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Charleston Corners Plan Scratched

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By ANGELA DELGADO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 3, 2007

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - A developer has done an about-face on plans to build an office/retail complex near Charleston Corners and plans to seek approval for a town house project instead.

The developer had expressed interest in attending the Charleston Corners Homeowners Association meeting Thursday to discuss plans for the office and retail project - a proposal that drew opposition from many association members.

On Thursday morning, association President Jordan Lewis got a phone call from the community's attorney.

'He received a letter saying representatives of the developer would not be attending tonight's meeting,' Lewis said Thursday.

The reason became clear Friday. The developer, Real Estate Works, is not requesting a zoning change to build a commercial complex at Waters Avenue and Montague Street. Now the focus is on town homes, said President Gonzalo Sanabria.

'We started looking at the economics of the marketplace and tenants, and we thought it wasn't worthwhile to pursue, aside from the fact that the neighbors would prefer to have something more in line with a residential type of use,' he said. 'We understand that the residential market is on a flat slope, but we're patient; we'll just wait. In the meantime we'll develop the paperwork and process what we need to do so when the market picks up, we'll be there.'

Initially, Real Estate Works proposed a 26,000-square-foot commercial development on the 9.2-acre wooded area at Waters Avenue and Montague Street, but neighbors were concerned it wouldn't fit with the style of the community.

Charleston Corners consists of 417 houses and 80 town homes. The complex would have been the first retail development on Waters Avenue from west of Sheldon Road to Countryway Boulevard. The land is zoned semipublic, which allows the construction of a church or a day care on the property.

The developer was supposed to attend a land-use hearing with the board of county commissioners to discuss the first proposal Oct. 9, but the meeting was postponed until Oct. 23. The new site plan will be revealed then, and Sanabria said the town homes will be low density.

Calls to Lewis for reaction about the development change weren't returned by press time, but Thursday he said he planned to mail a letter to residents to update them on the latest land-use hearing date.

Reporter Angela Delgado can be reached at (813) 865-1501 or adelgado@tampatrib.com.

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