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It's Rooms To Grow In Gibsonton

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By LIZ BLEAU, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 15, 2007

GIBSONTON - Development along Gibsonton Drive is booming, with three new hotels proposed or approved in areas near Interstate 75.

The hotels are part of larger retail and commercial projects that have chosen to locate in the area near the interstate and the major east-west connector road.

Strathmore Development Co., a Minnesota firm, is developing a 10-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Gibsonton Drive and New East Bay Road, to the east of the Wal-Mart entrance off New East Bay Road.

The site will house 175,000 square feet of commercial space and a 121-room hotel. The hotel will be a Value Place, an extended-stay hotel chain that is making its first foray into the Tampa Bay area. The only other announced tenant is a Dunkin' Donuts that will occupy an out parcel.

A spokesman for Strathmore said the company hopes to have its project open by fall of next year and will be announcing other occupants of the space there in the next few weeks.

Value Place spokeswoman Jennifer Kramp said the hotel chose the Gibsonton area because of the growth that is taking place in the area.

'The community is a growing area, and we want to be part of the growth,' she said. 'We do an extensive evaluation before we go into an area, and we see this as a right fit for us. We look forward to being a contributing part of the community.'

Across the street and a bit east from the Value Place, another developer is seeking zoning approval to build a four-story, 88-room hotel on a site that will also house a 4,000-square-foot bank and about 40,000 square feet of commercial space.

Michael Horner, consultant for the developer, said the hotel will be a Comfort Inn.

At a zoning hearing this month, a number of residents of nearby Alafia River Estates, behind the new development, opposed the project, citing existing traffic problems. Several said the proposed complex would make it more difficult for residents to gain access in or out of their community off Old Gibsonton Drive. In addition, they said, there is heavy traffic in the area, and the traffic at the I-75 exits at Gibsonton Drive often backs up during rush hours.

The county commission will vote on the rezoning Oct. 23.

Another hotel is proposed for the northeast corner of Gibsonton Drive and I-75. Alafia River Property Group has approval to build a 150-room hotel there along with a two-story commercial building.

Reporter Liz Bleau can be reached at (813) 865-1557 or lbleau@tampatrib.com.

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