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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.

[Last modified April 26, 2007, 07:42:41]