Clearwater officials have been dreaming for decades about how to put their city’s pristine downtown bluff to better use, and on Thursday, the City Council unanimously selected a development team’s
When the City Council on Thursday chooses one of three development groups to transform the downtown bluff, it will be a “once-in-a-generation decision,” according to City Manager Jon Jennings.
CLEARWATER â Years of talks and planning regarding the redevelopment of the downtown Clearwater waterfront are coming to a head.
The City Council and staff have engaged in several hours of discussion the past couple of months on both the big picture of the roughly $64 million-plus Imagine Clearwater project, such as the mission statement of the new Coachman Park, and the finer details, such as whether the new playground should have a slide.
Proposals have also come back from five organizations that hope to redevelop three-city owned properties on the bluff near the park.
Hereâs a look at where the Imagine Clearwater project stands.
Clearwater shortlists two finalists for downtown waterfront redevelopment
But the City Council will have the final say and can still consider all five proposals.
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A city evaluation committee has whittled five bids to build on the downtown waterfront to two shortlisted firms. [ City of Clearwater ] [ City of Clearwater ]
Updated 49 minutes ago
CLEARWATER â A city evaluation committee this week whittled the five bidders vying to be part of the transformation of the downtown waterfront to a shortlist of two.
The committee will meet again on Wednesday to discuss the two finalists: City Center Development Group, led by Jupiter developer Craig Govan, and SROA Capital, a West Palm Beach private equity firm headed by Benjamin Macfarland.
Meet the 5 bidders who want to develop Clearwaterâs downtown bluff
Details of the plans are not public. The backgrounds of the firms give some clues.
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Five developers responded to the city s request for proposals to build residential, retail and hotel projects on three city-owned sites on the downtown waterfront. [ City of Clearwater ] [ City of Clearwater ]
Updated 49 minutes ago
CLEARWATER â When the three-month window closed Monday for proposals to build on the downtown waterfront, city officials released only the five biddersâ names.
Details of what they proposed, and how much they are offering for the land, are confidential until a staff committee makes recommendations to the City Council or on May 12, 30 days after bidding closed â whichever comes first.