Florida Sinkhole News Brief – December 2025

A hole opened on Seville Boulevard near the Clearwater Mall and Costco after a stormwater pipe burst beneath the roadway, closing westbound lanes and affecting the northbound access to U.S. 19. Clearwater police advised motorists to use exits on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard while crews assess the scene.
City officials say soil flowed into the failed pipe, creating a void under the pavement that caused the road to crater. Public works warned the collapse may be deeper than it appears and blocked two lanes to keep drivers at a safe distance; the department did not provide an exact depth measurement.
Brixmor Property Group, owner of Clearwater Mall, maintains the broken stormwater infrastructure and will be responsible for repairs, but the company has not given a timeline for restoring access. Traffic remained disrupted into the following business day as officials coordinated repairs and detours.

Sources: Tampa Bay Times

City officials ordered the Westside complex to complete repairs within 48 hours after residents reported going four days without water, citing public health and safety concerns. Tenants publicly decried a lack of timely communication from property management while the complex remains under scrutiny for prior safety and maintenance issues.
Local reporting indicates JEA intervened at the master meter level and that water service was later restored, but the action prompted the municipal order and renewed oversight of the property’s maintenance practices.
The city’s directive aims to force immediate, verifiable repairs and clearer resident communications as authorities monitor both the sinkhole and the complex’s broader management history.

Sources: News4JAX

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