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February 1st, 2007, 01:40 AM
source: http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBI4Q9ALXE.html
Dump May Be Recycled
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By CARLOS MONCADA The Tampa Tribune
Published: Jan 31, 2007
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CLEARWATER - Pinellas County's long-closed Toytown landfill would be transformed into a massive, $870 million town center project under a proposal made to county commissioners Tuesday.
Although far from becoming a reality, the idea intrigued enough commissioners that they agreed at a work session to give it more consideration, along with soliciting other development proposals for the 230 acres at the northern gateway to St. Petersburg.
"It would definitely be the signature project for Pinellas County," Commissioner Bob Stewart said.
Representatives of Bear Creek Capital, a Cincinnati-based developer of mostly shopping centers, told commissioners at a work session that they are interested in building a more than 3 million-square-foot project that would include retail, office and multifamily residential development, including affordable housing.
The Parks of Pinellas also would include recreational facilities including athletic fields, tennis and volleyball courts, hockey rinks and playgrounds.
One thing the project would not include is a golf course, which most often has been proposed for the site east of Interstate 275 and south of Roosevelt Boulevard. Other ideas floated over the years include an outdoor amphitheater and a spring training baseball stadium.
Bear Creek officials said the project poses significant challenges associated with building on top of a still-settling landfill, but they are optimistic it can work.
Project Would Bring Money, Jobs
They estimated the project would generate $21 million in revenue for the county, mostly from property and sales taxes, and create more than 6,000 retail and office-related jobs after construction.
Additionally, about 8,700 construction and related jobs would be created, with 3,310 of those going to county residents. Once completed within two years, the project would generate annual operating expenses of $438 million.
"I am very intrigued by the concept," said Commissioner Susan Latvala, adding that such opportunities are practically nonexistent in the nearly built-out county.
Bear Creek and Pinellas economic development officials said the project could help stem what they called the "retail sales leakage" that has occurred for years, when Pinellas residents regularly cross Tampa Bay to shop in Hillsborough County at such upscale destinations as WestShore and International plazas.
It's 'Almost Too Good To Be True'
Stewart called the project exciting but said its potential benefits sounded similar to the failed Bay Plaza scheme of the late 1980s and early 1990s to turn downtown St. Petersburg into a high-end shopping mecca.
Stewart served on the city council during that tumultuous time.
"It sounds almost too good to be true," he said.
Toytown, named for the defunct community it replaced, opened in the early 1960s. The landfill accepted household garbage, primarily from St. Petersburg and Clearwater, until it ceased operation in 1983.
Since then, county officials said, the landfill has posed no environmental problems. Most settling from decomposing garbage took place in the first several years after it was closed.
OTHER PROPOSALS FOR THE SITE
1993: Spring training home of the New York Yankees. Pinellas County offers to accommodate the Yankees at the Toytown site if negotiations with Hillsborough County on a spring training facility fall through. The site is later considered by the Baltimore Orioles.
1994: 20,000-seat amphitheater. Pace Entertainment Corp. proposes an amphitheater near Plant City, considers the Toytown location but decides it has no interest in county-owned property.
1994: County-owned golf course. Early Pinellas County Commission discussions include joking references to golfers sinking into the ground or setting off methane gas explosions by smoking. The golf course idea, proposed in the late 1980s, has remained alive but has never gotten past the planning stages.
Compiled by researcher BUDDY JAUDON
Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 823-3412 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com
Dump May Be Recycled
Skip directly to the full story.
By CARLOS MONCADA The Tampa Tribune
Published: Jan 31, 2007
ADVERTISEMENT
More from this channel:
Search for more information:
Site Search Archives Keyword
TBO.com Site Search | Tribune archive from 1990
CLEARWATER - Pinellas County's long-closed Toytown landfill would be transformed into a massive, $870 million town center project under a proposal made to county commissioners Tuesday.
Although far from becoming a reality, the idea intrigued enough commissioners that they agreed at a work session to give it more consideration, along with soliciting other development proposals for the 230 acres at the northern gateway to St. Petersburg.
"It would definitely be the signature project for Pinellas County," Commissioner Bob Stewart said.
Representatives of Bear Creek Capital, a Cincinnati-based developer of mostly shopping centers, told commissioners at a work session that they are interested in building a more than 3 million-square-foot project that would include retail, office and multifamily residential development, including affordable housing.
The Parks of Pinellas also would include recreational facilities including athletic fields, tennis and volleyball courts, hockey rinks and playgrounds.
One thing the project would not include is a golf course, which most often has been proposed for the site east of Interstate 275 and south of Roosevelt Boulevard. Other ideas floated over the years include an outdoor amphitheater and a spring training baseball stadium.
Bear Creek officials said the project poses significant challenges associated with building on top of a still-settling landfill, but they are optimistic it can work.
Project Would Bring Money, Jobs
They estimated the project would generate $21 million in revenue for the county, mostly from property and sales taxes, and create more than 6,000 retail and office-related jobs after construction.
Additionally, about 8,700 construction and related jobs would be created, with 3,310 of those going to county residents. Once completed within two years, the project would generate annual operating expenses of $438 million.
"I am very intrigued by the concept," said Commissioner Susan Latvala, adding that such opportunities are practically nonexistent in the nearly built-out county.
Bear Creek and Pinellas economic development officials said the project could help stem what they called the "retail sales leakage" that has occurred for years, when Pinellas residents regularly cross Tampa Bay to shop in Hillsborough County at such upscale destinations as WestShore and International plazas.
It's 'Almost Too Good To Be True'
Stewart called the project exciting but said its potential benefits sounded similar to the failed Bay Plaza scheme of the late 1980s and early 1990s to turn downtown St. Petersburg into a high-end shopping mecca.
Stewart served on the city council during that tumultuous time.
"It sounds almost too good to be true," he said.
Toytown, named for the defunct community it replaced, opened in the early 1960s. The landfill accepted household garbage, primarily from St. Petersburg and Clearwater, until it ceased operation in 1983.
Since then, county officials said, the landfill has posed no environmental problems. Most settling from decomposing garbage took place in the first several years after it was closed.
OTHER PROPOSALS FOR THE SITE
1993: Spring training home of the New York Yankees. Pinellas County offers to accommodate the Yankees at the Toytown site if negotiations with Hillsborough County on a spring training facility fall through. The site is later considered by the Baltimore Orioles.
1994: 20,000-seat amphitheater. Pace Entertainment Corp. proposes an amphitheater near Plant City, considers the Toytown location but decides it has no interest in county-owned property.
1994: County-owned golf course. Early Pinellas County Commission discussions include joking references to golfers sinking into the ground or setting off methane gas explosions by smoking. The golf course idea, proposed in the late 1980s, has remained alive but has never gotten past the planning stages.
Compiled by researcher BUDDY JAUDON
Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 823-3412 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com