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Beach parking offered

By MIKE DONILA
Published September 29, 2006

CLEARWATER - One solution to the city's beach parking shortage could be a proposed $60-million hotel/retail project on Coronado Drive that includes a 942-space garage.

The city is looking over a plan from local developer Roland Rogers, who is offering the city the chance to buy 300 spaces at $30,000 apiece ($9-million total) or lease them for $3,200 apiece ($960,000 a year total).

Over the years, city leaders have talked about building a garage, but discussions fizzled after developers asked for too much or land prices rose too high.

Conversations about parking, though, picked up again last week after Rogers met with several city officials to discuss his latest plans.

Rogers is ironing out details of the project, which features the garage and a first floor of retail space that connects two 100-unit hotel buildings.

He said he plans to start construction on the yet-to-be-named project within eight to 10 months, even if the city doesn't want to partner with him on the parking garage. Total construction, he said, would take 18 to 24 months.

"Parking has always been a problem out here on the beach - there's only so many parking spaces for so many people," Rogers said.

Rogers plans to build on about 2 acres, bounded by Third Street, Coronado Drive and Hamden Drive. The area currently includes a handful of small buildings, including the Sandman Resort, Sea Cove Motel and Alex Family Restaurant.

Rogers points out that a city-commissioned study in 2001 indicated that 300 spaces on the beach raise $960,000 annually. That's the amount at which Rogers is offering to lease the spaces.

Clearwater has long talked about building such a garage, and local leaders wanted plans in place before the Memorial Causeway Bridge opened. But the plans never materialized.

City Attorney Pam Akin and Assistant City Manager Garry Brumback met with Rogers last week. They both called the talks preliminary and said Rogers' proposal "was still rough" and "didn't have enough details."

Brumback, however, said Rogers "is real and has the background of putting things together."

He added that the city isn't in serious discussions with anyone else.

"We're always interested in parking, but the talks are pretty preliminary at this point," Brumback said. "We're just kind of exploring opportunities. Roland has ... a good track record of getting together things he starts."

Rogers has typically eschewed the large high-rise projects, opting instead for smaller residential projects. In the past five years, he has built or partnered in about 20 developments on Clearwater Beach, most on Brightwater.

He's replaced many of the old buildings with townhomes and condominiums and also has some similar projects cooking farther north on the beach.

The city's recent meeting with Rogers comes at a time when the city is set to eliminate more than 500 of the 755 parking spots along busy S. Gulfview Boulevard to make way for Beach Walk, a revitalization initiative that includes walkways, plazas, greenery and fountains.

By next summer, more than half of those spaces will disappear.

But the city is counting on the Hyatt project, a hotel development that includes 400 public parking spaces off S Gulfview Boulevard, to replenish some of those spaces. Work on the hotel could start by December but will take two years to complete.

Still, city leaders say they could use the spots Rogers is proposing, if the deal is right.

"We certainly need some additional parking on the beach - there's no question about that," Mayor Frank Hibbard said. "We will never have enough parking for the peak periods."

The city has about $4.5-million from a parking fund that could pay for the spaces.

The Penny for Pinellas proposal that goes before voters in March also sets aside about $12.5-million for a parking garage on the beach.

City Manager Bill Horne said he expects more details on Rogers' proposal to be released in the upcoming weeks.

[Last modified September 29, 2006, 07:05:46]