Westshore Development News

[Robert.Maddrey]

I work in One Metro Center, the Metlife owned midrise directly adjacent to this property and it has certainly been interesting the buzz the demolition work has been generating in our building. There is certainly a large number of younger professionals who are interested in the idea of living and working in Westshore. Perhaps, this project will bode well for the dynamic development of the business district. It will be interesting to see if the buzz lasts.

[stormyguy]

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct...?news-breaking

Waterfront Condo Plans Put On Hold

By Shannon Behnken of The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2007

The painful housing market has claimed yet another condo project, at least for now.

There were great hopes that New Port Tampa Bay, a 54-acre 1,200-unit waterfront development, would help revitalize parts of South Tampa.

The developer, Tampa-based EcoGroup has been unable to obtain financing, however. Plans are now on hold, said Ed Oelschlaeger, president of the company.

Eco has refunded buyers' deposits and canceled more than $50 million in purchase contracts.

New Port, at the corner of West Shore and Gandy boulevards, has been in the works for more than two years. Sales were launched early last year at an elaborate party at the site.

Oelschlaeger said the company still wants to build but will redesign the units and lower the price range.

[Jasonhouse]

Great news... Now the city can get the damn infrastructure in line down in SOG before allowing density that it can't handle.

[FloridaFuture]

Longer article on NewPort:

Waterfront Condo Plans Put In Drydock For Now
By SHANNON BEHNKEN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 20, 2007

TAMPA - The painful housing market has claimed yet another condo project - at least for now.

There were great hopes that New Port Tampa Bay, a 54-acre, 1,200-unit waterfront development, would help revitalize South Tampa, south of Gandy Boulevard.

The developer, Tampa-based EcoGroup Inc., has been unable to obtain financing, however. Plans are now on hold and deposits have been returned to buyers, said Ed Oelschlaeger, president of the company.

More than $50 million in purchase contracts on two condo towers have been canceled. Buyers had put down 20 percent deposits.

New Port, at West Shore and Gandy boulevards, has been in the works for more than two years.

The project called for 1,200 condominiums, a 300-slip marina, a park, shops and two restaurants near the foot of the Gandy Bridge, west of West Shore Boulevard.

A key feature was keeping the waterfront open to the public.

Oelschlaeger said the company still wants to build but will redesign the units and lower the price range. He said it 'may be this time next year' before the new product is unveiled to the public.

'The master plan has not changed at this point,' he said. 'But we will be looking at that.'

Sales were launched in early 2006 at an elaborate party, which included a buffet, open bar and presentations by performers in the style of Cirque du Soleil.

At the time, the developer hoped the housing slowdown would not affect the luxury condo market. Prices for the first three residential towers originally ranged from $400,000 to more than $3 million.

The market, however, has changed dramatically, and it's much tougher now to secure a construction loan to build condos, Oelschlaeger said.

'I think the vision for the property was appropriate and I don't see that changing in any major way,' he said. 'But the market is what it is.'

Oelschlaeger said the new plans still will include the two condo towers, but plans will be scaled down, and the buildings won't be constructed at the same time.

The developer has completed a new seawall and installed underground drainage and utility work. Oelschlaeger said EcoGroup wants to finish the project, but it is looking into selling the land as part of a refinancing deal. In that event, Oelschlaeger said he hopes his company remains as the developer.

Admitting that the project is not working out was difficult to do, Oelschlaeger said, but he thinks it's the right thing to do currently.

'We weren't able to fulfill our commitment to buyers, and this became the appropriate thing to do,' Oelschlaeger said. 'It's a great site and we think it will eventually work out.'

Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7804 or sbehnken@tampatrib.com.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct...ow/?news-money

[FloridaFuture]

Here are some renderings for NewPort I've found and i don't think have been posted here in the past.

Renderings-











Source

[Jasonhouse]

The look of those buildings is horrendous... Again, I'll profess my glee at this project being stalled... Hopefully, the community will get something nicer looking in the final product. Hell, I would settle for the typical Med Rev vernacular crap over this styleless 80's slab look.

[FloridaFuture]

New Port Tampa Bay land put on marketTampa Bay Business Journal - by Michael Hinman
Thursday, October 25, 2007 - 2:41 PM EDT

Ed Oelschlaeger, president of New Port developer EcoGroup Inc., told the Tampa Bay Business Journal last week that as part of the company's regrouping to move the 1,250-unit project forward sometime in 2008, he was exploring the options of bringing in a partner or selling the property outright.

"We're trying to recapitalize New Port, and part of that effort is to sell the project," Oelschlaeger said. "It's possible that EcoGroup would not be involved going forward under some circumstances, but we should be here under most circumstances."

While New Port was planning just less than 1,300 residences, Colliers Arnold said the property already is zoned for 1,750 residences and 240,000 square feet of commercial use near the intersection of Gandy and Westshore boulevards in Tampa.

"The vision for the site is extremely exciting, and we're confident it will be developed to its fullest potential as a waterfront community," said John F. Gerlach, a broker with Colliers Arnold, in a release. "We are committed to helping EcoGroup find exactly the right party who will take this property to its highest and best use in the years ahead."

Deposits for units have already been refunded, and Oelschlaeger said new ideas are being put together that could possibly keep most of the project intact, except with lower price points and smaller construction phases.

http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tamp...ml?jst=b_ln_hl

[FloridaFuture]

Crescent's next building taking the LEEDTampa Bay Business Journal
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Office buildings along the outer edge of International Plaza mall are nothing new, but the "green" status of the next one to be built would be.

Crescent Resources LLC plans to make Corporate Center Four at International Plaza the first Class A office building in the Westshore business district certified under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

Construction of the eight-story, 247,000-square-foot building is under way along Boy Scout Boulevard. Occupancy scheduled for late next year. The Beck Group is the general contractor.

The building's shell will meet 75 percent of the points required for LEED certification, say Crescent executives. Keys to certification include recycling of construction waste, energy efficiency and creating a healthy environment for tenants.

Crescent developed the first three Corporate Center buildings at International Plaza in 1999, 2001 and 2004 before Tampa Bay area builders began the current rush to pursue LEED certification.

Approximately 80 local commercial building projects now seek to be LEED certified, according to the USGBC.

http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tamp...ml?jst=b_ln_hl

[randommichael]

This is a good trend to see in Tampa. It seems like several buildings are going "green".

[HARTride 2012]

Green is the way to go...

[jonknee]

The most green office is a home office. Telecommuting may not be LEED, but it's definitely green. Unless you live out of a Hummer.

[randommichael]

^ I wish more companies allowed it.

[FloridaFuture]

I likey...



This is a rendering of a proposed luxury apartment complex at Lois Avenue and Spruce Street in Tampa. It is unnamed as yet, but you may label it the “Crosland project” after the project’s developer. Rendering provided by Crosland LLC.

http://snap.tbo.com/pages/big_photo....gallery=312694

[smiley]

1) I hope it is apartments

2) that is just what we need

3) to bad all the other developments anywhere need it are no where near that style

[FloridaFuture]

Originally Posted by smiley

1) I hope it is apartments

2) that is just what we need

3) to bad all the other developments anywhere need it are no where near that style

It's luxury apartments and senior housing, smiley. This thread was originally covering the project.

[Jasonhouse]

Very nice, but I would still rather see a building twice as tall, with half the land left for a park.

[Tampa610]

Looks nice and dense!! I'm sure there will be a bad case of NIMBYism from the neighborhoods however. They will complain about traffic I'm sure.

It really looks like something from Chicago or DC. Cool. We need more of this.

[jonknee]

Considering the location I don't think the NIMBYs will be a problem. It's by the airport and International Plaza and lots of other stuff. Not too many homes.

[smiley]

Carver City . . .

[JBrisco]

Is this really going to get built?????