you can’t always get what you want
Mr. Bill permalink | categories: citizens, city, development, soho, tampa, transportationby Mr. Bill @ 1:05 pm
Politics, money, and more - how it may be playing a part in SoHo real estate, bars, and restaurants.
The zoning change requested for the 300 block of S. Howard currently occupied by The Dubliner, Sangrias, SohoSushi, and others took an interesting turn at the Nov. 16th City Council meeting. Property owner Frank Kane teamed with Whiskey Park owner Tommy Ortiz to address the main questions of increased parking needs that would occur with the creation of a cigar bar/restaurant on the second floor.
Rumors have circulated for months that the Whiskey Park group is interested in much more than just the upstairs of the building facing Howard Avenue. With the shortage of parking already a major problem in SOHO, the addition of another club will only increase that demand. Not only that, but there will likely be 100 fewer spots as the city considers a reduction of street parking on parts of Westland, Azeele, and Horatio streets (emergency vehicles need the room).
Mr. Ortiz shocked council members when he reported he had either acquired property or negotiated alliances with enough locations to provide a total of 600 parking spaces in SOHO for the additional crowds expected on the 300 block. Knowing the limited parking currently in SoHo, council members John Dingfelder and Linda Saul-Sena seemed stunned to hear such a large number, and questioned some of the specifics in the plan presented by Mr. Ortiz.
Councilmember Kevin White also questioned the reality of available parking. Council Member Shawn Harrison seemed to be most concerned about the wet zoning license. He wanted to know why the desired wet zone includes almost the entire property from border to border, and why designation should stay with the property, regardless of whether parking was added later. Councilmember Gwen Miller stayed quiet through most of the discussion. Rose Ferlita did not.
Councilmember Rose Ferlita was the only council member to aggressively support the Whiskey Park proposal. To me, it appeared that Mr. Ortiz was most eager to get the issue passed at that meeting. He produced over a dozen witnesses to testify as to his soundness in business, cooperativeness with the neighbors, and his ability to bridge various issues. Along with the promise of 600 parking spaces, Ferlita accepted that at face value, and was ready to support the wet zone designation.
Remember, this was the final City Council meeting for both Rose Ferlita and Kevin White. They are leaving City Council to become members of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commission.
I wondered about Ferlita’s unquestionable support for Mr. Ortiz plan, and remembered watching as she stuck campaign signage into the ground in front of the existing Whiskey Park SoHo. So that got me curious. Turns out there might be a bit more to this.
Corporate records indicate Tommy Ortiz and/or Christopher Scott are officers of at least eight different entities. Separately or together, they are involved with Skybar of Tampa, Precision Marketing & Promotions, Tampa Hyde Park Cafe, Tampa Hyde Park Properties, 309 Holdings, Harmony 420, CPT Acquisitions, Tampa Concessions, and 720 South Howard. Along with their personal contributions of $500 apiece, each of those businesses contributed the maximum $500 allowed by law to Ms. Rose Ferlita’s campaign. It appears that most of those checks were bundled and received by Ferlita’s campaign on June 22.
Campaign contributions also came from South Tampa Rentals owned by Frank Kane, the actual owner of the 300 block. Peter Hannouche, who shows up on corporate records with Mr. Ortiz, also gave $500. The Rose Ferlita Republican County Commission campaign raised over $400,000 in total contributions.
To be sure, none of those contributions look to be illegal. However, we believe council member Ferlita should have excused herself from participating in this issue or at the very least acknowledged her relationship with the petitioners. It raises questions in our eyes and in the eyes of the public as to whether our elected officials can be bought. And it is certainly not a good way to start a new elected position.
The final result at the City Council Meeting was to allow time for some compromise discussion and to continue the zoning request to be heard at the December 7th meeting. Additional public input (that Mr. Ortiz & friends were trying to avoid?) will be allowed at that meeting. Rightfully, most council members want proof of parking leases and property ownership before they are willing to approve this zoning change request.
All council members voted to continue the zoning request - including Rose Ferlita. When Mr. Ortiz questioned that decision, John Dingfelder suggested “It is better than being denied.”
You can call the City Council at (813) 274-8131
You can see the Ferlita Campaign Finance Reports here. http://www.votehillsborough.org/CFFilingDetail.aspx?type=contribution&file_id=1508
You can verify corporate officers here: http://sunbiz.org/corpweb/inquiry/cormenu.html
This week’s Creative Loafing includes Wayne Garcia’s The Money Men, a breakdown of some other very “generous” givers in the recent local elections. http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A143851
Read more about what’s going on in SoHo.
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November 17th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
It seems from the business owners point of view lying about the number of parking spaces that you will have available is self correcting. If you don’t provide the spaces you don’t get customers. I am not familiar at all with this area though but is that not the case?
November 17th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
You know, as someone who has worked in politics, I can tell you that there is very little quid pro quo like you are almost alleging here.
The businesses in question supported Ferlita for her positions — the same way a voter casts a vote. They support her agenda, not the other way around.
Since she lives in Hyde Park, she may be more familiar with the area than any of the other Council members. She also knows that the property would have a higher appraised value, and therefore pay more property taxes, if the wet zone passed.
Finally, when Joel is right that it is possible to have agreements with local businesses to get 600 additional parking spaces. There are a number of business on South Howard and South Armenia that would enjoy a little extra money from the parking leases.
November 17th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
‘they support her agenda, not the other way around’…..oh my lord. you cannot be serious. that may sometimes be the case at the upper levels of politics, but at the tampa city council level, i am quid pro quos can and do exist. but even so, so what? if you want money out of elections, then get your system to repond to that. but good luck. the bad boys in dc cant do. so i dont expect the bumpkins and care-nots of tampa to change a system that works for them when they need it.
November 17th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
I never cared for the logic that allows corporations to contribute to political campaigns.
November 18th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
i’m sure skeptical about parking. i watch the tow trucks towing (looks like stealing) cars from soho most weekends. aint no way there’s gonna be enough parking. and Mr Sikorski, isnt Sikorsky Mortgage a corporation? not that that invalidates your point, but what if your (company) wants to make a political contribution?
November 18th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Yes but I don’t use it for political contributins. If I was to contribute money personally and then use my corp to do more am I not really just circumventing the campaign finance laws to give more money than another non-incorporated person can? Other than buying influence that is.
November 18th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Other than buying influence what is the point?
November 20th, 2006 at 9:49 am
No way she had to mention any of that. If you found it in public records, anyone could and that’s disclosure enough.
Recusing is appropriate in instances of conflict of interest, which does not exist here, because Ferlita’s interests were satisfied before this matter came to Council.
This is smart politics, nothing more.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
Tommy Ortiz, owner/ operator of Hyde Park Café and the soon to be closed Whiskey Park, proposes to bring this huge new nightclub close to our neighborhoods. The operating hours at Hyde Park Café are 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM. Under this new wet zoning they propose to similarly operate until 3:00 AM, serving lots of alcohol and cigars but limited food. These individuals are not restaurant or retail shop owners, they are primarily in the bar/nightclub business.
They attempted to address the parking, traffic issues by offering remote lots for parking that they are trying to secure leases for, saying they have made agreements with owners for late night use, or have purchased lots. The numbers of ‘arranged’ off site parking were questioned by several council members and most realized that there is nothing binding about leases with other property owners nearby. In addition, nothing can require people to park remotely rather than in the nearby neighborhoods.
Unless this is the vision you want for South Howard Avenue, please show up at the continued hearing on December 7, 2006 at 10:00 am to voice your concerns. It will take a good showing by the neighborhoods to change the direction South Howard Avenue is going. If you can not attend the hearing, please share with city council your concerns via letter or email. Although this proposed development is not directly adjacent to your neighborhood, its impact will be felt by all who live along the SOHO corridor, as it will sit at the gateway to all of our neighborhoods.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Dear City Council Members and Homeowners,
I want to urge you explore for yourselves exactly what nightclub operator Tommy Ortiz and land owner Frank Kane are petitioning for on South Howard Avenue. A 14,000 square foot megabar is not what was envisioned for narrow South Howard Avenue when the SOHO Overlay District was put in place. Certain individuals who testified in favor of the wet zoning were “motivated”. Please don’t rely entirely on their testimony but check it out for yourselves by going to Hyde Park Café on Platt Street, one of the other nightclubs Mr. Ortiz owns and operates.
Be sure and take money for your cover charge and you will need your picture ID to get past the large men dressed in all black with the earpieces. You should plan to go around 1:00 am because they only operate from 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM and the club scene doesn’t really get going good until after midnight. Inside you will stand shoulder to shoulder with people drinking lots of alcohol and listen to very loud music. And for the ladies, there are special nights when 18 year olds girls can get in without a cover charge so be sure and take your teenage daughters with you.
Please be informed before you approve this 4-COP-X wet zoning at the continued hearing. The petitioners are not restaurant or retail shop owners, the mixed use businesses currently in this location will not remain. Maybe they plan on doing something different on Howard Avenue, but all their other locations and operations for the past several years indicate otherwise. Your decision is one we will all have to live with for a long time. I don’t really believe this is what the surrounding neighborhoods want for South Howard Avenue.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
I hope that the citizens of the SOHO area stand up on December 7th to stop this MEGA club from coming to our neighborhood. I hope Tommy realizes that the Madison community is not for it and his “Soho Parking Alliance” doesn’t even have a code provision to provide for the type of services Tommy wants to provide. Unless of course, he buys off the rest of the council to create a parking code provision just for him. Nothing surprises me after seeing how our rights were sold out by our new county commissioner.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
If City Council passes this wet zoning then shame on them. Emergency vehicles can’t get thru the streets now and if I wanted to live in an entertainment district I would have moved to Ybor City.Sounds like there intent is to interface the registers downstairs with the registers upstairs to offset there requirements by the city of 49% liguor to 51% food.
What do they know about food anyhow? They couldn’t even sell any at the current Whisky Park. And try asking them why they have two types of registers at both Hyde Park cafe and the Whiskey Park. HMM!Sounds like it might also be a way to pay Uncle Sam (less sales tax)less then what is actually owed. That trick is as old as the bar bussiness is. Tom Ortiz is notorious for skimming off the top. Question Freddy at Hyde Park Cafe or Tony at Whishey Park. Don’t trust these guys! They also don’t own the property across from Hyde Park Cafe or Zudars Restaurant next door. Dennis Fonte owns that property and there are no leases in place. Fonte is in the process of taking back over those two property’s.to the Home owners Associations this is Smoke and Mirrors. Don’t believe them they want a Big Nightclub, not a cigar bar for older people. They need to quit comparing themself to Bern’s Dessert room.
December 1st, 2006 at 10:01 am
The last four comments are also “SMOKE AND MIRRORS.” They all came from the same computer, and they left a fake email address. Keep that in mind when reading them.
To the person who left all those comments:
Thank you for commenting on Sticks of Fire. We really value your input, especially on those issues that are of great concern to you personally.
We want to be able to get a variety of viewpoints from different perspectives on every story, and we encourage conversation between all our readers and writers. Feel free to comment all you like, but we
prefer that you to choose one single moniker so people can respond to you personally, and please refrain from
multiple comments in a row.
Furthermore, if you want to make accusations about any of your neighbors, you should have the guts to leave a real email address.
Thank you,
Tommy Duncan
Tampa. It’s your community.
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