If the council in 2020 isnt on board with doing something his way, hes going to do it himself.. Gulf Coast Marine and ClearwaterPlumbing. But his offer had a catch. I dont mix my personal business with other areas in my life, said Terri Novitsky, a Scientologist who manages a company that bought two office buildings on Chestnut Street in 2017. He walked away with nothing. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. Ozsan has had a residence in London since 2001. Now, companies connected to the Church of Scientology are buying tracts of land within the 55-acre district and not disclosing what they plan to do with them. The total of all Scientology-connected Clearwater real estate purchases $114.8 million. Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter. Hibbard previously served as Mayor from 2005 until 2012, leaving office because of term limits. The Times described sales as cash transactions when they were paid without a mortgage filed in public records. In January and February 2017, a handful of limited liability companies bought six prime downtown parcels. This gallery shows all 60 properties Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas county and the six retail properties the church acquired through limited liability companies in 2017. Our opinion is that Riley was instructed to get ahead of the story by bringing up Scientology before he was asked about it. And half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued by the county property appraiser, the Times found. There is no discrimination for or against *any* religion. [ The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped ]. I would assume hes a Scientologist or involved with them in some fashion. Copyright 2019 NPR. The Florida Secretary of States record on Rod Rileys RST Capital Advisors LLC: Categories: Clearwater, Osman Ozsan, Trish Duggan, Tagged as: CA South Development, Clearwater Marina District, David Gentile, DEUTERIUM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, DEUTERIUM INVESTMENT ADVISORS LIMITED, Gary Soter, Gregori And Company LLC, Maria Dolores Gregori Fuster, Megan Epstein, Osman Ozsan, Ozsan, RSR Capital Advisors LLC, Stephen Epstein, Tampa Bay Times, Tracey McManus, Trish Duggan, Re: The companies paid a combined $11.8 million in cash for 28 undeveloped parcels, five empty commercial buildings and a dozen homes, When I read that, I couldnt help but be reminded of the English Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas (On the third day of Christmas/ Getty. Clearwater A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past three years buying up huge sections of downtown. Through a spokesperson, Epstein said in an email that CA South looked into developing the properties on behalf of a client but walked away when the city did not relax a rule prohibiting a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue. Construction on eight townhomes on the south end of the marina began Oct. 1, according to county records. All five City Council members said they doubted the rash of purchases were unrelated. Riley thereafter became a Regional Manager forCB Richard Ellis. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. Most of the new owners have done little with their acquisitions. My true love gave to me/Three French hens/Two turtle doves/And a partridge in a pear tree). The churchs influence comes from the estimated $3 billion in cash and assets it has collected from its followers. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Just out of curiosity, when you say the tactics that they used in the '70s, what were those? Im concerned, Mayor Frank Hibbard said. Flag is supposed to be an insulated oasis. Scientology leader David Miscavige told city officials the properties were part of the churchs proposed retail redevelopment plan. February 1976: Scientology files a $1 million lawsuit against Cazares alleging he violated its constitutional rights with his public criticism. What Clearwaters City Council thinks, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, See a slideshow of all the churchs buildings. In San Diego, Taylor Guitars and Deering Banjo Company. Visitors walk through downtown on a Friday. It is a big faux pas in business PR to bring up the subject of religion when it is absolutely unnecessary to do so. That company has had no connection to Coldwell Banker for decades. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 20, 2019. Thirteen were existing tenants when he bought the properties. Four high-ranking defectors describe bizarre behavior and physical beatings inflicted by Scientology leader David Miscavige. In a letter to the Times, the church denied it ever tried to take control of the city. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. businesses owned by scientologistsdoes keegan allen have a child 26th February 2023 / in west warwick viewpoint / by / in west warwick viewpoint / by Some have donated millions to the church. Its members bought property on surrounding blocks. An empty Walgreens. One of these accounts shows discretionary assets of $134.77 million. Assistant City Manager Michael Delk said the citys priority is turning the spectacular land it owns into a community destination, no matter who owns the private property around it. Clearwater is the permanent home to more than 10,000 Scientology parishioners. Buy up as much property as they can for the church whether they use it or not, whether they let it sit there and rot so no one else can be there.. Local TV station WTSP reports. Scientologists deal with useful non-Scientologists quite often. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. According to his resume, he started the firm in 2003. Hayes, the attorney and parishioner involved in the rest of the North Marina purchases, was added as manager on the companies filings. Many of the properties werent on the market when the deals were made. can t use carpenter's workbench skyrim; how long does it take a rat to starve to death; cowboy hat making supplies; why would i get a letter from circuit clerk Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. Howd that go? A broker who was a Scientologist approached a downtown property owner. Scientologists Brett Miller and Joanie and Steve Sigal recommended Frank Hibbard for Mayor. Welcome. Yarbrough never learned the buyers identity. GARCIA-NAVARRO: What do you mean billion year contracts? The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has bought 60 . My plan is to keep renting, Huestler said. Pros. Then walk down Cleveland Street downtowns main artery. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., [ More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover ]. MCMANUS: Yeah, I think that the key here is the uncertainty. The Scientology leader had offered the Clearwater Marine Aquarium $15 million for that 1.4-acre grass lot on Pierce Street. Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. In mid-2018, one year before the string of North Marina purchases took off, a company controlled by developer Brian Andrus, a longtime member of Scientology, bought the private marina next to the citys Seminole Boat Ramp. The pattern of Scientology-tied companies buying so many properties and sitting on them "flies in the face of most land economics," said Tobias, who has been appraising property in Pinellas County for 50 years. Mike Rinder, who led the churchs intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said that when it comes to property around Flag, theres no real distinction between whether its owned by the church or a parishioner. Weve spent a lot of happy years here, Lares said. The city and the church fought in court for years. Most did not respond or declined to comment. Its like they are trying to control the whole thing.. Concerned he wouldnt be able to pay his mortgage, Argall said he deeded the building, appraised at $780,000, back to the previous owner. Argall left the church and was forced to abandon his business of more than 20 years. It has to be somebody with the money to invest in a real estate development deal. Jim Huestler is the blocks only holdout with a rental home on the northeast corner. This is a story for another time. Copyright 2023 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Timeswith an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. But on the notice filed with Pinellas County for the roof replacement at 801 N Fort Harrison Ave., Andrus signed his name as a manager of the company that owns the building. Thank you very much. Project Normandy was described in one of hundreds of internal memos Scientology officials exchanged about their plans to infiltrate and control Clearwater. Write by: . Please! Scientology members fuel another land-buying surge in Clearwater Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in. He was overseeing the religion from aboard a ship to avoid investigations into tax evasion and fraud when he selected Clearwater as a spiritual headquarters. #4 Best Company In Clearwater Company Description: Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., Senior Home Care is a privately held company operating nearly 50 branch locations with 1,800 employees through its Senior Home Care offices in Florida and Synergy Home Care offices in Louisiana. In her November 2021 article on Scientologists buying land in Clearwater, Tracey McManus wrote (emphasis ours): The city received an informal inquiry last year related to vacant land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard had written about doing away with governments and replacing them with a Scientology-run society. Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown.. He told Fischler that before Scientology bought the Fort Harrison Hotel in 1975 he worked there as a busboy. The churchs hostility toward the public became clear from its first days in the city in fall 1975. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So clearly they wanted these properties a great deal. In January and February 2017, as the council was preparing to approve the consultants concept, a handful of companies bought six commercial properties downtown. After that, the Times writes, Scientology began grabbing property at an unprecedented rate, adding that they now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront, putting the secretive church firmly in control of the areas future. 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