Developer drops concessions in housing project

TAMPA - Developer Ed Turanchik has backed away from concessions he sought to build a 157-acre urban neighborhood in downtown Tampa.

Turanchik's development group is no longer demanding tax breaks and first dibs on city funds for low-income housing.

As it negotiates with city officials, it has also sought less tax money to finance the construction of roads and parking garages in its planned development.

Turanchik's company wants to build a master-planned neighborhood of tree-lined sidewalks and parks in Central Park, one of the city's poorest neighborhoods.

To do it, the company must reach an agreement with the city to create a tax increment financing district that will help developers to fund public works.

The deal would require the city to spend new property taxes in the district on roads, sewers and parking structures in Central Park.

Normally, new property taxes would go to the government's general fund - to be spent throughout the community. But governments commonly use tax financing districts to encourage development in depressed areas.

Turanchik originally asked that 50 percent of new taxes generated in the district be spent there. Now, he wants 40 percent to finance public works in Central Park.

"Everyone has said we need to focus on urban redevelopment and reduce urban sprawl. They all said the private sector needs to take the lead. Okay, here we are," Turanchik said.

Turanchik wants the City Council to vote on an agreement by Jan. 15 to meet a deadline for a federal grant. He wants the Hillsborough County Commission to vote next week, too.

The support would help Turanchik and the Tampa Housing Authority get federal funding for the Central Park project.

It's still not clear whether that can happen.

County Administrator Pat Bean had not seen any written documents from developers by Monday night, she said.

"If we are going to be asked to approve something, we need something definitive," Bean said.

City economic development administrator Mark Huey said both sides may only be prepared to vote on a deal in principle by Jan. 15. Votes on details could come later.

His company's earlier request for more concessions from the city was just a "platform," a starting point for talks, Turanchik said.

On Monday, City Council chairwoman Linda Saul-Sena sent a memo to council members encouraging them to meet with developers one-on-one to ask questions.

"It is a very big, complicated project, and there are a lot of questions that need to be answered," Saul-Sena said.

Saul-Sena said she wasn't trying to circumvent Florida's government-in-the-sunshine law, which requires open meetings when more than one public official discusses government business.

Saul-Sena noted that she sent the memo to the mayor's communication director to be distributed to reporters.

"I am the person that has been pushing for an opportunity for a public discussion and presentation," she said.

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