Walmart Plans Seminole Heights Store

The Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association is reporting that Walmart has purchased property in the 1700 block of East Hillsborough Avenue to build a store.

Seminole Heights already has a Walmart Neighborhood Market at 8885 N Florida Ave.

Neighbors, who previously opposed the development of a Family Dollar Store, already are sounding the alarm about the potential of a second Walmart.

Wrote Ingrid Jacoba on the Facebook Page, No Family Dollar Store Seminole Heights:

":-( ALERT : WALMART in SH? Going in at 19th and Hillsborough and not a peep from the nghbrhood groups sounding an alert that the nightmare of bigbox stores is about to darken the Seminole Heights."

The news has created a lively debate in the Seminole Heights community of urban pioneers, many of whom make a point to shop at locally owned independent stores. 

Wrote Cara Greenblatt Davis on the Facebook Page, No Family Dollar Store Seminole Heights:
"But there will always be people in any neighborhood who are "big box" shoppers. Should we be self contained for everyone but them?"

Added Rick Fifer to the discussion:

"I am not against big boxes. But I also don't the equivalent of State Road 60 or Lumstead in Brandon. Or north Dale Mabry or Bruce B Downs."

The community's "UnOfficial Seminole Heights Blog" weighed in, describing it as "a good thing" for the neighborhood:

"Imagine being able to rely solely on retailers within a 1 mile radius. The Chevy dealership has sat vacant for years. This could be a catalyst that starts the Hillsborough Ave redevelopment. While I personally would have preferred a Lowe’s, I would like almost anything better than the current state."

Status of the Development

A timetable has not been given for the store's construction. But the developer has won some early variances that allow for the pre-site work to begin.

The property, which has been used by Autoway Chevrolet Dealership, has won permission from the city of Tampa to build access driveways and to install a traffic light on East Hillsborough Avenue.

Tampa's publc works department approved the following:

1. Walmart will build two separate driveways on 19th street – one for truck access and the other for customers. The access road for trucks is away from residential areas to the north, the home owners' associaton said.
2. Walmart also is being allowed to develop two driveways on Mohawk. One is an access road for customers and the other is a turnaround before vehicles neter the driveway.
3. The city also is letting Walmart install a traffic signal at 19th Street and Hillsborough Avenue as a safety upgrade.