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

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A spokeswoman for the developer said constructionj should resume within butdates aren't yet set. Insteads of opening late this year as previously the retail center should be complete and fully occupie in about 18 to24 months, said Michelled Seifert, associate vice president of retail at /Commercialp Florida. Seifert represents several tenants that expect to open at the More than a dozen contractors stopped work about two week ago at the behest ofthe , said spokeswoman Deanne Roberts.
The with the approval of the retaio tenants, is waiting for the reinstatement of a federalk permit that allows about 54 acres of wetland s onthe 100-acre site to be "Logistically it has proved difficult to work around these wetland areas," Roberts said. The suspended the wetlandsa infill permiton Feb. 1 aftere storm water runoff polluted Cypress a protected tributary of the Hillsborough It was the second time the Army Corpas investigatedsite runoff. But constructionb continued on the retail center despite thesuspension -- until now.
The project at State Road 56 and Interstater 75 has faced criticism from environmentalists sincer it was announced seven years ago by developerJohn Sierra, who initially brought in the DeBartol o Group to develop the mall. Aftef DeBartolo backed out, Sierra partnered with the Richard E. Jacobs Jacobs bought the landin June, a month after the Army Corpds issued the wetlands permit. In October, the sued in federao court in Washington, D.C., to contest the permit's That case is pending. Roberts said the recent halt inwork isn' t related to the lawsuit.
"Until the Corps resolves it was impractical tocontinue construction," Roberts Work stopped before Florida's rain season kicks in, whicg might have created further problems for construction workers trying to contaih storm water runoff. To stop further erosion at the workers are sowing rye seed to grow Roberts said. Prior to the has poured a cement slab forthe 190,000-square-foot , Roberts Target bought its site from the developer in Novembee for $5.25 million. Rich Shannon, the Williamxs Co. VP in charge of the said in February that the general contractor expected to finish the store in time for anOctobee opening. Shannon did not return call s for comment.
Other Cypress Creek Town Cente anchors and retailers includea 96,000-square-foot department store, an18-screen AMC a 45,000-square-foot , a 28,000-square-foot Linens 'n Things, a 20,000-square-footy Staples and an 18,000-square-foot . Jacobas has not yet announced another 150,000-square-foo t anchor tenant. But publi c records indicate that mightbe Corp. Nearb y retail centers are markedly ahead of Cypress Grove at Wesley near State Road 54and I-75, openerd its first phase last year in time for the winter holida shopping season. Developed by Echo Real Estate Services Co. and Cornerstonw Real Estate Advisors, tenants include Cobb , ULTA, , , , . , , and .
The Grove'sz second phase is now under construction, including the out-parcels for smallef retailers andthe 16-screen upscale theater that will includde a restaurant and lounge. The Shops at Wiregrass, near Stater Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, expectw to open its first 800,000-square-foot phase in Anchor tenants at Shops at Wiregrassinclude , and , whicn is already open for business. Developed by Fores City Development and TheGoodman Co., other retailersx include Talbots, , Victoria's , Coach, and Gymboree. jleiser@bizjournals.coj | 813.342.
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