Grand Opening of Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel
Join us for the grand opening of Downtown I, the first mixed-use building in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel! This exciting milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter for our community, blending residential and commercial spaces to create a vibrant and dynamic environment.
Downtown I features 40 modern apartment units, with preleasing starting in August. Additionally, the building will be home to a variety of fantastic commercial tenants. Get to know ISI Elite Training, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, Prime Barbershop, Rita’s Italian Ice, Tallo Restaurant & Bar,
Rudraksh Indian Restaurant, and Vet Check. Plus, experience the convenience and comfort of The Flats at Avalon Park.
The grand opening celebration is scheduled for Thursday, September 19th at 4 pm. Enjoy refreshments, community performances, music, and more as we come together to celebrate this exciting development.
For more information, visit avalonparkwesleychapel.com. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s bright future!
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Avalon Park
More than 25 years ago when planning Avalon Park Orlando from scratch, I invited about 20 area REALTORS to the Citrus Club in Orlando. At that time Avalon Park was in the middle of nowhere, at the end of a dead-end, 2-lane road, and the only residents were cows. My question to these REALTORS was: What would make you bring homebuyers to Avalon Park?
My expectation was to hear, 2 golf courses, a water park or some other outstanding amenities. Having no children of my own at that time, I was surprised to hear their unanimous response was new, good schools! This was the number one item for each of the REALTORS there that day. Great, new schools. It made a lot of sense, of course families with kids are first and foremost looking for a community with a great school.
The design of the home and even the location are secondary. However, when I met with Ron Blocker, who at the time was the head of Orange County Public Schools “OCPS,” it did not look like an easy task. According to the school board’s timeline, the much needed and requested schools would have not been built for many years after Avalon Park broke ground. We needed a solution to bring these schools to our community. The solution is one that is our go-to for most business challenges: A Partnership. Avalon Park Group partnered with OCPS to accelerate the timeline of the Avalon Park schools, we donated land, built, and financed four of the Avalon-area schools and kicked in the money needed for the Timber Creek High School football stadium and marching field for the band.
Not too different from our relationship with OCPS, we developed a relationship with the Pasco County School Board and subsequently donated the land for New River Elementary School. Now that we had the schools, the question became how do we make them the best? A key moment for me was when I met Pam Sanders. Pam was the principal who led Avalon Elementary school for 14 years and while there, achieved Blue Ribbon School status, which identifies the school as one of the top 300 schools in the United States. My question to her was, “How can we become the best school in central Florida?” Her answer, “That is easy, we need the best teachers.” Pam came up with a great idea, which in part is the reason Avalon Elementary became such a great school. She told me, “Beat
PUBLISHER
Beat Kahli
EDITOR
Stephanie Lerret
MANAGING EDITOR
Marielle Fernandez
ART
DIRECTOR Kenzie Farrish
teachers are among the least traveled people. Their income does not allow them to travel and see the world. In fact, some of my teachers have not even been out of the state and for sure never abroad.” She went on to ask me, “Don’t you think a teacher who can experience the world firsthand, see the Great Wall of China in Beijing live, talk to educators in Europe, Africa and Australia would be a better teacher?”
I fully agreed and Avalon Park Group quickly worked with her to develop and sponsor a program to send the teachers from Avalon Elementary around the globe. The teachers went to Switzerland first (my native country), but over the years they also traveled to China, Africa, South America and even Australia. Even today I get Christmas cards from teachers still at Avalon Elementary telling me how much they learned by seeing the world and gaining experience by dialoguing with educators all over the world. We continue to innovate and think of ways that we can bring unique programs like this to other schools that we work with. Often people want to know what is the one reason that made Avalon Park Orlando so successful. My response is that there are over a hundred reasons, and all of them have roots in great partnerships with the community. However, if I get pressed to come up with one reason, it would be the schools and our partnerships with them. I continue to believe that this approach of live, learn, work and play will help make Avalon Park Wesley Chapel successful as well.
I am not political when it comes to schools. I believe that public schools, charter schools, and private schools are all important and can be successful as long as they are passionate and dedicated to education.
Avalon Park Group supports and works with them all. As a matter of fact, I believe in choices. All Avalon Park public schools are outstanding, and with the addition of the Wesley Chapel Pinecrest charter school, and local private schools, the residents have choices for their children’s education. I like this a lot. I have always viewed schools as the center of any community. The relationships and interactions between the schools and the community are a key element for both of their successes. For instance, I love when I see the Thomas E. Weightman Middle School Band perform at the community events. Another example of this type of relationship is the community service performed by local students at community events and service projects. The interactions go on and on and continue to make us smile. We are proud of our schools and the students, staff and families they represent! We wish you all success as we kick off another school year.
Welcome Back to School!
Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Progress
Discover where innovation meets inspiration at Mosby Avalon Park. Our contemporary 1-, 2-, and 3- bedroom apartments offer spacious, pet-friendly floor plans with no weight or breed restrictions. Your home can be your suburban retreat, designed to help you be productive, find your center, or relax after a long day - all within walking distance to downtown Avalon Park.
Contact us now to learn about our amazing specials and hard hat tours that are available.
We’re missing only one thing - you!
813-536-5323
https://www.mosbyavalonpark.com/
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Overpass at U.S. 41 and S.R. 54 Anticipated to Help Resolve Traffic Situation
Planners with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced earlier this year an overpass is likely to be the best way to help resolve the traffic situation at the intersection of U.S. 41 and S.R. 54 in Land O’ Lakes.
The anticipated cost of the overpass was approximately $222 million when FDOT officials discussed plans for it in February. However, the cost has reportedly since increased to approximately $260 million.
An overpass at the I-4 and S.R. 46 intersection in Sanford (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) agrees with FDOT that the intersection of U.S. 41 and S.R. 54 is one of the busiest in Pasco County. The MPO is the lead transportation-planning agency in Pasco County, serving the municipalities of Zephyrhills, San Antonio, St. Leo, New Port Richey, Port Richey and Dade City.
Approximately 124,000 vehicles travel through the intersection daily and that number is anticipated to increase to 176,000 by 2045, FDOT said.
The intersection also has been identified by FDOT as one that has a crash average
higher than the state average. A total of 442 crashes were reported there from 2012 to 2016, in which 90% of the crashes involved property damage, while the remaining 10% involved injuries. A single fatal crash was reported during the five-year analysis period, according to FDOT.
The intersection reconstruction is among the biggest projects on the work plan for Pasco County, according to Tania Gorman, MPO’s executive director.
FDOT is reportedly in the process of conducting a Project Development & Environment Study for the construction of the proposed overpass. Its current schedule calls for property to begin to be acquired in 2028 for the improvements to the intersection, according to Gorman.
The design of the proposed overpass is still being reviewed by FDOT but it could reportedly be similar to overpasses that have been constructed in other locations, such as the one at Roosevelt Boulevard and U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. That type of overpass would be for through-traffic with turns made at the ground level.
It’s anticipated FDOT will hold a public hearing regarding this proposed intersection improvement project during the fourth quarter of 2024. The design phase will be conducted between 2025-2027 and right of way acquisition will likely occur between 2028-2030.
Funding has not yet been obtained for the proposed intersection improvement project, according to FDOT.
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Coming together to create a healthy community
