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Tower Plan Cut Short

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By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2007

BAYSHORE - A 120-foot condominium tower could soon be built at Patriots Corner.

The city council, by a 4-3 vote, denied Citivest Construction's rezoning request to build a 190-foot, 31-unit tower on the less than 1-acre site at Bayshore and Bay to Bay boulevards, opening the way for the smaller tower to be built.

The 120-foot, 31-unit building has permits from the city's construction services department, Citivest owner Bill Robinson said. He said the taller building would have used less of the lot and allowed for 75 feet of green space along Bayshore.

The shorter tower will have the required 25-foot setback.

The vacant site serves as a public parking lot. It also is where the Bayshore Patriots gather each Friday to wave flags.

Zoning allows for a building of up to 120 feet. Robinson said he proposed the taller building to try to comply with proposed Bayshore scenic corridor guidelines. During a series of public meetings, residents and city staff discussed which issues mattered most to them in protecting Bayshore. One of them was having large areas of green space in front of buildings.

Bayshore preservation activist Elizabeth Johnson said the 190-foot tower would be too much, too soon. She preferred to wait until scenic corridor guidelines are approved before working with Citivest on a project design.

"Let's first get a handle on what we are going to do with Bayshore," she said.

At the Nov. 8 rezoning hearing, Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena said she would not approve the added height, suggesting Robinson keep the design proposed for the 190-foot project but cut the height by 70 feet.

"Given the state of the market and the unattractiveness of the project, it's not going to fly," Saul-Sena said. "They're obviously getting us to choose. I think we're smarter than that. It is so profoundly unattractive. We are too smart to be intimidated."

Robinson said he couldn't cut more than 20 feet and make the project economical. He countered with a proposal for a 170-foot, 29-residence tower.

Councilman Charlie Miranda proposed approving the project at that height but failed to get a second.

Saul-Sena, John Dingfelder, Mary Mulhern and Tom Scott voted to deny rezoning the property, finding the plan inconsistent with the neighborhood. Miranda, Joseph Caetano and Gwen Miller voted against the motion.

More than a year ago, Robinson proposed a 195-foot tower with 41 units and a public park and parking lot. That project also was denied.

"I'm OK with this design," Robinson said.

Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109 or msamuels@tampatrib.com.

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