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ClearwaterClearwater is home to a diverse economy ranging from beach tourism to high-tech manufacturing, with businesses of every size. They are served by a variety of locales, a well-connected transportation network, and housing options to suit every need. To return to Redevelopment Districts, click here.For more information about this community, please visit the websites of the City of Clearwater or the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce. For personal assistance with your business or redevelopment needs, please contact Denise Sanderson, Director of Economic Development & Housing, at 727-562-4031 or geraldine.lopez@myclearwater.com. Downtown Clearwater District  photo provided by the City of Clearwater District Type: Downtown, Employment District Assets: Downtown Clearwater enjoys a unique location on a bluff overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, with public greenspace lining the waterfront. It has been recognized by the state as a Florida Main Street, a designation given to traditional downtowns that have been revitalized. Access to the rest of the county is provided by major roadways Alternate U.S. 19, Missouri Avenue, Drew Street, Cleveland Street (S.R. 60), and the CSX railroad corridor. About two miles of the Pinellas Trail also run through the district. Land Use: Land is primarily designated for Central Business District uses, which include a range of high-density and -intensity uses compatible with a traditional downtown, or for industrial use. Public Investments:The city has recently completed an update of its Downtown Redevelopment Plan for improved infrastructure and amenities in the downtown and surrounding areas. It has designated the downtown as both a Brownfield Area and an Enterprise Zone, allowing developers to obtain state and federal assistance for qualifying projects. FDOT has recently completed resurfacing and drainage improvements on Fort Harrison Avenue, and replacement of the Memorial Causeway Bridge, which connects the downtown to Clearwater Beach, is underway.   General
Location: Situated northeast of downtown Clearwater, it is bounded
by Sunset Point Road to the north, Belcher Road to the east, Palmetto Street
to the south, and Keene Road to the west. See
map. District Type: Employment District Assets: Access to the rest of Pinellas County is provided by major roadways Belcher Road, Keene Road, and Hercules Avenue. The district includes a CSX railroad corridor that connects Hillsborough County to downtown Clearwater, and continues south to St. Petersburg. Other unique amenities include a small-craft airport (the Clearwater Airpark) and a Par 3 golf course. Land Use: The district contains a diverse mix of industrial uses surrounded by single and multifamily residential. Much of the industrial land is underutilized by older developments, and is, therefore, ripe for redevelopment. Public Investments: The MPO has recently made improvements to the Keene Road corridor including a new north-south traffic connection adjacent to the district. The city is in the process of implementing a master plan for the Airpark, and has recently added a new 9,600 square foot hangar.  General
Location: Located immediately east of downtown Clearwater, it
includes Gulf to Bay Boulevard (S.R. 60) east of Highland Avenue and west
of U.S. 19, and the surrounding area north to Rainbow Drive and south to
Turner Street. See
map. District Type: Employment District Assets: Gulf to Bay Boulevard lies at the heart of the city, and is one of its most important corridors. To the east it connects to Tampa via the Courtney Campbell Causeway, and to the west it leads to downtown and the beaches. Its intersection with U.S. 19 provides access to the remainder of the county. The Clearwater campus of St. Petersburg College, one of the county's principal economic development partners, lies near that intersection. Land Use: The primary land use is strip commercial development thirty years of age or older, offering excellent redevelopment opportunities. Several mobile home parks are also found in the district. Public Investments: The city has invested in a beautification program with enhanced traffic signals, street signs, landscaping, and signage standards along Gulf to Bay Boulevard.  General
Location: The Clearwater Mall District is located southeast of
the intersection of Gulf to Bay Boulevard and U.S. 19, north of Harn Boulevard
and west of Tampa Bay. See
map. District Type: Employment District Assets: Clearwater Mall, once an aging enclosed mall that attracted few customers, was reborn in 2003 as a new open-air shopping center. Its success has helped to spur a wave of new retail and hospitality projects in the district. However, it is also an ideal location for office development. Gulf to Bay Boulevard and U.S. 19 offer convenient access to virtually every part of the county and the City of Tampa. Both St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport and Tampa International Airport can be reached easily from the district. Land Use: It contains mainly commercial and multifamily properties, along with two mobile home parks. Public Investments: The city has helped to attract quality redevelopment with its beautification program for Gulf to Bay Boulevard (see above). The county plans to convert U.S. 19 to a partially controlled access facility in this district. Just to the north, the Clearwater Housing Authority plans to demolish a 1970s public housing complex and replace it with a $50 million mixed-use New Urbanist development that will combine subsidized and market-rate housing.  General
Location: The Countryside Mall District is bounded by Evans Road
to the north, the Progress Energy Corporation right-of-way to the east,
and Enterprise Road to the south and west. See
map. District Type: Employment District Assets: U.S. 19, S.R. 580, and Countryside Boulevard (S.R. 501) are major roadways that allow travel throughout the county, and they intersect in this district, creating an ideal location for retail and office development and redevelopment. A number of bus routes also converge on the mall, which serves as an informal transit center. Land Use: The key feature of the district is the Westfield Shoppingtown Countryside-better known by its original name, Countryside Mall. It is surrounded by predominantly commercial development, along with some office, multifamily residential, and mobile home uses. Public Investments: The city has completed beautification of Countryside Boulevard, and the MPO has converted U.S. 19 to a partially controlled access facility in this area. The county is considering an addition to the popular pedestrian/bike path called the Pinellas Trail, nearly a mile of which would pass through the district via the Progress Energy right-of-way. The countywide transit authority has plans to enhance one of the bus routes and add a "Park 'N Ride" facility near the mall. |
