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Leaders: Condo plan a bad fit

The Porte Royale proposal is not compatible with the surrounding downtown businesses, Dunedin officials say.

By SHEELA RAMAN
Published October 12, 2006

DUNEDIN - Developers have paid close attention to the look of the Porte Royale condo complex, but city staff members Wednesday recommended that the project's preliminary site plan be denied for another reason.

The issue is not as much about appearance as it is about the use of the project, said City Manager Harry Gross.

Porte Royale, a five-floor, 75-unit condo project, is not compatible with surrounding downtown businesses, city officials say.

"You need a variety of things to keep an economy going," Gross said. "You need more than just a lot of residents. The restaurant and hotel component of this is key."

Porte Royale would rise at 150 Marina Plaza, now the home of a Best Western hotel and Bon Appetit, the restaurant known for its waterfront seating and view of St. Joseph Sound.

After Dunedin's Local Planning Agency voted 3-2 to recommend denial of Porte Royale in May, city staff members reviewed the site plan and recommended denial, too.

But the preliminary site plan hearing has been delayed since then by both the city and Porte Royale's prospective owner, Pageco Dunedin LLC, and a new site plan recently was submitted to the city.

For the most part, that new site plan includes changes that mainly concern engineering details, not the overall plan for the project, said Glenn Smith, the developer's attorney.

Pageco is confident that the project complies with the city code, said Smith of Ruden McCloskey in Fort Lauderdale. Pageco is still under contract to purchase the property at 150 Marina Plaza.

Smith said his clients have gone out of their way to make Porte Royale compatible. They have used a step-back design, which narrows the building as it gets higher. That way it doesn't just look like a box, like some of the other condo projects that Dunedin has approved, Smith said.

"It's quite a nice-looking building," he said.

City commissioners are scheduled to consider the revised preliminary site plan on Oct. 19.

But a city staff report concludes the condo complex not only clashes with its surroundings, but also would not boost downtown business as much as a mixed-use or commercial project, Campbell said.

"In fact, I think it would be a loss to business," he said.

The current hotel and restaurant bring tourist-driven business supplying a quick turnover of customers, Campbell said .

"You get people eating a bite for lunch and then stepping out to go shopping," he said. "You won't get that with a residential project."

The city is also concerned about losing Bon Appetit as a local landmark, Campbell said.

"The project is incompatible with the surrounding environment and its uniqueness," he said.

But local business owners said they would welcome any new source of foot traffic.

"We need more commerce down here," said Lee Mullen, 55, owner of Lasting Impressions Engraving and Gifts at 322 Main St., just down the road from Bon Appetit. He said he thinks adding up to 400 more residential units near downtown could help boost business traffic.

"It may be mostly seasonal business, but even so it would mean more business," said Lisa Walker, 40, owner of Tiffany's on Main at 342 Main St.

"I think it would be nice to have it there," she said. "And Dunedin has a list of rules they have to follow, so I'm sure it will look fine."

The upcoming hearing about Porte Royale comes just after Dunedin Marina View sued the city for denying its final site plan.

Still, "we can't be afraid of getting sued," Vice Mayor Dave Eggers said. He said the city is at a time of transition with all of the new condo proposals and needs to be on guard. Preliminary site plans should be judged more stringently, he said.

"We have just begun to understand how we can define compatibility," he said.

[Last modified October 11, 2006, 22:58:04]