The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?
Friday Night Rewind It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
NEW PORT RICHEY — Nearly three years ago, the city annexed property slated for 500 high-rise condominiums, scoring big in efforts to pump up its general fund coffers.
Then the real estate market tanked, and developer Ryland Homes scrapped its plans. The nearly 30-acre property off Sea Forest Drive sat empty.
Now, Ryland wants to sell the property to another developer, with plans for a different kind of project: A 388-unit apartment complex.
Tonight, the City Council will consider approving a rezoning request and the new preliminary site plan. The meeting, the first of two required hearings on the issue, begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 5919 Main St.
Ryland wants to sell the property to Phoenix-based Alliance Residential, a national apartment builder that is moving into the Florida market. It has an office in Sarasota.
The gated apartment project would be called Broadstone Gulf Harbors and would feature efficiencies as well as units with one, two or three bedrooms.
Monthly rents would range from $800 to $1,270, according to information provided to the city. Amenities include a pool, clubhouse and trail.
Under Ryland's original condo plan, the six buildings would have been 85 feet high. By contrast, the plan for the apartments proposes 14 buildings that would be no greater than 45 feet tall.
Some city leaders in the past have complained that New Port Richey is home to too many rental units. But City Manager Tom O'Neill said Monday that this project is different.
"They have presented this as an upper-scale apartment complex," said O'Neill, "which we understand there's a good demand for."
Developers have told city officials that once they get their necessary approvals, they expect to start construction next year, O'Neill said.
Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.
[Last modified: Oct 08, 2008 07:57 PM]
Comments on this article
by Joe
Oct 8, 2008 7:57 PM
We do not need a potential slum,I agree with John put the apartments on the other side of rte 19 in the main st. project where the police can keep tabs on the residents. The NPR police don't seem to cross 19 to the west in a timely manner
by john
Oct 8, 2008 4:50 PM
let n.p.r. put apts where that empty project is sitting on main st,, rental properties get run down,we do not need another
by john
Oct 8, 2008 4:50 PM
apts or apts ,,, let ryland sit on property till things turn around ,and than build,we do not need more rental properties ,its a fact rentals get run down and so does the area,let npr come up with something else like putting apts on main st where tha
by Ritch
Oct 8, 2008 2:37 PM
Rental apartments always turn into trash, once the glow is often and they are no longer new...then the vacancy rate goes up and the apartments go down.
by Jay
Oct 7, 2008 10:22 AM
Upscale apartments today turn into trash years from now.
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