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Sembler's first foray into housing will be in Pinellas

By Times Wires
Published September 17, 2007

LEALMAN

The first project for shopping mall developer Sembler's new residential division will be in unincorporated Lealman.

"For our first standalone residential, we picked something close to home," said Greg Sembler, vice chairman of the St. Petersburg company.

The project, called Duval Park, is expected to begin construction soon and have people move in early next year, Sembler said. It is in an out-of-the-way spot, tucked beneath 54th Avenue N at 45th Street, between Wellington School, the CSX railroad tracks and Joe's Creek.

The development will resemble Key West in its architecture, Sembler said, with narrow pastel homes on small lots. Garages will be in the rear, and the structures will be near the street to better connect residents.

"We call it front-porch living," Sembler said, relating it to the new urbanism movement and examples like Orlando's Celebration.

LARGO

Get the ultimate survival kit - and it floats

Nothing focuses the mind for hurricane preparedness like having a storm spinning offshore. The rest of the time, most people don't think much about being ready.

"We're a nation of procrastinators," said Pete McGrath, who has started a new business selling emergency-preparedness kits. "We'll wait until the very end. This is a way to not wait. You just buy the box."

McGrath sells BuoyBox, a small, watertight kit with what he says is everything you need to survive for three days after a disaster. McGrath said he researched other kits on the market and designed his with the most practical assortment of goods.

"I was trying to think of everything," he said, "but you can't have everything."

The box contains matches, water-purification tablets, food rations, water, a windup radio, a battery-free flashlight, emergency blankets and long-burning candles.

Prices range from $69.99 for a one-person "standard" kit to $139.99 for a two-person "best" kit. For prices of all models, visit www.buoybox.com and click on All Products in the left rail.

ST. PETERSBURG

Double-decker parking at these condos

Architect Tim Clemmons has installed a novel parking solution in his condominium development at 475 Second St. N.

Wanting to build 22 units with more than one parking space each, but lacking a lot that would allow a ramp for a multilevel parking garage, Clemmons installed a dozen $10,000 Klaus stacking lifts.

Drivers put one car on a lift and another beneath, but can't remove the top car without moving the bottom one, too. The lifts are the only ones in such a building in the Tampa Bay area, Clemmons said, but are popular in New York and overseas.

Clemmons is testing the units before owners of the $450,000 to $700,000 condos start moving in.

[Last modified September 17, 2007, 01:25:13]