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Neighborhood report

Shipyard rezoned for 53-acre development

The largest parcel in the future New Port Tampa Bay gets the green light. Neighbors will press for infrastructure.

By SHERRI DAY
Published August 5, 2005

Developer Ed Oelschlaeger moved one step closer last week to making his vision a reality.

In a unanimous decision, the City Council voted July 28 to approve Oelschlaeger's application to rezone the old Hendry shipyard for development as a residential and commercial property. The site at 5107 S West Shore Blvd. is the largest parcel in Oelschlaeger's planned 53-acre development. The council rezoned the Imperial Yacht Basin on Gandy Boulevard at Bridge Street last year.

After the hearing, Oelschlaeger was triumphant.

"I was very pleased with a unanimous endorsement of the project, and I think that speaks volumes," he said. "The council recognized the importance of this, and we accept the responsibility to do it right."

For Sun Bay South residents, the hearing was likely the last opportunity they would have to wrest concessions from the developer and the city before work on the project begins.

Oelschlaeger's company, EcoGroup, has been meeting with the Gandy Civic Association for months. Neighbors worried that the area's aging infrastructure would buckle under the combined weight of several large developments planned for the area. Neighborhood leaders also took issue with the lack of specificity in EcoGroup's petition.

EcoGroup submitted a PD-A application, which does not require a detailed site plan.

After rigorous questioning on topics including traffic, the extension of the Friendship Trail and stormwater management, council member John Dingfelder said he would support the project despite the lack of specificity. The rezoning application for the Imperial Yacht Basin was also a PD-A.

These types of applications "sort of involve a leap of faith, and I really don't care much for a leap of faith especially with the responsibility that we have," said Dingfelder, who represents the area. "With that, I'm willing to take a leap of faith. It looks like it's going to be a phenomenal project."

On the combined properties, EcoGroup plans to build 1,750 residential units, 245,000 feet of commercial and office space, a community park and a marina club. Last week, the company said it would reduce its plans for the Hendry property by 150 residential units, to 850, at the request of the civic association.

The homeowners group, which last year waged a vigorous campaign against the initial proposal to redevelop the yacht basin, did not oppose the project.

Association president Mike Hursey said he would remain vigilant in demanding infrastructure improvement in the area.

"The city's going to have to start stepping up," he said. "It may be a very fabulous development, but if you have deficient surroundings, what does that do to your development?"

Oelschlaeger and his management team will have little time to revel in their most recent victory. The company plans to rebuild the seawall at the yacht basin and construct a new boat slip and marina. Boaters are complaining that they have received scant information about how much longer they will be allowed to stay.

"We're not trying to keep him from doing anything," said John Sims, a Carrollwood man who has rented a boat slip at the yacht basin since 2001. "We just want to know what he's going to do so we can know what to do."

Oelschlaeger said he would communicate with all tenants, including boat slip and dry dock renters and Jimmy Mac's restaurant, this month.

"We were really totally focused on the rezoning," he said. "Now we're going to be meeting and making plans going forward on a lot of fronts, and that will be one of them. They're all month to month, and they know that. But we want to give them as much notice as possible."

EcoGroup said infrastructure construction would likely begin soon. The entire project could take six to eight years to complete.

[Last modified August 4, 2005, 08:43:14]