Expired permit halts work on townhomes

A developer will have to reactivate the permit before work can continue on the North Shore project.

By JON WILSON

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 18, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Work has stopped on a North Shore town home development because the developer's permit expired last month, city building officials said.

Ross Scopelliti announced plans last September for the Hazelton Town Homes, 750 Third St. N. At the time, he said they were to be completed by the end of 1999.

But the project has not proceeded on schedule, and now the developer will have to reactivate his permit, said city building director Milton Massanet.

Scopelliti couldn't be reached for comment, nor could Laszlo Harangozo, whom building officials said also is working on the project.

Harangozo drew criticism in the North Shore neighborhood three years ago when he renovated some property without the necessary city permits and then applied for them after the fact. One of Harangozo's projects was Ambrosia, which has become a popular restaurant.

The Hazelton project includes five 2,500-square-foot townhomes ranging in price from $199,000 to $250,000.

The project originally included six units but was scaled back after some North Shore residents complained that the development was too big for the size of the lot.

The townhomes are being built on a site previously occupied by a vacant hotel that attracted drug users and homeless people.

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