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Does West Bay's future point upward?

Largo's plan for a "city center" in the area would increase density and perhaps allow buildings of six stories or taller.

By LORRI HELFAND
Published August 4, 2006

LARGO - Most who attended the city's first Downtown Economic Summit welcomed the idea of a very different West Bay Drive.

About 60 residents, property owners and business leaders attended the summit Friday at Largo Library, featuring an explanation of the city's plan to make the West Bay area a "city center," with as many as 40 units per acre in residential and mixed-use areas.

The area of about 300 acres has mostly one- and two-story buildings and allows a maximum density of 15 units per acre. Officials discussed increasing units on or near West Bay Drive by building structures six stories or higher.

Mike Staffopoulos, community development director, said market research showed the city had to increase the number of homes to support current and future businesses in the district.

Most at the summit were open to the idea of doubling or tripling the number of homes allowed in the district, which spans from west of the Pinellas Trail to Largo Central Park.

"It seems to me the city center concept would be absolutely ideal," said Jim Parker, a property owner and former president of the Downtown Largo Main Street Association.

Largo/Mid-Pinellas Chamber of Commerce president Tom Morrissette said chamber members would back as many as 45 units per acre.

Chamber members also suggested increasing parking options and improving signage, he said.

Property owner Jim Janowski said he supports taller buildings, too, but he wants the city to make sure it can handle the increased traffic that comes with more people.

"I'm all for a vertical increase in density, but what about traffic management," he said. "I don't see the city doing anything to attack that problem."

Staffopoulos said mixed-use developments encourage people to use their cars less. He also said the city is exploring improvements to local mass transit.

Resident Marie Singer said she also was concerned about traffic and the increased crime that comes with cramming lots of people in one place.

Another resident, Curtis Holmes, asked if the area could handle more stress on utilities. He also questioned building up in an area that would be difficult to evacuate in case of a hurricane.

"Why would we continue adding people into a zone where we could be looking at the jaws of death?" he asked.

Plans for the district have been in the works for about a decade. For years, the vision of downtown has been a quaint mix of shops and townhomes.

"Quaint is dying. Quaint has not worked," said City Manager Steve Stanton.

So, in recent months, city leaders have moved toward a more urban vision.

"The only fault I can find is that it's taking this long," said Aleta Higgins, a resident and restaurant owner in the Clearwater-Largo Road area.

Development along West Bay Drive has been sporadic and limited. Most of it has been spurred by city involvement.

In 2002, after several unsuccessful bids, the city sold the former City Hall property to Hyde Park Builders for $1.08-million, half of what officials said it was worth. The developer built 54 townhomes and a commercial complex called West Bay Village.

Two years later, the city sold its old Police Department property for $800,0000 to BayStar Hotel Group, which built the Hampton Inn & Suites. The 2.6-acre site was appraised at about $1.3-million.

During the past 15 years, the city has amassed about a dozen properties near the Community Center in the district. It now plans to combine those properties and market them to a developer.

Stanton said he was pleased that most people who attended the meeting supported the concept, but wished more showed up. The city will hold many more meetings to get feedback from those who live, work and own property in the district, he said.

A City Commission work session on the West Bay Drive area plan is scheduled for September.

[Last modified August 3, 2006, 20:19:17]