Brandon area, there was much confusion on the first day. Hundreds of students started with new bus stops, longer walks and worried parents.

As part of its new Transportation Improvement Plan, the school district retooled bus stops and routes in parts of east and southeast Hillsborough.

District officials said the plan was designed to make school transportation more efficient and promised to make student safety a priority.

In Brandon, the changes required some students to walk nearly 2 miles to new stops or cross busy roads to board the bus. By the end of the first school week, dozens of parents with concerns about new stops called the school district and The Tampa Tribune to complain.

Some parents whose children were assigned to catch the bus to Cimino Elementary School on Bell Shoals Road at the entrance to the South Oak subdivision staged a protest and met at the stop with John Franklin, who was hired by the district this year as its new general manager of transportation.

Pearl Chiarenza, a South Oak parent who organized the protest, said the district agreed to move her child's stop off Bell Shoals and back to its original spot inside the subdivision. In October, the district tweaked route times and pickup spots in some areas, including South Oak.

District officials expect to implement similar changes across the county before the start of the 2008-09 school year. The plan calls for fewer bus stops; a minimum of 500 feet between stops; no fewer than two or more than 20 students at each stop; and no bus runs down narrow, dead-end or one-way streets.

Meeting Places

The area also continued its search for a central meeting spot.

Plans for the Brandon Main Street project continued to stall as developers and county planners hashed out details. A main sticking point is how much of the needed transportation improvements the developer would have to pay.

The Main Street project will be a neotraditional town center with a mix of homes and shops south of Oakfield Drive between Lakewood and Pauls drives.

A number of groups are hunting for a place to put the Brandon Advantage Center, an arts center, expo hall and community training and education facility. Those pushing for it are looking for at least 10 acres for a facility larger than 50,000 square feet. The search has focused on the Brandon campus of Hillsborough Community College off Falkenburg Road.

Brandon will get at least one new service center next year - a new government service center on Pauls Drive south of Oakfield Drive. Workers are putting the final touches on the $4.2 million facility set to open in February. It will house offices for the circuit court clerk and property appraiser, saving residents the bother of going to Tampa for routine government services. The facility also will have a 200-seat town hall meeting room.

tampamobster21

January 3rd, 2008, 12:45 AM

I was wondering what was going on in the Crossroads Town Center considering it is right across from my office, and two streets away from my house. Interesting. The apartments going in this area are looking really nice, and there is a copy- cat apartment being built behind Costco, which looks EXACTLY like my condo complex, right down to the fixtures, coloring, and layout.

I just wonder how they are going to incorporate all that they have planned in that little area.

randommichael

January 3rd, 2008, 03:30 AM

I just wonder how they are going to incorporate all that they have planned in that little area.

I wonder too. The lot isn't that big...maybe it will be a somewhat urban design... dare I dream?

FloridaFuture

January 3rd, 2008, 03:53 AM

Here's a slightly older article, that goes into more detail about these new projects:

Offices, Housing Popping Up Near I-75
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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2007

BRANDON - The corridor of land wedged between Interstate 75 and Falkenburg Road is expected to explode with new development over the next few years.

New homes, offices and retail centers are going up.

Because the corridor lies next to an interstate and includes numerous warehouses and industrial uses, the county has targeted it for high-intensity development.

Construction of the 256-unit Magnolia Park town home complex is under way at Falkenburg Road and Progress Boulevard. It is the first phase of development on a wooded 500-acre swath that will be converted to a community of 1,400 single-family homes and town homes in 34 buildings.

Centex Homes, developers of Magnolia Park, sold off several other parcels earmarked for a 30,000-square-foot office complex, a 125,000-square-foot retail complex and a 600,000-square-foot "employment center."

Centex spokesman John Heagney said he doesn't know the construction schedule for the commercial development, but Centex plans to start building single-family homes in January.

Nearby, land is being cleared and asphalt laid for the Crossroads Town Center at Causeway Boulevard and Falkenburg Road. Developers Diversified Realty is building the retail center.

Another megaproject awaiting final county approval is a mixed-use development that would include 700 multi-family homes, 400 hotel rooms, a research corporate park and a 565,000-square-foot retail center with space for big-box retailers.

Zons Development is asking the county to rezone some of the 144 acres at Falkenburg and Palm River roads so the entire parcel can have mixed-use development.

Planner Ethel Hammer, Zons' representative who has worked with the county to get the project approved, has told county planners that Zons is committed to keeping the project below the threshold for a Development of Regional Impact, which would require significant infrastructure improvements.

To ensure that, the county would require monitoring.

"They are just below the thresholds" for a development of regional impact, said county planner Mary Ogle. "They have to provide us a running tab of what is being developed, and we keep track of it and verify it. One phase could be office or retail or something else."

Depending on what type of development goes in, the county will determine whether Zons has surpassed the threshold, Ogle said.

The mixture, type and intensity of uses determine whether a project falls into the DRI category. Companies that build DRIs are required to mitigate significant effects by agreeing to make road improvements and providing land for schools and other public amenities. The developments also require approval from regional regulatory agencies.

The county staff is recommending that commissioners approve the plan, with a long list of conditions. The project is scheduled to go before the commission Jan. 29.

http://brandonnews2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/19/br-offices-housing-popping-up-near-i-75/
Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

FloridaFuture

February 15th, 2008, 01:12 PM

Little Harbor developer loses a round
The County Commission will have the final say in a vote set for Feb. 26.
By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET, Times Staff Writer
Published February 8, 2008

RUSKIN

The developers of Little Harbor should not be allowed to build a hotel in place of 250 planned residences and convert 200 existing condos to daily rentals, a county zoning official said this week.

At a hearing last month, representatives of developer Earthmark Inc. said the change would fit in with the surrounding area and comply with county growth guidelines.

In a written recommendation filed Tuesday, land use hearing officer Laura Belflower said Earthmark did not provide enough evidence to support its claims.

County commissioners will have the final say. They are scheduled to vote on the proposal Feb. 26.

At last month's hearing, opponents of the proposal argued it would bring too much traffic and disrupt the neighborhood. It was the latest skirmish in a battle over Little Harbor's future that has divided neighbors in the upscale resort community, where county officials have already approved 1,570 units.

W. Thomas Grimm and Ray Larson once planted flowers together. At the hearing, Grimm spoke in favor of the proposal. Larson argued against it.

"I plan to live here. I enjoy it tremendously. I want to see this resort vibrant with people," said Grimm, who has worked as a consultant for the developer. "Right now, it's not.

Larson cautioned against cramming too many buildings into a small space. He described an experiment scientists once performed with mice.

"The one group they put into a large area, they had plenty of room. They got along. They minded their own business. Life was good. They put the other group in a very small area. They became aggressive, anti-social. Life was not good," he said. "There's got to be a lesson in there some place."

In staff reports, county planners have supported the proposal.

Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at cshoichet@sptimes.com or 661-2454.

[Last modified February 7, 2008, 07:26:38]

http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/08/Brandontimes/Little_Harbor_develop.shtml