By Jerry Creel, Community Development Director
This week in community development, applications were submitted to the Development Review Committee for 2 major economic development projects in the downtown district.
The first is an application for the conversion and redevelopment of the former Santa Maria Del Mar Apartment building into a 160 unit luxury hotel, with a swimming pool and a number of other amenities. The developers will announce the hotel brand at a future date. The second submission is an application to reactivate “City Place”, which is a previously approved master plan development to be located on the former Dees Chevrolet property. This multi-million dollar, multi-story, mixed use development will include residential dwelling units, commercial retail, restaurants, a hotel, and a bank. In addition to the Dee’s site, the project will encompass the property north from McDonald’s on Beach Boulevard to Howard Avenue, and from Main Street, east to Dukate, (excluding the Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home and Torricelli Motors). The applications were submitted by the same development group who restored the White House Hotel, and are currently redeveloping the former Casino Magic into a resort destination. Both projects are scheduled to go before the DRC on Wednesday July 15, at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Community Development Building at 676 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.
In other actions this week, the DRC approved the preliminary plat for the Smith Subdivision Development to be located at Old Highway 67 and Woolmarket Road. The development will include 86 single family lots and 2 acres of commercial development. The preliminary plat will now go before the Planning Commission and the City Council for consideration.
