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Caddy's on Treasure Island wants to expand

 
Published Sept. 2, 2015

TREASURE ISLAND — A 1,600-square-foot addition for Caddy's on the Beach, which would include new restrooms and a second-floor sightseeing deck, has been submitted for city approval.

Barry O'Connor, with SFMB Treasure Island Property LLC, which purchased the well-known beachside restaurant and bar earlier this year, said he hopes to have the plans approved and finish the addition project by the end of the year.

Community Improvement director Paula Cohen said the city's planning and zoning board is reviewing the plans, which should be on the board's agenda this month.

The restaurant and bar has been a favorite of locals and tourists alike for years because of its beachside location where patrons can sip cocktails and watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

Plans call for remodeling the existing men's and women's restrooms and adding new ones along with a walk-in cooler and freezer for food storage on the first floor. On the second floor, the roof will be extended to allow for a small sightseeing deck, O'Connor said.

Although it appears there are enough parking spaces for the addition — 114 compared to the 80 required — O'Connor said he will ask city staff to do a "walk-up customer survey" to determine how much local pedestrian traffic the restaurant receives and how that relates to parking requirements.

"A study might give us some parking credits if we ever want to change anything else or increase occupancy," he said. Caddy's will pay for the eight-week survey.

A temporary trailer to provide extra restroom stalls has been approved by the city commission while expansion plans are being considered by the city's planning and zoning board. It should be moved to the site by this weekend, he said.

O'Connor said an exact cost of the expansion has not yet been determined and declined to give an estimate.

SFMB Treasure Island Properties, which includes principals who own MacDinton's Irish Pub in Tampa and Yard of Ale in Tarpon Springs, bought the property earlier this year for $7.2 million.