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City renews 5-year village lease

By ANDREW MEACHAM
Published February 13, 2005

MADEIRA BEACH - Despite misgivings, commissioners on Tuesday agreed to renew a five-year lease for Moshe Asyag, who operates Fantasy Planet in John's Pass Village. The city has owned the property at 12928 Village Blvd. since 1987.

The renewed lease runs through Sept. 30, 2009. Asyag will increase his $7,000-a-month rent payments by 2.5 percent each year, bringing $86,000 to the city over the next year.

Commissioner John Wolbert, who voted to renew the lease, began by saying that the city is not in the real estate business and should not have the property. Wolbert speculated that the property would probably sell for twice its listed $732,200 value on the county property appraiser's Web site.

"On the other hand, Mr. Asyag deserves to have a lease."

Under the terms of the new lease, the tenant will pay for a new air conditioning system and all other improvements to the interior of the building. The tenant will no longer be required to allow public access to his restrooms.

At Tuesday's meeting, resident Richard Lewis urged commissioners to sell the property and use the money for city projects, such as repairing the Crystal Island bridge. "There is no continuing public purpose served by the continued ownership of this property," he said.

The city may still sell the property, but Asyag has the right to match any offer within 30 days. Any sale would have to be approved by voters on referendum.

"It's very difficult," Mayor Charles Parker said, "but when you come down to the bottom line on it, I think for the moment we're going to have to go ahead with the lease."

Later, discussion centered on the five-story parking garage under construction in John's Pass Village. Commissioner Leonard Piotti said residents have expressed concerns about the appearance of the gray structure now looming over the John's Pass Bridge.

"I've had people call. I've had people come to my door," Piotti said. "It's just been an overwhelming response."

Parker said he had heard more complaints about the garage and its "monolithic status" than any other subject in the past year.

Hubbard Enterprises, which owns a restaurant and nine shops in the village, is building the garage, due to be finished by June, said Patricia Hubbard, the company's chief financial officer. Then come a boardwalk and more shops. Three of the shops will use the parking garage as a rear wall, effectively covering it up from all but the south side.

Hubbard said she realized that residents were concerned about the boxy appearance of the garage, "and if that's what we were building, I would certainly understand that concern."

"But this is my home, too. Why would I build a five-story concrete box in my own yard?"

Commissioners also heard from developer Sam Lewis, who volunteered to answer questions. His Madeira Bay project is set to begin construction Feb. 21. The project encompasses both sides of Dockside Dave's, at 13203 Gulf Blvd., and the restaurant itself.

North of the restaurant, a six-story building will hold 68 condo-hotel units. South of it, a five-story condo-hotel building and 14 townhomes are planned.

Dockside Dave's will turn sideways and rise on stilts.

The condo-hotel units start at just under $300,000. About 90 percent have sold, Lewis said.

[Last modified February 13, 2005, 01:07:16]