Developers' Channelside Fight Now a PR Blitz

Developers' Channelside Fight Now a PR Blitz

Developers hoping to take over Channelside Bay Plaza aren't taking “no” for an answer, even if it means going to court to get a “yes.”


Officials with Liberty Group and Convergent Capital Partners say they have been treated unfairly and maligned in public by the Tampa Port Authority, which has the ultimate authority over the complex and essentially rejected the developers' request to take over the mostly empty complex.


“These attacks in the media have significantly affected our reputation,” said Punit Shah, a top executive with Liberty Capital, adding that he suspects the port's public statements were made to “hinder this transaction.”


This comes after the board of the Port Authority voted unanimously last week to deny a request by the current Channelside operator, Irish Bank Resolution Corp., to reassign the lease to Liberty-Convergent. Several port board members said they felt “burned” by the current operator and want a more secure deal the next time.


Now, a week after that rejection, the Liberty-Convergent executives are taking their case public, meeting with media outlets across the Tampa area and handing out talking points, notes, résumés and timelines of various meetings with the Port Authority board.


Santosh Govindaraju of Convergent Capital said they are still considering their options. He said they think they have provided more than enough information and commitments to the port to make a deal happen and shown a solid track record of other projects in the region.


One option he offered was for the legal entity beneath the Irish bank that holds the lease to file bankruptcy “and let a federal judge re-write the lease” while Shah and Govindaraju sue for damages and defamation. “We have resources and time on our side,” Govindaraju said.


Asked why they just don't simply move on to other deals, both Govindaraju and Shah said they retain a positive outlook and won't be pushed around.


This comes after lawyers on several sides exchanged pointed letters criticizing one another.


The port's attorneys wrote on May 23 that the Channelside bidders had not submitted the basic documents involved in an application, and they scolded the developers for threatening violence during negotiations. The port stood by a requirement that the bidders put up $8 million in cash in escrow for renovations, lest they do the same thing the previous operator did — take possession and let the site degrade.


The Irish bank's attorneys fired back the next day (though it's unclear whether the two letters passed each other simultaneously) and complained that the port was being obstinate and was breaching protocol by voting down the bank's request to pass the lease on to a new operator with a fair offer. Continuing down that path, they said, would only lead to further litigation.


Charles Klug, the port's chief counsel, said it was within the authority of the port to approve or reject any new party hoping to take over the Channelside lease. He noted that the port already has an eviction proceeding against the Irish bank, in part for letting the property degrade.


The request for $8 million in escrow, he said, came because the bidders asked the port to stop that eviction and waive any rights to enforce rules on the lease, and also to help prevent any new operator from simply taking over and “flipping it to someone else.”


“The board took official action to reject this group after our staff spent weeks and weeks in negotiation and clearly stating what our position was,” Klug said. “It seems to have come as some surprise to some parties that we were pressing our case.”

5 Signs You May Have Termites

Five Signs Your Home May Be Infested With Termites

As a homeowner, you should be and likely are concerned about the potential damage that termites can cause in and around your home. Termites are considered the top threat to wood-based structures, ahead of fire, flood and wind. In fact, termites cost Americans more than $5 billion in damage annually, according to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). Education on termite basics – identification, warning signs and preventative steps – is key to protecting homes from termites.

There are two main species of termites that affect U.S. homes: termites that live underground (subterranean termites) and those that live entirely in wood (drywood termites). Subterranean termites build colonies in the soil, whereas drywood termites can be found in the framing, furniture and hardwood flooring of homes. Both species of termites tend to be most active in areas with warmer climates, although subterranean termites can be found in every state in the U.S., except Alaska. While you likely aren’t concerned with differentiating between the two species of termites – as termite damage of any kind is a threat to your home – a termite specialist will need to identify the species to effectively treat an infestation.

Although many people believe that termites are only active in the spring, termites are actually active throughout the year. Swarms, the most visible sign of termite activity, occur most often in the spring, but detecting the less obvious signs of an infestation could save you a lot of money and stress. Be sure to partner with a trusted professional and watch for signs of termite damage, including:

• Hollow-sounding wood: Termites prefer to be in dark, humid environments, so they do not typically feed on the surface of wood, where they would be visible to the human eye. In fact, the wood’s surface might appear smooth, even if termites are inflicting damage. If wood sounds hollow when tapped, it may be because termites are eating the wood from the inside out.
• Groups of winged insects (“swarmers”) or discarded wings: Reproductive termites called swarmers take flight to create new colonies. Subterranean termites typically swarm in the spring, whereas drywood swarms are less predictable. If you see a swarm of insects or groups of discarded wings, call a termite specialist to inspect.

• Cracked or distorted paint on wood surfaces: Swarming drywood termites can enter through openings smaller than the edge of a dime, so monitor and seal any cracks in the home’s foundation and near roof siding, vents and windows.

• Mud tubes on exterior walls: Subterranean termites build mud tubes on surfaces, such as a home’s foundation, to provide moisture while they are searching for food. Store mulch, firewood and wood chips away from the home to avoid creating moisture-rich habitats for termites to survive and thrive.

• Frass: Drywood termites produce wood-colored droppings called frass as they eat their way through infested wood. Keep gutters, downspouts and crawl spaces free of debris and cellulose materials to prevent food sources for termites.

Termites pose a serious threat to your biggest investment – your home. If you suspect termite activity, first call a licensed pest management company to complete an inspection. A termite specialist can recommend a customized treatment and prevention plan that may involve liquid repellants, wood treatments, baits and if necessary, fumigation of the entire structure. For more tips on termite warning signs, hot spots and prevention, visit Termites 101.

Apps Help Prevent Texting and Driving

Apps That Help Prevent Texting and Driving

Would you ever drive the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour blindfolded? Some daredevils might consider it, but what if the field was filled with obstacles like people and cars?

I’m guessing most people’s answer would be a resounding “no,” but that’s pretty much what you’re doing every time you text and drive.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, texting drivers are 23 times more likely to get into an accident than those who don’t. It’s no wonder that it’s now illegal to do so in 39 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Yet we still do it. Studies have shown that younger drivers are the biggest offenders, but adults are guilty of it, too. This past week, I checked out several apps designed to curb this dangerous activity: Text-Star by Cinqpoint, DriveScribe by Drive Power andDriveSafe.ly by iSpeech.

Each app handles the task a little differently. Text-Star sends automatic responses to incoming texts, so you don’t feel compelled to answer right away. Meanwhile, DriveScribe blocks incoming messages and calls when it detects you’re in a moving car. Finally, DriveSafe.ly allows you to receive texts, but reads them out loud, so you don’t have to look at your phone. They all worked well, but still require discipline on your part.

Text-Star is free, but it’s currently only available for Android smartphones. Cinqpoint said it hopes to offer an iOS version in the future.

I used it on my Nexus 4 and found it easy to use. The app offers three operating modes: Automatic, Manual and Passenger. I left it in Automatic mode most of the time, which sends auto-replies as soon as it detects that your car is moving faster than 10 mph (it does this by using your phone’s various sensors and radios).

Before you head out, you can select from a list of preset messages, such as “On the road, ttyl (talk to you later),” “At the movies, ttyl,” or you can write a custom message. Though primarily designed for in-car use, you can also use Text-Star for other situations, like when you’re in a meeting.

To test the app, I drove around an empty portion of a shopping mall parking lot and had my brother text me. The Nexus 4 chimed just as usual to let me know I had a new text, but I resisted the urge to check it, knowing that an automatic response was sent. My brother confirmed that he received my custom message.

There’s really nothing in TextStar that prevents you from checking or sending messages while in the car. Some apps, like Textecution ($30), require an unlock code from a parent or administrator. Cinqpoint says it believes that brings potential liabilities, but to help encourage good behavior, it is working with national insurance carriers to provide discounts. As you use the app, Text-Star takes note of whether or not you’re using your phone while on the road, and gives you a star rating. A good star rating can then potentially be used to lower insurance rates.

DriveScribe also uses rewards to encourage safer driving, and includes a number of useful tools for parents with teens who drive. Available for Android and iOS, the app blocks texts and incoming calls when a car is moving faster than 12 mph. There’s an auto-response feature, and messages appear once you’ve stopped. The app also offers an option to allow texts from certain numbers, such as a parent’s, even while in motion. All the features worked well on the Nexus 4.

DriveScribe also monitors other driving habits, including speed, and all the data is available to parents via a Web-based dashboard. Based on their behavior on the road, drivers are awarded points for each ride. These points can later be redeemed for rewards like discounts at national retailers, which are provided by a DriveScribe partner.

For example, 1,000 points gets you a $10 Amazon gift card. But to take advantage of rewards like this, you have to subscribe to one of DriveScribe’s paid plans, which start at $3 per month. Still, it might be worth it for parents who want to give their kids an incentive to be safer drivers.

For those moments when you can’t bear to be disconnected from text messages — say, if your wife is pregnant — DriveSafe.ly is a good option.

The free app reads incoming messages out loud, and automatically replies to the sender with a custom message. It’s available for Android, and a BlackBerry 10 version is coming next month. But there’s no iOS app. There’s also a Pro version ($10 for Android, $14 for BlackBerry) that adds the ability to reply by voice, though I’d argue that can be just as distracting as typing.

Upon launching DriveSafe.ly on my Nexus 4, I thought something was wrong with the app. This is because it only displayed a small image in the upper left-hand corner of the screen rather than the entire screen, but it still worked fine. ISpeech said this is something it’s planning to fix.

Under the Settings menu, you can indicate what you’d like the app to read out loud, such as text, emails and sender’s name. This is also where you can write a message for your auto-response.

Using the same test method as the other two, DriveSafe.ly announced my brother’s name and read the message in a pleasant female voice. I was pretty impressed with the text-to-speech translation. The voice didn’t sound too robotic, and it didn’t horribly mangle the pronunciation of any names.

I’ll admit, by actually hearing the message, I was a little more tempted to grab my phone and respond, compared to the other two apps. But knowing that they received an automatic reply from the app saying that I was driving curbed the temptation.

These apps aren’t perfect solutions for completely stopping texting and driving, but they can certainly help, and are worth a test drive.

Pinellas County Inventory Shrinking

Tampa Bay Business Journal 

Pinellas County is losing inventory on single-family homes and condominiums and townhomes.

The number of both kinds of residential properties currently on the market fell to 7,246 from 8,383 from last April, according to the Pinellas Realtor Organization. Active listings for single-family homes dropped 14 percent and active listings for townhomes and condominiums fell 13.1 percent from a year ago.

The single-family homes on the market have a 4.5-month supply at the current sales rate, down 29 percent from a year ago. Numbers higher than 5.5 months suggest a favorable market for buyers, while numbers lower than 5.5 indicate good conditions for sellers.

In April, the average sale price for a single-family home was about $217,000, up 3.6 percent from a year ago, while the median sale price was about $154,000, up 10.2 percent from a year ago.

Across the nation, large investment firms have purchased single-family homes with the purpose of renovating and renting them. Bloomberg reported in March that private equity firm Blackstone spent more than $3.5 billion on 20,000 single-family homes.

The Tampa Bay area has been ripe for investors. Last month The Blackstone Group purchased 12 homes for $2.3 million in Manatee County, adding to its total of more than 1,000 homes.

Though the number of foreclosed and short sale single-family homes sold last month decreased from a year ago, this lower number is likely due to the inventory shrinkage. Cash sales, which allow the buyer to take control of the property immediately, were up 12.9 percent from the previous year.

Tampa Bay Margarita Festival

Tampa Bay Margarita Festival

South Tampa Patch  

South Tampa margarita fans, unite.

The inaugural Tampa Bay Margarita Festival is headed to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 25. In addition to top shelf margaritas, attendees can expect a fireworks show, beach volleyball and the sounds of four local bands.

Admission is $15. Margaritas range in price from $6 to $8. A portion of proceeds benefits a University of South Florida nonprofit calledStudents in Free Enterprise, said Monica Varner, who is helping organize the festival.

Fresh lime juice, tequila and fresh agave nectar are some of the ingredients included in the margaritas. No mixes allowed.

Varner, who is working with business partner Ferdian Jap on the margarita festival, has also coordinated Tampa Bay events such as the Gasparilla Film Festival and Tampa Tee Off.

The idea for the festival came about during a brainstorming session, Varner said.

"We kind of always throw out ideas," she said. "We are business partners, and we text each other. Some ideas stick, some don't. This was one where we said, 'yes.' There isn't a margarita festival here."

Varner said she hopes the event promotes the idea of people coming to downtown Tampa for both work and play.

"Part of our mission is to to get people used to coming downtown," she said. "If we can get people downtown on a Saturday afternoon, that's great."

For more information, go to http://www.tampamargaritafest.com.

New Additions to Tampa Skyline

New Additions to Tampa Skyline

Tampa, Florida -- The skyline of Downtown Tampa is growing by 153 floors. 10 News has reviewed the documents and plans calling for that many new buildings and renovations.The area's adding enough stories to fill one and a half Empire State Buildings.It's offices; shopping; and just under 3,000 apartment, hotel, and condo units. All of it bound for Tampa's Downtown.To open the flagship showroom and corporate headquarters for the C.I. Group, Manny Bhuller and Drew Marshall could have picked anywhere in the Southeast.They chose an old department store on Downtown Tampa's Franklin Street."Just being down here -- the energy that it brings to our employees and to the staff has been incredible in the first month that we've been here," Bhuller said.

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7 Bathroom Design Ideas

Yahoo! - 7 Stylish Bathroom Remodel Ideas

You've lived with that pink tile in your bathroom for way too long. You've been longing for a place to relax and be pampered from life's stresses and you're finally ready to renovate your bathroom.

But where do you start with a bathroom remodel? According to one expert, you should aim for the "hotel experience."

"My clients want that hotel experience with neutral colors and a more luxurious feel with such things as towel warmers, heated floors, and a large shower with benches," says Davia Gallup, owner of Homefront Interior Design in Davenport, Iowa.

Keep reading to learn about other bathroom trends that might spark some ideas for your own remodel.

#1 - Neutral Colored and Radiant Heated Floors

If you walk into a spa, you get a feeling of spaciousness without sacrificing the coziness. The subtle colors, natural materials of stone and wood, plus those luxurious cuddly robes, invite you in to relax.

So, how can you get that same effect in your own bathroom?

"If you want to make the space look bigger, putting a neutral colored floor is one of the ways to do it," Gallup says. However, if you want wood floors in your bathroom, you'll have to be pretty neat because you have to wipe up the water after every shower to avoid damage to the floors.

Luckily, there's a way to get that wood look without all the fuss. In fact, new innovations in the tile industry allow you to put down a tile floor that looks just like wood, but still has the easy cleanup of tile.

"These new floors are really cool looking, and you can't tell that it isn't hardwood," Gallup says.

How else can you make this your perfect bathroom? How about keeping your feet warm on cold mornings with a radiant heated floor?

"It's not complicated at all to install them for contractors, and you can put the floor on a timer so it's warm when you hit the bathroom floor in the morning for your shower," she says

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