WELCOME BACK: New businesses

The summer didn’t bring an end to stalemate at the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, consensus on Bayfront Park or an overhaul of the town’s codes and Comprehensive Plan.

But the biggest news of the summer isn’t what didn’t happen.

It’s what did happen: Businesses continued to trickle back onto the Key. Long-awaited development projects broke ground. Properties that have been vacant since the start of the recession are brimming with new life.

For most residents, the new businesses and projects will come as welcome news. And that’s why we begin our annual “Welcome Back” issue with the businesses, development and construction projects that are revitalizing Longboat Key.

Back to business
North-end residents have been thirsty for a liquor store and bar at Whitney Beach Plaza for four years.

This summer gave them a reason to toast.

In July, LBK Liquors opened at 6854 Gulf of Mexico Drive with a beer cave, large wine selection, cigarettes, lottery tickets and mixers, in addition to liquor.

A bar is also on the menu for the plaza. Dr. Giacomo “Jack” Guggino will open Giacomo’s Cigar Bar in the former Tiny’s of Longboat Key this month. For Guggino, the location will be his company’s first outside of Tampa, where he opened Giacomo’s Cigars in 2010.

“We’re hoping this bar will be the catalyst for many more to come,” Guggino told the Longboat Observer in September. “We want to our cigar bars to be all up and down the coast of Florida, and we’re hoping this will be our penetration into the market.”

The new businesses are just the latest additions to the once largely vacant shopping center.

In the past year, Caswell Legal, Engel & Völkers Longboat Key Real Estate, LBK Liquors, Linen Locker and Longbeach Café have opened in Whitney Beach Plaza.

The former Longbeach Chevron building has been vacant since 2007. Last week, Keller Williams announced plans to buy the building at 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive and redevelop it into an office that could hold 20 or more agents.

In the Shoppes of Bay Isles where Longboat Key Publix is located, international retailer J.McLaughlin will open a new men’s and women’s clothing store this month.

And, on Nov. 13, real estate developer W. Howard Rooks and restaurateur Andrea Bozzolo will open Amore by Andrea at the former Mattison’s Steakhouse at the Plaza building at 555 Bay Isles Parkway that’s been vacant for more than six years.

“After six years of vacancy, I am thrilled,” Rooks said.

Developing stories
On the redevelopment front, several projects that had been on hold broke ground this summer.

The hotel formerly known as the Longboat Key Hilton Beachfront Resort — rebranded as the Gulfside Beach Resort in June — said goodbye to its final guests June 30, before beginning site work in August. By mid-October, demolition of the former restaurant building was complete.

Ocean Properties Ltd. first sought to redevelop the resort and add 85 units in August 2009. The company opted to hold off until 2012, when the company’s vice president of operations, Andy Berger, began meeting with town officials. He cited economic improvements as a reason for renewed interest in the project.

There’s also new real estate inventory on the horizon for the mostly built-out Key.

Holmes Beach developer Shawn Kaleta plans to break ground on the first homes in the nine-home Bonaire subdivision at 5005 Gulf of Mexico Drive by the end of the year.

Construction of the 16-unit, $60 million Aria condo project began in July at 2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive and is currently on track for completion in fall 2015. Prices range from $3.44 million to $4.25 million.

Site work began in late October on the $37 million Infinity condo project that will bring 11 new luxury units to the Key priced between $2.95 million and $4.95 million.

The Bleu Claire condominium was originally planned for the site at 4765 Gulf of Mexico Drive in 2005, however, plans were put on hold during the economic downturn.

As of mid-October, five Infinity units had sold, and another unit was under contract.

“We’re in the process now of starting site clearing,” said Randy Moore, managing partner of developer Crossgate LLC, of Atlanta. “We’re excited to be off the ground and running.”