Odessa

Odessa is lake country. It’s a land where broad, sparkling waters teem with grass, bass and catfish—and with swimmers, boaters and jets-skiers galore. Odessa’s quiet and rural for sure; the sprawling suburbs of Tampa haven’t quite reached the community’s borders—yet. But it’s coming; growth is coming: once all-rural land tracts are slowly becoming residential and light industrial developments. Word has it that most of Odessa’s remaining farmland has already been contracted out for redevelopment—and that thousands of homes will be coming to Odessa in the next five years.

Wasn’t too long ago that people’d say, "Where’s that?" when you told them you lived in Odessa. Even today, as Tampa Tribune writer Carol Hedman shares, it’s hard to know where Odessa begins and ends when you’re driving through it on State Road 54, which bisects the community. To help set your bearings, keep in mind that Odessa lies southwest of Land O’Lakes, 16 miles north of Tampa. Half of Odessa is in Hillsborough County, the other half is in Pasco. It’s not a formal city by any means—no downtown or city center, nothing that really says, "This is Odessa." But Odessa is considered a jewel in the making; it’s a treasure that’s drawing more and more people who want to live near enough to but not in a big city proper, like Tampa.

Odessa was first settled in the mid 1800s by the Mobley family. The Gulf Pine Sawmill and Dowling Lumber Mill were the largest employers in the area—they paid $1 a day in the form of a token that workers could exchange for company merchandise. The community, which used to lie only in Pasco County, was named after Odessa, Russia by a Russian immigrant; the same man also named the city of St. Petersburg, Florida after its namesake in Russia. And although most of the original Odessa buildings are no longer standing, many long-time Odessa folk still call the area home: several families proudly tell tale of several generations who suffered and thrived, lived and died, through the years in Odessa.

Homes in Odessa

The bad news first: Odessa, being on lake land, is prone to sinkholes; although a thorough land survey should tell you if you might encounter such problems. The good news: sinkholes aside, Odessa is home to several beautiful communities that offer large home sites surrounding natural lakes. North Bridge at Lake Pretty is one such community; to enter you drive over and through a covered, wooden bridge just like those that reflect small town America of 200 years ago. The community offers 32 luxury home sites amidst towering oaks and cypress trees, as well as a community park and other amenities. Ivy Lakes Estates is another community; it includes three distinct villages—Water’s Edge, Eagles Nest and Palisades—as well as a 2.5 acre park, sand volleyball pit and more.

Gray Hawk at Lake Polo is a popular Odessa community, promising peace and quiet, and trees and nature, including a butterfly garden, a tropical waterfall, and boardwalks and fishing piers. With homes starting in the mid $300s, gated access and heavily wooded conservation areas, Gray Hawk is often a top choice of Tampa-area executives. Van Dyke Farms is another Odessa residential neighborhood; it offers 422 homes on tree-lined streets, walking paths, a community park, tennis and racquetball courts and more. The median home price in Odessa is $316,000; the average home price is $350,000.

Odessa Schools

Children in Odessa may attend Hammond, Trinity, Longleaf, Trinity Oaks and Seven Springs Elementary schools; Walker and John Long Middle schools; and either Mitchell High or the brand new (2007) Sunlake High school. All the Odessa schools except for Mitchell High received an "A" on their report card. Mitchell is not by any means a poor school though—it received a "B."

Shopping and Dining in Odessa

Folks in Odessa are a bit removed from shopping malls and restaurants, but not for long; much growth is expected very soon. In the meantime, Odessa residents shop at the Citrus Park Mall on Gunn Highway, just 10 minutes away. The mall has 187 stores and restaurants, including all the normal mall fare: Ann Taylor, Bijou Brigitte, Dillards, Macy’s, Sears, JC Penny’s. The Gunn Highway Flea Market is a popular spot for bargain hunters—and word has it that you can get a real good, down-home breakfast at the Flea Market’s café for cheap. For other eats, try Yvonne’s on North Mobley Road, or Lucky’s Barbeque or G Peppers on Gunn Highway; the latter is a popular sports grill that’s packed to the brim with Bucs fanatics during Tampa Bay Buc season.

There’s lots to do in and around Odessa. Lake Keystone, Odessa’s largest and most well known lake, spans 424 glorious acres of clear, clean water tinged with just a hint of red tannin. It’s a favorite of boat lovers, fishing lovers, and water-skiing lovers—there’s even a ski-slalom course. Up the road a ways is a chain of three tea-colored lakes connected by navigable canals: the 79-acre Pretty Lake, the 47-acre Lake Josephine and the 52-acre Rock Lake, all three stocked with bass, bluegill and catfish. Lake Rogers Park is another Odessa favorite; on 272 pristine acres with two lakes, pine flatwoods and oak hammocks, the park offers picnicking, hiking, fishing and canoeing galore.

Another local treasure is the Jay Starkey Wilderness Preserve—with 18,000 acres, it represents the largest undeveloped tract in Pasco County. Within the park is fun many-times-multiplied: bike trails, tent camping, equestrian trails, nature and interpretive trails and more. For more organized fun, Odessa residents turn to the Odessa Neighborhood Park, 29 acres on Chesapeake Drive with baseball fields, a community center, picnic shelters, playground, tennis courts and more. Or, try the Keystone Recreation Center; it offers various arts and crafts programs and classes for young and senior adults, as well as a gameroom, playground, baseball fields and tennis courts. And if guns are your game, you’ll be glad to know that Odessa is also home to one of the largest trap and skeet fields in the United States—the Silver Dollar Shooter’s Club on Patterson Road.