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CLEARWATER - A revamped list of potential sites for a multimillion-dollar government complex that Pinellas County and Clearwater would share includes two new sites, one owned by the county and the other by the St. Petersburg Times.
The county-owned site is on the northwest corner of Fort Harrison Avenue and Court Street, which has an office building and parking lot.
The Times property at Court Street and Myrtle Avenue also includes an adjacent parking lot along Franklin Street.
The Times property is not the top choice of either government. But if other sites prove unworkable, talk might turn to whether the newspaper wants to sell its Clearwater bureau.
The two governments - both looking to replace cramped, outdated offices downtown - began talking about building a shared complex this year as a way to save on construction costs.
City officials favor a location on its initial list - the county Utilities Department at 15 S Osceola Ave.
Officials see a high rise at the location linked to a parking garage ringed with stores and restaurants.
Wherever it is built, the potential project is of such magnitude that the County Commission and City Council are expected to review the list of three sites in July before hiring a consultant to help determine how beneficial a shared government center might be.
With building costs high, Mayor Frank Hibbard is enthusiastic about the possible cost savings of a joint-use project.
The proposed complex would need to have 185,000 square feet of space, officials estimate. A building of that size could be built in downtown today for about $37-million, according to commercial real estate agents contacted by the Times.
Pinellas leaders share the city's interest in the idea but are also considering a new, standalone county government building elsewhere in Clearwater.
They have several locations in mind, including the county-owned Swisher Building on East Avenue S.