Pinellas County land sale sparks Clearwater residents' fears over possible Scientology downtown expansion

Downtown Clearwater redevelopment town hall

Dozens of Clearwater residents spoke out at a town hall meeting over the future of several downtown buildings. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Concerns are growing over the future of downtown Clearwater, as Pinellas County Commissioners consider selling or leasing publicly owned land.

The backstory:

Pinellas County is preparing to sell or lease 17 properties (totaling 32 parcels and 24.5 acres) in downtown Clearwater. County commissioners are in the process of moving their government headquarters to a new 21-acre site located near U.S. 19 and Ulmerton Road.

Dozens of longtime locals spoke during a town hall meeting on Wednesday in Clearwater. Most residents urged county commissioners to lease the land rather than sell it.

Clearwater resident Mike Mastruserio fears the public property could end up in the hands of the Church of Scientology.

What they're saying:

"We do not want our heritage erased," Mastruserio said. "It’s an organization that has both the money and the architects to do what they want."

Clearwater resident Jill Gibbs hopes her local leaders are transparent when it comes to downtown development.

"There’s a lot of frustration amongst Clearwater citizens," Gibbs said. "We want to make sure that it gets in the right hands."

The Church of Scientology owns 22 buildings in downtown Clearwater. Although its members and companies they control have acquired nearly 200 properties within the city limits.

The other side:

Scott Dobbins is the manager of the Cleveland Street Alliance, which works in tandem with the church.

"This city wants and deserves an activated downtown," Dobbins said. "We are creating that momentum every day."

The Good Life Showroom is open to the public on the groundfloor of the Water's Edge building. It showcases grand plans for the Cleveland Street corridor.

Courtesy: CLEVELAND STREET ALLIANCE

By the numbers:

These plans include renovating six buildings and 40 storefronts, along with a proposed $50 million, 83,000-square-foot EVO Entertainment complex.

Church of Scientology spokesperson Erin Banks says they’re committed to transforming the entire area.

"We’re very proud to be so actively bringing this incredible transformation to Cleveland Street," Banks said. "We want to make Cleveland Street a dynamic driving, incredible place for everyone."

Courtesy: Cleveland Street Alliance

State Rep. Kim Berfield, R-Pinellas, says these decisions will have long-term consequences.

"As we move forward, this decision will define the appearance and atmosphere of downtown for generations," Berfield said.

What's next:

Developers can start submitting proposals for the Pinellas County properties in mid-June. The overall timeline aims to approve agreements for this land by December 2027.