 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Dome District more than dinner and drinks
By LENNIE BENNETT © St. Petersburg Times, published January 31, 2001 ST. PETERSBURG -- Are they anomalies or harbingers? Several businesses have opened in the Dome District in St. Petersburg, not in itself remarkable except that they are new kinds of businesses. An upscale bridal salon, a technology business and a company that manufactures statuary are adding to the mix of restaurants and clubs that have defined growth in the area around Tropicana Field between Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street west to 28th Street. The three are on or near Central Avenue, the spine of downtown redevelopment. Lindy Bengston opened Malindy Elene at 1180 Central Ave. several weeks ago after spending almost $200,000 renovating a former cabinet manufacturing business, furnishing the space with a grand piano, working fountain, antique furniture from her grandmother's house in Georgia and a massive Venetian glass chandelier. It is the first true retail store to move into the Dome District, and an upscale one. The shop is stocked with high-end bridal gowns and accessories. Her gowns carry recognizable designer names such as Carolina Herrera and Badgley Mischka, as well as those specializing in bridal designs such as Cucoe Voci and Rista Rose, with prices starting at $1,500 and rising to $10,000. She carries shoes, head pieces, leather gloves, handbags and bridesmaids gowns. Of her unlikely location, Bengston, who has never owned a business, said, "We've got the money here. People go to Miami or New York for gowns like these. This location is right off the interstate. It's easy to get to from Tampa and Sarasota." Next door, 17 employees of Net Wise work around a construction crew finishing up the transformation of a former rattan furniture store to offices. NetWise is a year-old technology company that began with Web development consulting and has expanded to developing customized systems. "A lot of us were with Arthur Andersen," said Roger J. Boutin, NetWise's chief strategy officer. "We really didn't want to work for a big company, and we wanted offices that were not so corporate." He said he and his partners, most in their 30s, worked out of one of their garages when they first formed NetWise. They liked the accessibility of the Central Avenue area and the character of the building, which has high ceilings and a balcony. "We don't get our business walking by. Our clients are all over the country," Boutin said. "We could have located anywhere, but we like St. Petersburg. And the rents are much cheaper here." NetWise, Boutin said, leases the 3,600 square feet from the building's owner, John Warren, for about $13 per square foot. The range in that area, said commercial broker Wendy Giffin, is $10 to $15, depending on the space and build-out, and would be listed as Class B to Class D. Class A office space is in downtown bank towers, she said, would cost between $15 and $24. Frank Blandford, a commercial broker with Tourtelot Brothers, said that space in Carillon recently was leased for about $25 per square foot. When the Dome District was officially created in 1996, owners and city planners envisioned an entertainment corridor growing up around the ThunderDome, now Tropicana Field. But baseball did not draw the throngs hoped for. Restaurants and clubs that survived have built a local consumer base. The mixed-used business was unanticipated. "It shows what's happening around town," said David Grustin, president of the adjacent Grand Central District. "Things are taking care of themselves regardless of what plans are made. I think mixed use is good, generally." Giffin, who works with a number of downtown property owners, said, "Owners and tenants are convinced the Dome District should not just be night clubs and restaurants." She leased space next door to NetWise this week to another high-tech company, with more serious lookers for other properties. "An advantage here is there is a lot of surface parking," Giffin said. That isn't true in other parts of downtown. Of course, with more development, that could change." Missing is a residential component, which Giffin said "is an important part of the area's growth. The association is encouraging development of multifamily housing at prices not being met by developments near the water." Florida Statuary and Molds at 1134 First Ave. N is a stone's throw from the other two new businesses. Jerry C. Karlik, a retired Clearwater police officer, has been in business for about a year. He makes cast-stone statues, fountains, garden urns and architectural embellishments. A sculptor, he crafts designs in clay which are then translated to molds. Some of his work is one-of-a-kind; some are created in multiple editions. An elaborate fountain can cost as much as $30,000. Most of his business is wholesale and custom orders, but he also sells his wares on-site at retail prices. Karlik, 54, employs eight men and women and grossed about $750,000 his first year. He said: "I could take this business anywhere. I ship all over the world. But I've always liked St. Pete. He chose an old garage in the Dome District for his business "because it's one of the few spots around zoned for light manufacturing." He has been grandfathered in, but other businesses of his ilk will not follow due to zoning changes that prohibit light manufacturing, warehousing and industrial uses. Of past complaints from landowners that the city has been difficult to work with, Giffin said she believes the situation is "a little better. The city made a huge step forward in shaping up the area when it did the streetscaping, making this a viable destination for retailers and business owners." And for consumers. On Tuesday, Lindy Bengston sold a $4,600 bridal gown. "It's so exciting," she said.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times South Pinellas desks |
