NEWS

TRINITY — A sprawling residential and commercial development on State Road 54 is more than a year from breaking ground, but the developer is releasing some details about the project, including a walkable courtyard rimmed by shops and restaurants.

Kitson & Partners, out of Palm Beach Gardens, said it envisions “a unique lifestyle destination” combining 800 homes with 980,000 square feet of commercial space. The 333-acre property, owned by the Mitchell ranching family, sits at the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Little Road.

In addition to the courtyard and commercial Main Street, plans call for a grocery store, a fitness center and a 10- to 12-screen theater.

Visitors will be able to take in a movie, shop, have dinner or just hang out, vice president Debra Dremann said. “There’s really nothing like this in west Pasco.”

So far, Kitson has submitted an application to Pasco County to rezone the property. It also requires environmental approvals from the state, which are anticipated in about a year. Kitson hopes to break ground in spring 2016.

“With the current demographics and growth that’s anticipated in Pasco, we believe this is a prime location for retailers,” Dremann said.

More details about the development, dubbed Mitchell 54 West, will be released Tuesday at a Pasco Economic Development Council banquet.

The plans call for a mix of homes — apartments, townhouses and single-family houses ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 south of the commercial center — along with a handful of big-box retailers and smaller shops.

A walkable corridor surrounded by shops and restaurants will sit at the heart of the commercial hub. Also included will be a grassy half-acre park where Kitson envisions outdoor concerts and perhaps a splash pad for children.

Apartments and townhomes, south of the retail area, will be nearest to the commercial hub. Single-family homes will be constructed farther south of those.

The commercial side will have similarities to the Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, Dremann said. Along with an outdoor retail area, the property will be interconnected with trails and sidewalks for visitors and the development’s residents.

The walkability feature was central to the project designers, Dremann said.

“That was really important to us,” she said. “We want to have the ability to create a regional destination and what we’re trying to create is an opportunity for a unique destination, and walkability is the most important feature of that. That’s also very important to Pasco County.”

© 2014 Tampa Bay Times