Commission Approves Use of Downtown Lot for Development

Published: Monday, March 5, 2012 at 11:17 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, March 5, 2012 at 11:17 p.m.

LAKELAND | Lakeland city commissioners voted 5-1 Monday to move forward with a new downtown development that includes 21 lofts, 14 two- and three-story town homes and 5,000 square feet of retail space.

White Challis Redevelopment Co. ,of Daytona Beach, plans to develop the 53,000 square-foot parcel in the city-owned Bay Street parking lot off Kentucky Avenue. Construction on the first phase is expected to begin in 2014.

Commissioner Keith Merritt voted against the plans. He said the development will hurt parking for businesses in the area, such as the Purple Onion restaurant.

"I have lots of concerns about that impact," said Merritt, who has a law office on Kentucky Avenue near the proposed development.

About 142 parking spaces will be lost.

The vote means the city will give a parcel that has been valued at $318,000 to White Challis. Tamara Sakagawa, Lakeland Community Redevelopment Manager, said the city should recoup its investment in about six years through property taxes and revenue from the economic development created by the new residences.

The new development will be called New Southern Square.

Mitch Harvey, who owns nearby Mitchell's Coffeehouse, said no one has given him anything during his 15 years of owning a business.

"It's a concern if we are giving land away," Harvey said. "I hope it doesn't become a practice."

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Commission Approves Use of Downtown Lot for Development