Multifamily development in the works in fast-growing Pasco County

Construction has started on a 252-unit apartment complex in Pasco County, one of the fastest growing areas in Tampa Bay.

The complex is being built on U.S. 301 next to Zephyr Commons in Zephyrhills. The apartment community, Ilumina Zephyrhills, is being developed by North American Development Group, which also developed the Publix Super Markets anchored shopping center

Work is expected to be complete by early in 2024, according to LandSouth Construction.

The cost of the project was not disclosed. 

When done, the garden-style community will be made up five four-story buildings along with a clubhouse, pool pavilion and maintenance building, LandSouth says. There will nine different floor plans ranging from 799 square feet to 1,355 square feet. And, as in what’s becoming more common, in addition to the tradition amenities there will be a pickleball court.

Todd Addison, senior director with the development group with offices in Ontario, Canada and West Palm Beach, says the apartment community “will continue the shopping center’s evolution into a true mixed-use environment.”

Pasco, like much of the region, has seen big growth in recent years with its population growing 3.9% to 584,067 people between April 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And in the 10 years before that, its population grew 20.9% — 464,697 to 561,891.

Zephyrhills is a small city just off U.S. 301, east of Interstate 95 and Wesley Chapel. The city of 18,154 has seen its own population growth, with the number of people living there growing 6% between 2020 and 2021 and 29.3% in the decade prior to that.