The City of Clearwater is holding a series of public forums on the redevelopment of Clearwater’s U.S. 19 corridor.
- City of Clearwater is holding U.S. 19 public forums
- City wants to redevelop area along seven mile stretch of U.S. 19 from Belleair Road to Curlew Road
The city has proposed zoning updates to promote redevelopment along the seven mile stretch of U.S. 19 from Belleair Road to Curlew Road. Many businesses have either closed down or moved due to years of construction along the road.
“We have some successful businesses in the area, but there’s also a lot of vacant land or businesses that have gone under during the construction time so we would like to see some development in the area and incentive people to reinvest in their properties,” Lauren Matzke, Long Range Planning Manager for the City, said.
Business owner and property owner Bill Mazas said he has been waiting for these changes for years.
“It started becoming very hard to access the various properties,” Mazas, who owns property on Drew Street, said. “As they tore up the streets, access to get to the property was very limited so it was just a matter of time for businesses to want to relocate.”
Mazas said he now has plans to transform his property into a mix of hotel space, living space and businesses.
The City also wants to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians walking to and between businesses as well as vehicle circulation between properties.
Visit the open house forums anytime between:
- 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 23 at Bright House Field Media Room, 601 Old Coachman Road, Clearwater (Presentation at 6 p.m.)
- 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 24 at Countryside Library, 2642 Sabal Springs Dr., Clearwater (Presentation at 6 p.m.)
- 9:30 to 11 a.m. May 25 at Holiday Inn Express, 2580 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd., Clearwater (Presentation at 10 a.m.)
- 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 25 at Holiday Inn Express, 2580 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd., Clearwater (Presentation at 6 p.m.)