Dec. 10–BELLEAIR — Town commissioners approved a developer’s plan Tuesday to raze most of the historic Belleview Biltmore hotel, transform part of a preserved west wing into a boutique inn and surround it with new condos and townhomes.
After nearly six hours of testimony from redevelopment critics and supporters, commissioners voted 5-0 to grant St. Petersburg developer Mike Cheezem a demolition permit, site plan, development agreement and new zoning. They directed City Manager Micah Maxwell to negotiate a settlement on code enforcement fines.
Cheezem expects to close on the $6.6 million purchase from the hotel’s Miami owners in late January and begin the months-long salvage and demolition work in March. His firm, JMC Communities, plans to break ground on the residences in the summer.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have this come to a conclusion,” Cheezem said. “I particularly appreciate the unanimous vote. We’re real excited about saving part of the hotel and making it an asset to benefit not only our community but the community at large. It will be a living piece of history.”
Tuesday’s decision culminates years of rancor among critics, who have tried to secure a full restoration, and neighbors, who say it’s time to fix an eyesore that’s dragging down property values.
The 1890s-era Biltmore — known as the “White Queen of the Gulf” and listed on the National Register of Historic Places — played host to presidents, celebrities and generations of Pinellas residents and guests before closing in 2009.
Since then, it has been the subject of multiple restoration bids by preservationists unable to raise the necessary money during the economic downturn.
Friends of the Belleview Biltmore, a preservation advocacy group, has held fundraisers, tried to attract a wealthy buyer via social media and unsuccessfully sued to block the hotel’s sale. It also held a news conference in which government-employed preservationists from across the nation urged town leaders to heed restoration success stories elsewhere.
During public hearings Tuesday by the Historic Preservation Board, a citizen advisory board, and Town Commission, board members appeared to lose patience as public comments by preservationists and their attorney, John Shahan, repeatedly devolved into bickering with them, witnesses and redevelopment supporters.
Historic board members, who approved Cheezem’s original plan for a replica inn in September, unanimously praised the developer’s “goodwill” offer to pour extra money — without promise of tax credits — into saving more than 38,000 square feet, or 10 percent, of the hotel.
Preservationists questioned why some, but not all, of the hotel can be restored.
“You have a duty to preserve the heritage of this town,” Tom Nocera said.
However, commissioners pointed to expert testimony that a developer willing to take a hit and embrace a financially unfeasible full $200 million restoration to a hotel that charges upward of $600 a night is unlikely. They and several neighbors also decried townwide mailings by Peabody Hotels suggesting it would help — a claim later refuted by the company’s president. That prompted Commissioner Stephen Fowler to apologize for distributing the information to his colleagues at preservationists’ request.
Echoing historic board members, commissioners lamented their difficult decision.
“I think everyone knows that my position is unambiguous about trying to restore the hotel,” Fowler said. “However, I have come to the conclusion that it’s time to move on and it’s time to turn to Mr. Cheezem and give him all the support that I can.”
Added Commissioner Tom Shelly: “It’s time to move on. We can’t live in fantasy. The expert witnesses are correct. It’s time to do what’s right for the town.”
Friends of the Belleview Biltmore president Rae Claire Johnson said she was disappointed with commissioners and believes Peabody backed away because it was threatened.
“I think this was all predetermined months ago. They (commissioners) didn’t want to hear facts,” she said. “They only wanted to hear information that reinforced what they already believed.”
