Crystal River finds a '579' partner

Happy Thursday!

Many years ago, I attended a zoning hearing with the Inverness City Council. My recollection is fuzzy, but a businessman wanted a zoning change that would allow outdoor lighting. The neighbors were opposed.

It was the typical back-and-forth. The council approved the zoning with an odd reason: The businessman had a good reputation.

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In other words, council members trusted him to do what he said he would do.

Here’s what they didn’t expect: The property would change hands.

See, zoning goes with the property, not the owner. The zoning that allowed outdoor lighting also allowed a host of other stuff. I’d say that property has changed uses a dozen times in the last 20 years. I think it’s a car rental today.

My point. It’s tricky when decision-makers place their trust in individuals to do what’s right.

That’s the situation Crystal River City Council members faced this week. The eyesore to end all eyesores, known as the “579” building, was scheduled to be demolished Monday morning. Instead, the council placed its faith in a local developer.

We all know about the Crystal Square shopping center. A throwback to the 1970s, this thing was probably the cat’s pajamas in its day.

The beginning of its demise occurred — guessing now — 15 years ago when the county closed its west side satellite offices at Crystal Square because the ceiling was caving in. The county eventually relocated outside the city limits to Meadowcrest, a move that created some political tension.

I’ve been following this story like everyone else. The property owner made lots of promises, few were fulfilled; the city started piling up code enforcement fines, sued in circuit court to foreclose on the liens, began asbestos removal, and planned to start demolition Monday morning.

City officials knew that would end one problem and start another. Removing an eyesore only counts if it’s replaced with something pleasing. Knock down a big ugly building, and what’s left is a big ugly commercial lot. We can’t force the property owner to plant flowers.

So when a last-minute arrangement came along to salvage the Crystal Square situation in a way that made everyone OK, the city jumped on it.

When I read in the Chronicle that the new principal owner of the shopping center was a local developer, I’ll admit to getting a little nervous. One local developer is throwing around a lot of political muscle but has nothing to show for his bravado. 

Mayor Joe Meek must have read my mind because he cornered me as soon as I entered the room for Monday morning’s special meeting. The developer, Edward O’Hanrahan, built the Hobby Lobby and Five Guys in Lecanto; and Corta Commons, the Chili’s/Capital City Bank combo in Inverness.

O’Hanrahan, who lives in Riverhaven, came prepared with a rendering he and his business partner whipped up over the weekend showing plans to demolish the center of the building and one far end but leave the rest.

The facade may look awful, but the building itself has good bones, he said. He’s already heard from two national clothing outlets interested in renting space.

Now. We’ve gone down that road before. The carrot-stick approach to government. “If you give us this, we’ll bring MickeyWorld to your town!” I think we’ve recycled through the politicians who fall for that gimmick.

This is different. The city could either work out an arrangement with O’Hanrahan or knock the building down. Then they’d have a demolished building, a foreclosure process, eventually a new owner, and no assurances that anything will be better.

Council members wanted assurances from this developer and that’s what they have. The property will be fenced so that residents at least know something is taking place on the site. Partial demolition will occur in two or three months.

The city deserves credit for working this out. Win-wins don’t come around every day, and this looks like one.

That’s it for your Thursday. Have a great one, friends.

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