Dixieland Jazz Classic Weekend

An official document signed by Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard proclaims Nov. 18-20, 2011, to be Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic Weekend. The 21st annual Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic will runs November 18-20, Sheraton Sand Key Resort, 1160 Gulf Blvd. and Marriott Suites on Sand Key, 1201 Gulf Blvd.  

The annual festival features a mix of classic and contemporary jazz, swing, blues, soul, ragtime and Cajun/Zydeco music. There will be swing dancing, Sunday gospel service, and a post festival mixer. Other events will include a parasol parade, clarinet clambake, banjo and washboard extravaganza, festival divas, piano presentations and jam sessions. This year's festival will be the biggest ever, attendees will have an opportunity to see dozens of bands, with an estimated 130 sets expected to be played by artists such as Barbary Coast Dixieland Band.

The Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic is a nonprofit organization providing opportunities for local youth study and perform traditional jazz. Annual scholarships are awarded both independently and in partnership with the Suncoast Jazz Society.

Weekend badges are $100, daily badges for Friday and Sunday are $40. Daily badges for Saturday are $50. For information, call Bette Marnell at 536-0064 or visit www.jazzclassic.net.

No Plans Yet For Cabana Club

The Belleview Biltmore was purchased months ago, but there's still no indication of what will become of the property. The new owners aren't rushing to sell or develop the property, and anything is possible - including saving the historic hotel. They are currently analyzing the costs of maintaining the hotel long term while looking for a development partner or buyer. Current plans involve marketing all of the hotel's properties as a package to potential buyers or developers, including the golf club and the Cabana Club on Sand Key.

Questions arose though, after internet real estate listings were found that listed the hotel, golf club and Cabana Club separately. This listings were posted on commercial real estate webiste Loopnet, by Florida Growth Realty. They listed Betsey Lurie as the contact person, and the listings said they were verified on January 11th 2011. The current owner says they know nothing about the listings and do not have immediate plans to sell the properties. The listings have since been changed, removing Florida Growth Realty as broker, and list Betsey Lurie as the broker. As of March 12, her real estate license in inactive.

After some digging, it appears this is not the first time Florida Growth Realty has been involved in questionable property ads. The St Pete Times ran a story last year about the Seminole Mall that referenced a false property advertisement. According to Robert Lurie, broker for Florida Growth Realty, his secretary accidentally posted the property listing on the internet. Other internet complaints were found as well.

Meanwhile, residents are breathing easier for the time being. Some Sand Key residents opposed the previous owner's plan for a beachfront hotel on the Biltmore's Cabana Club property. The current owners do not have any plans to develop the property for now. And there is a glimmer of hope for Belleair residents who fought for preservation of the Belleview Biltmore. The new owners have met with a historic property developer.

Zip Line Proposed For Sand Key Park

Investor Dev Pathik, founder and CEO of Sports Facility Advisory and Clearwater Canopy Tours, wants to build a zip line trail though Sand Key Park. Pathik currently operates zip line tours in Hawaii and now wants to also offer them closer to his Clearwater headquarters. The Hawaii zip line facility is so popular, tours must be booked 5 weeks in advance. The trail would attract worldwide tourists and add tens of thousands of hotel room bookings, according to his proposal.

Zip lines are seats suspended by cables that are attached to very tall towers. The proposed trail would have four or five zip lines and three or four footbridges suspended on telephone poles 35 to 40 feet high. The highest structure would be an entry tower which Pathik hopes to build on a “spoil mound” near the Sheraton Sand Key, with a combined height of 75 feet for the tower and the mound.

While he Pinellas County Parks Advisory Board likes the idea of tree-top level environmental tours of Sand Key Park, Sand Key residents and Clearwater City Council have questions and concerns. Pathik made a presentation Monday to the Clearwater City Council on Monday. It's unknown at this point if the county can move forward with the project without the council's approval. The project might require city building permits and height variances for the towers. The Sand Key Civic Association is meeting with condo associations and planning a town hall meeting on April 4 at the Sand Key Sailing Center.

Cabana Club and Biltmore Under New Ownership

After months of rumors, it's official- the Belleview Biltmore is now owned by KAWA Development. The investment group consists of brothers Raphael and Daniel Ades, and another partner. The group purchased the mortgage on the property for $8 million, and now control the hotel, as well as the golf course and Cabana Club in Sand Key.

According to Raphael Ades, they will focus first on paying bills and keeping the golf course in operation and later decide what to do with the hotel. Legg Mason (now Latitude Management Real Estate Investors) mortgaged the property for $26.8 million with intentions to restore the hotel.

The future of the property is still unclear. In October, Ades said his group was primarily interested in the golf course and had plans to upgrade the 136-acre golf course. In November, Senior Care Group said it was negotiating with the investors to possibly restore the Biltmore and convert it into an assisted living facility. Ades has recently said they may separate the properties or find another party interested the properties as a whole.

Court Rules In Favor Of Cabana Club

A legal hurdle has been cleared for the redevelopment of the Cabana Club on Sand Key. The 6th Judicial Court denied an appeal by five petitioners who questioned an earlier ruling on parking and traffic requirements.

The Cabana Club restaurant, which closed last year, will be replaced with a 6 floor boutique hotel. The redevelopment was approved the the Community Development Board in 2008 and as part of the $100 million 3 year renovation of the historic Belleview Biltmore in Belleair. The Cabana Club will serve as the Biltmore's "beach club".

Beach Renourishment Projects

Pinellas County Commissioners unanimously approved on Jan. 5 amendments to two beach renourishment contracts.

Amendment No. 1 to the Treasure Island beach renourishment grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection increases the state share of the project from $400,000 to $700,000. The project is scheduled to begin in late spring 2010.

Amendment No. 2 to the FDEP contract for the Sand Key renourishment project increases the state share of costs from $333,320 to $3.9 million. Construction is set to begin between November 2010 and February 2011.

The Treasure Island project will be constructed in conjunction with the Upham Beach renourishment project and will be administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The estimated cost of $3.5 million for the project will be cost-shared, 60 percent federal government, 20 percent state and 20 percent county. The $20 million estimated cost for the Sand Key project will be paid for with the same cost-sharing formula.

History of the Treasure Island project shows that the beach has “two erosional hot spots:” One on the north end and along the southern two-thirds of the island.

Treasure Island was the first federal project to be constructed on the west coast of Florida in 1969. The beaches have been restored 14 times. Treasure Island was last restored in 2006.

Project plans call for sediment to be dredged from John’s Pass and pumped onto the beaches. The project will renourish a total of 1.4 miles of shoreline encompassing two areas: One in north Treasure Island and the other further south along Sunset Beach.

Officials estimate that construction of both areas will take less than four months.

The Sand Key project is 9 miles long and extends from the Sand Key portion of Clearwater south to North Redington Beach, according to staff notes.

The project history shows the area was first renourished as a single unit in 1998. Prior to that time, individual communities, such as Indian Rocks Beach, Redington Shores and others, were nourished separately.

The 2005-06 Sand Key project was the most expensive beach renourishment project in the history of the Jacksonville District U.S. Army Corp of Engineers at $45 million. The high cost was mainly attributed to fuel costs from barging sand from the Egmont Key Channel borrow area to the beach.

Officials are trying to reduce the cost of the 2010-11 project by contracting Coastal Planning Engineering Inc. to do a sand search for new borrow areas several miles offshore Sand Key.

New Market & Deli At The Shoppes on Sand Key

"Sand Key Market & Deli" is located at 1261 Gulf Blvd, at the Shoppes on Sand Key. They will feature NY style sandwhiches, Philly cheesesteaks, and Barnies coffee along with groceries, beer, wine, and Boars Head products.

Ironman Event Bringing Visitors To Sand Key

The Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 will bring visitors to Sand Key this weekend. The event takes place Saturday morning in Clearwater Beach, and the Harborview Center and Sheraton Sand Key Resort are hosting pre and post race activities.

The race begins and ends at Pier 60 consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run, will start and finish at Pier 60.

Sand Key Jetty Will Get Warning Lights

City Council has decided to put navigational warning lights on the Clearwater Pass jetty, by installing a series of yellow flashing lights on the jetty to warn boaters to steer clear.

The rock jetty was built in 1975 to prevent beach erosion and extends hundreds of feet into the gulf from Sand Key Park and stands about 7 feet above the water. Boaters are supposed to stay in the marked channel north of the jetty, which has its lights but the jetty has been the scene of several boat crashes. The channel between Sand Key and Clearwater Beach is narrow and heavily traveled. Despite being well lit inexperience, bad weather, or carelessness can cause boaters to strike the jetty in the dark.

Another boating hazard will also be removed. There is an 85,000-pound block of concrete submerged in Clearwater Harbor off the Seminole Boat Ramp, the remains of the base of a turnstile that was in the middle of the Seminole Bridge, built in 1917. Concrete can still be seen at very low tides and has been struck several times by vessels.

Governor Charlie Crist recently asked the U.S. Coast Guard to install lights on the Bayboro jetty in St Petersburg after a fatal accident on October 2nd where a boat struck the jetty.

The 19th Edition of the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic continues in the fine tradition of Dixieland Fun in the Florida Sun. The Sheraton Sand Key Resort and Marriott Suites on Sand Key will be transformed into the headquarters hotel for this year's Jazz Classic.

The festival runs Friday through Sunday, Nov. 20 - 22nd and will feature bands such as Titan Hot Seven, Wally’s Warehouse Waifs, St. Louis Stompers, Mighty Aphrodite Jazz Band, Cornet Chop Suey, Bill Allred’s Classic Jazz Band, Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers, Red Lehr’s Powerhouse Five, Wolverine Jazz Band, the Dixie Chaps, Naples Dixieland Jazz Band, the Original All Stars, Palm City Jazz, Pepper and Fine Thyme and Valerie Gillespie Trio.

Cost: Friday or Sunday $40, Saturday $50. Weekend badge $100.
Sheraton Sand Key Resort 1160 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater
Marriott Suites on Sand Key, 1201 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater
Call 536-0064 or visit www.JazzClassic.net for more info.

Sand Key Restaurant Named Best Taste Of 2009

Congratulations to the winners of the 20th Annual Taste of Clearwater.

Best Themed Booth - Sand Pearl Resort Caretta's on the Gulf
Best Entree - Salt Rock Grill for their Crab Cake
Best Appetizer - Sand Pearl Caretta's on the Gulf for their BBQ Oysters
Best Dessert - Oaks of Clearwater for their outstanding Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Best Beverage - Great Bay Distributors for the Gordon Blersch Beer

Best of Taste 2009 (The Peoples Choice) - Watercolour Steakhouse and Grill located at the Marriott Suites on Sand Key.

Powerboat Race Will Benefit Sailing Center

Residents with northward gulf views will have a bird's eye view of the Super Boat International race on October 4th. Boats will be racing at speeds up to 140 mph off Clearwater Beach on October 4th when the offshore powerboating race comes to town. Some proceeds from the race will benefit the Clearwater Community Sailing Center located in Sand Key.

Super Boat International of Key West has been staging races for 30 years and is known for its annual races in Key West, Sarasota and New York City. It recently struck a deal with CBS to broadcast the Clearwater race and 7 others. The races feature 50-foot boats with F-16 jet canopies and 4,800-horsepower engines. During races, they reach speeds of 100 to 140 mph, depending on weather conditions. Super Boat International plans 9 races this year, the 1st was last weekend in Miami.

Super Boat International says it has applied for a race permit from the U.S. Coast Guard, and it expects to get one. Spotters in helicopters will watch for manatees and sea turtles, and will stop a race if necessary and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium will be assisting.

The race on Sunday will be free and open to the public, around 40,000 spectators are expected. Free parties at Coachman Park and Pier 60, and a free concert and fireworks are also planned for the weekend.
Boats up to 50 feet long will race from Pier 60 north for about 2½ miles and back, doing multiple laps around the loop. 30 to 35 boats are expected to compete in two races. Powerboats and their pit crews will set up beginning Friday, Oct. 2, in Coachman Park, where the public can get a closer look at them. The plan is for them to launch from the nearby Seminole Boat Ramp.

Oct. 2: Racing boats set up in Coachman Park.
Oct. 3: Racers check out the course at regular speed.
Oct. 4: Two races between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Shoppes Will Remain Zoned "Tourist"

On June 18th, the Clearwater City Council gave up its fight to impose the “Commercial” zoning designation on the 3-acre property where the Shoppes on Sand Key are located.

The Shoppes were left without valid zoning when a 20 year agreement ended back in 2006. Owner D.A. Bennett Company, sought Tourist zoning, which would allow it to build a 100-foot-high hotel on the site.

Under pressure by the Save Our Shoppes organization and other Sand Key residents, the council imposed the obsolete Commercial zoning and re-applied it to the Shoppes. Bennett appealed and won, and the city appealed that ruling and lost. The City Councel said they have no options left at this point.

Bennett executives have claimed they have no plans to build a hotel.

Celebrate Flag Day at Sand Key Park

The Flag Day event is being sponsored by the Clearwater Veterans Alliance. Everyone is invited to kickoff summer at the celebration and show their support for our veterans. Flag Day festivities begin at 1 pm.

Shoppes Zoning To Be Revisited

The owner of the Shoppes at Sand Key has won its appeal against the city of Clearwater for zoning it “commercial” instead “tourist” as requested. In June, the City Council will take up the zoning matter again.

Hundreds of supporters turned out to celebrate the opening of Joe Calio Veranda , a second story addition to the Clearwater Community Sailing Center. The party featured an oil drum symphony playing and an elaborate cook-out courtesy of the Sheraton Sand Key, which is just across the street. The new addition provides covered shelter for classroom space, both above and below, as well as outdoor space for people and organizations to rent for parties and other functions.

Calio is credited with the constant growth and improvement at the Center as a result of his leadership. City and county officials, members of the Clearwater Yacht Club, sailors, and CCSC board members were all on hand to help celebrate.

Sand Key, Island Estates, and Clearwater Beach Residents Seek Independence

The Islands Independence Initiative, a group of residents from Sand Key, Clearwater Beach, Sand Key and Island Estates are looking into whether the 3 island communities can secede from Clearwater and start their own city. They will present their case tonight at the Island Estates Civic Association meeting. The idea is in its early stages, and they don't know how exactly the de-annexing would work. The will be exploring the legal and practical issues for the next 90 days.

They say they are dissatisfied with the service they're getting from Clearwater and have hired an attorney to represent them. Officials say they're doing their best to serve the barrier islands as well as the rest of the city and are disappointed by the initiative. They site Clearwater Beach's library, marina, BeachWalk, and the Sailing Center on Sand Key, among other benefits to the island communities.

The group decided to explore alternatives after many disappointments with the city. Among them -

• a lack of a beach parking garage while the city builds boat slips downtown;
• a refusal to use Penny for Pinellas money to underground utilities on Island Estates;
• unenforced short-term rental rules on North Clearwater Beach;
• the approval of the Cabana Club project on Sand Key;
• allowing a developer to seek a rezoning for the Shoppes at Sand Key.

Clearwater officials say it would be difficult or impossible to accomplish a secession. All Clearwater taxpayers — not just the island taxpayers who pay 40% of the taxes — own much of the public buildings and infrastructure along the beaches. And, the new city would need to assume its share of Clearwater debt. It would be extremely complicated, and expensive.

Coast Guard Offering Navigation Class

Flotilla 11-1 of the Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering an 8 session program, the "Weekend Navigator" starting Monday April 6th and ending April 30. It will be held on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Clearwater Sailing Center at 1001 Gulf Blvd in Sand Key.

Participants will learn how to use charts, plotting tools and a GPS. Registration starts at 7 p.m. Monday. Participants are welcome to bring their GPS. The $75 fee includes books, study guides, charting software, and plotting tools. It is open to adults and youths. Call 469-8895 or visit http://a0701101.uscgaux.info.

Sand Key Real Estate Transactions January 2009

The following sales closed in January 2009. Data is obtained from the Realtor MLS data.

Property Address / Subdivision / Sale Price / # Days On Market

1501 Gulf Blvd #307 / Sand Key Condo South / $331,000 / 0
1180 Gulf Blvd #904 / Grande on Sand Key / $515,000 / 327
1350 Gulf Blvd #401 / Utopia Condo / $750,000 / 58
1180 Gulf Blvd #2006 / Grande on Sand Key / $830,000 / 30

Average Sales Price $606,500
Average number of days on market 138
Number of properties sold: 4

For more Sand Key Real Estate information & a Free CMA for your Sand Key Condo call PropCo Real Estate 727-585-0800, or visit SandKeyProperty.com

Celebrities In Sand Key For Super Bowl

If you stop by the Sand Key Sheraton this weekend for lunch, you may very well see some celebrities. Jimmy Johnson is there for the Super Bowl along with other NFL and Fox employees. A number of celebrities are said to be staying at the the Sheraton and the Belleview Biltmore. A limo driver who I spoke to today said she was on her way to pick up an actor with the last name "Kinnear", I asked here if it was Greg Kinnear, and she said "I don't know, they don't give me the first name, just Mr Kinnear".