Clearwater highlights US 19 corridor as ripe for next wave of office and mixed-use development
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Feb 6, 2023

The city of Clearwater is encouraging developers to unlock the potential for office development along the U.S. Highway 19 corridor.

The city’s Economic Development and Housing Department released a video Monday that highlighted four areas along the corridor that are ripe for redevelopment. Conceptual renderings show several expansive office developments and mixed-use projects that could bring both office, retail and residential to the area.

“We have a vision for this area of the city as a place for employment-intensive uses in industries, such as software, finance and insurance, emerging technologies, corporate headquarters, and others well-suited for the region’s skilled and talented labor force,” Denise Sanderson, Clearwater economic development and housing director, said in a release. “With office-intensive and mixed-used concepts depicted in the video, we hope to inspire site selectors, brokers, developers and CEOs to explore the development opportunities the corridor provides.”

Clearwater commissioned the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council to create renderings and produce the video. The conceptual renderings shown do not indicate any planned or proposed projects but rather highlight the types of development that could be created.

Four areas were identified:

Northeast Quadrant SR 60/Gulf-to-Bay-Boulevard: 5.5 acres

Southeast Quadrant Drew Street: 17 acres

Northwest Quadrant Drew Street: 16.7 acres

Northeast Quadrant Countryside Boulevard to Southeast SR 580: 61.8 acres

In 2017 the city rezoned approximately 4,000 parcels along U.S. 19 that goes through Clearwater. This also included the eastern portion of State Rd. 60/Gulf-to-Bay Blvd. The U.S. 19 zoning district and “its associated development standards provide for increased densities that, over time, will establish a more urban form of development,” according to a release.

The video said the city is “committed to the success” of the U.S. 19 corridor as the next location for major employment growth. The conceptual illustrations show there are “substantial development opportunities to meet the needs of real estate developers, investors, site selectors and business owners,” according to the video.

The project was funded in part by Duke Energy’s Economic Development Grant.

Clearwater is undergoing a transformation as the city wraps up construction of Imagine Clearwater — the $84 million redevelopment of Coachman Park — and moves forward with the massive $400 million redevelopment of two properties on the downtown waterfront. RSR Capital Advisors has also moved forward on its first project in the Clearwater Marina District north of downtown, where the group intends to do more than $300 million of projects in the next several years.

“It is well-known the city has a bold vision and has invested in our downtown waterfront with Imagine Clearwater, and equally as important is our commitment to the development and employment growth of the U.S. 19 corridor,” Mayor Frank Hibbard said in a release. “We are implementing creative strategies to illustrate its potential and believe once our vision resonates with the development and investment community, there will be catalytic change along this corridor.”