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It’s Inevitable. The Big City is Coming For Us

Change happens fast. Too fast. Or as Ernest Hemingway once said by way of John Green, “slowly, then all at once.”

I grew up in Brandon—Seffner, to be exact—and I remember watching orange groves turn into movie theaters and malls. Back then, the mall felt like a win. And the movie theater? It meant we didn’t have to trek all the way to Tampa or gamble on whatever B-movie was playing at the dollar cinema.

So no, not all change is bad. But after nearly 30 years in Southshore, I’m watching a familiar pattern unfold—and this time, I’m not sure we’re on the right track.

Development is happening at warp speed, and I can’t help but wonder: why are we racing to become the next downtown Tampa? Who hit the fast-forward button?

We talk about development a lot around here. Not because we want to—but because it’s hard not to when there’s a groundbreaking every other Tuesday. Something new is being built every day. And unfortunately, we don’t have a Lorax to speak for the trees. Or the traffic patterns.

Case in point: a 15-acre parcel in Riverview just got scooped up. And if you're wondering what’ll replace those trees as they fade into oblivion, I’ll give you three guesses—but you only need two.
It rhymes with bar slosh and shelf porridge. (Don’t judge me. It’s been a long week.)

You guessed it. Because obviously, what Southshore truly needs is... another car wash and a self-storage facility. Said no one, ever.

And that’s what it feels like sometimes, doesn’t it? Like we’re building just to build. Tossing up a mishmash of businesses and roads-to-nowhere—both literally and spiritually. We’re in such a rush to have more, we haven’t stopped to ask: more what, exactly?

• More roads

• More concrete

• More traffic

• More people

• More city

And when the dust settles and the bulldozers pause, what we’re left with is... less.

• Less green space

• Less breathing room

• Less of what made Southshore feel like home in the first place

So I’ll ask you—what do you think about all this building? Are we growing the right way... or just growing because we don’t know how to stop?

Drop a comment. Send a smoke signal. Yell into the nearest construction zone.
Either way—someone’s bound to hear you.

Boyette’s Closed, Cones Are Everywhere, and Hope Is on the Horizon

If you’ve lived in Southshore or FishHawk for more than five minutes, you’ve likely encountered three things: a gorgeous sunset, a wild rumor about a new restaurant, and a construction barrel.

As of Sunday, April 27th, Boyette Road near U.S. 301 is officially closed for the next few weeks. Crews are ripping out the old asphalt and laying down fresh, shiny concrete—because nothing says "progress" like a three-week detour and a heartfelt prayer that your GPS doesn’t lead you into a drainage ditch.

Now, we could grumble (and we will, don’t worry), but maybe—just maybe—this is the beginning of something beautiful.

Imagine a Southshore with… fewer potholes. Fewer flat tires. Fewer windshield cracks from those mysterious flying pebbles that seem to materialize out of nowhere. It's a dream, sure, but if we can survive this season of orange cones and creative detours, we might just drive into a future where our suspensions remain intact.

Of course, Boyette Road isn’t alone. If there’s a spare piece of dirt anywhere from Apollo Beach to Riverview, odds are someone is already measuring it for construction. More roads. More roundabouts. More temporary signs that make you wonder if you're accidentally entering an obstacle course.

The $25 million upgrade project near U.S. 301 promises smoother surfaces, better traffic flow, and a whole new set of ways to explain why you're late to work (“Sorry, I was stuck behind a steamroller" is about to become a legitimate excuse).

So yes, the next few weeks might test our patience. You might invent new curse words. Your morning commute might look suspiciously like an episode of "Survivor: Southshore." But when the dust settles—literally—we'll have sturdier roads, fewer potholes, and a fighting chance at a windshield that doesn’t look like it survived a hailstorm.

In the meantime, plan your detours, pack your patience, and if you see a construction worker—maybe throw them a smile. They're the unsung heroes making sure your future tires thank you.

Welcome to Southshore: Construction Capital of the World. (At least for now.)

Until next time,

The Brandon Buzz, because you deserve better than scrolling through 500 Facebook comments.