Council Discusses Downtown Redevelopment Alternative

The Temple Terrace downtown redevelopment project is at a , but resident thinks he has a plan to get it moving again.

Key to the plan is moving the apartments proposed for the northeast corner of the site (located in Block A) to Vlass’ proposed “food village” site (located in Block B).

“I am proposing public buildings surrounded with retail and/or office space in Block A (between Bullard and Sweetbay) with a compromise to allow development of 300 apartments (no mixed use as requested by Inland to do financing) in Blocks B and C in exchange for the $15,000 per unit density payments to the city outlined in the Master Developer Agreement,” Rice, president of Vacation Tour & Cruise in Temple Terrace, said in his plan, which is available online. “If this compromise is struck, we would be collecting $8,100,000 from /Vlass in exchange for the property under the project.”

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Rice has also created a Google map to show exactly what he is proposing.

Many Temple Terrace residents have stated that they would like to see of Vlass’ proposed 214 residential units planned for the site. The Vlass group has stated that obtaining financing to construct a building with residential above retail is impossible.

Rice’s plan grew legs at the July 3 City Council meeting, during which Councilwoman Alison Fernandez brought it up publicly.

“The thought is that if we took the residential piece from where we’re talking about right now, and actually moved that residential piece to where the Just Brakes and the post office annex is, that entire parcel could be residential with no need to vertically mix use,” Fernandez said.

Mayor Joe Affronti pointed out that Vlass would have to pay about $4.5 million in impact fees under the proposal. Fenandez said that she would be willing to discuss a compromise with the Vlass group in that regard if they considered the proposal.

“… this could be the compromise that we’re looking for in that this entire parcel could be residential,” she said.

With the council’s consensus, City Manager Kim Leinbach drafted a letter to the Vlass group asking them to consider the plan. Although Leinbach said at the July 17 city council meeting that he wasn’t “particularly fond of” the response the city received, he said city staff is in the process of analyzing the prospect of residential units in Block B.

City Attorney Mark Connolly said the main street, Arts Center Drive, in Block A is a pedestrian-oriented road, while roads in Block B are not. As a result, development rules in the blocks are different and building residential units in Block B could be easier for Vlass.

“It could facilitate this whole process,” Connolly said.

“I’m all in favor of looking at that—just with a couple caveats,” said Councilman David Pogorilich. “I think we need to let the Vlass group know that’s what we’re doing, and secondly, I think we need to ensure that whatever we’re doing doesn’t impede the progress of in any way, shape or form.”

What do you think about the alernative plan? Let us know in the comments section.