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New manager set to 'polish' the Pier
By BRYAN GILMER
© St. Petersburg Times, ST. PETERSBURG -- After assuring themselves that kids would still be able to feed the pelicans and senior citizens would still be able to have dances at the Pier, the City Council approved an agreement for Urban Retail Properties Co. to take over the attraction Oct. 1. "There's a great deal of time, sweat, tears and effort that went into this document," council member Richard Kriseman said Thursday afternoon just before the 7-1 vote. "This is a new day for the Pier. It's our hope Urban can take this gem and polish it so that everybody in the state will want to visit." Last month, the council chose Urban despite dozens of speakers at a five-hour public hearing that urged them to keep the old management, WHG Management Inc. Speakers feared that Urban, which operates large shopping malls, including Citrus Park Town Center and Brandon Town Center, might replace the local, kitschy character the attraction has had under its current manager and turn it into "another mall." Council Chairwoman Rene Flowers voted against the agreement Thursday. She also voted against picking Urban last month, saying the council was ignoring the will of those people. But other council members said many of the residents' objections were based on rumors and misperceptions about Urban's plans. And they had attorneys write provisions that addressed some of the concerns into the management contract. That's how the dances, pelicans and even the retention of the Pier bait shop made it into the 38-page document. "This was a very long process," Mayor Rick Baker said after the vote, adding that he was pleased with the outcome. He had lobbied heavily for the council to pick Urban, the firm selected by a committee of his staffers. Frank C. Barrios III, a vice president with Urban and a Pinellas County native, said the deal was far more fiercely negotiated than many deals for million-square-foot shopping malls. In the end, he said, he emerged with a clear idea what the city expects from his firm. "We recognize what a jewel this is, and we will handle that great responsibility," he said Thursday. Also Thursday, the council: Agreed to schedule a public hearing to discuss changes in how it distributes federal Community Development Block Grant money. Agreed to schedule an informal workshop discussion about whether to increase the property tax exemption for low-income senior citizens. The idea was shot down in a council subcommittee last week, but member Jay Lasita brought the issue before the full council Thursday in an attempt to resurrect it. Allowed council member John Bryan authority to form a committee to talk about whether there is a need for more skateboard and bicycle parks for youth in the city.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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