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Chamber may go to River Road site

The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce is looking at a former church owned by New Port Richey.

By JODIE TILLMAN
Published July 12, 2006

NEW PORT RICHEY - When the city paid $1.05-million for a River Road church property earlier this year, it had a specific plan for the parking lot: allow public boat ramp users to park there.

But the matter of how to use the First Church of Christ Scientist building was much less clear cut.

"We didn't have any real uses in mind," said City Manager Scott Miller.

Now city officials are in informal talks with a possible tenant for the building: the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber could be losing its current home, another city-owned building at the corner of Main Street and North River Road.

For one, its $1,200 annual lease with the city expires next year.

In addition, Main Street Landing LLC has an option until March 2009 to buy the property where the chamber offices are located for its second phase of development, said chamber president Joe Alpine. The first phase of construction of Main Street Landing is stalled over the question of providing further public assistance to pay off a bond.

"We're kind of in limbo, and we don't like being there," Alpine said.

Alpine and three other chamber members met with Miller and redevelopment officer Caprena Laliberte last week to talk about the property. Part of what officials would need to address is whether the chamber would lease the former church, work out a lease-to-own deal, or buy it, city and chamber officials said.

The city has not advertised the building and has not received any formal proposals to use it, Miller said.

Council member Matthew McCaffery said he thought the chamber would be a great fit for the area. Because the former church is in a residential neighborhood, the city is not looking for any commercial uses, he said.

McCaffery said constituents continue to tell him it that the increased boat ramp parking that came with the $1.05-million expenditure was a good investment.

"People are real particular about the boat ramp in this town," he said. "They understand parking isn't cheap."

Jodie Tillman can be reached at (727) 869-6247 or jtillman@sptimes.com.

[Last modified July 12, 2006, 00:02:27]