Saturday, February 04, 2017

MARRIOTT & "PARTNER" KANTI PATEL: Produce data, not "warm fuzzies" on SAN MARCO HOTEL PUD

E-mail sent to MARRIOTT's Senior Design Director:


-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: Steve.Nelson
Cc: edward.ryan ; corporate.ethics ; architectureandconstruction ; john.casey ; jameswhitehouse ; dburnett ; sagresta ; jcblow ; gmisterly ; matthew.shaffer ; coacathy ; longdella24 ; dgalambos
Sent: Sat, Feb 4, 2017 2:07 pm
Subject: SAN MARCO HOTEL PUD: Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine, Florida -- Proposed Deletion of Underground Parking Would Create A Public Nuisance and Embarrass Marriott (San Marco Hotel)

Dear Mr. Nelson:
1. Since you never calledpursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, I referred to Marriott's General Counsel and its Board of Directors Audit Committee the issue of the developer's counsel's lack of candor with the Planning and Zoning Board on the San Marco Hotel PUD major modification.
2. The applicant KANTI PATEL's October 21, 2015 Development Plan Narrative states that the property in quo "does not have any constraints related to topography or soil conditions."  (page 4, emphases added).  No scientific evidence contradicts this legally binding admission.  
3. No, Mr. Nelson, "complete faith" in misstatements is neither desired nor required.  Vague assurances are meaningless.  Seeking to delete underground parking is unacceptable.  Have you viewed the PZB video yet?  www.cosatv.com ;
4. The developer demands to eviscerate our San Marco Hotel Planned Unit Development Ordinance, St. Augustine City Ordinance No. 2006-16, by deleting underground parking.  Underground parking is a legal commitment that the developer requested, sought and signed, and to which he agreed to be legally "bound."  Why does he want to delete underground parking?  Is Marriott aware of this major modification request?  Does Marriott -- and the Marriott family -- endorse it? Have Marriott Board members, including former presidential candidate Willard Mitt Romney, been informed of this indecent demand by the developer of the Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine?
5. Will you and a Marriott lawyer be here in St. Augustine at the PZB meeting on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 2 PM?
6. If so please bring data, not "warm fuzzies" (as professional engineers would call them).  Please note that responses to my records requests nos. 2017-30,31,32,33,34,35,36 & 42 will likely shed more light. Don't be surprised if there are more data gaps and credibility problems uncovered.
7. I look forward to meeting with you, Mr. Nelson, and to showing you our City of St. Augustine, of which we are all justly proud.
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed Slavin
904-377-4998


-----Original Message-----
From: Nelson, Steve <Steve.Nelson@marriott.com>
To: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Feb 1, 2017 3:30 pm
Subject: RE: Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine, Florida -- Proposed Deletion of Underground Parking Would Create A Public Nuisance and Embarrass Marriott

Mr. Slavin, I am in receipt of your advice from last Friday, and while I can appreciate your position, I would like you to know that Marriott International has complete (sic) faith (sic) in our partners to work through favorable resolution of matters such as this.
 
Owner-Operators like Jalaram Hotels Inc. and Greenwood Hospitality are amongst the best in the business, and in talking separately with both Mr. Patel and Mr. Conran, you can rest assured that any concerns you have now, are being addressed now or in the future.
 
Ownership has a promise to Marriott International, and I assure you that no one has anything to gain, and everything to lose, if your great city was to be harmfully impacted by this hotel in any way.
 
Regards,
Steve
 
From: Ed Slavin [mailto:easlavin@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2017 2:21 PM
To: Nelson, Steve
Cc: Casey, John
Subject: Re: Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine, Florida -- Proposed Deletion of Underground Parking Would Create A Public Nuisance and Embarrass Marriott
 
Dear Mr. Nelson:
Are you available to discuss this project, and objectionable deletion of underground parking, perhaps by telephone tomorrow?
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed Slavin
904-377-4998
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Casey, John <John.Casey@marriott.com>
To: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
Cc: Nelson, Steve <Steve.Nelson@marriott.com>
Sent: Fri, Jan 27, 2017 1:43 pm
Subject: Re: Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine, Florida -- Proposed Deletion of Underground Parking Would Create A Public Nuisance and Embarrass Marriott
Steve: the bellow is in regard to the St. Augustine RH. For you!

John D Casey, AIA 
Marriott International 
Director, Design and Project Management
Lifestyle brands
202-907-7453

On Jan 27, 2017, at 10:11 AM, Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com> wrote:
Dear Mr. Casey:
1. Thank you for your assistance in referring me to your colleague who now supervises the Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine, Florida project.
2. Is Marriott aware of the implications of the proposed deletion of underground parking from the Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine?
3. It would require making deliveries and removing garbage with carts on our crowded city sidewalks, rather than moving them underground.  
4. It would clog our already narrow, overcrowded streets with automobiles seeking surface valet parking. 
5. Has Marriott attempted to simulate the narrow turning radius for the valet parking circle at the proposed redesigned hotel, without underground parking?  It appears that it would be impossible for normal sized automobiles to turn around without difficult in the space provided.
6. Constructing the Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine hotel without underground parking and inadequate surface parking would present a public nuisance, eviscerating our Nation's Oldest City's historic area, ruining HP-5 district as a "buffer" between residential and commercial uses.
7. While deleting underground parking might save Mr. Patel money, the costs are not worth it.  Deleting underground parking would reduce mobility in our Nation's Oldest City and hurt Marriott's brand.  Mobility is one of the most serious problems in our very small City, which is being addressed by consultants.
8. I look forward to Marriott opening this magnificent hotel, with underground parking, as legally required by the Planned Unit Development ordinance, which was drafted after two years of hearings before our City Planning and Zoning Board, our Historic Architectural Review Board, and our City Commission.
9. Please direct the  Marriott Renaissance St. Augustine developer, Mr. Kanti Patel, to stick with his legally binding commitment to underground parking, which has already proven a success at his Bayfront Hilton, surviving Hurricane Matthew without flooding.
10. Would Marriott kindly speak with Mr. Patel?   Perhaps one of your colleagues could attend our City of St. Augustine PZB on February 7, 2017.
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed Slavin
904-377-4998
 

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