Council Backs Redevelopment

By GEORGE WILKENS
Published: Jun 25, 2005

TEMPLE TERRACE - Downtown redevelopment will proceed as planned, despite the withdrawal of two of the three developers selected to submit proposals on the largest project in Temple Terrace history, the city council has decided.

Tuesday night's split vote means Unicorp National Developments will make the only presentation at the July 7 meeting of the selection committee that originally "short-listed" three developers to compete for the $300 million project.

Trammel Crow and Downtown Renaissance Alliance dropped out, the city announced last week.

Urging that the city council keep on track, city Redevelopment Director Ralph Bosek characterized finalists dropping out as one of the "normal hurdles that need to be overcome" in creating public-private partnerships. "There's concern, always, when we have only one person that's submitted a bid," but the city will retain a consultant with expertise in negotiating contracts between a municipality and a developer, Bosek said. "My personal recommendation is we follow the process."

The initial focus of the proposed redevelopment project will be a mixed-use town center southeast of Bullard Parkway and 56th Street. Voters are being asked to approve an Aug. 2 bond referendum to pay the city's estimated $60 million share of the project with an additional 1-mill property tax.

Frank Chillura and Glenda Venable were on the losing side of the council's 3-2 vote on a motion to follow Bosek's recommendation.

"I would feel uneasy going with one developer because that's all we had," Chillura said, suggesting inviting participation by Villagio, a three-company developer partnership ranked runner-up in the city's selection process. "I don't know if I can provide justice for our citizens by saying, 'Let's go with the only choice we have.' "

Unicorp sounds "extremely impressive," but competition would likely produce a better deal for the city, Chillura said. "You're talking about $300 million."

The majority disagreed.

"I'm comfortable with that," said Councilman Ken Halloway. "If we later reject it, then there's time to fall back and regroup and go to other options."

Councilman Ron Govin agreed, saying the consultant will be alert to the city's interests and knowledgeable about details foreign to the council. Extending an additional developer an 11th-hour invitation to join the bidding process would raise a fairness issue, Govin added.

Mayor Joe Affronti also weighed in: "We had two drop out, but we've got one standing." He said if he were a developer selected to submit a proposal, only to have it delayed, "I would be very, very upset and offended."

The president of Unicorp, which already has spent more than $200,000 on the project, likened the selection process to a NASCAR race. "It started out with 40 developers talking to you," Chuck Whittall told council. "We're ready to cross the finish line."

Unicorp's "working rendition" previewed Tuesday depicts a "lifestyle street" with river walk, bike trail, water features, flowering gardens, interactive fountain and space for festivals, concerts and art exhibits.

Two residents addressed the council prior to the vote.

"Two-thirds of the developers you have chosen have basically said to this community that we need to rethink this project for it to be a financial success," Mitch Peterson said. He urged the city council to "explore other alternatives that will make our development a success."

Bart Siegel said he was disturbed by plans to proceed and worried about the financial implications for taxpayers. "I think the scope of this project is about twice what the land can support," Siegel said.

He also suggested that the developers that dropped out be invited to elaborate on concerns touched upon in letters the city received last week.