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Mall rumors put to rest
Owners’ legal counsel, management company say new leases, additional renewals are still a priority
By BOB McCLURE
Article published on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/042208_smb-01.jpg) |
| Photo by BOB McCLURE |
| The future of the Seminole Mall has been a point of conversation since it was last sold in December 2006. |
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SEMINOLE – Ever since its sale in December 2006, the rumor mill has been busy concerning the future of the Seminole Mall.
Nothing has changed nearly 17 months later.
Merchants have contended that Tampa-based RMC Management Group, the company that leases space in the mall for Downtown Seminole LLC, the owners of the property, are not leasing available space and leases for current merchants are not being renewed.
Also, the Seminole Mall Web site lists 15 sites in the mall currently available, ranging in size from 150 to 12,687 square feet.
A story last week in another area newspaper quoted Seminole Chamber of Commerce president Harold “Doc” Kinsey as saying mall tenants “know for sure they’re not giving out leases.”
When pressed on the issue, Kinsey said his source was attorney Susan Rooth, who has an office in the mall. Kinsey said his statement was based on a conversation he had with Rooth on April 4.
“That (other newspaper) story says they’re not leasing,” said Rooth. “They are now leasing.”
Rooth and other mall merchants met April 16 with Tampa attorney Alex Dunser, who represents the mall owners. Also in the meeting were RMC Management Group Chief Operating Officer Ron Zielin and Paul Chisholm, vice president of development and construction.
No major announcements came out of the meeting but Rooth said Zielin and Chisholm toured the property for ideas where possible physical improvements could be made.
“They’re over here to see if they can make improvements to the property,” Rooth said, “and we’re working with them to make the improvements.”
She said the upgrades, which have to be bid out and approved by the mall owners, would be improvements to the mall’s 2,030-space parking lot, where a number of potholes exist and spaces need to be relined.
Rooth said the newspaper story inferred the mall is closing and emphasized that it is not.
“We’re still open,” Rooth said. “People think the mall is closing and it’s not. The people of Seminole need to know the mall is here for them.”
Both Dunser and Zielin said the story was not accurate.
“It’s simply not true,” said Zielin. “There’s a rumor mill floating around with the merchants association and when there’s not enough communication, things like this happen. We are looking at new leases and renewing leases where it is feasible. In fact, we’re working on half a dozen (renewals) right now.”
Dunser said the same thing.
“We are, in fact, in the process of renewing leases for many tenants,” he said. “As far as the empty spaces, I’m sure our leasing agent is pursuing that. But as far as the rumors that ownership is not seeking to renew leases, it is inaccurate.”
Zielin said a lot of criteria is used to find new businesses for the mall. He said tenant mix with the current merchants is considered as well as credit worthiness.
“We’re not looking for just any warm body,” Zielin said. “There is a lot of criteria. A business might be credit worthy but it might be bad for the environment, such as a dry cleaners that might spill chemicals on the property. Under those circumstances, a lender is not going to lend money to the mall if ownership seeks to renew financing.”
He said another underlying question is whether a business will be a benefit to the community.
“In the end, the owners of the property have the final say,” Zielin said.
Some merchants have speculated that the owners plan to raze the mall and rebuild it as an outdoor mall, but a local Realtor who is a member of the ownership group said no such plans are in the works. The source said the current economic climate of Pinellas County and the state makes any redevelopment plans unlikely in the short term.
Dunser would not comment on the longtime goals of the mall ownership, saying “our involvement is in maintaining existing operations of the mall.”
Mark Ely, director of community development for the city of Seminole, said nothing has been submitted to his office concerning a possible site plan revision and until such a move is made and approved by City Council, nothing can happen at the mall site.
The 424,042-square-foot mall was built in 1965 and renovated in 1992.
Located on a 39-acre site at Park Boulevard and 113th Street, it is anchored by Publix, Kmart, a Beall’s department store and a movie theater.
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Article published on Tuesday, April 22, 2008
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