DADE CITY, Fla. — Drive through Dade City, and it is hard to miss the signs of change. New developments are rising across the area, bringing hundreds of new homes and this is causing mixed reactions from the community.
As part of our Price of Paradise Series, we took a closer look at one major project that is underway. Stanley Martin Homes is developing a massive residential project that will include around 400 new homes on the corner of Prospect Road and Handcart Road. In just a few years, the area is expected to look completely different.
Rick Harcrow with the Stanley Martin Tampa office said the project goes beyond housing.
WATCH: Massive new developments and hundred of homes coming to Dade City
“Roads are being built, water, sewer, schools are all being dedicated and there will be trails like 10-foot-wide trails along all these new roadways,” said Harrow.
The Stanley Martin development is not the only project transforming Handcart Road. Just down the street, Casa Fresca Homes is also building a new neighborhood. Melissa Ocampo, a new home sales consultant with Casa Fresca, said she welcomes the growth.
Across from the new neighborhoods sit longtime local businesses like Handcart Garden Center and Miss Julie’s Cafe. They are both family-owned businesses and the owners said they are hopeful the growth will bring more customers.
To better understand how residents feel about the development, Tampa Bay 28 reporter Keely McCormick spoke with people at grocery stores and gas stations in Dade City.
Many shared positive views, saying new homes could bring more jobs, amenities, and large grocery stores like Publix and Walmart.
“People coming here, it’s very good for everybody,” said Rangi Laport, who works in Dade City.
“The thing about home development, I think its going to bring more jobs to be honest,” said Anthony Davis, who lives in Dade City.
However, not everyone supports the expansion. Several residents who declined to go on camera expressed concerns about increased traffic and the potential loss of Dade City’s quiet, outdoorsy feel.
From the conversations happening around town, opinions are clearly split. Some residents welcome the growth, while others worry about how it could change the community they love.
Either way, development is moving forward. The Stanley Martin project is expected to take seven to eight years to complete.
Share Your Story with Keely
From finding savings to help navigate the price of paradise, to the safety of our roads, and even the latest medical breakthroughs; Keely McCormick is dedicated to helping you get the most out of your day. Share your ideas with Keely below.
.
Terri Schiavo's family seeks to unseal guardianship records 20 years after her death
More than twenty years after Terri Schiavo's death sparked a national right-to-life debate, her family returned to court Tuesday seeking to unseal records from her guardianship case.
