CLEARWATER, Fla. — The view of the intracoastal and Clearwater Memorial Causeway from the downtown Clearwater Bluffs is gorgeous. Yet for years, Clearwater leaders say the area has been overlooked and underused.
That is until now. Construction crews are already working hard to develop Imagine Clearwater, a project that will create an amphitheater, parks, playgrounds, gardens and waterfront trails in downtown Clearwater.
City leaders said they need voters to help to pull off the full vision to revitalize downtown.
On November 8, Clearwater voters will decide on the Bluffs project. A yes vote will allow the city to sell two parcels of land to a developer to create a hotel, two apartment towers, a restaurant and retail space. The site is the former Harborview Convention Center and former Clearwater City Hall.
The idea is to draw more people into the downtown Clearwater area and attract more permanent residents and guests. For years, business owners have complained that many people drive through downtown Clearwater as a way to get to Clearwater Beach rather than the downtown being a destination.
Starting Monday, city leaders will host a series of public meetings to learn more about the project. The first one is on October 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Morningside Recreation Center.
David Lillesand has a front row seat to the changes happening downtown. He lives in the Water’s Edge Condo which is in the heart of the transformative Imagine Clearwater project.
“This is the ultimate. This is going to be fantastic,” he explained, looking out at the proposed area of the new Bluffs hotel.
Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard said both the Imagine Clearwater and Bluffs project, if approved by voters, will bring a new atmosphere to downtown Clearwater. He compared the progress to St. Pete’s growth over the past several years. “I consider Imagine Clearwater to be act one. This is act two that will keep the momentum going in downtown Clearwater and also bring more residents that then will demand restaurants and retail,” he elaborated.
By June, Imagine Clearwater will be complete with a covered outdoor amphitheater, splash pad, and other amenities.
“Downtown Clearwater should have moved ahead years ago we think this is the catalyst to make that happen,” Hibbard added.
Lifelong Clearwater resident Tina Suggs would like to see more inclusive progress.
“It’s a lot of development on the outskirts of Clearwater, like going to Clearwater Beach and on the way, but on the inside of Clearwater there needs to be more mentorships, academies for kids,” she explained.
She’s inviting developers to consider projects outside of the city’s waterfront.
“They need to take a trip inside of Clearwater not on the outskirts where it’s all pretty but go inside and imagine them living there and their kids living there then i think things will change,” she elaborated.
Change is something Clearwater is seeing a lot of recently, but Mayor Hibbard said making downtown a destination will benefit the entire city.
“We anticipate that year one when the project is complete it will generate $7 million in taxes that will go to hire new teachers, build new roads, pay for police and fire,” he explained.
The Bluffs project would cost the city $22 million to build underground parking. Most of the money would come from parking meter funds. They would pay $1.5 million in impact fees to the developers.
In turn, the development would need to stay a hotel and apartment towers for the next 30 years. The developers are not affiliated with the Church of Scientology.
Clearwater is hosting several meetings to answer your questions about the referendum.
- Monday, Oct. 10 @ 6:30 p.m. Morningside Recreation Center, 2400 Harn Blvd.
- Wednesday, Oct. 12 @ 6:30 p.m. Countryside Library, 2642 Sabal Springs Dr.
- Thursday, Oct. 13 @ 6:30 p.m. Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave.
- Tuesday, Oct. 18 @ 6:30 p.m. North Greenwood Recreation Center, 900 N. MLK Jr. Ave.
You can also read more about the project here.
