Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
Land formerly used to grow produce for the South Tampa steak house may be a site for upscale homes.
By TIM GRANT, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 17, 2002
CARROLLWOOD -- A former farm owned by proprietors of the world-renowned Bern's Steakhouse could become an upscale housing development.
Homeowners from Thompson East and Hampton Lakes met Tuesday with the developer and Hillsborough County planners to discuss the 22 acres of protected wildlife habitat off Bearss Avenue.
"I understand when someone comes to develop in your backyard it creates concerns and issues," said Keith Bricklemyer, a land use attorney representing the developer, Dimitri Artzibushev.
The property borders Thompson East, but the access road leading to the subdivision would be off Zambito Road, causing traffic to go past Hampton Lakes.
Artzibushev told the group of about 40 homeowners this will be an upscale housing development similar to Thompson East. He anticipates about 27 homes priced in the $350,000 to $400,000 range.
"We are trying to do a nice upper-end subdivision that will compliment the area," he said. "We'll do something very nice there. High quality. It could be gated, but we're not sure yet."
What concerned some neighbors is the lack of details about the project.
No engineering study has been done and the developer could not tell residents where the retention pond would be, how the houses would be arranged or how close they would be situated from those in Thompson East.
"We've got a pig in a poke right now," said Don Bahr, a Thompson East resident. "We don't know what they want to do. They say they want $350,000 and $400,000 homes, but they have no commitment to do anything."
This was the first of several meetings Bricklemyer said he plans to have with the residents before the petition is heard on June 10 by a Zoning Hearing Master. Bricklemyer said he will have more details at future meetings.
"We don't know the answer to those questions because the site has not been engineered yet," he said. "We can make educated guesses. We just haven't gotten to that point yet."
Bricklemyer wants to rezone the agricultural tract for a planned housing development that would allow four or six homes per acre. An additional six acres west of the project will be used to create an entrance to the subdivision.
Years ago, the property was a farm where the detail-obsessed Bern Laxer grew produce served at his famous South Tampa steak house.
Neither Laxer nor his wife, Gert, attended Tuesday's meeting. Instead, they sent a representative who declined to be interviewed.
Bricklemyer told residents he would like to have their support in the rezoning. But he said the project will go forward either way.
"There can be benefits to the extent you are willing to work with us," Bricklemyer said. "If not, so be it. If we go to war, we go to war."
- Tim Grant can be reached at 269-5311 or at grant@sptimes.com.