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Two large condo towers proposed in Florida draw opposition
Buildings in Clearwater would easily the tallest in the city
A developer has unveiled plans for a luxury waterfront condominium project on the southern edge of downtown Clearwater, which, if realized, would stand as the tallest structures in Clearwater and among the largest in the Tampa Bay area.
Clearwater developer Moises Agami’s proposal features two 35-story towers of 470 feet, easily surpassing the current tallest building in Clearwater, Water’s Edge, which stands at 264 feet and 26 stories, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
The condominiums would also dwarf the height of neighboring structures, casting shadows over the Oaks of Clearwater assisted living facility and the Prelude 80 condo.
Agami’s company, Bay Valor Capital, has a contract to purchase a 2.5-acre parking lot from The Oaks to develop the project, the outlet reported.
The proposed condos would have 223 units spread across the two towers, which is 38 units more than the code permits for the size of the lot on Bay Avenue. Agami’s application also includes provisions for preserving mangroves and constructing seawalls.
Agami is seeking permission for the additional units from the city’s public amenities incentive pool, established in 2004 to boost downtown development.
A recent code change allows city planning staff to allocate units to projects with public benefits, eliminating the need for Community Development Board approval.
Council member David Allbritton told the outlet the spirit of the code change was to “cut the red tape everybody stumbles over” concerning residential development.
“I never anticipated we’d have a 35-story building right on the water,” Allbritton told the Times. “This was a complete surprise.”
City staff is reviewing the project, which does not require zoning changes or complex flexibility, benefiting from recent changes in downtown development standards.
However, concerns have been raised by neighbors about the significant height of the buildings and potential environmental impacts.
“I was stunned,” Prelude 80 resident Maryellen Gordon told the outlet. “Then I thought there’s no way this is going to happen because it’s too tall and not in any context with the neighborhood.”
Agami’s development history includes the luxury Serena by the Sea condo completed this month and the Skyview condo on Cleveland Street. His latest project could transform the Clearwater skyline while contributing to the ongoing redevelopment of the downtown area, which has recently seen an $84 million renovation of Coachman Park and ongoing negotiations for a hotel and apartment complex nearby.
— Ted Glanzer