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Letter to the editor

Beach garage idea looms

Residents opposed a previous plan for Clearwater Beach, but city leaders are taking another look.

By MIKE DONILA, Times Staff Writer
Published December 2, 2007

CLEARWATER - City leaders are expected to revisit a controversial beach project: a parking garage along its powdery sands.

A massive public outcry scuttled the plan years ago, but some Clearwater leaders say a city-owned spot on the south part of the beach might just be the best and cheapest place to build.

Still, it's not a done deal yet.

The city is hoping it can strike a deal with Lucca Development of Illinois to buy an almost 1-acre parcel about two blocks from the beach. But there are still obstacles to overcome.

If a deal can't be reached, the City Council will begin talking about building a garage at its southernmost parking lot next to the where the Adam's Mark Hotel was on Clearwater Beach.

Here's the situation:

Lucca plans to build a $125-million condominium project called Marbella on S Gulfview Boulevard. As part of the project, it also wanted to build a 400- to 500-space parking garage on Fifth Street between Hamden and Coronado drives.

But with condominium sales slow, Lucca now wants to sell the Fifth Street parcel to the city for $3.5-million. However, both properties are financially tied together so Lucca needs its lenders to sign off on the plan.

The city gave the developer until late January to get the deal done.

"There's a couple issues we need to work through," said Joe Burdette, whose Consus Group represents Lucca.

If the deal doesn't work, City Manager Bill Horne said the city would have little choice but to consider building a parking garage on the beach. He acknowledged the proposal would be unpopular, but said the city needs to make up for the spots lost because of the BeachWalk promenade project.

The new walkways, which stretch almost a half-mile from Pier 60 to the former Adam's Mark location, have eaten up hundreds of parking spaces along S Gulfview Boulevard.

"Yes, the spot is controversial, but not having parking is pretty controversial, too, and our options are limited," Council member Paul Gibson said. "If someone has a better choice I'll listen, but so far one hasn't been found."

Council member George Cretekos said he isn't against building on the city's property, but he'd like to see a plan before committing.

Vice Mayor John Doran said he'd consider building there, but "it's not my first preference."

"You can make the fiscal argument that we already own the land," Doran said. "But the aesthetic argument is: 'What, are you crazy? You're going to build a garage on the waterfront?' "

Mayor Frank Hibbard said he would not support it. If the Lucca deal falls through, the city should talk to other property owners, he said.

Council member Carlen Petersen said she also opposes the location. "We have the prettiest beach in the world," she said. "Why would we want to do that?"

The city has about $6-million set aside to buy property and more than $12-million in planned revenues earmarked for a parking garage in the recently voter-approved Penny for Pinellas sales tax.

A 350-space garage could cost as much as $9-million to build.

In May 2003, city leaders discussed building a 335-space garage on top of the 1.4-acre parking lot. But residents were horrified, saying it would close the window to one of the only places in south Clearwater Beach where motorists can catch a glimpse of the Gulf of Mexico from their cars.

Anne Garris, a member of Save the Bayfront and a frequent critic of the City Council, said "we're already cutting off too much of the actual use of the beach."

She urged city leaders to look elsewhere.

Sheila Cole, executive director of the Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce, said members are split.

"The biggest concern is that we are building this phenomenal BeachWalk and we're inviting visitors here, but where are they going to park?" she asked. "Our options are dwindling and we may need to bite the bullet."

[Last modified December 1, 2007, 20:39:55]