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A Corey Avenue group wants a landmark golf course lighthouse to serve as a combination public restroom, tourist center and bus stop.
By AMY WIMMER
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 12, 2000
ST. PETE BEACH -- Looking for a restroom on St. Pete Beach's Corey Avenue? Searching for the nearest trolley stop?
Just head up the street and swing into the lighthouse.
A two-story faux lighthouse, for years the focal point of the old Paradise miniature golf course on Corey Avenue, could become a public restroom, bus stop and tiny tourist information center for Corey area shoppers. The group of Corey Avenue merchants working to preserve it must move quickly, however, to convince city officials that saving the lighthouse is worthwhile.
The golf course owner plans to raze the lighthouse and 18 little putting greens on Wednesday, the first step in constructing a new St. Pete Beach City Hall on the site. Long Key Properties, owned by developers Paul Skipper and Joe Klingel, agreed earlier this year to donate their miniature golf course property to the city in exchange for a non-bidded contract to build a new city hall there.
City officials are still struggling, however, to finalize what comes after demolition is complete. Just last week, a city-appointed committee of residents expressed dismay and frustration at the number of issues left unresolved after months of planning and negotiating.
Jack Ohlhaber, chairman of the citizens' committee, blamed part of the trouble on the unusual agreement between the city and the developer. The city sought an outside appraiser who estimated the planned building's worth at $2.6-million before "soft costs," such as permitting fees, consultants' costs and other items, but even that appraisal has not settled the committee's questions.
City Manager Carl Schwing estimates the building is worth about $3-million after those costs are included. The city has agreed to pay $2.88-million for the building.
"(The developers) have not been, in my mind, very forthcoming, but on the other hand, as a business person, I can see why they're holding back," Ohlhaber said. "We have signed a contract, and there's no competition, and it's going to be a matter of some smart negotiation."
City Commissioner Peter Blank defended the developer at the meeting, saying the 200 pages of project specifications provided by the city's contracted architect were overwhelming.
Blank said if he were a developer faced with a project like that, "I would not touch that with a 10-foot pole." Blank went on to say that Long Key Properties disagrees with several items in the specifications, though the city committee is frustrated that the developers have not communicated those problems to the city.
"These documents should not be any surprise for them," the city's architect, Mike Russell, said. "I intended for there to not be any surprises."
The question of the hour on the city hall property, however, is what will become of the lighthouse, where patrons used to pay for their miniature golf games and pick up their putters.
Peter Roos, advertising and marketing director for Paradise News, is leading the effort to salvage the lighthouse from the course.
So far, the city's response to the proposal has been lukewarm. But Roos sees the building as an easy way to bring handicapped-accessible restrooms to an area that needs them badly.
Commissioner John Phillips said he understands Corey Avenue needs a public restroom, but isn't sure the lighthouse will be appropriate. Phillips spoke with area merchants about the proposal last week.
"They weren't so much in love with this building," Phillips said. They just want a restroom."
The proposal is supported by the neighborhood's business association, and Roos hopes to find funding to move the lighthouse across the street before the property is demolished Wednesday.
He believes it will cost about $10,000 to move it across the street, and the city could spend as much as $40,000 more to eventually update the restrooms. Skipper, who owns the golf course and is building the new city hall there, has offered part of his parking lot at Corey Avenue and Boca Ciega Drive as a location for the lighthouse.
"It's a unique kind of building with a unique architectural design," Roos said. "It becomes a landmark, so when tourists say, "Where is the restroom?' It's at the lighthouse. When they say, "Where can I catch the bus?' It's at the lighthouse. When they say, "Where can I get tourist information?' It's at the lighthouse."