IMRglobal/CRUM Services Campus

Location: Southwest corner of Cleveland Street and Missouri Avenue, Clearwater

Redevelopment District: Downtown Clearwater District

Project Type: Brownfield redevelopment

Description: The City of Clearwater consolidated many of its operations in new downtown offices in the late 1990s. In the process, it vacated a four-decade old city hall annex building on a 14.2 acre site at the edge of the downtown district. Although the site was in a desirable location, ground contamination, drainage problems, and the existing obsolete buildings presented obstacles to redevelopment.

Through a request for proposals process, the city partnered with IMRglobal Corporation, a local technology consultant business that had outgrown its offices in the Countryside area and had been contemplating moving out of the Tampa Bay region. The city agreed to take responsibility for building demolition, cleanup of contaminated areas, drainage improvements, and impact fees. These incentives persuaded IMRglobal to remain in Clearwater. The company purchased the land from the city and constructed 129,000 square feet of office space in two buildings. It also planned to move its international headquarters to the site within three years and increase its 400-person workforce to 1,000. Seven acres of the site were left available for future development to accommodate these workers.

The downturn in the technology boom in the early 2000s put a halt to the company's expansion plans, and following a merger with a Canadian firm, the office was vacated in 2003. However, the site was subsequently purchased by Crum Services, a human resources consulting firm that has been in Clearwater since 1981. With 200 employees and plans to add 50 more, the company had outgrown its former offices, but wished to stay in Clearwater. The existing campus in its prime downtown location provided an ideal opportunity for the firm to remain in the community, while allowing plenty of room for it to grow.

photo provided by the City of Clearwater

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