TREASURE ISLAND – A proposal to build a hotel that was earlier turned down by the Treasure Island Planning and Zoning Board was finally given the green light by the Treasure Island City Commission at its Oct. 16 meeting.
At a previous meeting, the commission heard an appeal by Steve Erdmann, a representative of the parties proposing the construction at 290 107th Ave.
At the time, the commission informed Erdmann its main issue with the hotel wasn’t the construction itself, but the design.
Commissioner Phil Collins even referred to the design as “early penitentiary.”
The appeal process was continued to the Oct. 16 meeting when Erdmann appeared again before the meeting with revised designs of the 31-unit hotel. In the last meeting, commission members suggested that Erdmann’s clients change the design to reflect the area, specifically the design of the new causeway bridge.
Unlike the previous design, which was art deco in style with visible fire escapes and railings, the new design has more stucco and the railings and fire escapes are not visible by pedestrians nor drivers along the causeway.
“The new design is distinct,” Erdmann said. “The design is more like the main bridge.”
The new design reflects a two-tone beige color.
“This is an excellent job,” Commissioner Ed Gayton said of the new design. “And we need more transient accommodations.”
Commissioner Alan Bildz said to Erdmann how difficult it is to get his five clients to agree to a new design. Other commission members were impressed with how the design was changed so quickly.
The only issue the commission had was the proposed location of a trash bin. But with current traffic flow issues on 107th Avenue, there was little room for compromise. Erdmann said the trash bin will be surrounded by landscaping.
The commission also requested a sliding gate, not to be a chain link fence, as opposed to a free opening gate so that the gate won’t open up onto the sidewalk.
