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Condo at Long Pier an uphill fight

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published January 24, 2007

An ambitious plan for a seven-story condo-hotel at the Redington Long Pier faces a potentially long and difficult process to gain approval from the town, Pinellas County and the state.

"Our proposal will ensure that the pier is saved for future generations," said pier owner Tony Antonious in a letter accompanying a formal request that the town change the zoning for the pier parking lot where the condo would be built.

Changing the zoning will not be easy, according to Redington Shores building official Steve Andrews. The property is currently zoned open outdoor recreation/public open space and is similarly designated in both the town's and the county's land use plan.

A change in land use must also be approved by the state's Department of Community Affairs.

Antonious is requesting the 100-foot wide, 0.77-acre property, now used as a parking lot, be rezoned to hotel/commercial tourist facilities and be treated as a planned unit development project.

The redevelopment plans submitted by Antonious to the town Friday includes a schematic for the planned condo-hotel, but do not indicate whether the proposed building would require setback or other special exceptions.

Andrews said he may request more detailed plans before submitting it to the town's Planning and Zoning Board for review. That board's recommendation would then be considered by the Town Commission. If approved, the proposed rezoning and land use change would be sent to the county and the state for review.

"Approval of this plan will allow us to rebuild and expand the existing bait house and (make) other improvements," Antonious said in his rezoning application. "The new condo/hotel will enhance the aesthetics of the area as part of the town's current beautification program."

The proposed 70-foot-tall, seven-story building includes ground-level parking for the public visiting the pier, a second-level private garage, and five residential floors. Each floor would have four units, for a total of 20 units.

The roof deck would feature a pool, bar and kitchen area, exercise room and meeting room.

The project would operate like a time-share or condo rentals, Antonious said.

Antonious argues the redevelopment would help pay for the cost of repairing the pier - a nearly 50-year-old landmark that was closed to the public several times last year over safety issues.

A Pinellas County circuit judge stepped into the dispute between Antonious, the town and the county.

Although the pier is now open, several areas where pilings have deteriorated are blocked off. Required repairs are still under court jurisdiction.

The legal battle began in June 2006 after Tropical Storm Alberto washed what appeared to be pilings and cross-bracings supporting the pier onto the beach. They were not from the pier, but inspections by both the town and county revealed several pier supports were severely deteriorated.

Since then, Antonious has made repairs, Andrews said, but has yet to replace the aging pilings.

"The town is giving us a hard time," Antonious said. "They say we want to do too much. It's just a lot of red tape."

Andrews recently received a copy of a letter to Antonious from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that appears to approve the planned pier repairs.

Antonious now said he plans to ask the court to force the town to allow his pier repair plans to go forward.

Particularly at issue is Antonious' plan to completely rebuild the pier's bait house, which lies several hundred feet from the shore and serves as a formal entrance to the 1,021-foot-long fishing pier.

A redesigned bait house, which would include an upper level fishing deck, is also part of the rezoning application submitted by Antonious.

[Last modified January 23, 2007, 22:33:41]