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Feuding developers unleash experts

Crossroads' buyer says it can't build next to Pinch-A-Penny's planned industrial facility.

By SHANNON TAN
Published May 11, 2005

LARGO - The two sides each paraded an arsenal of experts before the City Commission on Tuesday to argue its case.

Boulder Venture South LLC, which purchased the failed Crossroads Mall last week, asked a planner and a certified hazardous materials manager to explain why the company's proposed town center project would be incompatible with its potential future neighbor.

That neighbor, Pinch-A-Penny, also brought in a planner and the county's economic consultant to argue that the pool retailer's planned warehouse, manufacturing and distribution facilities would complement the town center and create much-needed industrial jobs in the county.

As the two companies face off in the months to come, Largo officials must decide whether they can coexist or if they must pick one project over the other. Their decisions will affect the future of a key, underdeveloped area dubbed the "superblock," bordered by Roosevelt Boulevard, 150th Avenue N, U.S. 19 and 62nd Street. More than 200,000 people live within 5 miles of the area, and about 100,000 cars pass the site every day.

Boulder's proposal appears to be what the city envisioned when it created its strategic plan, a long-term vision for the city that would limit sprawl by concentrating development at three activity centers, including the mall site at Roosevelt Boulevard and U.S. 19. Two years ago, the Clearwater company looked at the mall but decided to pass, said Bob Schmidt, head of Boulder. The company became interested again when it learned of the city's strategic plan.

The proposed $145-million town center project, to be completed by late 2007, would include retail shops, offices, a hotel, a movie theater, condominiums and apartments. It would create 1,200 jobs.

"We can't do this with an industrial facility next to us," said John Sabow, director of development. "To be very candid, we are not prepared to spend $145-million to create what we just went through with an industrial use next to us."

Sabow was backed by the city's consultant, Renaissance Planning Group, which is creating a town center plan for the area. "The one and only solution that can be introduced," said consultant Ken Schwartz, "is a wall to segregate those two incompatible uses."

Pinch-A-Penny disagreed.

The company rolled out architectural designs that showed a two-story facility with multiple windows and landscaping that, the company says, would help it fit in with the neighboring residential area.

Cepcot Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinch-A-Penny, has the 29-acre county property under contract for $4.68-million. The company has offered to donate 5 of the 18 acres it already owns next door to the county for recreation.

Pinch-A-Penny is proposing to expand its corporate headquarters on the county land, creating 400 jobs over the next five years that would provide $25-million in payroll impact, according to the county.

Pinch-A-Penny's new jobs would pay 120 percent of the local average wage, while Boulder's jobs would pay 80 percent of the average wage, said Mike Meidel, Pinellas County economic development director. The new headquarters would create a ripple effect on the local economy to the tune of $66-million, he said. Pinellas County needs to create 50,000 industrial jobs in order to have continued economic growth, he said.

Boulder brought in Ralph Moon, who specializes in risk assessment, to talk about safety issues. More than 600,000 pounds of calcium hydrochlorite, which is used to make chlorine stabilizing tablets, is stored at Pinch-A-Penny's current location. That chemical caught fire in August 1986 at Jones Chemicals Inc. in St. Petersburg, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes and releasing a cloud of toxic gas above the city.

"This is about community safety," Moon said.

The Pinch-A-Penny facility is classified as one of 22 high-risk facilities by Largo Fire Rescue. The list includes high-rise nursing homes, the city wastewater treatment plant and hospitals.

But John Thomas, Pinch-A-Penny president, said such concerns rely more on innuendo than evidence.

He said the company buys pool additives in bulk and repackages them for sale. There have been no serious incidents at the facility in the 28 years it has been there, he said, and the building is already next to a residential community.

"We do not formulate chemicals," he said.

Thomas said the company has been searching for a location for years, but it's not threatening to leave Largo or the county.

His father, Pinch-A-Penny founder Fred Thomas, said he's worried about how many of his 300 employees would lose their jobs if the company had to relocate elsewhere.

"This really boils down to a judgment call," he told commissioners. "Your judgment call."

Commissioners plan to hold town hall meetings in the High Point area to get more opinions. Commissioners tentatively agreed to hold hearings on the issue in July and August.

Shannon Tan can be reached at shtan@sptimes.com or 445-4174.

OWNER: Boulder Venture South LLC

AREA: 36.5 acres

PROPOSED USE: Town center with 548,000 square feet of retail shops, 90,500 square feet of offices, 250 condominiums and apartments, hotel and movie theater

PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS: $145-million

CURRENT FUTURE LAND USE: Commercial general and preservation

PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USE: Town center community redevelopment district

UNDER CONTRACT: Cepcot Corp. (Pinch-A-Penny)

AREA: 29.5 acres

PROPOSED USE: 400,000 square feet of warehouse, distribution and manufacturing facilities and 40,000 square feet of offices

PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS: $40-million

CURRENT FUTURE LAND USE: Residential urban and preservation

PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USE: Industrial limited

[Last modified May 11, 2005, 00:46:18]