NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – It’s been called an eyesore for years. Now, a major intersection in Pasco County is getting a big facelift.
Even New Port Richey City Manager Debbie Manns had those words for the area of U.S. 19 and Main Street.
“I would describe it as an eyesore. As visual blight,” Manns said.
Construction has quickly changed it. The old Suncoast News building and empty Walgreens are now gone.
In their place is a new 41,000 square-foot building, which will soon become Keiser University. A parking deck is also being built.
The City of New Port Richey bought those old properties and quickly sold them to Keiser developers, which represents a $12 million investment in the area.
Even though the buildings are not yet completed, folks who live and work nearby say it’s already made a difference in the way the intersection looks.
It’s one of the reasons Reyna Giler and her son Jose Viallo opened up Main Street Bakery behind the property a few months ago.
“Seeing more and more good progress and development. We’re looking forward to meet the demand coming in,” Villao said.
They may have that demand.
Manns says at least a thousand students will enroll at Keiser, plus a hundred staff members will work there.
“Students and that staff have to go somewhere. And hopefully they don’t want to go far to get that coffee or lunch,” Manns said.
When it’s all completed, she says the new campus will represent one of the biggest investments made in the intersection in decades. It will totally change the gateway into downtown New Port Richey.
The city has invested a lot in recent years to improve the look of their downtown, including adding better signs.
The buildings are expected to be done in May of this year.
