Commercial projects are good news in West Pasco

Some restaurants close, but several independents are set to open in 2008.

By JODIE TILLMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published December 31, 2007

West Pasco continued to see most of its commercial and industrial growth in the Trinity-Odessa area in 2007.

But the area's traditional commercial core - closer to U.S. 19 - also saw action, including plans for hotels, a car dealership, a miniature golf course and a chain furniture store in the old Service Merchandise building.

New businesses in Trinity seemed to fall mostly into the relatively upscale category for which the area has become known.

Consider Trinity Town Center, which put up Pasco's first parking garage and recently announced plans for a number of high-end independent restaurants, including Master Steakhouse, Pacific Palate and Mariposa Mexican Grill.

Odessa tended to be the place where industrial companies quietly embarked on big projects. Solar World, a Largo company that makes solar power components, and a related wholesale distributor from Tampa, announced plans to build a $6.7-million facility on 10 acres off Gunn Highway.

Coastal Caisson, which builds foundations for bridges, power plants and condo towers, filed plans for a 20-acre development at Odessa Industrial Park near Gunn Highway, drawing unsuccessful opposition from former Gov. Claude Kirk, who has friends with property abutting the project.

Odessa is also home to Vortex, a motorcycle parts maker run by two 30-somethings who this year won Pasco Economic Development Council's top manufacturing award.

Over on U.S. 19, a Volkswagen dealership planned to open in Holiday. Holiday Inn Express & Suites opened near Jasmine Drive in June, and two other hotels - a Fairfield Inn & Suites and a Hampton Inn and Suites - should start construction in 2008.

Ashley Furniture filed plans to renovate and move into the old Service Merchandise building, long considered one of the area's biggest eyesores.

Not far away, but on a different note, Congo River Golf wants to build a miniature golf course and an arcade just north of Jasmine Boulevard.

Restaurants had a tough time this year. Just in recent months, three casual dining places - Mel's Diner and Catches on U.S. 19 and Remington's on Little Road - closed. So did Ile de France, the iconic French restaurant in Hudson.

On the other hand, Panera Bread may be coming to Gulf View Square. And while it's not the cultural touchstone it used to be, it is worth nothing that 2007 was the year that the U.S. 19 area in West Pasco went from zero Starbucks to two.

All over, people with no name recognition took big chances and opened their own businesses, from restaurants to kayak shops to a plumbing company aimed at women.

But the businessman who in 2007 took the most obvious risk was a Hudson boat builder named Ralph Brown. He took his flats boat from New York to Bermuda and back, just to make the point that the vessel is seaworthy.

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or 727 869-6247.

[Last modified December 30, 2007, 21:01:15]