Much of the land where the senior citizen housing complex would be constructed is vacant.
PINELLAS PARK – The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency has approved plans to build an 88-unit, two-building senior citizen housing complex, but local residents are not happy about it.
The agency, which meets before City Council workshops two days prior to the regular council business meetings, gave its blessings to a preliminary site plan.
Final plans still must go before other city boards, including the city council, before construction can begin.
Residents, who set up a picket line at City Hall the night of the agency meeting, are concerned that neighborhood property values will decrease. The noise of the actual construction that can take up to a year also is an issue. Residents also object to the location of the project which is on what is now recreation department property.
“They acted as if we didn’t exist,” said Linda Smolski, a spokesperson for local residents who appeared at the agency meeting. “All we are doing is fighting for our rights as property owners.”
Smolski, who has lived in the area for about one year, said some residents have been in the neighborhood for 20, 30 and more years.
“People are disenchanted because of how they were treated by city officials,” Smolski said. “It was as if they (city officials) made all the decisions before that meeting and they did not care about our feelings.”
Smolski said she and others are looking at alternatives to stop construction.
“I paid $236,000 for my home,” she said. “I couldn’t get nearly that because of the new buildings and the noise from constructing them.”
The 88-unit development will be the second St. Giles complex. Though not connected with the St. Giles Episcopal Church, some of its parishioners are on the board of directors of the present senior citizen housing development called St. Giles Manor.
That complex at 5051 82nd Ave. has been a successful project. The second facility will consist of two buildings. The project has the backing of most city officials who feel there is a need for senior housing in light of escalating property taxes, homeowner insurance and other living expenses that many retirees cannot afford.
Residents would rather see the buildings constructed elsewhere, such as the empty lot next to the police administration building. There are future plans, however, to build a new police facility there and use the present police building for housing or for city offices.
The new development would be constructed on city-owned land that would be leased to St. Giles for $1 annually. It reportedly would be a 99-year lease with the structures becoming city property once it expires.
That entire area once was the city’s commercial district before Park Boulevard opened up to businesses and the Shoppes at Park Place mall at Park Boulevard and U.S. 19. It was formerly a dying two-story enclosed mall that fell to disrepair years prior to meeting the wrecking ball.
Also in that area today is Park Station, a city-owned faux train station that holds municipal and other offices. Nearby is the Senior Center, a recreation area with covered shuffleboard courts, and open space that eventually is expected to be used as a weekend farmer’s market.
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