San Sebastian tower gets city's OK

San Sebastian tower gets city's OK

KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustinerecord.com
Publication Date: 08/14/07


The St. Augustine City Commission approved the redesign of the San Sebastian Harbor project on Monday, which allows a possible 90-foot tower.

The maximum building height in the city is 35 feet, except for two areas that allow 50-foot buildings, including where the Sebastian project is located. But the Sebastian developer wanted the leeway to work with a 90-foot tower in the architecture.

Attorney George McClure, representing Sebastian developer The Devlin Group, said pedestrians often don't walk farther than the downtown post office to the area where the Sebastian project will be. They hope the tower will change that.

"Our desire to have something that large is to attract pedestrians farther -- it will draw them in," McClure said. "You can say, 'When you get to the post office look for the tower and keep going.'"

The redesign also chopped in half the number of condominiums and more than doubled the amount of hotel rooms from 120 to 225.

Though the project expects to get a Westin Hotel, McClure said the plans are not yet final. Westin has sent a letter of intent to the developer, and members of The Devlin Group have already begun some training with Westin, McClure said.

The commission passed the redesign under the grounds that if Westin does not come through, the hotel that replaces it must be of the same stature.

Commissioner Susan Burk was the only dissenting vote for the redesign. She was not in favor of such a large scale hotel, but did not have a problem with the tower.

Commissioner Don Crichlow is a member the architecture review board for the project and assured the commission he would scrutinize any decisions on a large tower.

Commissioner Errol Jones said he believes the tower will be "eloquent" and will revitalize an often forgotten area of the city.

"I think it will stimulate further growth in that area," Jones said.


Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/081407/news_4773027.shtml

© The St. Augustine Record