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Matters of Note
By LESTER R. DAILEY
| Article published on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006 |
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What happens in Vegas doesn’t start in Clearwater
CLEARWATER – When Mayor Frank Hibbard first saw the billboard saying “Liquor in Clearwater, Poker in Vegas,” several weeks ago, it took a minute for the sexual innuendo to sink in. After all, he was on his way home from Calvary Baptist Church and his mind was on loftier things.
But when the double entendre registered, Hibbard was horrified that such an inappropriate message was plastered on the westbound side of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard, the main thoroughfare from Tampa to Clearwater Beach. The billboard advertises Hooters, a restaurant chain whose very name could refer either to its owl logo or to the bosoms of its scantily-clad waitresses, so he complained to Hooters co-founder Ed Droste, who promised to fix it.
Workers slapped a sticker over part of the offending message so it now reads “Liquor in Clearwater, Casino in Vegas.” But anyone who wants to take a photo of a billboard with the original wording need only drive to Tampa. There’s one on I-275 there.
Downtown marina vote postponed
The Clearwater City Council had hoped to put a referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot that, if passed, would amend the City Charter to allow the construction of a 129-slip marina at the eastern end of the Memorial Causeway Bridge.
But the council members decided at their Aug. 17 meeting that the November deadline wouldn’t give city staffers enough time to properly explain the $10.9 million projects to the residents and get their feedback. Also, they said, the November ballot is so crowded with other issues that it would detract from the importance of the marina vote, so they agreed to postpone the referendum until the March 13, 2007 election.
Chamber, developer team up on downtown revitalization project
The Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, a membership organization representing more than 1,700 businesses in the Tampa Bay area, has joined forces with Clearwater Centre, LLC, the Florida successor to a 50-year-old, family-owned Chicago development company, to buy and renovate the existing 15-story building and surrounding property at 1100 Cleveland St. When finished, the mixed-use project, called Clearwater Centre, will include 71 luxury condos, 17 single-story or two-story townhouses and 20,000 square feet of retail and office space.
“Located in Clearwater’s Townlake area, Clearwater Centre will beautifully combine the breathtaking views of a new downtown Clearwater, the vibrant Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico,” said Theresa Victory, vice president of public relations and membership for the chamber, which will have its offices there.
“Strong alliances are an essential element to our growing community,” said Clearwater Centre’s managing partner, Guy Bonneville. “Our firm is committed to the redevelopment of the downtown area, which the chamber supports as well. Our investment in the chamber property, and the chamber’s investment in Clearwater Centre as their replacement office location, marries our two organizations’ ideas of a better environment to live, work and shop in downtown Clearwater.”
Parking available during Cleveland St. construction
With the streetscaping and water main replacement projects going full-bore on Cleveland Street, getting around downtown Clearwater can be a nightmare. But parking is easy.
More than a dozen new parallel parking spaces have been added to Osceola Avenue, just north of the construction zone. The one-hour spaces, near the main library, are expected to compensate for some of the parking spaces lost on Cleveland Street. And they aren’t the only parking options available.
“Downtown patrons are reminded that all businesses along Cleveland Street are remaining open during construction, and are urged to take advantage of two free hours of parking in the Garden Avenue Garage,” states an Aug. 16 city update on the project. “Free parking is also available in nearby public garages and lots after 5 p.m.”
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Article published on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006
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