Sun City Center

Approval sought for renovations

The Community Association needs residents' okay to begin sprucing up activity rooms.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 7, 2003

Having just celebrated its 40th anniversary, Sun City Center is ready for a facelift.

But this makeover will happen only if residents vote yes later this month.

The Community Association will seek residents' approval to spend $300,000 renovating nearly two dozen of the community's activity rooms.

The association has collected the money during the past three years or so, through donations from area businesses, and Sun City Center residents and clubs.

"We knew we'd have the need for renovations coming up, so we've been saving this," said Walt Cawein, community association president.

Sun City Center's articles of incorporation require that any expenditure of more than $100,000 be approved by residents.

The renovations referendum comes on the heels of a $1.7-million project to build a new clubhouse for the lawn bowling club, a new arts and crafts building, and a bigger room for the Sawdust Engineers Club. Also, 10 new tennis courts are being built.

Sun City Center developer WCI is paying for most of that construction as part of an agreement to cover the cost of new facilities that are needed as more residents move in. But the lawn bowling, tennis and Sawdust Engineers clubs also pitched in some of the cost, said association treasurer Bob Deutel.

Construction is scheduled to be mostly complete by mid April. Once the clubs go to their new quarters, the current rooms will need to be renovated, Cawein said.

"The object is to make those older rooms as nice as the new ones," he said.

Engineers and architects have drafted plans for the proposed renovations. For example, plans call for a room now used for card players to be renovated into a room filled with computer work stations.

The community association hasn't yet received bids on the work, but Cawein said if the cost runs over $300,000, "we'll stop when the money runs out and raise more money."

Deutel hopes at least 2,400 to 3,000 of Sun City Center's approximately 10,250 residents show up at the polls.

"We're moving forward like it's going to pass," Cawein said. "It makes our facilities nicer and more attractive, not only to existing residents but to people thinking about moving here."

The vote

The vote will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 20 through 21 in the Community Hall, 1910 S Pebble Beach Blvd. Absentee ballots are available from the association office, CA Office, 1009 N Pebble Beach Blvd. Vote early from 9 a.m. to noon March 17 through 19 in the association office.

The referendum

Do you approve the SCCCA Board entering into a contract in the magnitude of $300,000 in donated funds for the renovation of rooms on the Central Campus? Rooms to be renovated, but not limited to, include: Decorative Arts Room, Stained Glass Room, JPO Office, Sun Room, Potters Wheel Room, Swan Room, Royal Room, The News of Sun City Center Office, Sew 'n' Sews Room, Weavers Guild Room, Shellcrafters Room.