But after a dispute with the city, Miscavige cut communication. But its potential is still untapped, with prime vacant land overlooking Clearwater Harbor. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Timeswith an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. 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. Scientologists deal with useful non-Scientologists quite often. The purchases totaled $11.8 million and were documented by the Tampa Bay Times in its November 2021 story: companies connected to the Church of Scientology are buying tracts of land within the 55-acre district and not disclosing what they plan to do with them. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. The church requires followers to shun family members, friends and business contacts who defy it. Fischler offered Bosi $1.4 million, almost three times what the property was valued. To reiterate our earlier point, Ozsan, Gregori And Company LLC has only two client accounts. The US average revenue of a car dealership is $38.3 million. Sep 19, 2022 - Anonymous Employee in Clearwater, FL. and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. Real estate agent Daphna Fischler, a Scientologist, called and showed up to the shop a handful of times in mid-2018. I would assume hes a Scientologist or involved with them in some fashion. They haven't started construction - or are they going to redevelop them and bring businesses in and contribute to a vibrant downtown? About $15.9 million was paid in cash. This is a very interesting report. But on the notice filed with Pinellas County for the roof replacement at 801 N Fort Harrison Ave., Andrus signed his name as a manager of the company that owns the building. They envisioned apartment buildings with ground-floor stores, winding paths with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and a concert venue that would draw visitors from across the region. And the Times found that in six cases buyers paid quadruple a propertys value. The most recent deal came when a New York firm bought a former demolition yard on Nicholson Street for $593,400 on Oct. 20 and then flipped it two days later for $1 million in cash to one of the Scientology-tied limited liability companies, according to property records. The city and the church fought in court for years. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And we reached out to the Church of Scientology about the Tampa Bay Times report. We interpret it as the Tampa Bay Times getting too close for Mr. Epsteins comfort. He called the Tampa Bay Times questions about parishioners activity not just stupid, false and offensive, but un-American., You talk out of both sides of your mouth: If redevelopment is being done by the city or a member of another religion, not Scientology, it is good; if redevelopment is being done by a Scientologist, it is bad, Shaw said. 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. They have completed courses and spiritual counseling that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront. The spa's website makes it clear that, "In fact, we are, by definition, a Christian based business.". Flag is run by the churchs full-time workforce, the Sea Org, whose members sign billion-year contracts and work around the clock. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. Taking into account these denials, we now have a new opinion to offer our readers. However, this tactic can backfire when it comes across as answering a question no one has asked. Agami also signed two more leases on the same block with restaurants owned by people not connected to the church. CLEARWATER An old jewelry store on the corner of Cleveland Street that welcomes visitors to the core of downtown sits empty, unchanged since a company managed by a Church of Scientology. But companies controlled by different parishioners bought neighboring properties that create clear assemblages of land. "You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear," he said, "so it's tough to make economic sense out . His attorney, Louis Zaretsky, wrote in a letter to the Times that Zano is a businessman with vast real estate holdings in Israel, Germany, Poland, New York and Florida who makes investments based on his belief that they will appreciate or otherwise contribute to his long-term goals.. An elevated walkway connects the building to the Fort Harrison Hotel, the churchs first purchase in the city in 1975. In interviews, sellers said most of the transactions unfolded the same way. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. $99 million of the purchases were paid for in cash.. We have previously presented a case that the $103 million was provided by Scientologist David Gentile's GPB Capital Holdings. They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront, putting the secretive church firmly in control of the areas future. In 2016, city consultants began planning what has become a $64 million effort to reinvigorate the waterfront called Imagine Clearwater. But even when the church isnt in control, its presence can deter development. The Times described sales as cash transactions when they were paid without a mortgage filed in public records. They paid $26 million. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. This means the total revenue of the "300" scientology businesses that are owned by the 9700 local scientologists is equivalent to 7.5 average car dealers. None of the other parishioners whose companies bought property since 2017 responded to questions about their plans. 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. 20, 2019. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Just out of curiosity, when you say the tactics that they used in the '70s, what were those? 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. New details about the case of Lisa McPherson, who died in the care of Scientologists, from the executive who directed the Church of Scientologys handling of the case. In North America, Melitta is the leading brand of coffee filters. Scientologists annually contribute $87,867,000 to charitable endeavors, money that uplifts the quality of life in Clearwater. The Scientology leader had offered the Clearwater Marine Aquarium $15 million for that 1.4-acre grass lot on Pierce Street. 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. Times Staff WritersOct. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. That's the findings of a story in the Tampa Bay Times that's headlined clear takeover. It would be the same if I was a (proud) Christian, Jew, or Muslim. Osman Ozsan has been a Scientologist since the 1990s. MCMANUS: Brokers representing these companies were approaching downtown property owners. Mayor George Cretekos listens at a City Council meeting in April 2017 as residents pushed the council to purchase a vacant lot that Scientology also wanted. They have control over what businesses, if any, come in. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., [ More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover ]. Delk described the projects which require voter approval as key to the plans success. ), 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. Inc. magazine's 2019 report on the 5,000 fastest-growing privately owned businesses in America cites 16 firms based in Clearwater. In January and February 2017, a handful of limited liability companies bought six prime downtown parcels. Some have donated millions to the church. Instead, Epstein took the formal step of using an affidavit to deny that the Church of Scientology is not the client. AMI's culture and team members truly make AMI an amazing place to work! This is a story for another time. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So clearly they wanted these properties a great deal. MCMANUS: Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, do they view it as helpful for the community at large to have a major religious organization centered in their town or not? It was a very turbulent time. In January and February 2017, as the council was preparing to approve the consultants concept, a handful of companies bought six commercial properties downtown. Gensler does all the architectural work for Scientologys Ideal Orgs. . 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. Tracey McManus is a Scientology reporter for the paper, and she joins us now. Terri Novitsky and Hayes did not return calls and emails requesting comment. Philip Kirkpatrick, Clearwaters senior economic development coordinator, said Stephen Epstein spoke with city officials in December about a potential commercial and multifamily project on the site. The 2017-2019 Downtown Clearwater land purchases made by Scientologists totaled $103 million. Many of their properties weren't listed for sale. The Times also contacted representatives of all 32 companies it identified that bought downtown real estate over the past three years. Why does this matter? In the world of scientologywhere anything goes and all laws in the wog world by damnedits Christmas 24/7. Your characterization that his religious affiliations somehow control his business activities is evidence of personal bias against his religion, Zaretsky wrote. A few months after Yarbrough relocated, a new electrical company moved into his old building. The Church of Scientology and its parishioners now own a lot of real estate in Clearwater, Fla., as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. The analysis considered property within the general boundaries of Cedar Street to the north, Missouri Avenue to the east, Chestnut Street to the south and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west. Eventually, open tensions faded. Cons. They keep their operations going. The main reason why developers didnt want it was they didnt want to be near the Church of Scientology, Searcy said. GPB Capital Holdings: Court-Appointed Monitors Report on Q4 2022 Activities. They doubled the churchs footprint in less than three years. 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. In an interview with Scientology-owned "Freedom Magazine" Gendusa said that she moved to Clearwater to study Scientology more than 25 years ago. The project broke ground in August and is aimed at helping bring businesses and foot traffic to the empty storefronts in the surrounding blocks. The owner of a nationwide company that makes and markets aloe vera skin cream. The goal was to capture the area immediately surrounding both Scientologys headquarters, City Hall and the city-owned waterfront. Whats more, the Times found a Scientology magazine from the 1990s that listed goals for the new millennium. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. I saw a business opportunity, he said. Click here to read the story. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. Almost immediately, a decades-long trickle of purchases by church members turned into a flood. 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. Based upon on our new hypothesis that Trish Duggan may be the financier of the land purchases, the logic of bringing in non-Scientologist Rod Riley to act as the frontman makes sense as it can serve to counter any accusation that Scientology is taking over Clearwater. A few weeks later, John Yarbrough sold the building where he had run his electrical services business for 22 years. 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 said as he looked at a map of downtowns new ownership. February 1976: Scientology files a $1 million lawsuit against Cazares alleging he violated its constitutional rights with his public criticism. Thank you very much. After negotiations, Kerrs company paid Yarbrough $1.1 million in cash for the lots, then valued by Pinellas County at $331,000. The Tampa Bay Times discovered them by reviewing more than 1,000 deeds and business records, then interviewed more than 90 people to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the transactions. My true love gave to me/Three French hens/Two turtle doves/And a partridge in a pear tree). He demanded to see their financials, their board of directors. Ever since Ive been here, and ever since Ive dealt with Scientology officials, I have heard the leaders articulate that they want to see a vibrant downtown, Horne said. The greatest number of properties were bought by companies controlled by either Israeli businessman Itzhak Zano or another Scientologist who represents him. In San Diego, Taylor Guitars and Deering Banjo Company. If so, it's technically possible with a home IPO. GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's the type of servitude. During that period, downtown purchases by limited liability companies managed by members of Scientology accelerated. Concerned he wouldnt be able to pay his mortgage, Argall said he deeded the building, appraised at $780,000, back to the previous owner. This month, Shahab Emrani was elected to the Downtown Development Board, which helps promote downtown. A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past three years buying up huge sections of downtown Clearwater. The Tampa Bay Times reports that members of the church have spent $103 million on property in the city of Clearwater known as "The first Scientology city" since . Scientology leader David Miscavige had his own redevelopment plan. pauline hanson dancing with the stars; just jerk dance members; what happens if a teacher gets a dui I had to make a decision, Bosi said. Longtime City Manager Bill Horne said he cant tell whether the church wants the same thing. Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter. He is linked to the Church of Scientology via the Epsteins and Trish Duggan. Sponsored by HomeIPO.org Is it possible to get money (maybe $50k) without a loan? You are a fundamentalist Scientologist, or youre not one at all.. Its important for me to communicate with the Scientologists in Clearwater and have that ability to work side-by-side, Riley said, also noting he is now based in Clearwater. Half the properties were bought since January 2017. Weve spent a lot of happy years here, Lares said. The church has amassed 60 properties in Pinellas County since arriving in 1975. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. Defectors have said they were paid less than $50 a week. Tampa Bay Times reporter Tracey McManus has spent the last four years writing about Scientology and the churchs relationship with the city of Clearwater. How Riley made the jump from a regional Coldwell Banker slot in Arizona to suddenly handling a proposed $350 million Clearwater Marina District development is certainly interesting and raises questions we are looking into. The Times report describes spaces such as a former jewelry store, an empty Walgreens and a deserted laundromat sitting empty and unused. He told Fischler that before Scientology bought the Fort Harrison Hotel in 1975 he worked there as a busboy. The property wasnt on the market. Do I spend another 10 years and see what happens in downtown Clearwater?, Scientology, Pinellas County and Clearwater Reporter. Help us keep bringing stories like this to you. But Lee assumed the church was involved. 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. My sister is always struggling with money and drugs: I own a house with my husband and mother. The Church is the largest property taxpayer in downtown Clearwater, paying nearly $1 million in property taxes last year. . MCMANUS: You know, Lulu, from my reporting, I've learned that there's a lot of mistrust and suspicion still in the community when it comes to Scientology because a lot of the residents here were living in the city when Scientology arrived in the '70s, and they remember the tactics Scientology used. Reporters analyzed thousands of rows of data and pulled more than 1,000 records from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser, the Pinellas County Clerk of Court and the Florida Division of Corporations. The Times used the date that transactions were recorded in Clerk of Courts official record as the date of sale. Clarification made on CBRE and thank you for pointing that out. You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear, he said, so its tough to make economic sense out of it.. Please! Over half are owned or operated by Scientologists. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has purchased 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name. Businesses without ties to the church are moving into a few of those. The report notes that half of these properties have been bought since January 2017 after the organization and the Clearwater City Council presented competing redevelopment projects to the downtown district and its waterfront. In recent puff piece media coverage in Clearwater, we are told that Riley: is in the process of buying 15 tracts in the Clearwater Marina area to develop what he is calling the Clearwater Marina District a connected walkable community with modern offices, retail, luxury condos and a boutique hotel, as well as affordable housing. A for-lease sign sits in long-vacant retail space at The SkyView condo tower, owned by Scientologist and developer Moises Agami. 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. This makes no sense, except of course to a bigot.. Fifty-three of those are for properties owned by companies run by himself with fellow Scientologist Emrani, a candidate in this election. And our analysis found that these church officials were offering two, three, four times what the property appraiser said the properties were valued. When the city was considering buying the aquariums lot, Miscavige threatened to stop communicating until the 2020 election, when term limits would force most of the council out of office. It does not include properties recently bought by companies run by church members. Among other things, Ozsan is, according to our source, Trish Duggans money manager. Real estate agent Daphna Fischler brokered at least 10 downtown sales on behalf of seven buyers. Coincident with this Riley-registered RSR Capital Advisors as an LLC in Florida on March 21, 2022. They also pointed to the latest edition of their Freedom magazine for what they called an accurate portrayal of the church and its members in Clearwater. Most religions have a fundamentalist wing, Rinder said. And the tactics they were using to establish area control included infiltration, spying, smearing enemies. Most of the new owners have done little with their acquisitions. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. Another tell. Its members bought property on surrounding blocks. Construction on eight townhomes on the south end of the marina began Oct. 1, according to county records. I just was curious if this is possibly a decent job or if EVERY scientologist owned company is a recruiting scam. Because the city rebuffed Miscaviges offer, Bunker, who has advocated against alleged abuses in Scientology for 20 years, said he sees the parishioner-involved real estate purchases that followed as a vindictive and desperate play to interfere with Clearwaters revitalization efforts. 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. We built a graphic demonstrating just how little is left. He was overseeing the religion from aboard a ship to avoid investigations into tax evasion and fraud when he selected Clearwater as a spiritual headquarters. They adopted a master plan in 2016 that envisioned housing, a hotel and shopping to complement what they hope will be Clearwaters revitalized downtown less than a mile to the south. Nicole Lyn Pesce is News Editor, Trending at MarketWatch and is based in New York. 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. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. Nearly all of the roughly two dozen people listed as operating the companies are Scientologists. The pattern of Scientology-tied companies buying so many properties and sitting on them "flies in the face of most land economics," said Tobias, who has been appraising property in Pinellas County for 50 years. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? Ive been waiting for this neighborhood to clean up for 30 years, and I still think its around the corner, Rice said. Church officials used a straw corporation to buy the historic Fort Harrison Hotel and moved in under a fake name. In response to detailed memos summarizing the reporting, the church criticized the Times for portraying its members as mindless robots and for having a preconceived agenda to present every Scientology story in a false and unfavorable light..

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