In summer 2018, Fischler walked into Bob Lees Auto Repair on Park Street to make owner Dennis Bosi an offer. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email along with 7129 other subscribers. Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in sight. We believe it's important to shed light on a powerful institution that's very controversial and plays a big role in our community. Clarification made on CBRE and thank you for pointing that out. Four high-ranking defectors describe bizarre behavior and physical beatings inflicted by Scientology leader David Miscavige. A few weeks later, John Yarbrough sold the building where he had run his electrical services business for 22 years. Its designed not for recruiting new members but for hosting established followers. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. "You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear," he said, "so it's tough to make economic sense out . This makes no sense, except of course to a bigot.. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. It appears that Project Normandy is still operational. Among other things, Ozsan is, according to our source, Trish Duggans money manager. Fischler, a local real estate agent, negotiated at least 10 of the downtown deals, according to interviews with sellers. Brian Andrus controls companies that last year bought a marina on N Osceola Avenue and six nearby properties, all bordering a redevelopment project at the citys public boat ramp. I think it throws a stake in it when one party owns 50 percent or so. Zano did not respond to questions about what his plans for the properties. The churchs campus grew slowly over decades. Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operatedby members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. In North America, Melitta is the leading brand of coffee filters. They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront. Looking at the Times map of the new ownership, City Council member David Allbritton recalled a moment from 2017 that now seems telling. In mid-2018, one year before the string of North Marina purchases took off, a company controlled by developer Brian Andrus, a longtime member of Scientology, bought the private marina next to the citys Seminole Boat Ramp. Norm Novitsky hung up when asked by a reporter about the companies plans. A for-lease sign sits in long-vacant retail space at The SkyView condo tower, owned by Scientologist and developer Moises Agami. Its members bought property on surrounding blocks. Times reporters built a database of hundreds of properties in the center of Clearwaters downtown. The US average revenue of a car dealership is $38.3 million. Mayor Jane Castors partner vowed not to lobby the city. Each had proposed major redevelopment projects, designed to lure new business into the empty storefronts that surround the city-owned waterfront and the churchs spiritual headquarters. After his stint at CBRE, Riley worked for Caliber Wells in Scottsdale, Arizona and then left the firm. Osman Ozsan is, in our opinion, one of the more notable Scientologists youve never heard of. The hotel has 11 stories and features 220 rooms, three restaurants, a swimming pool and a . The city has no record yet of redevelopment plans being submitted for any of the North Marina properties since the purchases began, according to planning and development director Gina Clayton. Reached at their condo, his wife declined to comment. Originally founded in 1955, we are the oldest Scientology Church in Australia. NIO's stock slumped toward a 2 1/2-year low, after the China-based EV maker reported a much wider-than-expected loss and revenue that fell short of forecasts. The goal was to capture the area immediately surrounding both Scientologys headquarters, City Hall and the city-owned waterfront. businesses owned by scientologistsdoes keegan allen have a child 26th February 2023 / in west warwick viewpoint / by / in west warwick viewpoint / by Thank you very much. And yes, everyone that works here is asked to keep politics and religion out . Advance! Through a spokesperson, Epstein said in an email that CA South looked into developing the properties on behalf of a client but walked away when the city did not relax a rule prohibiting a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue. synergy rv transport pay rate; stephen randolph todd. In late 2020, Terri Novitsky also was elected to the Downtown Development Board, an advisory group tasked with promoting downtown. About $15.9 million was paid in cash. Leading up to the waterfront, 22 of the first 33 buildings now have ties to Scientology. About 72 percent of those properties are tax exempt for religious uses. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., But Tal Ezra, a Scientologist who recently bought four parcels of land in downtown Clearwater, told the Times that he has plans for an office space and a retail shop. And inside those findings was a plan that Scientology operatives had created and written to establish area control. And the properties cover about 100 acres. My sister is always struggling with money and drugs: I own a house with my husband and mother. businesses owned by scientologists. Among them was to make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. The church, its members and companies they control now own 185 properties that cover 101 acres in the center of downtown. In her November 2021 article on Scientologists buying land in Clearwater, Tracey McManus wrote (emphasis ours): The city received an informal inquiry last year related to vacant land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue. Shahab and Catherine Emrani who manage companies that purchased four commercial buildings, retail space in a condo and vacant land have given at least $1.75 million to the church. [1] Council members were less delighted by the discovery, however especially since many of the lots and storefronts purchased by owners with Scientology ties are sitting vacant while the Clearwater City Council aims to turn the downtown waterfront into a dining and entertainment destination. Scientology has said it has 10 million followers, but surveys and accounts from former members suggest there are no more than 30,000 worldwide. But the couple isnt ready to let go. Richard Tobias, an independent real estate appraiser in Pinellas County, said vast purchases of downtown real estate by entities tied to Scientology have cast confusion over the market. Good luck on that. Its too soon to say how the shift in ownership will affect downtown. In 2018, Peter Lares got a call from Fischler, asking if hed sell the prominent building in the center of downtown that houses Emilys Restaurant. Much of downtown Clearwater is now owned by people or companies tied to Scientology, a report finds. The lack of action from Scientology-tied buyers has precedent. Almost all of the properties were quietly bought through limited liability companies required to disclose their operators but not their owners as is pretty standard in real estate. The Church of Scientology, its members and companies controlled by its members have spent $103 million over the past three years buying retail property in downtown Clearwater, Fla., according to the Tampa Bay Times. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Explain to me why the paper has a Scientology reporter. Instead, the aquarium sold it to the city in April 2017 for a lot less $4.25 million. By then, the churchs intelligence unit was already deploying an elaborate scheme to establish area control in the city. GPB Capital Holdings: Court-Appointed Monitors Report on Q4 2022 Activities. I saw a business opportunity, Ezra said. Scientologists Brett Miller and Joanie and Steve Sigal recommended Frank Hibbard for Mayor. Accuracy and availability may vary. The Times described sales as cash transactions when they were paid without a mortgage filed in public records. MCMANUS: Yeah, that's a good question. Nearly all of the roughly two dozen people listed as operating the companies are Scientologists. However, we reserve our prior opinion and modify it by stating that some GPB Capital money may be in the Clearwater real estate purchases mix. ANTIFRAGILE LIMITED We built a graphic demonstrating just how little is left. CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past . In an interview with Scientology-owned "Freedom Magazine" Gendusa said that she moved to Clearwater to study Scientology more than 25 years ago. The 1.4 acre lot was across the street from City Hall and adjacent to a 13-story Scientology religious retreat. The church has amassed 60 properties in Pinellas County since arriving in 1975. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. On Sept. 7, Epsteins employee was removed from the corporate filings of the company that own the land. Recommend. The memos were later seized by the FBI. Sep 19, 2022 - Anonymous Employee in Clearwater, FL. A buyer, whose identity Chesney never learned, agreed to his asking price without countering $1 million cash for the adjoining parcels, which was four times the value set by the Pinellas County Property Appraiser. Real estate agent David Kerr represented a buyer that paid more than three times what a property was valued by the county property appraiser. ), Clear Takeover: How Scientology doubled its downtown Clearwater footprint in 3 years, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover. Visitors are expected to stay in Scientologys hotels and eat at private church restaurants. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. In the article cited, Riley makes an interesting comment (emphasis ours): The opportunity Riley is pursuing to activate the 21 acres is similar to his project in Mesa, Arizona, where he acquired and developed nine properties. Searcy felt like hed created a canvas for a dream hotel, condo and retail project: near the bridge to Clearwater Beach, no height restrictions, all under $5 million. EMPIRICAL PROSPECTING COMPANY LIMITED. Andrus did not respond to a phone message or email inquiring if he was involved in the 45 purchases in the blocks surrounding his condo project. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Florida executes Donald Dillbeck for 1990 Tallahassee murder, Held without charge, a Miami inmates unborn child asks court for release in odd case, One step led Tampa runner, Gasparilla entrant to big weight loss, huge life gains, Hillsborough must right-size its school system | Editorial, companies tied to Scientology bought 100 properties, Winter the dolphin died of twisted intestines, necropsy report confirms. Miscavige cut off communication with the city. High-ranking defectors provide an unprecedented inside look at Scientology, its leader and the Lisa McPherson case. Agami also signed two more leases on the same block with restaurants owned by people not connected to the church. Riley thereafter became a Regional Manager forCB Richard Ellis. Over half are owned or operated by Scientologists. Purchases in the North Marina Area took off in July 2019, three months after the City Council voted to buy the historic North Ward Elementary School across the street from the Seminole ramp and Andrus condo. City officials plan to partner with a developer on ways to adapt the red brick schoolhouse, like turning it into a hub for restaurants, retail, or apartments. CEO Approval. MCMANUS: Scientology arrived in downtown Clearwater in 1975. Hibbard previously served as Mayor from 2005 until 2012, leaving office because of term limits. Agami, the developer whose family gave $10 million, leased a storefront to a non-Scientologist that has become a successful restaurant since opening in 2017. Our opinion is that Riley was instructed to get ahead of the story by bringing up Scientology before he was asked about it. The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent $103 million over the past three years buying up vast sections of downtown Clearwater. DEUTERIUM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Terri Novitsky and Hayes did not return calls and emails requesting comment. 1. Then the council interfered with a land deal that Scientology demanded for its plan. No one from the church dictates to me what to buy, what to sell, what to do.. In the world of poker this is called a tell. We interpret it as the Tampa Bay Times getting too close for Mr. Epsteins comfort. That company has had no connection to Coldwell Banker for decades. . Seventy-three percent of the property is tax-exempt for religious purposes. After buying eight buildings on and around Cleveland Street in 2018, Moises Agami, a parishioner and developer, now has restaurants, shops and other businesses in 16 of those 20 storefronts. This is the Church of Hyper-Surveillance that knows everything about the private and business lives of its members; their social media activities; and even what they did in their past lives. In September, Andrus completed construction there on Marina Bay 880, two towers that hug the marina with 87 luxury condos and amenities like an Olympic-sized pool and sauna. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So tell me about these land purchases. A broker who was a Scientologist approached a downtown property owner. Scientology members fuel another land-buying surge in Clearwater Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in. Melitta coffee filters are manufactured in Clearwater, Florida. Gensler does all the architectural work for Scientologys Ideal Orgs. But David Kerr, a local real estate agent and parishioner, walked in one day with an offer. Although that arrangement is standard in real estate, it makes it impossible to know whether the properties are owned by the Scientologists who manage the companies, the wealthy church or another hidden party. If our work stats did not improve day to day . Theres no such thing in Scientology. And he was going to build an entertainment complex with Tom Cruise. This is a big giveaway in our view. I believe its irrational to buy property and not fully utilize it.. Please! and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. The main reason why developers didnt want it was they didnt want to be near the Church of Scientology, Searcy said. These workers sign billion year contracts, are paid very little, work around the clock. In Mesa, its the Mormon Church that dominates the area and I was able to work in that environment. Since 2017, the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members have bought 92 properties around the center of downtown. Tyler Rice has run Carillon Flooring Center on North Fort Harrison for 30 years, the business his father started there in 1964. An elevated walkway connects the building to the Fort Harrison Hotel, the churchs first purchase in the city in 1975. In January and February 2017, as the council was preparing to approve the consultants concept, a handful of companies bought six commercial properties downtown. In the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Scientology plan to infiltrate the government. The city, meanwhile, moved ahead on its now-$84 million Imagine Clearwater project, a plan to transform the city-owned downtown waterfront with an outdoor amphitheater, a garden, bluff walk and plaza. They called it, quote, "little more than self-serving propaganda intended to give the appearance of objective reporting." Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown. Made an offer. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. Scientologists living in Clearwater span the gamut of professional life . Project Normandy was described in one of hundreds of internal memos Scientology officials exchanged about their plans to infiltrate and control Clearwater. Today, 10 years later, the economic influence of Scientologists in the community is commensurately higher. In both communities [comparing Mesa to Clearwater], there is a major presence of a church. Scientology came to downtown Clearwater in 1975. The logical conclusion is Scientology must have some sort of a game plan in mind, but theyre not public with what it is, City Council member Hoyt Hamilton told the paper. Instead, Epstein took the formal step of using an affidavit to deny that the Church of Scientology is not the client. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Who are they buying from, and how much were they offering? Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operated by members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. Buy up as much property as they can for the church whether they use it or not, whether they let it sit there and rot so no one else can be there.. A few months later, the newcomers admitted they were actually Scientology. Melitta electrics and accessories are manufactured, marketed and distributed under a licensing agreement. Your characterization that his religious affiliations somehow control his business activities is evidence of personal bias against his religion, Zaretsky wrote. Welcome. February 1976: Scientology files a $1 million lawsuit against Cazares alleging he violated its constitutional rights with his public criticism. The other side of that is flag is run by the Sea Org, the Scientology's full-time workforce. All five City Council members said they doubted the rash of purchases were unrelated. "I do not want to be associated . This is a story for another time. Operatives framed the mayor in a staged hit-and-run and spread false rumors he was having an extramarital affair. The churchs hostility toward the public became clear from its first days in the city in fall 1975. The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent $103 million over the past three years buying up vast sections of downtown Clearwater. Do you own your house? Steven Epstein took the unusual step of preparing an affidavit to tell the Tampa Bay Times that his client was not the Church of Scientology. All they did was act like children and make crude sex/homophobic/racial jokes about being raped, gangbanged, etc. All 45 North Marina properties were purchased by companies managed or operated by two longtime members of Scientology: Steven Hayes, an attorney who has done legal work on behalf of church related organizations for more than two decades, and Norm Novitsky, a businessperson who has donated at least $5 million to Scientology. And the mayor at the time, Gabe Cazares, really raised the alarm. 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