Pinellas to piecemeal properties for Clearwater redevelopment

During Tuesday’s meeting, Pinellas County commissioners resolved to use a competitive request for bids for developers to purchase publicly owned properties in downtown Clearwater. The move is part of a larger redevelopment initiative to better blend residential, hospitality, retail and creative sector uses that complement Clearwater’s existing tourism base.

The decision follows up on a March 19 work session that considered issuing a request for negotiation (RFN) to solicit proposals for a large-scale, mixed-use renaissance of its urban zone.

The RFN would impact 25 acres across 17 properties, and would enable agile negotiation between developers and the county, rather than a request for proposal (RFP), which limits options to static developer proposals with less wiggle room.

An RFN also addresses a more practical question: how the county will handle redevelopment across a mix of public and private parcels. Rather than negotiating site by site, the process allows the county to evaluate proposals at a district level and guide how those pieces come together.

Chief Administrator Barry Burton has outlined the process for the RFN, though it has not been finalized. The commission is expected to iron out details during upcoming workshop sessions. An RFN will not be officially released until May, according to Burton.

“The last piece is understanding fee simple versus ground lease,” County Administrator Blaine Williams said. Fee simple provides full control and long-term appreciation, whereas ground leases typically offer lower upfront costs but come with more restrictions. Essentially, the county is still deliberating how those properties will be dispensed.

That distinction could shape not just who develops the parcels, but how much control the county retains over long-term use and design.

The commission has hired CBRE Inc., a national commercial real estate investment firm, to assist in structuring and evaluating the process. CBRE will receive a commission tied to the properties and is being leaned on for its expertise in large-scale redevelopment efforts.

“This is a large project to be able to vet, look and structure this process to get the outcome we’re looking for,” said Burton, referring to CBRE’s central role in downtown Clearwater development.

The broader effort builds on momentum already underway in downtown Clearwater, including the redevelopment of Coachman Park, the Osceola Avenue roadway transformation and new mixed-use projects intended to increase residential density and year-round activity.

The April 7 meeting also formally declared a “surplus” of properties, a necessary step to move forward with redevelopment. The measure passed unanimously.

For now, the county’s approach remains in flux, with key decisions still to be made on structure and control of parcels.