SUFFOLK
A looming deadline on a stalled development project could lead to a major decision for the City Council.
Should they stick it out with their first choice and allow the developer more time to pull through?
Or do they call in Bruce Smith?
The former NFL star and current president of Bruce Smith Enterprise has asked for another shot at developing the former Obici Hospital site. He sent a letter Thursday asking the city to reconsider the proposal his team submitted for the project more than two years ago.
The request adds another option for the 26-acre site, which the city bought for $4.5 million in 2005 and agreed to sell for the same price for its development.
The land, on North Main Street near downtown, remains mostly broken asphalt and weed-covered ground that once supported the old Obici Hospital.
The city solicited development proposals and chose Robinson Development Group Inc. over Bruce Smith Enterprise and a third suitor.
The development plan, called Obici Place, calls for housing, retail and office space in the heart of the city's commercial growth corridor.
Robinson Development is still trying to secure a theater operator - one of the main components of its pitch - and a $1 million payment is due Monday. An initial agreement with American Screen Works fell through after that company misrepresented its financial information, according to a lawsuit filed by the developer.
Tony Smith, senior vice president for Robinson, said Tuesday that he has an agreement with another theater operator and hopes to have a deal signed by Monday.
He would not name the operator but said he has been speaking with the company for eight months and said the city has been following the negotiations.
This week, Tony Smith sent a letter to City Manager Selena Cuffee-Glenn asking the city to postpone an option to repurchase the land. The letter also asked for more flexibility, including, potentially, building all apartments and no condominiums.
"While the shifting markets have led to the cancellation or material modification of many projects throughout Hampton Roads, we remain committed to moving forward with Obici Place - albeit with significantly lower yield expectations," Tony Smith wrote.
The City Council was briefed on the Obici Place project in closed session on June 18.
"We understand that the Robinson Development Group has been granted numerous occasions to convene with the City Council members and City officials to explain the reasons for their recurrent delays in the development of this site," competitor Bruce Smith wrote. "At this time, would it not be prudent to reconsider our proposal?"
Cuffee-Glenn sent the letters from both men to members of the City Council on Monday.
"I look forward to receiving your guidance regarding this matter," she wrote.
Dave Forster, (757) 222-5563, dave.forster@pilotonline.com
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Development of the old Obici lot.
I do not think we need anymore condo's or apartments. What we really need is something for our youth to enjoy. If they put in a movie theater, skating rink,or bowling alley the kids would have something in town to do besides run the streets. I know we have these things in surrounding cities but parents are not always willing or able to take there children that far.
When a Deal is not a Deal
This site is one of the most important areas in the "Main Street Cooridor" still available for development and use. There were many problems with the proposed plan by the Robinson Group and the citizens spoke out aggressively about them, yet as usual the City Council ignored them. Now we find that they want to change the plan significantly to just "cash-out" at our expense, and that must not be allowed. We heard from a past city manager that about drove our city into the gorund, that this was the right deal, yet here we are... Seems convienent, doesn't it...???
It is time for the City Council to call the Robinson Group on the lack of performance under their RFP and to declare it in violation. Take the property back and rethink what they have done here. This could and should be reserved for a truely inovative project, that would utilize a unique site that has great potential for our City. To allow it to be turned into a maze of appartments and strip-mall type stores, would be a terrible idea. Our City Council must hold fast and demand a high quality project for this truly valuable site.
The question to ask: Do they have the will, insight and grit to demand of the develope
Don't let the money cloud what is best for our City!
It would be nice it the residents and what is best for them would be taken into consideration, and not let the $$$$$ make the decision. I am not against additional stores for Suffolk, just be particular which ones are chosen, ie. maybe give Wal-Mart some competition! If a movie theater is allowed, who will ensure that it doesn't become like the last one we had, dirty, not current movies, and changing hands continually! How about a nice resturant.
Very bad idea
Putting apartments on that parcel would be a disaster. Kinda similar to putting Lowes on waterfront property. The old Obici site is a great piece of property with a lot of potential. Considering the current market, if I were the city, I would just sit on it or landscape it for a temporary park. Wait for demand to pick back up (in about three years). Do not force development!
no more
folks like myself,we don't want anymore development here.just look at harbourview,strip malls and shopping centers,how about a park,enough! maybe we don't want to be like chesapeake or va.beachoh and the idea of a movie threatre.bad idea,just a place for hoodyrats and punks to gather
I have a novel idea...
How about do NOTHING with the site?
City council's and developers are so ready to make one more penny.
The fact that you can develop doesn't mean you have to develop...