Way Clear to Negotiate New Direction for Hacienda Redevelopment
Legal review clears the way for talk of eastward expansion.
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Since a proposal to renovate and expand the shuttered Hacienda Hotel hit a roadblock earlier this year, the New Port Richey government has been stuck in a holding pattern as it explored a different option for revitalizing the downtown historic landmark.
Last week, New Port Richey City Manager John Schneiger heard news that he finds encouraging enough to renew negotiations with the project’s potential developer in pursuit of a new direction for the project. After a legal review, the city manager is ready to talk to the firm about an idea to expand the property northeast into the Gloria Swanson parking lot.
The Story so Far....
In March, the city’s elected officials were poised to vote on a proposal that would have paved the way for the city and the Hacienda’s potential developer, Community Development Partners, to reach a legally binding agreement to convert the historic landmark into a modern boutique hotel. As part of the project, it was proposed that the building be expanded westward into Sims Park
The night of the vote, Schneiger announced that restrictions on development in that section of the park made that direction a no go and the vote was tabled.
Shortly after, the idea popped up of expanding the Hacienda into the Gloria Swanson Parking Lot, on the northeast side of Bank Street.
Andy Ham, vice president of development with CDP, has said the expansion could be a free-standing building to be created on the Gloria Swanson lot. It could house rooms. The current Hacienda building, which opened in the late 1920s but has been vacant since shortly after the city bought it last decade, could house amenities. Parking could be accommodated at the old Post Office building site nearby.
The catch? The city attorney found an egress/ingress easement possibly held by an outside party on property in the footprint of the expansion. CDP was waiting for the city to find out how to tackle it before continuing negotiations.
And now...
According to e-mail records, on June 13, Schneiger learned from the city’s legal team that the title to the property with the easement in question was transferred to the First Baptist Church of New Port Richey in the 1980s. The easement transferred to the church as part of the overall transfer.
When the city bought the church in 2005, the easement in question appears to have transferred to the city with the property title.
“We actually own that easement that we’ve been concerned about, so it’s really about the best news that we could have gotten,”, Schneiger said Tuesday after a city council meeting , specifically in answer to a question from a Tampa Bay Times correspondent.
Schneiger said that he plans to talk to CDP later this week about crafting a proposal for a new agreement to redevelop and expand the Hacienda.
“They’re very excited,” he said in answer to a Patch question.
terri
9:08 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Well, my very first response is that a hotel is not a great idea, for several reasons. One, it has no pool, and a "boutique" hotel in Florida should have a pool. Second, it's down the street from "the hood". You know, the tiny segment across from the library with the delightful upscale shop and its lovely clientele? Get rid of the quickie mart and maybe Main Street will come around. I love the Hacienda. I would love to see it turned into something for kids--a school, children's museum, something like that--since it's so near to the playground. In my opinion, we need to keep downtown family-friendly...with tons of stuff for them to walk to. THAT will revitalize the city!
Clay G. Colson
5:17 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Terri, Carla, Steve and Marvin you are all right. Ist we have plenty of hotel rooms in the area and no demand for more and Holiday/NPR/PR/Hudson is not high on anyone's list as a tourist destination. The problem is that city leaders are short sighted and lack vision as the Hacienda needs to be restored to it's former glory (w/o any additions) as a interactive historical site. It should remain as it was originally, a hostel, with shared facilities just like through most of Europe. European vactioners should be the "target" with the Hacienda being their "homebase", aplace to lay you head at night (or whenever you sleep), change clothes and plan the next day's adventures. Each room should be named for a former famous guests with photos/info about the person. All this would set it aside from all the other hotels. CDP's idea is too grandiose for sleepy little NPR but the Hacienda as it was would be enticing to Europeans who find sleepy quaint.
Carla Gibson
10:28 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
terri, I agree. Putting all that money and effort into turning the Hacienda into a boutique hotel is going to be a BIG flop.
Just HOW MANY tourists (and others) do they think will come running to stay there????
I'm sorry, but (in my opinion) if I was a tourist planning a vacation, there isn't ONE solitary thing that would attract me to the HWY 19 / West Pasco area all the way from Hudson to Holiday. It's a mess ..
steve nellis
11:46 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
It would be a big waste pf money. Ask citizens for ideas. How about renting out spaces for vendors or people to sell items like antiques crafts etc. Could have small coffee shop inside for people to gather
Clay G. Colson
5:56 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Steve & all, the city has asked for citizen's ideas and has received many but the key to getting officials to listen is showing up at city council meetings (ccm) and workshops. I, along with ONPR, came to ccm about the Hacienda when it was planned to go westward into Simms Park taking out the super playground and restrooms. We had leafletted park goers and parents at the playground to inform them so they would attend ccm. Only 2 parents showed up ... just once. Citizens need to get involved and regularly attend ccms.
MARVIN W. KASSED PHD
3:41 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
I worked at the Hacienda when it was a program for seniors with "mental illness"( 1989+/-.)+ It was inteeresting and had quite an early history. If there was a way to keep it's antique looks but make it new- age comfortable that would be neat.
I'd love to hear from fellow therapists with whom I served. DRMARKAS@AOL.COM
Alex Tiegen
3:46 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Hi Marvin,
Great to hear from you. If you'd like to see some of our coverage of the Haciendas history, you can also see our local historian's column http://newportrichey.patch.com/articles/hacienda-hotel-new-port-richeys-national-historic-landmark
m.c.
5:32 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
It's a beautiful hotel that I would like to see restored but not expanded think the one thing they could do is remove what looked like a addition off the back that does not fit the architectural style, and put a trellis covered patio out back for people to dine out by the park.
Carla Gibson
9:51 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
YES YES .. restore that beautiful old building to it's ORIGINAL glory and let it shine as a historical PLACE OF INTEREST for New Port Richey ---- not some "cheesy" commercial endeavor that's doomed to fail as soon as they see that not enough customers are coming to keep it running, and it ends up shuttered & falling apart once again.
Rob Marlowe
7:29 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
From the Times article on the same subject:
No plans are set for how the hotel will be constructed, but Ham has said initial thoughts are for the historic building along Main Street to be refurbished with restaurant and retail space on the first floor, and conference space, a spa and hotel suites on the second.
Additional rooms would be built in a tower on the Gloria Swanson parking lot, which would not connect to the existing historic structure. An old post office building adjacent to the parking lot would also need to be razed for parking, Schneiger has said.
Clay G. Colson
12:13 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Again the problem is that they intend to significantly alter the existing interior and design, which was that of European hostels, to the detriment of it's historical value. I am sorry to tell you this Rob but NPR or the surrounding areas are NOT tourist destinations or places where businesses say WOW let's go hold our conference/convention in NPR at a historic site. The idea is grandiose and the equivalent of "build it and they will come" ... a field of dreams which won't come true.
If nothing else the city should insist that the original Hacienda Hotel remain as it was designed put all the amenities in the new building. Or better yet let the city seek the grant money available for historical restoration, create an interactive museum based on its history and market it to the European$ who have buck$ and like hostel settings. Hire a management company to run it for say 10 - 15% of the profits. Whatever you do don't ruin the historical value of the Hacienda and its rich history.
Alex Tiegen
7:50 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
Yes, that is in line with what is in my story and understanding just with my understanding just with some more details. You can also see the articles from when the eastward expansion was first proposed, which mentions those in detail. http://newportrichey.patch.com/articles/city-looks-to-gloria-swanson-parking-lot-for-hacienda-expansion
Carla Gibson
12:25 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012
Just curious ..
Has anyone figured out the exact number of DAILY customers / tourists that will be REQUIRED to keep such a project running & profitable when it's finished??
Just "where" will all of these patrons come from? Tourists? Locals?
Why doesn't this project make any sense to me?
Nancy MacDonald
9:57 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
A modern boutique hotel is not going to be useful in NPR because one cannot just stay in the hotel and feel as if it's a vacation or a restful sojourn from a stressful life. If this were further south on the Fl coast with a community appearance to complement the hotel such as the Don Cesar has or others in Sanibel, Nokomis that would be different. Please stop and think about these helpful comments and turn your ideas into something practical. Cyclers staying at a hostel sounds like a good one; they wouldn't mind the grubby appearance of NPR & would probably like the quaint art deco retro 30's look & use the place as an inexpensive stay on an affordable vacation. Old movies in the lounge; 30's music in the lobby. Swing sets with a place to set your drink while listening to the mellow tunes of yesteryear. Be low key, but historic, much better than what I read about a modern boutique hotel. Nancy