Persaud To Ask For 8 Deviations

During a special Local Planning Agency meeting today, Times Square property owner Terry Persaud will ask the LPA to approve a plan to replace his lost restaurant with a 4 (perhaps 5) story building that includes a 50-room hotel. He’s requesting 8 deviations from the Land Development Code.

The town staff did not make a recommendation for the LPA because they are not required to when a development is submitted through a Development Agreement. A Development Agreement is negotiated with a developer and the Town Manager and Town Attorney. It is then brought forward to the LPA. The Town Council’s original intent of the Development Agreement was to help “mom and pop” businesses save money on fees and get guidance from the town as to whether it appeared their project was on the right track. So far, it’s only been used for big development projects.

Persaud is calling his planned structure “Times Square Resort.” It’s a 4 (possible 5) story structure totalling 59,000 square feet, on .9 acres of property at the Matanzas Pass Bridge entrance to Times Square.

Persaud’s hotel building would include, at ground level, retail space, 66 parking spaces for guests, a covered beach access easement and a patio area with benches, foot rinse station, and drinking fountain. The second story will include a restaurant with patio dining.

The former Sunset Beach Tropical Grill was a one-story, 8,244 square foot structure approximately 30 feet high. The new building would be as high as 53 feet in an area that only allows 30 feet of height.

One year ago Persaud met with town staff and was asking for a 24-unit hotel. As the year went on his hotel plans have more than doubled.

The 8 Land Development Code deviation requests are:
#1) An increase in height which allows for 30 feet above base flood elevation and no taller than 3 stories to 4 stories and 39 feet and 4 inches or 5 stories which would push the height to 53 feet.

#2) Request to deviate from LDC Section 34-676(b)(2) which permits parking to be provided under commercial and mixed-use buildings when separated from sidewalks by usable commercial space at least 20 feet deep and meet all commercial building design standards to allow: elimination of the required usable commercial square footage in the first (ground) floor.

3) Request to deviate from LDC Section 34-675(c) which limits the Floor Area Ratio of 1.8 within the Times Square Pedestrian Plaza to allow A maximum FAR of 2.5 (58,630 square feet)

4) Request to deviate from LDC Section 34-633 which requires FAR to be calculated to include all stories of a building within the surrounding exterior walls and all areas below an elevated building that is six feet or more in height, and all stories of covered parking to allow: The elimination of the covered parking from the FAR calculations.

5) Request to deviate from LDC Section 34-1803 which provides Hotel Equivalency Factors for the number of guest units that can be substituted for residential dwelling units to allow: An Equivalency Factor of 15.7 to permit 50 hotel rooms and a total of 37,950 square feet for a Boutique Hotel.

6) Request to deviate from LDC Section 34-674(a)(1)a. requiring a build-toline of 0 feet to the Times Square Pedestrian Plan to allow: A 10-foot front setback.

7) Request to deviate from LDC Section 34-676(d) which requires driveways and parking to be relocated from Estero Boulevard to secondary streets to allow: Direct access from Estero Boulevard to ground level valet parking.

8) Request to deviate from LDC Section 34-677 which requires commercial design standards to apply to all commercial and mixed-use buildings to allow: The proposed architectural renderings as provided in Exhibit C.

Typically when a developer comes to the LPA and Town Council to request deviations both bodies, if they are to grant them, want to see public benefits in return. Here is Persaud’s list of 7 public benefits that he believes warrant approval of the 8 deviations:
1) A 10-foot pedestrian walkway
2) A refresh station adjacent to the walkway with benches, a footwash and a water fountain.
3) An increased front building setback.
4) An unspecific amount of money to help replace pavers in Times Square.
5) Bicycle parking
6) Ground floor retail
7) Rooftop restaurant and bar

The LPA meeting today begins at 9AM and we will carry it live on our Facebook page and YouTube Channel.

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