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Developers seek Belleair approval on Biltmore renovations.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/article495951.ece
St. Petersburg Times Friday May 9, 2008
By
Mike Donila,
Times Staff Writer

A rendering of the new Belleview Biltmore Hotel and Resort.
In the next few weeks, the small town of Belleair will find
out what one of its biggest destination points could look like.
The Belleview Biltmore, bought last year by a
California-based developer, needs a lot of work. But after saving the historic
landmark from the wrecking ball, builders hope they can get a little help from
town leaders to move things along.
And so far, it appears they've got support from at least
two of the town's top officials.
"I sure hope things work out," said Mayor Gary Katica, who
said he couldn't discuss the plan in detail because the Town Commission's quasi
judicial hearings limit what he can say publicly.
"The planners have gone through and looked at the plan and
it seems pretty reasonable to our planning department, so we're hopeful," City
Manager Micah Maxwell said.
After paying $30.3-million in June for the site, Los
Angeles-based Legg Mason Real Estate Investors said they are prepared to turn it
into a four- or five-star resort.
To do that, they will need Belleair planners and
commissioners to agree to a few things that the town's building code doesn't
typically allow.
First, they need to build a little higher. Then they want
to eliminate some parking spaces. Finally, they'd like to add a few additional
key accessories that aren't part of the actual hotel.
The Belleair Planning and Zoning Board on Monday will make
recommendations to the plan, which then goes to the Town Commission the
following week. Both meetings are expected to draw big crowds because of the
building's significance. Although there are opponents — some say the buildings
will be too high — it appears a majority of the town's 4,100 residents support
it, the mayor said.
Here's a look at what the developer needs to move forward:
Height: The developer wants to build a 60-foot-tall east
wing hotel annex that will include 176 rooms. The code allows for 32 feet, but
Legg Mason officials say they need five stories. Plus, they say, it would be
roughly the same size as the Biltmore. They also need an extra 7 feet in height
for the 20,000-square-foot spa they want to build on the west side of the hotel
where the tennis courts are now. Finally, the builder wants about 9 feet extra
for a pool-side cafe, which they say is needed to match the architecture of the
Biltmore.
Parking: Legg Mason also wants to reduce the parking space
length from the town code mandate of 20 feet to 18 feet. Additionally, they want
a break from the minimum 2,075 parking spaces that such a project needs,
according to the code. They're looking to build roughly 650 spaces, most of them
underground. Developers argue that more spaces aren't needed because people
won't use all the facilities at one time. If they do, then the resort's nearby
golf course parking lot could be used for valet parking in the evening, boosting
the total spaces to 907. Land where parking is currently located will be
landscaped to create a "park-like area to make the place feel special," said
Cyndi Tarapani, vice president for Planning Florida Design Consultants, which is
working with Legg Mason.
Miscellaneous: The town has a rule that any "accessory" has
to be in the main hotel. However, the developer doesn't want to attach the spa
and pool-side cafe to the Biltmore. The hotel currently has a cafe next to the
pool, but the developer wants to replace it.
Some of the builder's other plans for the $100-million
project include creating a 13,000-square-foot ballroom and adding more banquet,
meeting room and convention space. The spa plans to include 13 treatment rooms,
a fitness center, salon and aerobics room.
The main 820,000-square-foot hotel will be painted white,
have a green roof and feature a Victorian-style spread with 274 rooms. The
22-acre site will feature a two-floor underground parking garage and landscaping
and walking trails will replace the parking lots.
The developer also plans to demolish the pagoda entrance
and build an entrance consistent with the architecture of the rest of the
resort.
In all, the plans are in stark contrast to several years
ago when then-potential buyer DeBartolo Development planned to raze the hotel to
build 180 condos.
If approved, the resort would close next May and reopen in
January 2012.
>>Fast Facts
Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa
Where: 25 Belleview Blvd.
Significance: In 2005, the National Trust for Historic
Preservation named the Biltmore one of America's 11 most endangered historic
places.
What's going on: Los Angeles-based Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors plan to rehab the old building, once a stopping place for celebrities
and famous athletes.
Some key features: A new lobby, entrance, ballroom wedding
gazebo. A new pool will be flanked by cabanas, and tennis lovers will get new
courts.
Cost: $100-million
http://www.clearwatergazette.com/20080508/legg.html Clearwater
Gazette Thursday May 8, 2008
Hotel Owners Legg Mason to Hear From and Address Town
Board and Council Regarding Variances
by Renee Burrell
|
BELLEAIR - The Town of Belleair Planning and Zoning Board
will review the site plans and requests for variances submitted by the Belleview
Biltmore Resort's current property owners, Legg Mason, on Monday May 12. The
Belleair Town Council's regularly scheduled meeting will be held Tuesday, May
20.
The Planning and Zoning Board is a quasi-judicial body and
members will make recommendations to the Town Council concerning variance
requests needed to assist in renovating the hotel into a historical tourist
destination with all of the luxury and conveniences expected of a five star
resort.
Representatives from Legg Mason will give the Board a
presentation at the meeting. Joseph Penner, Legg Mason Managing Director said,
"We are thankful for all the positive support we have received within the
community and we urge all of you who are interested to attend and speak out at
the Town meetings in May."
Unlike previous owners, Legg Mason intends to invest
millions of dollars into the 111- year- old hotel national registered as a
Historic Place, with a historically sensitive and environmentally minded
renovation plus usher the often called "White Queen of the Gulf" into the future
with construction of a new "East Wing," two levels of subterranean parking, and
a new, more grand and fitting entrance with lushly landscaped grounds. A few of
the improvements to the resort call for needed variance approval:
- An increase in height from 32 feet to 60 feet for a
new "East Wing" which will be shorter in length and have a smaller footprint
than the staff quarters previously on the same site.
- An increase in height from 32 feet to 39.08 feet for a
new spa structure.
- An increase of height from 32 feet to 40.33 for a new
poolside café structure.
- Reduction in the dimension of parking spaces from 9
feet by 20 feet to 9 feet by 18 feet which is consistent with modern parking
standards, and the cities of Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo and Tampa.
- Reduction in the number of required parking spaces
from the Town of Belleair code of approximately 2075 spaces to 643 spaces.
The parking proposed by Legg Mason is in excess of the suggested number of
spaces determined by the parking demand study (Haas, April, 2008). It is
consistent with municipal codes of cities that have other commercial
developments. Specifically, Clearwater, Orlando, Tampa and St. Petersburg
all take into consideration the "internal capture" of existing guests
utilizing the hotel amenities, where the Bellaire code does not.
- Permit an accessory spa use to be located outside the
primary structure within a separate building.
- Permit an accessory Poolside Café use to be located
outside the primary structure of the main building. Historically, the
Poolside Café has been a separate structure from the main hotel for many
years.
The Resort's Golf Club will also be improved and current
architectural plans call for the Town Council to approve three variances:
- Reduction in the dimension of parking spaces from 9
feet by 20 feet to 9 feet by 18 feet.
- Reduction in the number of parking spaces from
approximately 274 spaces to 244 spaces.
- To reduce the landscape buffer requirement as follows;
A. Along the west (front parking lot line) along Indian Rocks Road from
landscape standard B to 5 feet on the subject site with an additional 5 feet
within the right of way. The two 5 foot landscape strips will be located on
either side of a sidewalk. Standard B requires between a 10 and 25 foot
buffer; and B. Along the north and south front property line along
Poinsettia and Althea roads, respectively, from landscape standard A to 0
feet on the subject site with 10 feet within the right of way. Standard A
requires between 10 and 20 foot buffer.
According to Penner, "…the last twelve months have been a
positive experience working together with; the citizens, the
homeowners/condominium associations, the Belleair Country Club, the staff and
the Town Council. The Association and the Country Club have provided great
insight and ideas during the numerous meetings we've had the last several
months. We continue to appreciate their efforts toward this project."
Belleair Country Club President James McArthur said he
appreciates the perseverance and cooperative effort of Legg Mason and their
team. "They continue to work with the community and the Club's leadership to
resolve any outstanding issues."
Fast Facts about Belleair's Belleview Biltmore Resort &
Spa:
- Built by railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant, the hotel
opened in 1897.
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in
December, 1979.
- Purchased by Legg Mason, June, 2007.
- Includes 176 rooms in the new "East Wing", 260 hotel
rooms in the restored Biltmore and 12 rooms in the Magnolia and Palm
Cottages
- 13,000-square-foot Tiffany Ballroom with magnificent
original stained glass ceiling
- 140,000 square feet banquet and meeting room space
- 18,908 square foot full service spa with thirteen
treatment rooms plus a fitness center, salon and aerobics room
- World class 18-hole Donald Ross designed golf course
- Cost of restoration project to exceed $100 million
- Projected grand reopening January, 2012 in time for
the resort's 115 Year Anniversary
Fast Facts About the Hotel's Nationally Renowned New
Owners, Legg Mason:
- Fortune ® Magazine's
March 17, 2008 issue included its annual ranking of America's Most Admired
Companies®. For the second consecutive year, Legg Mason ranked in the top 5
of the securities industry category.
- Part of publicly traded Legg Mason Inc., the world's
fifth largest asset manager, with assets of more than $800-billion.
Biltmore owners to present site plan.
![[Image]](Biltmore%20.jpg)
Artist rendering courtesy of LEGG MASON
A rendering depicts Legg Mason’s proposal for the new 174-room East Wing of the
Belleview Biltmore Resort.
BELLEAIR – The town’s planning and zoning board will review Legg Mason’s
Belleview Biltmore site plan on Monday, May 12, at 5:30 p.m. The public is
invited to comment.
The plans include a complete restoration of the existing hotel, a new 174-room
East Wing, two levels of subterranean parking, and a new grand entrance with
landscaped grounds. The current plans will require the town to grant several
variances, which include:
• A height variance for the East Wing, which will be approximately 15-feet
greater in height than the old “dormitory” building, but will be shorter in
length and have a smaller footprint than the old building.
• A reduction in the size of the parking spaces from 9-feet wide, 20-feet long
to 9-feet wide, 18-feet long.
• A reduction in the overall parking calculated by the town code from 2,075
spaces to 643 spaces. The parking proposed by Legg Mason is in excess of the
suggested number of spaces determined by the parking consultant’s study. Legg
Mason maintains that it is consistent with municipal codes of cities that have
other commercial developments.
• A variance to allow the new Spa and Poolside Grill to be outside the main
hotel building.
• A height variance for the Poolside Grill building from 32 feet to 40.3 feet.
• A height variance for the spa building from 32 feet to 39.08 feet. While the
spa building is only one story, Legg Mason said the slope of the land and the
method chosen by the town to calculate the average height necessitates this
variance.
In addition, there are three variances requested for the Belleview Biltmore Golf
Club, two of which relate to the number of parking spaces and their size. The
third relates to the request by Legg Mason to put buffer zone landscaping within
the public right of way.
On May 12, the planning and zoning board will hear a presentation from Legg
Mason, as well as comments from the public and then make a recommendation to the
Town Commission regarding the site plan. Legg Mason will present the plan for
approval to the commission at its Tuesday, May 20 meeting.
In a press release, Joseph Penner, managing director for Legg Mason, said, “The
last 12 months have been challenging, but a positive experience working together
with the citizens, the staff and the town. The project is large and complex, and
has required the input of many specialized consultants who have been part of a
large team assembled for this task. Balancing the needs and desires of the town
and its residents with the physical limitations of the property and economic
considerations has been a daunting job, but I believe we have succeeded.”
The Biltmore was purchased by Legg Mason in June of last year.
The renovation cost is estimated to be in excess of $100 million, with the
projected grand reopening set for January 2012, in time for the hotel’s 115th
anniversary.
Cabana Club may have date with wrecking ball
A Victorian-style hotel would take its place on Sand Key.
By JOSE CARDENAS, Times Staff Writer
Published February 7, 2008

The Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa's owner wants to build
this hotel on Sand Key where the existing Cabana Club stands.
CLEARWATER - The new owner of the Belleview Biltmore Resort
& Spa has filed plans to tear down the resort's beach club on Sand Key.
Gone would be the existing Cabana Club and its two
restaurants.
In its place would be a six-floor, Victorian-style boutique
hotel with 38 rooms and a new restaurant.
Legg Mason Real Estate Investors bought the Cabana Club in
June along with the Belleview Biltmore across Clearwater Harbor in Belleair.
The Los Angeles company filed redevelopment plans for the
Cabana Club on Friday with the city of Clearwater. It had already filed plans
with the town of Belleair to renovate the main resort.
Clearwater officials could approve the plans as early as
April 15. Representatives of Legg Mason said the combined construction cost for
both projects could be $150-million. Work could start as early as 2009.
The company, which paid nearly $30.3-million for the
historic landmark, hopes guests of the eventually restored Biltmore will have
the option to boat across the water and stay at the Cabana Club hotel on the
Gulf of Mexico.
"The cabana project is an enhancement to the overall
historic preservation that begins in Belleair," said George Rahdert, the St.
Petersburg attorney who represents the company. Rahdert also represents the St.
Petersburg Times.
"It will allow guests to enjoy our beaches," he said.
The 110-year-old Biltmore is one of Pinellas County's most
significant historic structures.
Among other things, Legg Mason aims to make ample
restorations to the lobby, the spa, parking lot, ball and dining rooms. The
number of rooms would go from 244 to 435.
Across the water, other work at the Cabana Club would
include tearing down two restaurants and replacing them with one. The hotel
would have cabanas on the western side of the hotel.
Legg Mason promises a "first-class" hotel.
Some Sand Key residents have historically opposed
additional development on their island. Though not all neighbors have signed off
on the Cabana Club plans, some say the project is acceptable.
"Quite frankly, the new plans have taken into account an
awful lot of the issues that we had in mind that initially would not be to our
pleasing," said George Mitrovich, president of the Cabana Club Condominium
Association.
Though the condo association members' homes are next to the
Cabana Club, Mitrovich said the proposed new building will not block the
property owners' views of the water.
James Warner, a Realtor and Sand Key resident, said the low
density of 38 units should satisfy some critics.
"The issue is going to be view alteration," he said. People
"were very vocal the last time. They don't want that building there."
Project architect Richard Heisenbottle said Legg Mason is
asking for a variance that would allow six floors.
But even with the variance, he pointed out, the hotel would
be shorter than the buildings nearby.
Still, it's not possible to completely address the concerns
of people to the east of the hotel whose views would be blocked, Heisenbottle
said.
But he added that Legg Mason has made modifications to the
plans. They included putting additional space between the hotel and the
buildings to the north and south to allow for better views in between.
Others have complained of potential noise when the guests
from the Biltmore arrive at the Cabana Club by boat.
To address that, Heisenbottle said, Legg Mason is exploring
switching to a different boat slip farther away.
"We are committed to try to work with the neighbors as much
as we can and to mitigate the impact of our project," he said.
Jose Cardenas can be reached at
jcardenas@sptimes.com
or 727 445-4224.
Cabana Club redevelopment
- Six-floor, Victorian-style hotel
- 38 rooms
- New restaurant
- Transportation between the new hotel and the main
Belleview Biltmore resort by both van and boat
http://www.tbnweekly.com/content_articles/011608_bee-01.txt
Belleair Bee January 16, 2008
Preservation Task Force sees Biltmore plans.
By HARLAN WEIKLE
![[Image]](Magnolia%20Cottage.jpg)
Rendering courtesy of RICHARD HEISENBOTTLE
Plans for the Magnolia Cottage and two other cottages on the Biltmore property
are envisioned as luxury bed and breakfast additions to the resort.
BELLEAIR – Architect Richard Heisenbottle presented plans for the restoration of
the Belleview Biltmore Hotel to the county’s Preservation Task Force on Jan. 9.
Heisenbottle, who is spearheading the design project, had previously made a
similar public presentation to the gathering of Belleair residents and town
officials. During last Thursday’s meeting, some new details of the proposed
restoration were revealed.
Using a slide presentation, Heisenbottle detailed the major components of the
restoration project, which is estimated to cost $100 million. Notably, some of
the most dramatic changes to the historic resort will be the ones that aren’t
seen: service tunnels, loading docks and underground parking for nearly 700
cars, which will open space surrounding the resort to new use such as event
lawns for receptions, outdoor weddings or simple romantic strolls through
Victorian gardens.
Two levels of underground parking will be 20 feet below a sod- and shrub-covered
expanse of lawn dotted by containerized trees. The entire structure will be
covered with a foot of soil and a drainage system. Like “Alice in Wonderland,
cars will disappear down a rabbit hole; a bit of, “Disney magic” as Heisenbottle
called it.
Another “Disneyesque” aspect of the project will include lots of tunnels, which
the architect says is a necessary component of any world class resort. Service
tunnels will lead from the new two-story central prep kitchen to smaller
kitchens serving the several dining venues envisioned for the project.
Out-of-sight, out-of-mind, these tunnels, some of which already exist, will rise
by elevator directly into the smaller kitchens.
“Thus ensuring that no guest will ever be confronted by a food cart,”
Heisenbottle said.
Likewise, the exterior service areas, which now wrap unceremoniously around the
perimeter of the hotel, are to be replaced by a single, modern service area
replete with loading docks and mechanical facilities, all of which will be
hidden behind 6-to-8 foot landscaped garden walls.
The ballrooms, too, will receive special treatment. The Tiffany and Candlelight
ballrooms will be restored to their original grace and the Starlight Ballroom
will have its original window walls revealed; walls, which are now covered by
interior secondary walls.
A new architecturally sensitive hotel annex will add additional rooms needed to
accommodate conventions, and a new one story spa will rise over underground
parking space. Facing the west side of the hotel this structure almost
“residential” in character Heisenbottle said, “will not interfere with anyone’s
view,” referring to the neighboring condominium buildings bordering the site.
Lastly, the architect revealed their intentions to restore the three cottages on
the property – the Magnolia, Palm and Sunset. The three cottages are envisioned
as small, luxury bed and breakfast additions to the resort. These three
cottages, which are not part of the historic registration, will be restored with
all the same attention to detail and historical reference as the main resort. In
fact, Heisenbottle said the Biltmore’s new owners would consider applying for
the historic registration of these cottages as the project developed.
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/16/Northpinellas/Today_s_Letters__Focu.shtml
St. Petersburg Times January 16, 2008
Today's Letters: Focus on bigger picture, not parking
spaces
By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Go slowly on Biltmore okays editorial, Jan. 9
It is with great pleasure that I accepted the proposal of Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors to become the architect of this grand project. The Belleview Biltmore
has been, and will continue to be, a property of national prominence and
historical value, and Legg Mason has demonstrated the correct vision for the
restoration of the property.
We have spent an enormous amount of time listening to the input of many experts,
local citizens and the town leaders. It has been a large undertaking, and I
believe that we have succeeded in our goal to balance the property's historical
aspects, secure its market potential and functionality, and carefully protect
the context of its neighborhood and residents. The future for the hotel and its
surroundings is very positive.
Our proposed entrance enhancements will greatly benefit all property owners,
including the Belleair Country Club. This includes having adequate and
convenient guest parking. Unfortunately, the Belleair zoning code requiring
2,000 spaces is excessive and would make the project unfeasible. If this project
were to be constructed in Clearwater, St. Petersburg or Tampa, parking
requirements would range from 442 to 490 parking spaces.
We did engage parking consultants Timothy Haahs & Associates to assess the
project's true parking demand based upon industry standards for similar resort
hotels. Taking into account such factors as hotel occupancy, captive market and
peak hours, they told us we have a peak demand of 553 cars and recommended a
garage with a self-parking capacity of 560. (Currently there are 172 parking
spaces on site)
We have chosen to exceed this recommendation and have proposed a garage with
capacity for 652 cars. There will also be a valet parking capacity of 768 cars,
plus overflow parking for more than 251 cars available at the golf club.
We have been extremely pleased with all the positive feedback we have received
from the community, and we realize that a project of this scope and size will
certainly be scrutinized by all. We are dedicated to the functionality of the
property, as well as to the context of the neighborhood surrounding it. I
believe that Legg Mason Real Estate Investors Inc. has assembled the best team
possible, and I urge all to continue to focus on the bigger picture of saving
and restoring this national treasure.
Richard J. Heisenbottle, Coral Gables
http://www.tampabaysun.com/TBS_Jan_10_08-LOW-RES.pdf
Tampa Bay Sun Newspaper January 10, 2008
Redevelopment Plan Filed for the Belleview Biltmore
By Carrie Henderson
After three long years of fighting to save the historic
Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa, formal plans for its redevelopment were filed
with the town of Belleair.
Originally built in 1896/97 by railroad tycoon Henry B.
Plant, the 820,000-square-foot hotel is the largest occupied wood frame
structure in the state, and is constructed of native Florida pine wood. The
property consists of 160 acres, including swimming pools, a beach club,
restaurant, and an 18-hole golf course.
Located at 25 Belleview Boulevard, this "grand dame"
overlooks the Clearwater Harbor. Throughout history it has welcomed presidents,
royalty, movie stars and sports icons.
Fondly known as "The White Queen of the Gulf," the
111-year-old landmark was first threatened to be demolished back in November
2004 by its owner. A developer wanted to purchase the land after the hotel was
destroyed. A week later a web site was launched,
http://www.savethebiltmore.com,
and a community outcry ensued.
A small group of residents and community supporters started
to work towards saving the hotel through emails, letters and petitions. In 2005
the National Trust listed the hotel as one of the "11 Most Endangered Historic
Places."
In the spring of 2005, the town decided to hire a
preservation attorney after it had been determined that the Comprehensive Plan
of Belleair had been written to help save and preserve the hotel. The attorney
wrote a preservation ordinance, and it was completed in September 2005.
After pressure from Save the Biltmore Preservationists, a
nonprofit organization, there was an amendment passed to save the public
interior as well as the exterior, which is standard for most preservation
ordinances. The interior areas contain wood molding, wainscoting, original
Tiffany glass, heart of pine wood and more.
Legg Mason Real Estate Investors, a Los-Angeles-based
subsidiary of Legg Mason asset management firm, announced in March 2007 plans to
buy and restore the hotel site with hopes of transforming it into a five-star
resort.
Joseph Penner, the managing director of Legg Mason, said he
is hopeful that the city process is smooth and swift so they can move forward
with the redevelopment plans.
"We have literally dozens of meetings with our neighbors
and other members of the community, as well as our state and local government
officials, and have to the fullest extent possible incorporated their
recommendations," said Penner in a press release.
Diane Hein, President of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists, said the nonprofit group applauds the new renovation plans.
"We are very excited that the new owners will be renovating
the entire hotel to restore it to its former glory, reminiscent up to the 1940s
era," she said.
Renovation and restoration plans to return the Biltmore to
its former glory days include:
- A new landscaped grand entrance to the main hotel
- A fully restored 256-room main hotel structure with 5
ballrooms, meeting rooms, restaurants and retail shops
- A new, but architecturally consistent, 174-room annex
hotel adjacent to the main hotel structure
- Three restored Victorian cottages
- A new one-story spa facility with underground parking
- Elegantly landscaped grounds and the elimination of
surface parking through the construction of underground parking
- Removal of the existing "pagoda" structure at the
current front entrance to the main hotel
- A refurbished clubhouse, improved landscaping and
parking at the Pelican Golf Club

Renditions by architect R. J. Heisenbottle
Fire department
ready to protect citizens, Biltmore
By HARLAN WEIKLE
BELLEAIR – Few
people will ever experience it. Even fewer will ever lose their businesses
or homes to this frightening phenomenon, but the specter of fire is a
visceral fear that affects all equally.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 1997 and
2006, an average of 3,760 Americans lost their lives and another 20,010 were
injured annually as the result of fire.
Tuesday night, newly appointed Largo fire Chief Michael Wallace came to
Belleair with some statistics of his own and the town, home to the Belleview
Biltmore, which is Florida’s largest wooden structure, was listening.
Wallace grew up in Largo and has now returned to head the fire department.
He directs among other units, the operations of Engine 43 which responds to
fire emergencies, EMS and advanced life support – all part of a tightly
woven and unique system of manpower and equipment called perpetual automatic
aid.
The system, Wallace explained, allows any fireman on the street the ability
to call for assistance without regard to municipal boundaries or political
jurisdiction.
“In a matter of minutes I can call in as much manpower as needed simply by
using the radio; and that represents a lot of firefighting capability,”
Wallace said.
There are 17 departments in the county, with 68 stations from St. Petersburg
to Tarpon Springs manned in three shifts by some 900 professional
firefighters. The stations are strategically situated, separated by not more
than a mile-and-a-half, which accounts for a response time that averages
four minutes from first alarm to insertion, explained Wallace.
“Our goal is to arrive before the dispatcher is finished recording the
call,” he said.
Addressing the pending closure and restoration of the historic Belleview
Biltmore, Wallace said the department recently completed a close inspection
of the structure and is satisfied that the owners have met the safety
requirements called for by the National Fire Codes.
“In fact they have been very proactive in achieving this condition,” he
said.
When demolition and restoration begins, the resort will be closed, said
Wallace, at which time another set of code requirements for vacant
structures will be in effect. Smoke detectors, variable heat sensors, the
sprinkler system and remote alarm monitoring will then take over as the
first line of fire defense for the landmark structure.
If a fire occurs, the chief explained, they can bring in as much
firefighting power to the site as required, including a fully charged water
line that surrounds the structure. In addition, he said, they have the
ability to tap into the integrated water supply from nearby Morton Plant
Hospital.
“No one has ever died in a fire in a sprinkler-equipped building,” Wallace
said. “The best piece of advice we can give homeowners is that a sprinkler
in the kitchen and one in every bedroom saves lives.”
It can cost as little as $200 per sprinkler to retrofit a home, he added.
Candidate qualifying
Two seats on the Town Commission are up for election this March.
Commissioners Karla Rettstatt and Tom Shelly have both qualified to seek
re-election to their respective seats. There are no declared candidates
opposing either. The period for qualifying ends Friday, Jan. 11.
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/09/Northpinellas/Today_s_Letters__Cond.shtml
Letters to the Editor
St. Petersburg Times Wednesday January 9, 2008
Today's Letters: Condo residents foresee problems
Re: Biltmore owner listens, tweaks, moves forward, story, Dec. 30
This article regarding the renovation of the Belleview Biltmore hotel included a
rendering of the spa, which the developer plans to build on the site presently
occupied by the hotel's tennis courts. Although there is much in the developer's
plans for the hotel's renovation that meets the residents' approval, there is
great concern regarding the spa.
The rendering shows a view from Belleview Boulevard of a one-story building with
a dormer roof. The view the surrounding condominium buildings have is of an
80-car garage with the spa on top. Belleview Boulevard is on a ridge, and the
ground to the west of the boulevard slopes sharply down to the water.
The rendering gives a false impression, in that it does not show measurements,
elevations of the surrounding terrain, or indicate the other existing buildings
at the site. The old hotel is immediately across Belleview Boulevard from the
spa. South Garden VIII, an eight-story condominium with 62 units, is less than
100 feet south of the garage/spa just on the other side of a service road. The
units on the north side of building VIII will be looking into the garage, the
side of the spa or down on the roof of a large building, rather than on the
present tennis courts surrounded by trees and flowering bushes.
Of particular concern is the developer's plan to locate the entrance and exit to
the garage onto the service road. The headlights of cars exiting the garage at
night will shine directly into the units across the service road, and the
exhaust fumes and noise will be equally objectionable.
The service road is a major exit from VIII's garage and an emergency exit for
South Garden VI. It is also used by trucks, moving vans, city trash vehicles,
etc. The road terminates at a marina and the hotel's docks.
There is a sharp drop in elevation from the corner of Belleview Boulevard to the
proposed entrance-exit of the garage less than 100 feet away. This presents a
real danger to cars exiting the garage from cars coming down the hill.
The developer plans to put a restaurant in the hotel immediately across the
boulevard from the spa, using the 80-car garage for patron parking. One can
envision a line of cars extending down the hill from Belleview Boulevard to the
garage entrance. Building VIII has owners' cars parked on the south side of the
service road, and this will leave just one car width to handle traffic on the
service road.
These concerns of our residents, together with a petition and photographs, have
been presented to Belleair commissioners and copies given to the hotel. It is
the hope of the residents that the developer will make the changes in the plans
that we feel are needed.
Ralph J. Hoey, president, South Garden VIII
Re: Biltmore owner listens, tweaks, moves forward, story, Dec. 30
Guardhouse plan needs a tweak
The present location of the Biltmore guardhouse accomplishes little in providing
full security to the private residents of the complex, since the public must
access the Belleview Biltmore Hotel and the Belleair Country Club via the same
entry point. Providing appropriate security measures for Biltmore Estates is
impossible with the public and private access flowing through this singular
control point.
If the Biltmore Estates are to enjoy the full security they seek, the guardhouse
must be located on Belleview Boulevard at a point before the first condominium (Bayshore
II) and beyond the entrance road to the hotel and country club. Such a location
would render the Estates a totally private and fully secure site, while allowing
unencumbered access to the public areas of the complex.
With the additional traffic that can be anticipated after the hotel renovations,
there is no reason to have a security checkpoint in the current location when
most of the visitors are accessing the public facilities. There are a few
private homes along Belleview Boulevard that would be outside the secured area,
but truth be known, they have never had full security. No resident of the
Estates enjoys full security and won't until the guard shack is relocated to the
aforementioned location.
In your article, you mention that project architect Richard J. Heisenbottle
plans to move the guard shack slightly west to allow up to five cars to line up
without obstructing access to nearby homes. With all due respect to Mr.
Heisenbottle, a busy day at the resort often results in cars lined up all the
way across the bridge and beyond. The guard shack has always been a bottleneck
to public access in the current location and it wouldn't be if relocated.
To provide security for parking at the resort and country club would simply
require the installation of a guard shack at some point on the entrance road to
those facilities.
M. Van Natten, Largo
Belleview Biltmore needs thorough study
A Times Editorial
Published January 8, 2008
Belleair town officials and neighbors of the historic
Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa have been delighted so far by the openness
and flexibility of the hotel's apparent savior, Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors.
Their delight should not prevent officials from putting
Legg Mason through the wringer, if necessary, to make sure there are no
regrets after this $100-million project is completed.
Town officials owe that kind of scrutiny to the
community.
Consider, for example, the developer's parking plans.
Belleair's code normally would require almost 2,000
parking spaces for the renovated and expanded Belleview Biltmore property.
However, Legg Mason wants to build only about 650. Their theory is that
2,000 spaces aren't needed because people will not use all the facilities -
the hotel, the spa, the ballroom, restaurants, etc. - at one time. On
special occasions when the 650 spaces aren't enough, the nearby golf course
parking lot could be used for valet parking in the evening, the project
architect said, boosting the total spaces to 907.
That is still less than half the parking the code
requires, and that is no small variance. If Belleair's parking code is based
on accepted standards of usage for facilities that will be on the Belleview
Biltmore grounds, the town could create enormous problems for the
surrounding community by allowing such a reduction in parking.
Local residents also are raising concerns about the
placement of the hotel guard station, the height of the new spa building,
and the positioning of parking garage entrances and exits.
Legg Mason has promised to retain the Belleview
Biltmore's historic ambience and preserve its position on the National
Register of Historic Places. The developer has met repeatedly with
residents, town officials and others who care about the future of this
Pinellas County landmark, and has modified the plans to satisfy concerns
raised in those meetings.
Legg Mason and its architect have promised to be
sensitive and to communicate openly throughout the several years it will
take to complete the project after plans finally are approved.
No doubt, they are eager to get the ball rolling.
However, Belleair town officials need to spend a lot of time studying every
aspect of the project, particularly the requests for variances from town
codes, to make sure they understand all the potential impacts and have heard
the community's concerns.
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/12/30/Northpinellas/Biltmore_owner_listen.shtml
St. Petersburg Times
Sunday December 30, 2007

A rendering shows the new spa, one story instead of two, in
response to the concerns of some neighbors that views of the Intracoastal would
be blocked.
Biltmore owner listens, tweaks, moves forward
The efforts and promised investment fuel faith that the hotel will be
saved.
By LORRI HELFAND, Times Staff Writer
Published December 30, 2007
BELLEAIR - The new owner of the Belleview Biltmore Resort &
Spa is moving forward with what it describes as a $100-million makeover of the
111-year-old landmark.
But unlike some previous hotel suitors, this owner reached
out to the community for feedback before completing its plans.
"That's what sets this owner head and shoulders above what
everyone else has done in the past," said Deputy Mayor Stephen Fowler.
Legg Mason Real Estate Investors, which paid $30.3-million
for the hotel in June, this month filed site plan and variance applications with
the town of Belleair to redevelop the hotel site.
Before doing so, Legg Mason and its architectural firm held
about a dozen meetings with local and state officials, neighbors and other
members of the community and made tweaks in response to what they heard.
"We tried to respond to all of the suggestions that have
been made by the community," project architect Richard J. Heisenbottle said.
They listened, Mayor Gary Katica said.
"They were very sensitive to the needs of the people," he
said.
Key concerns
In Belleair, a mostly upscale enclave of 4,200 people,
residents value both history and green space. About a quarter of the town, which
spans 2 square miles, consists of open space.
Increased traffic was one of the key concerns of residents,
said Town Manager Micah Maxwell.
In response, Legg Mason proposes a left-turn lane in front
of the hotel to prevent traffic backups from delaying nearby residents. And the
hotel guardhouse would be moved slightly west to allow up to five cars to line
up without obstructing access to nearby homes, Heisenbottle said.
Other neighbors were concerned that a new spa on the west
side of the building, overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, would obstruct
their view, Heisenbottle said.
So Legg Mason scrapped its plans for a two-story spa and
now proposes a one-story, 18,900-square-foot structure.
The owner also has discussed covering the building with a
fabric-like screen during much of the construction, Fowler said, so the project
wouldn't be an eyesore to nearby residents.
Joe Penner, managing director for Legg Mason of Los
Angeles, has estimated renovation costs at more than $100-million. The hotel
could be closed for up to two years during construction, which is slated to
begin mid 2009 and end in 2011.
Legg Mason also plans to seek LEED certification for the
resort. The acronym stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a
designation from the U.S. Green Building Council for projects that meet
environmentally responsible standards.
In turn, town listens
Town leaders also have been sensitive to the owner's
concerns as it redevelops the property.
Last month, town commissioners voted to adjust building
fees without passing on big hikes to large projects like the Biltmore. Instead
of paying $2-million in permit fees, the Biltmore's owner will likely pay closer
to $350,000, Maxwell said.
Because the project involves major redevelopment, Legg
Mason must comply with current codes.
The owner's variance application includes a request to
build a structure 60 feet tall. The town's code limits buildings in the district
to 32 feet. The current hotel is more than 55 feet tall.
The request also asks for about 650 parking spaces. Plans
show the hotel has 172 now. Normally, the code would require the redeveloped
property to provide nearly 2,000 spaces to go with the additional hotel rooms,
restaurants, the spa and ballrooms.
Heisenbottle said the hotel would not need that many spaces
because patrons would use the variety of facilities at different times.
On special occasions, the hotel's golf course parking on
Indian Rocks Road could be used for evening valet parking, providing a total of
907 spaces, he said.
Town engineering consultant TBE Group will review the
applications. They should go before the Planning and Zoning Board and the Town
Commission in March, Maxwell said.
Cheers, not boos
In September, Penner and Heisenbottle presented plans to
residents and preservationists at the Town Hall, drawing cheers and applause at
times.
It was a stark contrast to two years earlier. Residents and
preservationists booed and hissed when DeBartolo Development shared its plan to
raze most of the hotel to build 180 condos and a village like Disney's
Celebration on the hotel's golf course.
Viewing the presentation back then "was like watching your
kid in a grammar school play screw up," Katica said.
The new owner plans to preserve the golf course.
For years, the fate of the Belleview Biltmore, listed on
the National Register of Historic Places, had been in doubt. Twice since 2004
the hotel was threatened with demolition.
In 2005, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named
the Biltmore one of America's 11 most endangered historic places.
Legg Mason's efforts and its investment have given Katica
faith that the hotel will be saved this time.
"They're spending a lot of money on these plans," Katica
said. "I guess I'm believing it's for real."
Lorri Helfand can be reached at
lorri@sptimes.com
or 445-4155.
Proposed changes
-Demolish pagoda entrance and build new entrance consistent
with the architecture of the rest of the resort.
-Demolish current spa. Build 9,200-square-foot ballroom in
its place.
-Build a one-story, 18,900-square-foot spa on west side of
the property.
-Landscape grounds and replace parking lots with
underground parking garages that have about 650 spaces.
-Restore hotel's main 256-room building as well as five
ballrooms and meeting rooms.
-Build new five-story, 174-room hotel annex on the east
side of the property.
-Restore three Victorian cottages, two to provide 12
additional hotel rooms and the third to serve as site for meetings and
conferences.
-Refurbish Pelican Golf Club on Indian Rocks Road.
http://www.tbnweekly.com/pubs/belleair_bee/content_articles/122607_bee-01.txt
Belleair Bee December 26, 2007
Belleview Biltmore
application filed
|
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|
![[Image]](122607_bee-01.jpg) |
|
Rendering courtesy of lmrei |
| An
architect’s rendering depicts the planned look of the
redeveloped Belleview Biltmore Resort. |
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BELLEAIR – Legg
Mason Real Estate Investors, Inc. filed a formal application with the town
of Belleair for the redevelopment of the historic Belleview Biltmore Hotel
site.
Joseph Penner, the managing director of Legg Mason, said that he is
extremely pleased that the formal process for final approval of the
redevelopment is now under way.
“We have had literally dozens of meetings with our neighbors and other
members of the community, as well as our state and local government
officials, and have to the fullest extent possible incorporated their
recommendations. This plan is truly a community effort and product,” said
Penner in a press release.
He further commented that an extraordinary amount of thought and effort had
gone into the plans, and that the project is one of which the community will
be proud.
“We look forward to working with the town of Belleair and the local
residents to restore a truly magnificent historic treasure,” said Richard J.
Heisenbottle, FAIA, the project architect.
The following proposed improvements to the Belleview Biltmore Hotel site are
included in the plans submitted to Belleair:
• A new landscaped grand entrance to the main hotel
• A fully restored 256 room main hotel structure with five ballrooms,
meeting rooms, restaurants and retail shops
• A new, but architecturally consistent, 174-room annex hotel adjacent to
the main hotel structure
• Three restored Victorian cottages
• A new 1-story spa facility with underground parking
• Elegantly landscaped grounds and the elimination of surface parking
through the construction of underground parking garages
• Removal of the existing pagoda structure at the current front entrance to
the main hotel
• A refurbished clubhouse and improved landscaping and parking at the
Pelican Golf Club.
The project will be LEED certified.
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/12/02/Northpinellas/Many_shades_of_green_.shtml
St. Petersburg Times December 2, 2007
Many shades of
green abound in North Pinellas
By Times Staff Writer
The "green" movement is showing up in north Pinellas County in a big way.
Take, for example, the recent announcement that the developers restoring the
110-year-old Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa to its former grandeur intend
to spend the extra time and money to make it a "green" building.
At a news conference Nov. 19 featuring Gov. Charlie Crist, Legg Mason Real
Estate Investors of Los Angeles said that the firm will seek a special
designation, called LEED certification, awarded for projects that meet a
rigorous set of environmental standards. The Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design certification is awarded by the U.S. Green Building
Council.
"This resort will be reborn as a modern, energy-efficient, LEED-certified,
green building," said Joe Penner, managing director for Legg Mason.
Legg Mason bought the historic Belleview Biltmore property in June for more
than $30-million and expects to invest more than $100-million in the
renovations. Legg Mason has said the enormous wood structure, which is on
the National Register of Historic Places, will be renovated in a way that
preserves its historic roots - no easy task for a building that size. The
announcement that Legg Mason also intends to satisfy an exacting list of
environmental standards to get green certification is just another
indication of the firm's ambitious, spare-no-expense approach to the
project.
Pinellas County government is already winning awards for its green efforts,
and Dunedin also has ambitions when it comes to going green. The city has
built a certified green building, the new Dunedin Community Center, and now
has hired a "sustainability coordinator" to help the city change its
approaches on everything from recycling to how it powers city vehicles.
Thanks to the efforts of sustainability coordinator Valerie Lane, Dunedin
employees are asked to turn off lights and unplug electronic equipment and
consider riding their bikes to work. She's also seeking certification as a
green city government through a laborious documentation process and is
planning to work with local schools.
Largo city government has not plunged into the green movement with as much
fervor as Dunedin, but the city's recycling coordinator recently visited the
statewide Efest at a green master-planned community in Sarasota, where a
number of speakers educated attendees on the trend toward green living.
Another city employee attended a conference in Baltimore that focused on
protecting and increasing the tree cover in neighborhoods.
Daily, our understanding of the destructive impact of the human footprint on
the Earth increases. All individuals, businesses and governments should be
finding ways to "go green."
Your voice counts
Belleview Biltmore halls are decked
out for the holidays Belleair Bee
December 5, 2007
![[Image]](120507_bee-01.jpg) |
| Sisters Diane
Partridge, left, and Marilee Friedman help with tree trimming in the
reception lobby of the Belleview Biltmore Resort. |
BELLEAIR – More than 100 volunteers
turned out for the Deck the Halls party at the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa
on Nov. 18.
The volunteers hung thousands of ornaments, hundreds of feet of garland and
ribbons, decorated seven large trees and were well on their way to building 32
10-foot wooden soldiers.
Over the past two weeks, Colleen Rogers hand painted the soldiers faces while
other volunteers returned to help with finishing touches throughout the hotel.
Hotel staff added 12 trees in the main hallway, one for each decade of the
hotel’s 110 years of operation. The 12th is for the decade ahead and the one
many believe will be the most historic ever.
The community is encouraged to visit the Belleview over the holidays to view the
decorations and join in the holiday festivities.
http://www.clearwatergazette.com/20071129/biltmore.html
Clearwater Gazette, Thursday, November 29, 2007
Hoteliers Offer Another Reason to Support the Biltmore
Photo/text by Renee Burrell

(l to r) Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa Vice President and
Manager Martin Smith, Belleview Biltmore Golf Club Director of Membership Amy
Spencer, and Golf Club General Manager Chuck Eade
Out of towners see the Belleview Biltmore Resort as a
quaint get away. Locals see it as a beloved landmark and community friendly
venue, akin to a country club, but without the dues and rules. Now conservation
minded travelers and area residents will have another reason to support the
hotel. Aside from offering prestigious lodging and dining, spa services, sports
and nightlife, the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa will be joining countless
others in the hospitality industry riding "The Green Wave".
Owners Legg Mason Investments (LMI) of Los Angeles
announced November 19 at a press conference and reception their plan to achieve
the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) certification. The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit coalition
of building industry leaders headquartered in Washington D.C. Upon
certification, the resort can be designated by the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection as a "green lodging".
The LEED Green Building Rating System is the accepted
national standard that promotes building design and construction practices that
reduce negative environmental impacts.
LEED can be granted for attaining different
levels--Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. The level of certification depends
upon the number of credits a building or renovation project garners in five
green design categories including, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy
and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.
According to Joseph Penner, LMI Director, the intent is for
the resort to utilize water efficient landscape designs, energy efficient
equipment and construction methods, reusable materials, ventilation improvements
and various other enhancements.
"The achievement of LEED certification is an important step
in the life of this magnificent historic property. The new design includes
underground parking and sculptured gardens which will help restore the property
to its grandeur, while creating a modern energy efficient destination resort."
http://www.tbnweekly.com/content_articles/112107_bee-02.txt
Belleair Bee Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Belleair basks in glory of special
visit
By HARLAN WEIKLE
BELLEAIR – Following Monday’s visit
to the Belleview Biltmore by Gov. Charlie Crist, the atmosphere at Tuesday
night’s Town Commission meeting was ebullient, filled with mutual praise for as
well as thanks to all parties involved in the lengthy struggle to secure the
sale, restoration and now the planned “greening” of the Biltmore.
Two agenda items specifically targeted at the promotion of the partnership
between the town and the private investors planning the restoration of the
Biltmore – one an amendment to a town ordinance changing the fee structure for
development permits and a second proposing a tax exemption for historic
properties – both scheduled for final reading at the meeting, were continued
until Dec. 4. The reason, according to Town Manager Micah Maxwell, is that
sufficient time for public advertising had not been allowed prior to the final
reading.
Legg Mason’s Joseph Penner, who attended the meeting to hear the details of the
two ordinances, acknowledged the delay and underscored his appreciation for the
town’s efforts in lowering the permit fees potentially saving LMREI nearly $1.65
million in fees.
“I hope the ordinance will pass December 4th as it is written,” Penner said.
Of the second proposed ordinance Penner said, “Regarding the town’s decision not
to include commercial property in the forthcoming law, I don’t really understand
it but I would like to say that the tax credit package at the federal level,
which we depend on as an integral part of the financing of our property is a
complex process. We’ve hired a group out of Washington who specialize in that
sort of thing to consult and advise us on the best way to enact those tax credit
policies that we will be doing on the property.”
Penner told the commission that the first year or so, the commercial potential
of the tax savings would not be there.
“I don’t think it’s even physically possible to get the construction permits
between now and the end of ’08,” he said.
Mayor Gary Katica acknowledged Penner and the other partners of Legg Mason Real
Estate Investors for the reception attended by Crist Monday.
“I want to personally thank you and everybody at Legg Mason for a fabulous day
yesterday; it was a classic event and I’m sure I speak for my fellow
commissioners and the citizens of Belleair when I say thank you so much,” Katica
said.
Penner, who was to return to California for the holiday replied, “We appreciate
all the support you guys have given us. We’ll be back soon.”
In an interesting concurrence of theme, the commission also passed a resolution
endorsing the Florida Green Building Coalition and its “Green City” initiative,
which is aimed at improving the long term quality of the environment by
exercising alternative solutions for energy efficiency among participating
Florida municipalities. The resolution passed 4-0; Commissioner Stephanie Oddo
was absent.
http://www.tbnweekly.com/content_articles/112107_bee-01.txt
Belleair Bee, Wednesday November 21, 2007
Crist gives thumbs up to Biltmore plans
By CHARY SOUTHMAYD
![[Image]](112107_bee-01.jpg)
Gov. Charlie Crist, left, chats with Joe Penner,
managing director of Legg Mason Real Estate Investors, during a visit Monday to
the Belleview Biltmore Resort.

Photo by CHARY SOUTHMAYD
From left to right: Commissioner Steve Fowler, Mayor Gary Katica,
Commissioners Stephanie Oddo, Karla Rhettstatt, Tom Shelly
BELLEAIR – The Belleview Biltmore
Resort is no longer one of the nation’s 11 most endangered historic sites, and
the unique structure made entirely of native Florida pine will have a decidedly
“green” future.
Gov. Charlie Crist Monday shared in the celebration with Biltmore supporters,
historic preservationists and a gathering of elected officials on the scenic
back porch, which was the original entrance of the hotel Henry B. Plant built in
1896.
Invited to the event by Amy Spencer, director of membership at the Belleview
Biltmore Golf Club and a personal friend, Crist praised efforts by the
Biltmore’s new owners, Legg Mason Real Estate Investors, to seek LEED
certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, while also protecting its
historic integrity.
“What you’re doing, Joe, is exactly the right thing,” Crist told Joe Penner,
LMREI’s managing director, “preserving the Biltmore for future generations to
enjoy.”
Noting that Florida is vulnerable to the effects of dramatic climate change, the
governor emphasized the importance of protecting the state’s natural beauty,
which plays a crucial role in its most valuable economic asset – the tourism
industry.
“My focus is on Florida,” Crist said. “The Belleview Biltmore is a fixture in
this community and its preservation is crucial to our cultural legacy. It’s our
duty to take care of national historic sites.”
Asked if he had ever stayed at the Biltmore, Crist replied, “You mean overnight?
No, but I’ve been here on many occasions.”
Looking typically tanned and dapper in a blue business suit, the governor warmly
greeted several Belleair citizens, members of the town commission and county
representatives in attendance with handshakes and hugs.
With the Biltmore lingering under threat of demolition for the past few years,
John Hildreth of the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced that the
Biltmore will be removed from the trust’s Most Endangered Places list, where it
was placed in 2005, and will serve as what he called “a national model” for
others.
“We celebrate the change in status of the Belleview Biltmore,” said Hildreth.
“The Biltmore is now in the hands of people who want to do the right thing …
though it took a circuitous route to get to this point.”
In his remarks, Penner vowed that once the Biltmore’s $100-million restorative
makeover is complete, it will retain its elegance and grandeur.
By implementing water-efficient landscaping, energy-efficient equipment and
other environmentally-friendly enhancements to achieve LEED certification,
Penner said the Biltmore’s operational costs will go down in the long run.
Penner estimates that LMREI will file its site application plan with the town of
Belleair in the next two to three weeks and, once approved, will apply for
construction permitting – a process he said could take from 6 to 12 months.
In a best-case scenario, outside site work could begin in the first quarter of
2009, Penner said, with the hotel closing in early summer 2009 and reopening for
business two years later in 2011.
Asked to answer lingering skeptics who doubt the Biltmore truly will be restored
for future generations to cherish, Penner said, “We are trying to do something
good for the community. We buy properties that are troubled and fix them. Maybe
the day the hotel opens, people will believe it.”

Rendition of the Starlight Ballroom 2011 R. J.
Heisenbottle, Artchitect
http://www.clearwatergazette.com/20071121/crist.html
Clearwater Gazette Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Keynote Speaker Crist Commends Legg Mason for Going Green
photo/text by Renee Burrell
"The Belleview Biltmore is a fixture in this community and
its preservation is crucial to our culture and historical industries," said
Governor Crist. (Pictured left to right) John Hildreth, Governor Charlie Crist,
and Joseph Penner
BELLEAIR - Governor Charlie Crist applauded green building efforts in Pinellas
and Sarasota counties Monday. His first stop was the Belleview Biltmore Resort
for a press conference with John Hildreth from the National Trust for Historic
Preservation's Southern Office and Joseph Penner, the Managing Director of Legg
Mason Real Estate Investors and owners of the resort.
Speaking from the stairs of the hotel's original porch entrance, Penner
announced plans for seeking the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Crist commended Legg Mason Investments for plans to meet green standards and
also for their preservation efforts of the historic landmark. "Today is an
important day for one of Florida's most historic sites…The Belleview Biltmore is
a fixture in this community and its preservation is crucial to our culture and
historical industries. I commend Legg Mason's concern for the environment and
commitment to restoring the resort in a way that will help preserve Florida's
beautiful natural environment."
According to Penner, the renovations will include water efficient landscaping,
utilization of energy efficient equipment and construction methods, incorporate
reusable materials, and ventilation upgrades along with other enhancements to
help them achieve "green" certification.
The renovations will cause the hotel to be designated by the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) as a "green lodging" destination. Florida's
Green Lodging Program began in 2004 and establishes environmental guidelines for
hotels to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution.
Crist embraced the Green Lodging Program in July at Florida's Summit for Global
Climate Change when he signed Executive Order 07-126 that requires state
agencies to conduct meetings and conferences at hotels participating in the
program whenever possible.
Crist warmly greeted attendees gathered at the hotel for the conference before
leaving to tour a green Sarasota County office complex and receive an award from
Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta for his leadership in addressing
global climate change through reduced carbon emissions, increased energy
conservation and use of renewal energy.
Despite the work of determined preservation groups, the 110-year-old hotel was
in danger of being demolished until Legg Mason purchased it, and committed to
renovating, not razing it. Aside from being one of Florida's only remaining
Victorian hotels, the Belleview Biltmore also has the distinction of being the
largest, continually occupied wooden structure in the world still in use for its
original purpose and has played hostess to several American Presidents, royalty,
and celebrities.

John Hildreth, National Trust
The National Trust for Historic Preservations Southern Office's Director
Hildreth commented during the press conference that the best "green" building is
one that is already standing. He also announced that the Belleview Biltmore
would be removed from the Trust's Registry of 11 Most Endangered Buildings,
where it had previously been listed.
Later in the evening the public attended a presentation of the plans in the
Hotel's Tiffany Ballroom.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1385742071.html?dids=1385742071:1385742071&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+20%2C+2007&author=RITA+FARLOW&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=5.B&desc=CRIST+LAUDS+PROJECT+AT+BELLEVIEW+BILTMORE
St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, November 20, 2007
By Rita Farlow
CRIST LAUDS PROJECT AT BELLEVIEW BILTMORE
The new owners of the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa are taking steps to make
the renovation of the 110-year-old landmark environmentally friendly.
At a news conference Monday, Legg Mason Real Estate Investors of Los Angeles
announced its plans to seek "LEED" certification for the resort.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The designation
is supplied by the U.S. Green Building Council for buildings that meet a lengthy
set of environmentally responsible standards.
Legg Mason paid nearly $30.3-million for the landmark in June. Renovations will
take about 21/2 years. The cost is likely to exceed $100-million, said Joe
Penner, the managing director.
Gov. Charlie Crist was at the news conference at the hotel's original entrance
to thank the key players for their desire to preserving the structure while
protecting the environment.
"I grew up in Pinellas County," Crist said. "This is home. And, you know, when
you grow up in a place as pretty as this, you want to try to make sure it's
protected, that you take care of it, that you do the right thing in the
process."
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1385742161.html?dids=1385742161:1385742161&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+20%2C+2007&author=RITA+FARLOW&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=1&desc=WOODEN+ICON+BREATHES+NEW+GREEN+LIFE
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/20/NorthPinellas/WOODEN_ICON_BREATHES_.shtml
St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, November 20, 2007
By Rita Farlow
WOODEN ICON BREATHES NEW GREEN LIFE
The governor endorses the energy efficiency project of the new owners of the
Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa.
The new owners of the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa are taking steps to make
the renovation of the 110-year-old landmark environmentally friendly.
At a news conference Monday, Legg Mason Real Estate Investors of Los Angeles
announced their plans to seek "LEED" certification for the resort.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The designation
is supplied by the U.S. Green Building Council for buildings that meet a lengthy
set of environmentally responsible standards.
"We're here today to set the stage for the future, and I can tell you it's a
grand vision. This resort will be reborn as a modern energy-efficient, LEED-certified,
green building while retaining all of its historical significance and its
grandeur," said Joe Penner, managing director for Legg Mason.
Legg Mason paid nearly $30.3-million for the landmark in June. Renovations will
take about 21/2 years. The cost is likely to exceed $100-million, Penner said.
Gov. Charlie Crist was at the press conference at the hotel's original entrance
to thank the key players for their commitment to preserving the structure while
protecting the environment.
"I grew up in Pinellas County," Crist said. "This is home. And, you know, when
you grow up in a place as pretty as this, you want to try to make sure it's
protected, that you take care of it, that you do the right thing in the
process."
Crist noted the importance of sharing the historic landmark with future
generations, as well as the economic impact places such as the Biltmore have on
Florida's tourism industry.
Penner outlined some of the ways his team - including Heisenbottle Architects of
Coral Gables - will seek certification.
The existing electrical, heating and cooling systems will be replaced with
updated, energy-efficient versions.
Salvageable materials will be reused. And current asphalt parking lots will be
replaced with an underground garage to create more green space.
Building "green" makes sense, Penner said. Although construction and materials
can be more expensive up front, decreased operating costs mean savings in the
long run.
"At the end of the day, you do recoup that savings over time, and, in reality,
it's the right thing. For a property of this caliber, this type of feeling, to
create something that will be a modern green building for the future," Penner
said.
"Will it cost more? Yes," he said. "Is it worth it in the long run? Absolutely.
We want something we can really look back on and be proud of."
John Hildreth, director of the southern office of the National Trust for
Historic Preservation, lauded preservation efforts that focus on environmental
sustainability.
"We believe that the greenest building is the one that already exists," Hildreth
said. "We believe, as well, that traditional preservation practices are
compatible with environmentally sound building principals."
In 2005, the Biltmore was placed on the organization's list of 11 most
endangered historic places.
Hildreth said he hopes to return someday to see the resort atop a different
list: the National Trust's Dozen Distinctive Destinations, which honors unique
communities committed to preservation.
Rita Farlow can be reached at
farlow@sptimes.com or (727) 445- 4162.
Fast facts
The Belleview Biltmore owners
Legg Mason Real Estate Investors of Los Angeles:
- Provides "creative and flexible" commercial real estate financing.
- Part of publicly traded Legg Mason Inc., the world's fifth largest asset
manager, with assets of more than $800-billion
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1386539561.html?dids=1386539561:1386539561&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+21%2C+2007&author=&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=2&desc=GOING+GREEN+GAINS+MOMENTUM+IN+COUNTY
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/20/NorthPinellas/WOODEN_ICON_BREATHES_.shtml
St. Petersburg Times Editorial Tuesday, November 21, 2007
The "green" movement is showing up in North Pinellas County
in a big way.
Take, for example, this week's major announcement that the developers restoring
the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa to its former grandeur intend to spend the
extra time and money to make it a "green" building.
At a news conference Monday featuring Gov. Charlie Crist, Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors of Los Angeles said that the firm will seek a special designation,
called LEED certification, awarded for projects that meet a rigorous set of
environmental standards. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
certification is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.
"This resort will be reborn as a modern, energy-efficient, LEED- certified,
green building," said Joe Penner, managing director for Legg Mason.
Legg Mason bought the historic Belleview Biltmore property in June for more than
$30-million and expects to invest more than $100- million in the renovations.
Legg Mason has said the enormous wood structure, which is on the National
Register of Historic Places, will be renovated in a way that preserves its
historic roots - no easy task for a building that size. The announcement that
Legg Mason also intends to satisfy an exacting list of environmental standards
to get green certification is just another indication of the firm's ambitious,
spare-no-expense approach to the project.
Dunedin also has ambitions when it comes to going green. The city already has
built a certified green building, the new Dunedin Community Center, and now has
hired a "sustainability coordinator" to help the city change its approaches on
everything from recycling to how it powers city vehicles.
As sustainability coordinator, Valerie Lane will have influence in big and small
ways. For example, thanks to her efforts, city employees are asked to turn off
lights and unplug electronic equipment and consider riding their bikes to work.
She's also seeking certification as a green city government through a laborious
documentation process and planning to work with local schools. For more
information about Dunedin's efforts, check the city Web site at
www.dunedingov.com and click on Sustainability Program on the left side of the
screen.
The announcements from Legg Mason and Dunedin are just the leading edge. Daily,
our understanding of the destructive impact of the human footprint on the earth
increases. All individuals, businesses and governments should be finding ways to
"go green."
http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2007/11/19/daily13.html?t=printable
Tampa Bay Business Journal Monday, Monday November 19, 2007
-
Gov. Charlie Crist continues to promote environmentally
friendly building throughout Florida, making stops Monday in Pinellas and
Sarasota counties to recognize efforts there. Crist visited the
110-year-old Belleview Biltmore Hotel, which will be renovated by Legg Mason
Real Estate Investors according to standards set by the U.S. Green Building
Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
"The Belleview Biltmore is a fixture in this community and
its preservation is crucial to our culture and historical industries," Crist
said, according to a release. "I commend Legg Mason's concern for the
environment and commitment to restoring the resort in a way that will help
preserve Florida's beautiful natural environment." Officials with Legg Mason
said their goal is to get a designation as a "green lodging" destination by the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, a program launched in 2004 that
provides environmental guidelines for hotels to conserve natural resources and
prevent pollution.
As part of the announcement, John Hildreth with the
National Trust for Historic Preservation said that the Belleview Biltmore would
be removed from the organization's Registry of Most Endangered Buildings. The
Belleview Biltmore is one of the largest, continually occupied wood structures
in the country, and over the past 100 years has hosted heads of state, movie
stars and even British royalty.
Crist also toured the Twin Lakes Green Building, Sarasota County's first LEED-certified
building. It is a retrofitted older building made to be more energy efficient
and renovated with sustainable materials.
The building is home to the University of Florida-Sarasota
County Extension offices and has been awarded a gold-level LEED certification.
The new construction manages storm water runoff to limit erosion, utilizes
recycled and local materials, and institutes measures for conserving water -
including rainwater collection - low-valve fixtures and native plants.
http://www.tbnweekly.com/content_articles/111407_bee-03.txt Belleair
Bee
Wednesday November 14, 2007
Town commission reduces some building
permit fees
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article
published on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007
BELLEAIR – The cost of the
restoration of the Belleview Biltmore, which has been estimated by owners Legg
Mason Real Estate Investors to be in the neighborhood of $100 million, makes it
one of the largest private building projects in the county and certainly the
largest in Belleair.
On Nov. 7, town officials made the unusual move of adjusting down the town’s
proposed building permit fees to come in line with other municipalities in the
county.
Reading from a list of local municipal building fee structures, Town Manager
Micah Maxwell enumerated the range of fees, which would apply to similar
projects the size of the Biltmore: Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar and
Belleair Beach would charge $300,000 to $350,000 in permitting and building
inspection fees, Pinellas Park just over $200,000 and Largo and St. Petersburg
$1.5 million and $2.9 million respectively.
The decision by the Town Commission was to bench their previous plan to hike
fees from a simple 1 percent to 2 percent of total project valuation, and
replace it with what Maxwell called a “sliding scale.”
For the first $1 million of project value, the permit and inspection fees would
be set at a flat 2 percent or $20,000. Then for each $1,000 of value the town
would collect $3.30, which for the Biltmore owners results in an estimated fee
of approximately $350,000 rather than the nearly $2 million they had been
facing.
The new sliding fee structure, “would fit in with the rest of these $100 million
projects,” Maxwell said, “Pretty much the middle of the other projects.”
In discussions with town officials and the representatives of LMREI, the formula
developed eases the burden of the cost of permitting very large value projects
such as the Biltmore, yet keeps in place a fee structure. According to town
officials, that will cover the cost requirements of permitting and inspecting,
including, in the case of the Biltmore, site plans review and the cost of hiring
historic preservation experts.
At the same time, the fee structure provides for a simple $25 fee for small
projects up to $1,000.
St. Petersburg Times Editorial
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1386539561.html?dids=1386539561:1386539561&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+21%2C+2007&author=&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=2&desc=GOING+GREEN+GAINS+MOMENTUM+IN+COUNTY
The "green" movement is showing up in North Pinellas County in a big way.
Take, for example, this week's major announcement that the developers restoring
the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa to its former grandeur intend to spend the
extra time and money to make it a "green" building.
At a news conference Monday featuring Gov. Charlie Crist, Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors of Los Angeles said that the firm will seek a special designation,
called LEED certification, awarded for projects that meet a rigorous set of
environmental standards. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
certification is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.
"This resort will be reborn as a modern, energy-efficient, LEED- certified,
green building," said Joe Penner, managing director for Legg Mason.
Legg Mason bought the historic Belleview Biltmore property in June for more than
$30-million and expects to invest more than $100- million in the renovations.
Legg Mason has said the enormous wood structure, which is on the National
Register of Historic Places, will be renovated in a way that preserves its
historic roots - no easy task for a building that size. The announcement that
Legg Mason also intends to satisfy an exacting list of environmental standards
to get green certification is just another indication of the firm's ambitious,
spare-no-expense approach to the project.
Dunedin also has ambitions when it comes to going green. The city already has
built a certified green building, the new Dunedin Community Center, and now has
hired a "sustainability coordinator" to help the city change its approaches on
everything from recycling to how it powers city vehicles.
As sustainability coordinator, Valerie Lane will have influence in big and small
ways. For example, thanks to her efforts, city employees are asked to turn off
lights and unplug electronic equipment and consider riding their bikes to work.
She's also seeking certification as a green city government through a laborious
documentation process and planning to work with local schools. For more
information about Dunedin's efforts, check the city Web site at
www.dunedingov.com and click on Sustainability Program on the left side of the
screen.
The announcements from Legg Mason and Dunedin are just the leading edge. Daily,
our understanding of the destructive impact of the human footprint on the earth
increases. All individuals, businesses and governments should be finding ways to
"go green."
http://www.tbnweekly.com/content_articles/111407_bee-02.txt
Belleair Bee Wednesday November, 14, 2007
Crist to help launch ‘greening’ of
Belleview Biltmore
Legg Mason will seek Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design certification
BELLEAIR –
Gov. Charlie Crist will be the keynote speaker at the Belleview Biltmore Resort
Monday, Nov. 19, 3:30 p.m., where he will address Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors’ preservation efforts for the Biltmore.
Legg Mason Real Estate Investors of Los Angeles, plan to seek LEED certification
from the U.S. Green Building Council for the Belleview Biltmore. According to
Joseph Penner, managing director of Legg Mason, the intent is to utilize a water
efficient landscape design, energy efficient equipment and construction methods,
reusable materials, ventilation improvements and other enhancements to achieve
“green” certification.
Legg Mason’s goal is to return the magnificent wooden structure to its former
glory and achieve a four- to-five star hotel rating. Plans include restoring the
hotel and surrounding historic homes in accordance with Department of Interior –
U. S. Park Service preservation standards, removal of the pagoda-like front
entrance, removal of the aluminum siding, adding an underground parking
facility, a new spa, the creation of a park surrounding the hotel and a façade
easement to protect the hotel forever.
The public is invited to view the plans at a 6 p.m. reception on Nov. 19 in the
Tiffany Ballroom.
“The achievement of LEED certification is an important step in the life of this
magnificent historic property,” said Penner. “The new design includes
underground parking and sculptured gardens which will help restore the property
to its grandeur, while creating a modern energy efficient destination resort.”
Legg Mason paid nearly $30.3-million for the landmark in June.
http://www.tbnweekly.com/content_articles/103107_bee-01.txt
Belleview Biltmore to close
May 2009 Belleair Bee Wednesday,
October 31, 2007
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article
published on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007
 |
BELLEAIR – If your plans following
Super Bowl 2009 in Tampa include a stay at the Belleview Biltmore, you better
make reservations now.
The resort and spa will stop taking reservations at the end of May 2009 to
facilitate its extensive restoration, according to officials representing Legg
Mason Real Estate Investors, who made the announcement before a meeting of the
Belleair code enforcement board Tuesday evening.
Attorney Tom Reynolds representing LMREI, which has owned the Biltmore just four
months, was on hand to plead his client’s case to set aside the findings that
the property was in non-compliance with several local building codes, the worst
being the state of disrepair of the famous gabled green roof.
Sworn witnesses in attendance for Tuesday’s hearing were head architect for the
project, Richard Heisenbottle of Coral Gables, Ron Harn of Skanska Construction,
Martin Smith, managing director and vice president of the Belleview Biltmore,
and town building official Fred Hawes.
Querying Hawes regarding the current condition of the roof, town attorney David
Ottinger elicited the building inspector’s conclusion that following two
inspections, one this past summer and a second on Tuesday, “The roof is not in
compliance.”
Hawes referenced missing shingles, torn and missing non-certified fabric
covering and exposed wood.
The board had previously granted the owners 120 days or until the end of
November to bring the roof up to code or face fines of $250 a day until the
order was satisfied.
Reynolds et al presented testimony, including that of Heisenbottle and Harn,
that the physical repair of the roof although necessary was not possible in the
time frame set by the board. Heisenbottle referred to the antiquity of the
structure, which dates from the late 1800s, when he told the board that some
portions of the roof had “layer upon layer upon layer upon layer of shingles”
while other areas had no sheathing whatsoever. He said the restoration team
needed at least six months just to prepare the application.
Harn then gave expert testimony based on his lifelong career as a roofing
contractor that the process intended to fully restore the roof to its original
appearance and at the same time adhere to modern codes would require 16 months
and cost $4.5 million. The entire building, he said, would have to be
“scaffolded” with the removal alone requiring four months followed by five
months of reconstruction of the substructure, including the application of
hurricane clips and strapping. That would be followed by an additional seven
months to resurface the new structure.
Harn and Heisenbottle told the board that they were currently accessing a
cosmetic, colored foam application that would disguise the poor condition of the
roof giving the owners time to properly plan and execute a new roof, which
Heisenbottle said, “Comes with a 50-year guarantee. We won’t be back here
again.”
After some brief confusion regarding the target completion date, the board voted
unanimously to amend their previous compliance order and grant Legg Mason until
Nov. 1, 2009 to bring the roof up to code with the proviso that the construction
management team returns Nov. 1, 2008 with a progress report.
Heisenbottle estimated that the fines, had they begun this week, would have
resulted in an additional $100,000 to $150,000 or about .15 percent of the
approximately $100 million price tag LMREI has predicted it will spend on the
restoration project, now slated for completion by November 2010.
http://www.clearwatergazette.com/20070927/biltmore.html
Clearwater Gazette September 27, 2007
Belleair Commission Views Plans For Restoring Historic
Treasure
by Anne McKay Garris


Rendering of Biltmore south view by RJ Heisenbottle Architects
For three long years, the people of Belleair have struggled with what's to
become of the 110-year-old Belleview Biltmore Hotel, a historic structure which
has always been the focal point of the Town of Belleair. Several plans to
replace the building which was, at one time, the world's largest wooden building
under one roof, have been vigorously opposed by both Belleair residents and
others in surrounding cities.
Finally, last Tuesday night, there was a proposal which earned eager bursts of
applause from the more than 150 citizens assembled in the Commission Chambers at
Belleair City Hall. The first cheers were for the removal of the vastly
unpopular pagoda style entrance placed on the Victorian style hotel several
years ago. Legg Mason Real Estate Investors are the new owners of the Biltmore
property. Joseph Pender, managing director of Legg Mason, shared his company's
vision of creating a true historic renovation.
"We envision," he said, "that this will be a resort and convention center which
can compete nationally."
But it will be much more. While restoring the facade and ambiance of the
historic hotel, the company plans to make it an environmentally friendly
property. They will not only place all of the parking underground, they will
operate the hotel in keeping with the best environmental practices using energy
efficient methods approved by the environmental organization, Leaves.
Richard Heisenbottle, a Coral Gables architect whose firm specializes in
historical restoration, is the architect for the project. He described some of
the major changes contemplated.
"We choose difficult projects," he said. "They are so much fun."
According to Heisenbottle, plans contemplate removing the existing spa and
replacing it with a 10,000 square foot ballroom space, big enough for events and
conventions. The pool area will be changed from just a pool, to an "event pool"
just below the current outdoor restaurant. There will also be other event
oriented areas including tennis courts, and a wedding gazebo.
The four Victorian style "cottages" on the campus will be restored and used for
meeting spaces or rentals, "Maybe a wedding party would like to rent one of them
for the week-end," said Heisenbottle. Also retained and restored will be the
popular Tiffany Room and the downstairs pub. A five star dining room will be
added.
The golf course and club house, located down Indian Rocks Road from the Hotel
Campus, are included in the plans for improvement as is the Belleview Biltmore
property located on Sand Key. A new hotel and cabanas will replace the
restaurant and swimming pool now located on the Sand Key property and the
company hopes to reinstate the historic tradition of providing a launch to take
hotel visitors directly across Clearwater Bay to the beach. An oldtimer in the
audience pointed out that the launch tradition was so old that the "launch"
originally was powered by sail.
Representatives from several historic preservation organizations and local
museums spoke to congratulate Belleair on the considerable effort which had
brought them to this point. Others referred to work, still to be done, on tax
credits and comprehensive plans. No one spoke to oppose the plan.
Clearwater architect, Stephan Fowler, a member of the Belleair Town Commission
for ten years, expressed his delight with the project.
"As an architect, I am absolutely delighted that they are getting rid of that
new front," he said, "and the most exciting part of the plan, for me, is they
are saving the cottages. They are a charming representation of the Victorian
times and they were the sacrificial lambs on all previous plans."
Asked what he thought were the chances of the plan actually coming to fruition,
Fowler said, "Town officials and my fellow commissioners show every indication
of wanting to make this happen. I believe it will be a major destination resort,
of regional, if not national reputation."
Thanks to Kay Norred of our local Pinellas County TV
station for interviewing us at the Biltmore entrance in regards to the new
renovation plans. Click here
http://www.pinellascounty.org/inside_pinellas.htm and then click on
Inside Pinellas streaming video. The Biltmore segment is about five minutes
into the show. October 2007
http://tbnweekly.com/content_articles/092607_bee-01.txt
Belleair Bee September 26, 2007

The south side of the Biltmore will
feature a new swimming pool and cabanas.
Biltmore design captivates audience
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007
The south side of the Biltmore will feature a new swimming pool and cabanas.
BELLEAIR – To anyone attending the presentation of the Belleview Biltmore
restoration plans by Legg Mason Real Estate Investors on Sept. 19, it was
evident that this was a plan the town could love.
Armed with richly illustrated renderings and detailed plan views, some of which
project architect Richard Heisenbottle admitted were still works in progress
just the evening before, the team headed by LMREI CEO Joseph Penner, treated a
standing room only crowd to their first look at the group’s vision for the
historic resort.
Heisenbottle told the audience, “We do a lot of restoration projects and we do
them at the highest level. If it’s a tough project, a difficult project then
that’s the kind of project we choose.”
Virginia Donahue, who lives just two doors from the Biltmore Golf Club said,
“This was a very professional presentation. It’s going to be beautiful, it was
the best town meeting I’ve ever been to.”
Donahue who occasionally played piano during Sunday brunch at the club was
excited that it was among the featured elements of the resort, which were to be
restored.
“I talked to Chuck Eade, the manager of the golf club and he told me, ‘I’ll be
sure to get the piano back,’” Donahue said.
The restoration project, which will require closing the resort in mid 2009 and
should be complete in 2011, will cost an estimated $100 million according to
Penner, who told the audience the plan is to restore the Biltmore to its former
glory reminiscent of the 1940s era.
Among the many new features touted by the architect: a 10,000-square-foot
ballroom, larger rooms – some with cathedral ceilings – tucked below the famous
gabled green roof and the addition of retail shops including a bakery, ice cream
shop and high end jeweler. A new spa will rise over underground parking where
the current tennis courts are situated.
Heisenbottle displayed a rendering of a new grand entrance boulevard lined with
Queen Palm, which will lead motorists to a roundabout and beyond to the hotel’s
new main entrance; the current pagoda of glass with its vaulted roof line will
be replaced with a new entrance more in keeping with the Biltmore’s traditional
green roof style.
“There will be event lawns everywhere,” said Heisenbottle, “for weddings and
picnics or just for couples to stroll in.”
The crowd applauded wildly when the architect confirmed that the resort’s green
space was a special interest for the designer team.
Mayor Gary Katica said of the meeting, “Just listening to the response of the
people and their intermittent applause and the cheers was the highlight of the
evening. The only downside if any is that the hotel will be closed while
construction takes place.”
Katica said the closure was understandable.
“A project of this magnitude can’t be accomplished overnight,” he said.
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/26/Northpinellas/Biltmore_plans_in_syn.shtml
St. Petersburg Times September 26, 2007
Biltmore plans in sync with the resort's fans
By A TIMES EDITORIAL
Published September 26, 2007
The unveiling of a developer's concepts for a restored
Belleview Biltmore Resort has fans of that historic structure celebrating. And
why not? Pinellas County came close to losing the 110-year-old hotel - to either
condo developers or wood rot - and now, if promised plans are delivered, it has
a real future as a resort that retains its historic value while also providing
the needs of modern vacationers.
At a public meeting last week, Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors of Los Angeles, the new owners of the hotel, showed off artist's
renderings and listed the work that is planned for the property.
Those renderings showed the primary hotel structure looking
much as it does today, minus the offensive pagoda entrance constructed by a
wrongheaded former owner. That was no doubt comforting to those who worried that
some developer might ruin the Belleview Biltmore, which is on the National
Register of Historic Places.
However, it was clear from Legg Mason's presentation that
there will be many changes to the property to make it a viable resort product.
For example, the old spa and hotel kitchen will be demolished, underground
parking garages will be built, a new pool will be put in behind the hotel, a new
10,000-square-foot ballroom will be constructed where the old spa is now, a new
two-story spa will overlook the Intracoastal Waterway, hotel rooms will be
combined to create larger rooms, a new banquet facility will be constructed, the
golf clubhouse will be renovated, and the entire property, including the golf
course, will get new landscaping and walkways.
Most significantly, a 160-room hotel annex will be built to
boost the total number of rooms on the property from the current 244 to more
than 400.
And out on the hotel's Sand Key beach property, the
trouble-plagued Cabana Club will be torn down - no one will miss it - and
replaced with an eight-story hotel that may have a seafood restaurant
overlooking the gulf.
Legg Mason representatives said the total cost of the
Belleview Biltmore project will be $100-million and probably will take as much
as four years to complete. The goal, those representatives said, is not just to
save the Belleview Biltmore, but one day to have it qualify as a five-star
resort.
If the California company pulls that off, it will win the
gratitude of all those in Pinellas who have mourned the loss of the county's
historic buildings in the past several decades and have feared for the future of
the Belleview Biltmore.
As the plans progress, locals will want reassurance that
all of the new construction Legg Mason plans, particularly the hotel annex, will
be true to the hotel's period architecture and that the entire project will be
designed to limit traffic impacts and preserve green space. They will want to
see the plans, and they will want to participate in public discussions of those
plans. Even after all approvals for the project have been granted, Legg Mason
should plan to provide the public with regular updates on the construction.
Because if the company doesn't already know this, it soon
will: Legg Mason may be the legal owner of the Belleview Biltmore, but Pinellas
residents feel the place belongs to them.
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES (our vice president of our nonprofit
organization Ed Jameson was also interviewed for this article)
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1339558521.html?dids=1339558521:1339558521&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+21%2C+2007&author=TERRI+BRYCE+REEVES%3BLORRI+HELFAND&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=1&desc=GRAND+HOTEL%2C+GRAND+PLAN
September 21, 2007
GRAND HOTEL, GRAND PLAN
[STATE Edition]
St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, Fla.
Author: TERRI BRYCE REEVES; LORRI HELFAND
People in Belleair cheer a new proposal to restore Belleview Biltmore Resort.
Anne Garris gazed at the proposed restoration of the Belleview Biltmore Resort
and declared, "Why, it looks just like it used to."
Gone would be the Japanese pagoda lobby, the musty old spa and the
soul-deadening parking lot. Coming would be classic Victorian styling, larger
rooms and more green space.
The resulting retro look reminded Garris of her days exploring the palatial
wooden structure in its heyday in the 1940s.
"It was so beautiful - and huge," she said. "I'm so glad they're keeping it and
not tearing it down."
She was one of