St. Petersburg College paid $1.55-million for the Coliseum nightclub site, which will be used for parking for SPC's EpiCenter, under construction next door.
By LORRI HELFAND
Published March 10, 2004
LARGO - No more hip-hop nights. No more rowdy crowds. No more brawls.
The signs in the windows of the Coliseum nightclub now read: "Future Home of St. Petersburg College."
Last week, the club with a reputation for skirmishes changed hands. SPC purchased the property at 13707 58th St. from Richard Fabrizi Jr.'s company, R. Lee Fab Inc., for $1.55-million.
R. Lee Fab Inc. bought the property a year ago for about $1.3-million, according to county Property Appraiser Office records.
SPC plans to use the property for parking for its new EpiCenter, which is under construction next door.
The future of the building that housed the nightclub is less certain.
"We're not sure if the design is usable or whether we'd have to do some major work or demolish it," said Susan Reiter, St. Petersburg College director of facilities planning and institutional services.
The EpiCenter, set to open January 2005, will be a joint venture between SPC and Pinellas County. It will house the college's administrative offices, which are now located in Pinellas Park. It also will be the home of several SPC departments, including corporate training, a four-year technology management program and a think tank where companies can develop marketing strategies or new financial plans, Reiter said.
A University of South Florida electrical engineering degree program and master's of business administration program will be offered there, too, through SPC's partnership with the University of South Florida.
It would contain several Pinellas County offices as well, including the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Pinellas County Economic Development, Pinellas County Arts Council and WorkNet Pinellas.
Reiter said the timing was right. The college didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to purchase the Coliseum property, which had changed hands several times over the years.
The spot has been known as the Living Room, Silver Club and Black Swan.
Meanwhile, Largo Police Chief Lester Aradi said he won't miss the skirmishes at the club, which he says have monopolized his department and forced club owners to hire off-duty police officers on nights when the club hosted Tuesday night hip-hop parties.
"We're no longer needed there, and we're happy," Aradi said.
