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Developers Propose Members Club

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By JOSE PATINO GIRONA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

Updated: 10/04/2007 11:10 pm

TAMPA HEIGHTS - Three investors want to turn an abandoned 1927 theater into a swank members club for business and social networking.

The proposed club, Print, 1617 N. Franklin St., would have a ground floor, mezzanine and rooftop available for members. It would rent space to the public for wedding receptions, nonprofit fundraisers, corporate programs and presentations, and film festivals.

On Oct. 18, the developers will ask city council to allow wine and liquor sales at the property. If the council denies the request, the project won't go forward and the property won't be purchased, said Mark Smith, 37, a partner in the Print development.

The other developers are John Schaible, 37, chief executive officer and founder of NexTrade, a Clearwater financial technology company, and his brother, Joe Schaible, 31, NexTrade's chief operating officer.

The three men said the club would target male and female professionals ages 25 to 65, offering them a place to network, bring business clients for a drink or enjoy the night's entertainment. They plan to offer a car service to pick up members and guests and a baby-sitting service.

The club won't have membership cards; access would be controlled by a fingerprint scan. Reservations could be made online, Smith said.

The goal is to have 3,000 members and to open the club in spring 2008.

The developers wouldn't disclose the annual membership cost or how much they are investing in the project. They said they have seen similar businesses in Las Vegas, Miami, New York and London, adding that Tampa's growth makes it the right place to open.

The 9,000-square-foot brick building was home to the Rialto Theatre. It operated until the 1950s, said Smith, who plans to ask the city to recognize the building as a local historical landmark.

In the 1970s, the theater became an armature, which closed in 2004 or 2005, Smith said.

The property includes two vacant buildings that bookend the theater and total an estimated 21,000 square feet. One building would house a garage for 90 cars and the other would be leased for a cafe, deli and restaurant that would be open to the public, Smith said.

The property is owned by Rosa Enterprises LLC and is assessed at $352,229, records show.

Since the opening of Stetson University College of Law in 2004, the area has seen more development, including the ongoing construction of the Bush Ross law firm and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. A $500 million residential and retail development and the city's Riverwalk project also are planned.

'We think we are in front of where the growth is going to be,' John Schaible said. 'It is a good time to invest in that area.'

Residents at a recent Tampa Heights meeting didn't object to the plan. Two local activists said the project could complement the planned development in the area and serve as an economic engine.

However, some residents are worried about what type of establishment might move in if the developers sold the property after alcohol sales are approved.

The developers said their attorney and city staff are discussing creating stipulations for the property's use.

Lena Young-Green, president of the Tampa Heights Civic Association, said she doesn't think the council would object to such an agreement.

'They are putting restrictions on themselves, not on the city council or on city staff,' Young-Green said.

Reporter Jose Patino Girona can be reached at (813) 835-2110 or jpatino@tampatrib.com.

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