Members of Beach Baptist will be voting this Sunday to sell a piece of their property for $4 million to a developer. If the land is sold Beach Baptist would use the proceeds from the sale to build a new church.
Last week the Beach Baptist advisory council voted unanimously to recommended that church members cast their vote on a purchase sales agreement for 2 acres (closest to Estero Boulevard) of the church property. The May 19th vote will include approval to start the build process for a new church building.
Church members can vote in person or by email on Sunday the 19th. Email votes will close at 6:00pm that night.
It was about a year ago that Beach Baptist held an open house to view plans to redevelop the 3.5 acres of land at 130 Connecticut street. The plan included an 8-story condo tower with a parking deck, 36 workforce housing apartments, and a church that seats 500. Because of the size of that building, the project was not well received by the community.
Beach Baptist Pastor Shawn Critser says the proposed buyer is the same developer who pitched the 8-story building last year, S.J. Collins. Aaron Coe, founder of Future City Now, an organization that helps churches, is sort of the middle-man between the developer and the church. He’s also a childhood friend of Pastor Critser. He told Beach Talk Radio a few months back that, ” Our plan, in theory, will be greatly reduced in scope from what we previewed with the community. However, nothing has been drawn yet.”
What is property zoned for?
No work force housing.
Beach Baptist members have all of the information in their hands to decide if they want to sell a portion of their land and get started with the rebuild process.
What happens with the front portion isn’t really up to us, it’s simply a transaction that is needed in order to get the rebuild started. I do know that the original plans for a large condo building has been scrapped.
I can definitely say that the process to get residential lots ready for sale isn’t something that the church has the resources or time to accomplish.
I’d love to interact personally with anyone who would like to know more about the church’s plans for this building and ministry space.
P Shawn.
Good luck and my prayers for your success. I believe the town and residents have been unfair to you over the years.
I think the idea of workforce housing is a good start. Every time I’ve heard of all these developers snatching up land, I wonder how their work force will afford to live on the island (they won’t) and, if living off island, how will they negotiate travel to get to work on time! Of course that depends on the rental for the work force housing.
Wondering. Did your employer provide you a home? It’s not your employers responsibility to provide you housing. This happens in China. Ask how that usually works out for the workers.
Wow! Looks like a plan to add more density to an island full of issues to date. Sorry for the church loss but not at the inconvenience of the resident owners on the island. I’m sure the LPA and council will frown on this addition.
Sounds like a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing to me..how can you vote without knowing what you are voting for
They’re voting on whether to sell the land (and proceeds would enable the church to rebuild).
Build build build! Why not a mini Margaritaville, or an extension of the main! Shuttle buses running back and forth! Can blare the buffet tunes from a loudspeaker going to and from!! The island could definitely use another landmark like that!!
Not funny or pithy. Try again.
It would be nice to see the church on Estero Blvd with residential behind the church. I wish Beach Baptist all the best and hope the plan that they really want happens. They’ve done a lot good for a lot of people.
How can a vote be given when there are no plans for the land? Technically the land could be resold in 1, 2, 3, years from now and who knows what would be built. I don’t think it’s a big ask of the developer to present their plan.
Why is the church selling to a developer? Aren’t there residential buyers that would build houses on a portion of that property? Do any residents really want more developments on this island?
agree build some houses for rentals or for people to live in there is so much developer buildings its worse than Las Vegas Blvd
Building annual rentals is a loss before the shovels go into the ground. The cost of building can’t be covered by rent. Residents who owned and lived here for years, can’t afford to rebuild their own loss.
As a property owner on the south end, I would like to see some short term lodging be built; call it motel or hotel… most condos are at least two week minimum stays. Working families usually can’t stay that long. We need something to replace the Wyndham and Outrigger…