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Carver City/Lincoln Gardens
Complex of hotels near TIA proposed
Plans submitted to the city show four restaurants and four hotels, as well as parking decks and retail and office space.
By JANET ZINK
Published May 13, 2005
A hotel developer has asked the city to rezone 19 acres near Tampa International Airport to make way for a 1.2-million-square-foot mixed use project.
McKibbon Hotel Group has a contract on the property, formerly the site of an Alamo Rental Car and remote airport parking.
Site plans filed with the city show four restaurants, four hotels with more than 550 rooms, 450,000 square feet for parking decks, and retail and office space.
A spokeswoman for John McKibbon, chief executive officer of McKibbon Hotel Group, said he did not want to comment on the project.
Ron Rotella, executive director of the Westshore Alliance, said McKibbon's proposal is a good fit for the area.
"What he's proposing is consistent with the kind of development you would expect in an area close to the airport," Rotella said.
"West Shore has become a regional activity center. It's not just businesses. Hotels, retail and office space make sense."
Last month, Villa Sonoma, a 240-unit residential complex at 4221 W Spruce St., sold out within six months of converting from apartments to condominiums.
McKibbon Hotel Group owns and operates hotels throughout the Southeast, including seven Marriott hotels in Tampa. The company has its headquarters in Tampa and Gainesville, Ga.
McKibbon wants to build on the south side of Spruce Street, bordered by Laurel and O'Brien streets. A family trust owns one parcel and Tortuga Beach Club Inc. owns another.
McKibbon has a contract to buy both parcels, said attorney Truett Gardner, who represents the company.
The property has a municipal airport zoning, which specifies uses that don't interfere with airport operations.
A hearing to rezone the land is scheduled for July 21 at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 315 E Kennedy Blvd.
Janet Zink can be reached at 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com
[Last modified May 12, 2005, 00:28:09]
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