BRADENTON BEACH – Construction is expected to begin this summer on the Bridge Street hotel project, according to City Attorney Ricinda Perry.
“By way of keeping you in the loop with development activities within the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) district, I have spoken with Shawn and Jake (hotel co-applicants Shawn Kaleta and Jake Spooner) who have the hotel that’s supposed to come on to Bridge Street,” Perry said to CRA members at a Jan. 16 meeting.
On Dec. 7, 2023, the city commission approved the 106-room resort hotel, 60-seat restaurant, 5,396 square feet of retail and 154 on-site parking spaces.
“I have been told that those plans have been worked on, they are submitting the building department plans for this and they hope to turn dirt by late summer for that project, so it is still on task,” Perry said.
Just days after approval, on Dec. 11, a permitted demolition began on 129 Gulf Drive S., the location of the former Joe’s Eats N Sweets. On Jan. 13, 101 Bridge St., formerly the Freckled Fin, was demolished. On Jan. 26, demolition began on the building at 105 Bridge St., formerly the Magnolia Inn.
The parcel, on the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive South, has since been used as a public paid parking lot.
The hotel property is sited on 1.61 acres and located at 101, 105, and 117 Bridge St. and 106, 108, 110 and 112 Third St. S.
“It’s nice to hear Bridge Street hotel is moving forward with their project,” Mayor John Chappie said.
Building Official Darin Cushing said he has not yet received updated plans from the hotel applicants.
Perry’s update was one of three she presented on Kaleta-owned projects at the CRA meeting. The others were a possible rezoning of the Pines Trailer Park and conceptual plans to eliminate dry storage at Bradenton Beach Marina and add retail and restaurants there.
The Sun reached out to a representative for Kaleta for comment, but no response was received by press time.
BRADENTON BEACH – Demolition began Saturday on 101 Bridge St., the second of four buildings slated to be torn down to make way for a 106-room resort hotel/restaurant/retail project.
Developer Shawn Kaleta and hotel co-applicant, former Bradenton Beach Commissioner Jake Spooner, received city commission approval on Dec. 7 to build the project on the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive South. In addition to the hotel rooms, a 60-seat restaurant and 5,396 square feet of retail space is planned, with 154 on-site parking spaces.
The hotel property is sited on 1.61 acres and located at 101, 105 and 117 Bridge St. and 106, 108, 110 and 112 Third St. S.
The 101 Bridge St. building, formerly the Freckled Fin, was built in 1925. It is listed on the demolition permit application as a mixed-use commercial property with two living units and one commercial property.
Kaleta is named as the property owner on the application.
On Dec. 11, the permitted demolition began at 129 Gulf Drive S., the location of the former Joe’s Eats N Sweets.
In a Dec. 27 email to The Sun from Bradenton Beach permit technician Annabre Veal, demolition permit applications for 105 and 117 Bridge St. had been submitted but were missing some information.
The former Magnolia Inn at 105 Bridge St. dates back to 1935. 117 Bridge St. houses the Fudge Factory.
BRADENTON BEACH – Shortly after the Dec. 7 city commission approval of a 106-room resort hotel/restaurant/retail complex on the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive South, demolition began on the first building on the site.
On Dec. 11, a permitted demolition began on 129 Gulf Drive S., the location of the former Joe’s Eats N Sweets.
The property that the hotel will be built on is co-owned by local developer Shawn Kaleta and Bradenton Beach commissioner and businessman Jacob Spooner. It is sited on 1.61 acres and located at 101, 105 and 117 Bridge St. and 106, 108, 110 and 112 Third St. S.
In a Dec. 27 email to The Sun from Bradenton Beach permit technician Annabre Veal, the permit application for demolition of 101 Bridge St. is complete and demolition permit applications for 105 and 117 Bridge St. have also been submitted.
The proposed scope of the work at 101 Bridge St. is “Demo and remove entire structure (Mixed use comm/res, 2 living units, 1 comm building),” according to the permit applied for by Kaleta.
Several local residents who are critics of the hotel project have expressed concern about the historical background and environmental concerns surrounding the three remaining buildings on the proposed hotel site, and they have reached out to city officials with their findings.
The building at 105 Bridge St. is slated for demolition. – Leslie Lake | Sun
A Dec. 15 letter signed by Christine Johnson and Sue Longacre and addressed to Mayor John Chappie, City Attorney Ricinda Perry and City Clerk Terri Sanclemente was hand-delivered to city hall by Johnson.
“Residents of Bradenton Beach have uncovered historical elements located in the Florida Master Site File for situs addresses within the planned development, Bridge Street Resort, in Bradenton Beach, Florida,” the letter states in part.
The letter lists the three addresses from the Master Site File as:
• “Magnolia Apartments, 105 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, Florida; dated 1935; Florida Master Site File: Condition- ‘Fair;’ appears to meet qualifications for National Listing Individually and as Part of a District;
• Maestro’s Italian Restaurant; 101 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, Florida; dated 1925; Florida Master Site File; Condition ‘Good;’ appears to meet qualifications for National Listing Individually and as Part of a District;
• Bridge Street Bazaar; 117 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, Florida; dated 1955; Florida Master Site File; Condition ‘Good;’ appears to meet qualifications for National Listing Individually and as Part of a District.”
“Documents supporting relevant findings will be attached to this letter and residents believe it is necessary to present these findings to the City Commission and the City Attorney to preserve the historical elements of Bradenton Beach.”
Former Building Official Steve Gilbert said that the listing in the Master Site file does not prevent building owners from demolition.
“I’m not aware of any structures in Bradenton Beach that might be listed on the state or federal registry,” Gilbert wrote in a Dec. 13 email to The Sun two days before he retired. “Even so, being listed does not preclude an owner from renovations, or demolition and rebuild. The purpose of the program is to encourage owners to ‘save’ older buildings, but there are no regulations through state or local ordinances to prohibit what is proposed.”
In an April 24, 2013 story in the Anna Maria Island Sun, reporter Cindy Lane described the renovation at Magnolia as follows:
“While preserving the two-story exterior, in keeping with the Island’s low-rise appeal, Bill Herlihy has replaced almost everything inside the Island Time Inn, 105 Bridge St., formerly the Magnolia Inn, which he said dates back to 1935.
Tile floors, beadboard cabinets, granite countertops, flat-screen TVs, textured walls, light fixtures, kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures and comfortable furniture are all new.
But he saved a few things for history buffs, too – an old stained glass window in one unit, original wood ceilings in another, and even some of the original exterior of the building incorporated as interior walls.”
BRADENTON BEACH – An ethics complaint filed against Commissioner Jake Spooner has been dismissed.
The complaint, filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics by Bradenton Beach resident Sue Longacre on Sept. 1, alleges that Spooner, a co-owner in the recently approved Bridge Street hotel/restaurant/retail project, had a conflict of interest as a Bradenton Beach commissioner.
“I feel that there is a conflict of interest with Mr. Spooner remaining in the Bradenton Beach public office since Mr. Spooner owns so much commercial and residential property in Bradenton Beach,” Longacre’s complaint reads in part. “The proposed hotel on Bridge Street is within his jurisdiction and currently being considered for more development.”
Spooner recused himself from all hearings related to the hotel project. He is a co-applicant for the project with local developer Shawn Kaleta but was not present at any of the Planning and Zoning Board or City Commission hearings related to the project.
“I do not feel Mr. Spooner recusing himself on any development he owns or is co-owner with (Kaleta) are fair and reasonable actions,” the complaint continues.
Longacre wrote that she opposes Spooner remaining in office.
The city commission unanimously approved the hotel project on Dec. 7.
In a public report and order dismissing the complaint dated Dec. 6, the State of Florida Commission on Ethics cited the following from Florida Statute 112.3143 (3)(a): “No county, municipal or other local public officer shall vote in an official capacity upon any measure which would inure to his or her special private gain or loss.”
“The complaint fails to indicate a possible violation (of that section),” the commission wrote. “To indicate a possible violation of the statute, a complaint must allege, in a factual, substantive, nonconclusory manner, that a respondent voted on a matter that would inure to his or her special private gain or loss. There are not allegations in the complaint the Respondent (Spooner) voted on any matter pertaining to his company’s properties or that any matter pertaining to the Respondent’s company’s properties has come before the city commission for analysis or approval.”
The complaint was dismissed for “failure to constitute a legally sufficient complaint with the issuance of this public report.”
Spooner had no comment regarding the dismissal.
In Spooner’s 2022 statement of financial interests, he lists ownership in these Bradenton Beach properties: 302 23rd St. N., 300 23rd St. N., 2301 Ave. B, 108 Third St. S., 110 Third St. S., 112 Third St. S., 112 Third St. S., 117 Bridge St., 115 Bridge St. and 102 Bridge St.
BRADENTON BEACH – In the first of what will be multiple public hearings about an application for a 106-unit resort hotel at the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive, the city Planning and Zoning Board will conduct a hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. at City Hall.
In addition to the hotel, the proposed project includes a 60-seat restaurant, 2,485 square feet of retail space and 99 on-site parking spaces. The project area extends to Third Street South and would require zoning changes.
City Clerk Terri Sanclemente published notices for the Nov. 1 hearing as well as public hearings before the City Commission on Thursday, Nov. 16 at noon and Thursday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. All meetings will be held at City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
According to the notices, the hearings will be held regarding an ordinance amending zoning for 1.61 acres at 101, 105 and 117 Bridge St. and 106, 108, 110 and 112 Third St. S., establishing a planned development overlay district within the C-1 and C-2 zoning districts.
City Building Official Steve Gilbert told The Sun in December 2022 that a proposed development carrying a major development designation must be reviewed by the city’s Planning and Zoning Board and then approved by the city commission. Gilbert said multiple land development code interpretations will be required and multiple land use issues will need to be addressed before the proposed development can be advertised for public hearings before the planning board and city commission.
The Land Development Code application for the project was made on Dec. 2, 2022 by property owners Shawn Kaleta and Jacob Spooner. Kaleta is a developer on Anna Maria Island. Spooner is a Bradenton Beach businessman and commercial property owner and a member of the Bradenton Beach City Commission and the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency. As a sitting city commissioner, Spooner would have to recuse himself from any commission discussions and votes related to the proposed hotel development.
With Commissioner Marilyn Maro absent with excuse for an extended period of time, and with Spooner’s recusal, that leaves only three City Commissioner members – Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Ralph Cole and Jan Vosburgh – to consider the application.
According to Bradenton Beach Code of Ordinances Section 10, however, an affirmative “supra-majority vote,” (at least four out of five members) of the City Commission is required to approve any comprehensive plan amendment including map or text amendments, rezoning, special exception, variance or vacation of any city rights-of-way.
“Luis (City Planner Luis Serna) and I agree that a PUD (Planned Unit Development) process should include an ordinance to apply a PUD overlay on top of the zoning map,” Gilbert said. “As far as our understanding is concerned, the ordinance adopting that PUD overlay will require whatever supra-majority vote the city attorney deems appropriate.”
Any interested party may appear at the meetings and be heard. Copies of the proposed ordinance are on file at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., and may be reviewed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays.
