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Politics

Clearwater wants a facelift

By MIKE DONILA
Published April 23, 2007

Four Clearwater landmarks may look significantly different in a few years under a new city plan aimed at leveraging the assets to revitalize the downtown or beach. This fall, officials say they'll assign a professional task force to look at ways to "re-use or re-enhance" the Harborview Center, City Hall, Coachman Park and the Clearwater Beach Marina. The city will take the suggestions to residents for more input. So far there's residential interest for City Hall, retail interest for Harborview, and hotel and parking interest at the marina. Officials say the only property that could go on the market would be the City Hall property, but voters would still have to approve it. Penny for Pinellas tax money would be used to build a new one elsewhere.

1. Clearwater Beach Marina

25 Causeway Blvd.

All the vendor leases at the public marina, including the post office branch, expire in 2009. While many tenants want to remain, city officials wonder if it might be more lucrative to allow a private redevelopment there. Assistant City Manager Rod Irwin said the "commercial sector and the hotel sector have certainly shown interest." In the past, city leaders have talked about adding more beach parking or a hotel to the area. Parking is still on the table, Irwin said.

2. Coachman Park

301 Drew St.

The city's signature park with its bayfront location could use a facelift, Mayor Frank Hibbard believes. He'd like to reorient the bandstand, get rid of the nearby parking and expand the overall park to create more green space. In addition, city leaders said they'd like to see a playground built on the property. City leaders may also link any improvements with potential changes at the Harborview Center next door.

3. Harborview Center

300 Cleveland St.

This former department store with a fabulous view of the Memorial Causeway currently houses a Pickles deli, Stein Mart and a 65,000 square-foot convention center. It still cost the city more than $342,000 last year to run. With the Stein Mart lease expiring in December 2009, city officials want to find a new use. Pickles still has up to 13 years on its lease, so the city would have to buy out the lease from the restaurant.

4. City Hall

112 S. Osceola Ave.

City leaders say City Hall is expensive to maintain and sits on a valuable piece of property they'd like to put on the tax rolls. Among the potential suitors, said Assistant City Manager Rod Irwin, is Opus South, which is building a major condominium tower next door to City Hall. Irwin said the developers would like to somehow incorporate the land in with their project, called Water's Edge.

[Last modified April 23, 2007, 06:59:12]