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City staff examines options for Caroline Street property
By TIMOTHY O'HARA
keysnews.com
KEY WEST -- Plans to
build a restaurant and eight affordable apartments on the decrepit site
of the former Plantains restaurant are being put on hold so city
officials can research other options for the Caroline Street property.
The city commission
held a workshop Wednesday night to discuss options for the property,
which included the restaurant and affordable apartments idea, erecting
15 to 18 affordable housing units, building a parking lot and creating a
park. The commission directed city staff to review all options and
create a written overview. The Key West Bight Board will review the
documents and bring recommendations to the city commission.
Since local
entrepreneur Ed Swift proposed building the restaurant and affordable
apartments, the commission and residents have been divided on what to do
with the building, which has become an eyesore for neighbors and haven
for the homeless.
Under Swift's plan, he
would pay $1,000 a month and $1.25 million to build the new structure.
The city would retain ownership and lease it to Swift for 20 years.
Commissioners Harry
Bethel and Carmen Turner do not support Swift's plan because there is
not enough affordable housing to justify the low monthly rent, they
said. Both commissioners and some residents favor putting all affordable
housing there.
"The biggest need is
affordable housing," Bethel said.
City Planning Director
Ty Symroski and Commissioner Merili McCoy cautioned commissioners about
taking commercial business out of the picture. They feel that the area
will grow as a commercial hub and the city could one day make a lot of
money by leasing the property as a restaurant.
People have called Caroline Street "the next Duval Street," McCoy said.
"Every day that it is
vacant is costing us money," McCoy said. "It [affordable housing] will
not give the city the best return to the taxpayer. It's the wrong kind
of element for that area."
By having both a
restaurant and affordable housing, the city could have the best return
on its investment, Symroski said. He also said mixed use would be the
idea most supported by the state Department of Community Affairs, which
monitors growth in Monroe County.
tohara@keysnews.com |
