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A new developer courts the people of Beverly Hills and avoids the opposition that helped doom an earlier housing project.
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 26, 2002
INVERNESS -- The Citrus County Commission unanimously approved plans Tuesday for Marina Del Ray, a 100-unit apartment complex in Beverly Hills that will provide affordable housing for seniors.
The proposal sailed through Tuesday's meeting so effortlessly, you never would have known the same 7.5-acre site at County Road 491 and Regina Boulevard, behind Regions Bank, was home to a more controversial apartment design a year ago.
But plans change. After Randum Corp.'s previous design for a 120-unit, three-story complex failed to win County Commission support last summer, a new developer came up with plans for this two-story complex that will cater exclusively to seniors.
Unlike the old design, Marina Del Ray would include elevators and laundry rooms on every floor. The project by Creative Choice Homes will also feature 15 handicapped-accessible apartments, as well as regularly scheduled visits by health care professionals, organized recreational activities and emergency call devices in every apartment.
As it designed the seniors complex, the Palm Beach Gardens-based developer met with Beverly Hills residents -- the same people who turned out in droves last year to oppose the old apartment project -- to earn their support.
"Last time this meeting room was filled with 100 people," County Commissioner Vicki Phillips told the Times after voting to approve the new project Tuesday. "It shows the contrast between a developer that comes in and decides what the project is going to be, compared to a developer that goes in and works with the community."
This time, the only Beverly Hills resident who weighed in on the project asked commissioners to support it.
"This apartment complex answers a number of needs for our community," said Dick Schnably, president of the Beverly Hills Civic Association.
Joyce Valentino and John Thrumston, both candidates this year for Commission Chairman Jim Fowler's seat, also registered their support for the project, applauding the developer's efforts to design something the community wants.
The county gave Creative Choice Homes a $75,000 grant in March to help build the $7.85-million affordable housing complex. That grant, and the project's future, hinges on Creative Choice receiving about $6.88-million in other state housing grants this fall. Construction would likely begin in 2003.
-- Bridget Hall Grumet can be reached at 860-7303 or bhall@sptimes.com.