This time we'll call to order the special work session of the Clearwater City of Council for May 28th, 2026.

This town moved item two on the agenda.

That's council discussion.

This is a special work session called by Councilmember Manino at his request for the uh very fairly narrow purpose of discussing uh business activity, development activity between Osceola and Myrtle in downtown Clearwater on Cleveland Street.

So the purpose today is to talk about uh activation of those properties along Cleveland Street between Osceola and Myrtle.

Um a lot of other things we could talk about today, but um today we're we're focusing on that stretch of downtown Clearwater on Cleveland Street.

And we're also uh this work session was really set in response to uh some announcements that were made about uh movie theater and some uh potentially very exciting uh business activities taking place that uh that some or maybe uh none of us knew very much about.

At the time they were announced, so uh so Councilman Manino suggested this work session uh be held to uh for us to learn more about things that have been announced publicly that we weren't able to answer questions that we were getting from citizens about these activities.

So uh today is really it's uh there's not an update for public comment.

Um it's uh a chance for us to hear from those who are participating in the city.

And for council to ask questions of those who are invited today.

So we'll start with uh with our economic development director.

Yeah, I think we're having technical difficulties here.

It's like the media, yeah, yeah.

See if we're good.

Okay.

Yes.

So we'll start with a report by our economic development director, and then uh we have four organizations that have been invited today.

Flag Organization, uh, Cleveland Street Alliance, Ego Entertainment, and Myrtle Development LLC.

Each one of those four invited entities will have separately ten minutes apiece to introduce themselves to us to talk about who they are, who's involved, and what uh what their involvement is in uh potential activation activities on the street.

But each each one will have 10 minutes separately to do that.

Before we go any further, uh, I did want to give Councilmember Manino a chance to make a few comments.

This uh work session was his idea, suggestion, so I want to make sure that he has a chance to uh to go ahead and uh and have first say to have make some comments.

Thank you, Mayor.

This evening's public meeting marks a significant moment for Clearwater.

Not only because the first time in 50 years, entire blocks of downtown development are moving forward, but because of the nearly 100 million dollar of investment on Cleveland Street that we'll be discussing this evening, but because of the opportunity this moment presents for the future of Clearwater.

It's an opportunity to help shape a downtown that is vibrant, welcoming, and designed to serve the entire community, not just for this generation, but for generations to come.

One rooted in openness, transparency, accountability, and clarity.

That is why this unprecedented special session was requested to bring city leadership, the public, the Cleveland Street Alliance, the Church of Scientology, and its development partners all together into one room under one roof, in the sunshine, in full view of the public.

The purpose is straightforward to engage in a fact-finding discussion that brings clarity to recent development announcements, public statements, social media messaging, and press releases related to Cleveland Street and the broader redevelopment plan of downtown Clearwater.

Right now, information is widespread and omnipresent, but it's also fragmented, too often clouded by speculation, and unfortunately diluted with misinformation.

Tonight gives us a rare chance, a chance to provide clear, reliable information that can inform our residents, our visitors, prospective investors, help residents and businesses prepare for the construction and change before them, give our business community greater confidence about upcoming market conditions and changes, provide the media with dependable public reference, and reduce confusion before it has the ability to turn into misinformation.

I want to thank everybody here this evening for participating with us in this publicly respectful and hopefully constructive discussion.

Also want to thank our outstanding staff for their time, their energy, and their care that they've devoted to making sure this significant evening is not only possible but runs smoothly and professionally that represents them to the fullest of who they are, and to my fellow colleagues for recognizing this important moment in this effort and its significance for the future of our city of Clearwater.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And to Councilmember Manino's point, we're really most interested in activation.

What businesses or leasing either under lease or thinking about leasing or going to fill these properties.

The construction activity of design, all that's interesting, but I think we're really interested in what came out of the announcement was that there's some proposed uh activation for these properties that have been empty for a long time, as everyone knows.

And so I appreciate Mr.

Roberts being here tonight to represent Evo and uh hear more about you and your company here tonight, too.

So, with that, we'll ask our economic development director to come up and begin the presentation.

Good evening, Mayor, uh City Council, City Manager, Assistant City Manager, other respected city officials on the day.

Tonight's present presentation provides a factual overview of redevelopment and construction activity associated with the Cleveland Street Alliance properties in downtown Clearwater.

Through this presentation, staff aims to provide transparency and public understanding regarding current permit activity, redevelopment status, and any remaining review processes.

Staff's objective tonight is to clearly explain what applications and permits have been submitted, as well as permit activity, demolition and renovation work, and where projects currently stand within the city's review process.

The goal is to distinguish between work already authorized administratively and future approvals that may still be required.

Tonight, we clearly want to explain what applications or permits have been submitted, what approvals have occurred to date, what work is currently underway, and what may still require additional review.

Many permits discussed tonight are administrative permits process under existing zoning and land development regulations.

Do support downtown reinvestment, adaptive reuse, business activity, walkability, and long-term economic vitality.

Staff continues reviewing projects for consistency with adopted planning policies and applicable development regulations.

Current city activity generally includes, and you could put them in these three categories internal, it's excuse me, interior demolition permits, renovation and white box permits, and building demolition permits, all at some various stages of active activity or completion based on the particular property.

The current activity in progress can be defined in these general categories.

Adaptive reuse, white box commercial renovation, demolition and site preparation, as well as new construction, and there are some associated definitions as well.

These are some of the categories that we currently have to kind of simplify what per particular permits are we referring to.

There's interior demolition, building demolition, white box, which basically is taking a property and preparing it for future tenant to occupy, as well as exterior rehabilitation, which can sometimes include facade windows, doors, architectural features of a building.

And these are just more categories of the same.

As of May 25, no public funding has been used or requested.

No zoning amendments have been submitted, and all properties remain commercially zoned.

For those individuals interested in learning more about the Cleveland Street Alliance vision, the overall plans for the corridor, you are welcome to visit their Water's Edge building located at 331 Cleveland Street.