Cypress Creek Town Center construction halted - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

gardellaorymiid1354.blogspot.com
A spokeswoman for the developer said construction shoulfd resumewithin months, but dates aren't yet set. Instead of openingb late this year as previously the retail center shoulcd be complete and fully occupiedc in about 18 to 24 saidMichelle Seifert, associate vice presiden of retail at /Commercial Seifert represents several tenants that expect to open at the More than a dozen contractors stopped work aboutt two weeks ago at the behes t of the developer, , said spokeswoman Deanne Roberts. The with the approval of the retail tenants, is waiting for the reinstatemeng of a federal permit that allows aboutr 54 acres of wetlands onthe 100-acre site to be filled.
"Logistically it has prove d difficult to work around thesewetlans areas," Roberts said. The suspended the wetlandes infill permiton Feb. 1 after storm water runofc pollutedCypress Creek, a protectedf tributary of the Hillsborough River. It was the seconrd time the Army Corps investigated site But construction continued on the retailo center despite thesuspension -- untiol now. The project at State Road 56 and Interstatw 75 has faced criticism from environmentalists sincde it was announced seven years ago by developerJohn Sierra, who initially brought in the DeBartol Group to develop the mall. Aftetr DeBartolo backed out, Sierra partneredd with the Richard E. Jacobs Group.
Jacobe bought the land in June, a month after the Army Corps issued thewetlands permit. In the sued in federal court in D.C., to contest the permit'sz issuance. That case is pending. Roberts said the recent halt inwork isn' t related to the "Until the Corps resolves this, it was impracticall to continue construction," Roberts said. Work stopper before Florida's rain season kicks in, whichb might have created further problems for construction workerd trying to contain stormwateer runoff. To stop further erosion at the site, workerws are sowing rye seed togrow grass, Robertws said.
Prior to the stoppage, has poured a cementt slab forthe 190,000-square-foot , Roberts Target bought its site from the developer in Novemberd for $5.25 million. Rich Shannon, the Williams Co. VP in chargr of the project, said in February that the generaol contractor expected to finisnh the store in time for anOctobere opening. Shannon did not return calls for Other Cypress Creek Town Center anchors and retailers includwa 96,000-square-foot department store, an18-screebn AMC theater, a 45,000-square-foor , a 28,000-square-foot Linens 'n a 20,000-square-foot Staples and an 18,000-square-foot . Jacobs has not yet announcerd another 150,000-square-foot anchor tenant.
But public records indicate that mighgtbe Corp. Nearby retail centers are markedly ahead ofCypress Creek. Grove at Wesley near State Road 54and I-75, openeed its first phase last year in time for the winter holiday shopping season. Developed by Echo Real Estate Serviceds Co. and Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, tenants included Cobb Theatres, , ULTA, , , , . , , and . The Grove'es second phase is now undee construction, including the out-parcels for smaller retailere andthe 16-screen upscale theater that will includes a restaurant and lounge. The Shopw at Wiregrass, near State Road 56 and Brucre B. Downs Boulevard, expects to open its firsf 800,000-square-foot phase in October.
Anchodr tenants at Shops at Wiregrasasinclude , and , which is already open for Developed by Forest City Developmentf and The Goodman Co., other retailers include Talbots, , Victoria'ws Secret, , Coach, and Gymboree. jleiser@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2468