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Old Seminole Heights

Starbucks welcomed into historic district

Neighbors enthusiastically back the coffee giant despite reservations of the architectural board.

By SHERRI DAY
Published April 22, 2005

In Old Seminole Heights, the coffee's on.

The battle over whether Starbucks could open at the corner of Hillsborough and Central avenues ended last week with a victory for latte lovers.

The City Council unanimously approved Starbucks' plan to rezone the site for a coffee shop even though it did not meet city guidelines for developments in a historic district.

Nearly 100 residents and members of Seminole Heights neighborhood and business associations packed the April 14 public hearing at City Hall. Some supporters brandished coffee mugs. All wore pro-Starbucks stickers on their lapels. A community leader passed out binders filled with 122 e-mails from homeowners who supported Starbucks but could not attend the hearing.

Council members said they had never seen such an organized show of support for any neighborhood project.

"Is it safe to say that everyone wants a Starbucks?" council member Shawn Harrison asked the crowd.

Attendees, many of whom had waited 31/2 hours for the Starbucks hearing to begin, broke into wild applause.

Given the late of hour of the hearing, which began at 9:45 p.m., council Chairwoman Gwen Miller asked the audience to raise their hands if they supported Starbucks. Nearly everyone did.

Miller suggested that only the two men who opposed the project speak during the hearing, but supporters insisted on having their say. They spent an hour and a half telling council members that Starbucks would bring instant cache and spur much-needed economic development in the area.

Homeowner Victoria Valdes said the residents' wishes should trump architectural regulations outlined by the city's Architectural Review Commission.

"Seminole Heights is a historic neighborhood, but not a museum neighborhood only meant to be eyed by passers-by on weekends," she said. "It's easier to elect a pope than get things through the Architectural Review Commission."

Starbucks began eyeing the site last fall. After consulting with neighborhood leaders in January, the company's developers began making adjustments to its plan to make the building look more historic. Developers made several concessions, including adding an additional outdoor seating area and installing a sign that will welcome passers-by into Old Seminole Heights.

But the changes did not impress the Architectural Review Commission, which oversees developments in historic neighborhoods. Calling the design "suburban," the commission asked Starbucks to reposition the front of the building on Central Avenue instead of Hillsborough. Starbucks' developers refused and opted to take their chances with the City Council, which has the final say.

Linda D. Pearson, the project's principal planner, said her company was pleased with the outcome.

"I'm just thrilled beyond words," she said. "We got a unanimous vote out of council. It's just a fine example of how communities can come together. It was a perfect hearing."

Pearson expects to begin construction on the 1,800-square-foot coffee shop by fall. The new Starbucks should open early next year, she said.

[Last modified April 21, 2005, 08:33:10]