By Mike Brassfield, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Cobb Theatres, which has two locations in the Tampa Bay area, plans to open a 12-screen cineplex at Westfield Countryside mall in Clearwater in 2012.
Here's an update on some of the biggest public and private construction projects in northern Pinellas.
Keystone Road widening
What: Road becomes four lanes; 3-mile extension of Pinellas Trail
Where: Between U.S. 19 and East Lake Road
Cost: $32 million
Time line: To be completed by summer 2013.
Tarpon Springs parking lot
What: New parking spaces, park benches and public bathrooms on a currently vacant lot. Will connect Tarpon Avenue to a 40-space parking lot on Orange Street.
Where: 143 Tarpon Ave.
Cost: $150,000 for the lot. Other expenses to be determined.
Time line: To be determined
Weaver Park
What: Dunedin is turning 6 acres of open land into Josiah Cephas Weaver Park along the Dunedin waterfront/ Pinellas Trail.
Where: Park will straddle east and west sides of Bayshore Boulevard, just north of Lee Street
Cost: The Trust for Public Land paid $7 million for the property. Dunedin is seeking grants to pay for improvements.
Time line: End of the year or early January
Countryside mall movie theater
What: Cobb Theatres plans 12-screen cineplex.
Where: At Westfield Countryside mall's southwest corner, near Sears, in Clearwater
Cost: Unannounced
Time line: Groundbreaking in early 2011, open in spring 2012
Bayshore stormwater project
What: Safety Harbor is building a 3,500-foot-long berm on the east side of S Bayshore Boulevard to stop stormwater from draining straight into Old Tampa Bay and to prevent ponds on the road.
Where: S Bayshore Boulevard from the Alligator Creek bridge to the city marina
Cost: $3 million
Time line: Begins soon; to be completed in September 2011
U.S. 19
What: A 2.7-mile stretch south of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard will become mostly elevated.
Where: Overpasses will be added at Belleair Road and Seville Boulevard. The Gulf-to-Bay overpass will be replaced/widened.
Cost: $220 million, including nearly $45 million in federal stimulus funds.
Time line: To be completed in 2014.
Pinellas Trail improvements
What: Widening and enhancing a section through downtown Clearwater, parallel to railroad tracks.
Where: East Avenue between Turner and Drew streets
Cost: $313,000
Time line: Three more weeks of work in September
Scientology's Flag Building
What: Work resumed last year on this enormous building that had sat vacant and unfinished since work stopped in 2003. The Church of Scientology must finish the building's interior.
Where: 215 S Fort Harrison Ave.
Cost: About $40 million so far, and it expects $50 million more.
Time line: To be determined
Downtown Clearwater boat slips
What: 126 boat slips on floating concrete docks, along with a promenade, boardwalk and fishing pier.
Where: 210 Drew St., next to Coachman Park
Cost: $14 million
Time line: It's done. Grand opening celebration at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Largo Community Center
What: Construction is two-thirds complete. The 30,000-square-foot complex will replace a 20,000-square-foot center.
Where: 400 Alternate Keene Road, near the Palms of Largo campus
Cost: $10 million
Time line: Late fall opening
