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A shopping plaza named Wilderness

Construction is under way on 22,400 square feet of shops and offices.

By CHUIN-WEI YAP, Times Staff Writer
Published November 30, 2007

LAND O' LAKES 

Right where U.S. 41 begins to narrow to two lanes, a small field of concrete beams has gone up just outside Wilderness Lake Preserve.

They are the foundation of what's to be the Wilderness Commons, a 22,400-square-foot commercial center outside the Wilderness Lake Preserve.

Call it developer Lindell Properties' answer to Connerton.

Lindell's Wilderness Lake Preserve, which took off in 2001, was one of the first developments to test the northern Land O'Lakes residential market for upscale homes.

It performed well, garnered awards, and the community has consistently sold well, staying among the top three best sellers in the Tampa Bay area even when the downturn struck.

But when it comes to feeding the shopping needs of the area, its giant neighbor Connerton has been faster out of the blocks.

Developer Terrabrook broke ground on Connerton in 2004, but quickly landed a Publix deal in 2005 and launched its Arbor Square strip mall last year.

Lindell is now positioning to catch up on the commercial side.

Its Wilderness Commons retail and office center is scheduled for completion in May 2008, said Janice Snow of Lindell.

Like the 950-home Wilderness Lake Preserve, which modeled itself not on Mediterranean styles but the woodsy look of the Adirondack Mountains, Wilderness Commons won't look like your standard strip mall.

"We have two strip plazas with covered gazebos and a central courtyard," Snow said.

The 22,400-square-foot mall under construction is the southern half of the commercial development, called Wilderness Commons South.

Wilderness Commons North, which has about 20,000 square feet of space, is in the final design stages, Snow said.

Lindell is still negotiating leases and can't disclose tenant possibilities yet, Snow said.

Leasing brochures indicate a 4,500-square-foot standalone bank on one corner of Wilderness Commons South.

Chuin-Wei Yap can be reached at 813 909-4613 or cyap@sptimes.com.

[Last modified November 29, 2007, 08:18:52]