Our topic: What’s wrong with Crystal River?

By Dennis Damato

I will present a comprehensive, bold plan for success to solve many deep-rooted, longstanding problems and deficiencies in the city of Crystal River.

This is not an attempt to pick on the city, but rather my thoughts and ideas to form a plan on how we should move forward. 

Although I am not a city resident, I have invested a large part of my money and life working for the betterment of Crystal River.

I have served on the city’s contractor licensing board, the community police board and as chairman of the Community Redevelopment Agency from 1988 to 2004, when I was elected to the Board of County Commissioners.as the District 1 commissioner.

I have been a city property owner of “cracker style”-themed commercial properties at 427, 430 and 404 N.E. Third Street for more than 30 years.

My wife and my businesses are located there.

I invested in and sold property for the Walgreens drug store and Sunshine Garden’s Alzheimer Facility currently under construction.

As you can see, I have a long history of involvement with the city.

Let me start by identifying the problems.

There are many real and perceived components that have led to visual blight, decay and nonproductive public policy to establish a sustainable waterfront community blessed with many natural physical assets.

The city’s leaders do not understand they must have defined, established policies and programs in place that utilize the city’s assets to ensure economic sustainability.

The city is perceived as not being business-friendly and is currently showcasing a blighted business corridor.

How can we change all of this? The solutions are simpler than you might imagine.

The city must have a clearly identified adopted vision. It must plan for its implementation, utilizing a mix of funding sources and the will to move the city forward.

This is the only way to re-establish an inviting business environment and climate for community success.

How do we get there?

Let’s start with Three Sisters Springs.

The springs project will open in about two years. It has the potential to draw 1,000 to 1,500 people per day, just like the Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park. Where are the facilities to support these guests and visitors to our community?

Let’s think big! Let’s utilize a natural physical attraction as a trigger to become a local economic engine.

Investors need to be assembled to purchase the old Publix shopping plaza and the property behind it all the way to Cutler Spur. The 35-year-old strip-style plaza needs to be demolished. A new “town center” would be home to new stores, shops, offices and restaurants at ground level just across from the springs.

Just imagine how every visitor would probably visit the “town center” before or after visiting the springs.

Two levels of residential living would rest on top of the commercial/retail venues. This will establish the “mixed use” concept that will revitalize and repopulate the city.

A boardwalk needs to be constructed within Cutler Spur’s grass median from the end of the “cross-town” trail to the Three Sisters Springs property.

When Cutler Spur is upgraded, a non-motorized paved trail needs to connect the Three Sisters property to the Plantation hotel.

The city, along with community stakeholders, needs to partner with Citrus County and the state to extend the trail from The Plantation to Fort Island Beach and the Gulf of Mexico.

Our citizens and ecotourism guests could traverse the entire area from downtown Crystal River to the gulf on a connected paved trail system.

This would assist all area businesses as the trail network would provide a conduit linking all of the ventures to a nature-based theme.

In addition to the proposed projects I have mentioned, a new streetscape with sidewalks and a paved trail needs to be constructed from the improvements on Cutler Spur to the existing Ale House property.

The city must also ease the height restrictions to allow Dr. Paresh Desai the ability to reconstruct modern green development on this site with a restaurant on the uppermost level — “Windows on King’s Bay.” What a dramatic view and draw that would be for our nature-based community.

The proposed projects I have defined need to be initiated and done first to reinvent this area. They are based on existing and natural and manmade attractions already in place.

The goal is to connect them through a very unique theme. We need to give people a reason to come here, stay longer and support local businesses.

The next steps also need to be formulated and worked into a new master plan for this area.

The beautification of the U.S. 19 corridor from Fort Island Trail to the Best Western Resort needs to be designed and installed.

Palm trees need to be planted on both sides of the roadway to establish a sense of a different place. This can be accomplished through Florida Department of Transportation.

The State Road 44/U.S. 19 intersection needs to be landscaped as it is a main junction connection north/south 19 to east/west S.R. 44. This would form an inviting entrance to the Nature Coast.

These beautification projects will provide the U.S. 19 business corridor with a new, interesting sense of “you are here” that does not exist today.

This would set the tone for investments for exterior façade renovations of existing commercial buildings to a master redevelopment plan.

The Community Redevelopment Agency

No comprehensive plan is in place since the city council became the Community Redevelopment Agency.

Millions of dollars of funding will be in place until the agency sunsets per statute after 30 years. The CRA formed in 1988, and it will end in just seven short years.

The following projects should be completed within the CRA District:

* Accept the right of way for North Citrus Avenue from Citrus County, and redo the streetscape on the north side to mirror the South Citrus Avenue recently completed project.

* Finish the development of King’s Bay Park.

* Redevelop Hunter’s Spring Park to a Key West theme with enhanced parking moved back from the beach.

* Install decorative street signs throughout the redevelopment district.

* Completely update the historic survey of buildings in the district to state master list standards. This has not been done since 1989.

* Reconstruct and preserve the exterior building façade of the historic structure located at the base of the water tower. Its architecture mirrors that of the old city hall on Citrus Avenue.

* Have the old train depot and the Seminole Club placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Look at the possibility of having the old city hall and water plant also included.

* Purchase the vacant lot now for sale next to the Seminole Club. This historic, preserved structure sits very close to the abutting property line. The lot could be utilized for additional parking.

* The city needs to seek a not-for-profit entity to manage this facility using the Lions Club successful model for the old train depot.

* A partnership needs to be built with the historical society to develop a historic walking trail showcasing structures and places in the city and redevelopment district.

* Most importantly, the keystone of the city’s redevelopment plan should be the construction of the boardwalk around the bay.

The city was too eager to blame the local business community rather than address the issues, especially parking. They created a reason not to move forward instead of working with property owners to complete the boardwalk project.

To help assist the development of the CRA’s projects, the following items are vital to its success:

* The establishment of “mixed-use” land planning in the waterfront district and throughout the CRA district must be finalized in the city’s codes.

* Downtown public parking must be developed across U.S. 19 from the waterfront district. The property is available at the old bingo hall and adjacent to All Prestige Automotive for purchase and development into paved public parking for the downtown and waterfront district. Our commercial waterfront property is far too valuable to park cars on and be encumbered with storm water drainage facilities.

* A master drainage plan must also be formulated for the waterfront district that gathers and pumps storm water to the 37 acres of city-owned property adjacent to Yeoman’s Park on North Citrus Avenue.

* To clean up King’s Bay waters, the city must first complete its sewer grant project and work with the county and state to identify and construct a mooring field for boats.

Model restoration projects need to be formulated and funded to clean the bay waters.

Moving forward with these items, along with a master drainage plan and storm water utility, will show the state and federal governments the city is serious about cleaning up the bay. Appropriations and grant funding should be easier to acquire because important components are planned or will be in place.

Strategies also must be developed to revitalize the city’s blighted 1960s/1970s commercial strip malls.

Tax abatements and the most modern land-use standards can help lead the way, or they will have to be demolished and rebuilt to modern commercial design guidelines with storm water retention for parking lots upgraded to Southwest Florida Water Management District standards.

Once many of the new revitalization projects are initiated, I believe Publix can be asked to return to Crystal River on an existing razed site on U.S. 19 or on a new site at Fort Island Trail and U.S. 19.

Residential redevelopment and infill opportunities will flourish as the city will have evolved into a place where people want to reside because the investment in public and private infrastructure will also be in place.

The existing Crystal River Mall site and buildings must be upgraded with the implementation of modern “town center” and “village center” land planning standards.

It might be more cost-effective to demolish the existing mall buildings and rebuild the city’s first or second “town center.”

I have spoken to a representative of Wells Fargo Bank in Dallas, Texas, who is the receiver for the mall. He said he agreed with my positions and those options will be explored.

As you can clearly see, I have given this subject much thought.

The information I have compiled can and should be utilized to form a new master plan that addresses current deficiencies and assures the future sustainability of Crystal River.

If bold new plans are not put in place, a downward spiral can be anticipated while other parts of Citrus County grow and prosper. Let us seize the opportunity to be agents of change as our homes, lives and investments are at stake.

Dennis Damato is chairman of the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners.