Temple Terrace council to hear 2 very different redevelopment plans

The Temple Terrace City Council is considering two proposals for its downtown redevelopment area -- one from Eriksson Technologies, and the other from Florida Hospital.
 
Following state regulations, they'll meet as the Community Redevelopment Agency to hear more about each plan on at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, at the Lightfoot Recreation Center, 10901 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace. A special meeting of the council will follow at 7 p.m. Both meetings are open to the public.
 
"This meeting will provide an opportunity for the elected officials, and the public, to see a couple of proposals for our downtown redevelopment," says Michael Dunn, the city's spokesman. "We're not sure whether the City Council will vote to approve either of these that evening, but this offers them an opportunity to consider and evaluate the proposals going forward."
 
Eriksson Technologies, an engineering and software development firm, and Florida Hospital have both created proposals for a 1.5-acre parcel at the northwest corner of the 20-acre redevelopment site. The lot is located at the corner of Bullard Parkway and 56th Street and is currently home to a vacant Burger King.
 
The Eriksson plan got an initial thumbs up from the council in January. The proposal calls for a six-story office building with retail, such as coffee shops and restaurants, on the first floor, as well as structured parking on the first three levels.
 
The proposal states Eriksson would anchor downtown Temple Terrace in the professional-level jobs the company has created and establish a conduit between the University of South Florida and local high schools.
 
"Our proposed development plan will permit us to consolidate our operations -- currently spread over three separate office buildings within Temple Terrace -- into a single, state-of-the-art, architecturally important building with room for future growth," the proposal states.
 
The company is offering $250,000 for the property.
 
Florida Hospital's proposal includes the 1.5-acre parcel the city put up for sale, as well as an adjacent 1.5-acre lot to the south. The plan calls for a single-story freestanding emergency department with a two-story lobby, as well as a two-story medical office building. The office building's first level is designated as covered parking for tenants and visitors, and the second level is designed for medical offices and other healthcare services.
 
The proposal states the location would bring 24-hour, state-of-the-art emergency care directly to the residents of Temple Terrace and create high-paying professional and support jobs.
 
Florida Hospital is offering more than $2.3 million for the 3 acres, as well as up to $100,000 for construction of a Temple Terrace gateway sign at the Fowler Avenue entrance to Temple Terrace.
 
"This contribution is being made as a gesture to illustrate the hospital's intent to be a key partner with the city," the proposal states.
 
The city received two appraisals for the value of the 1.5-acre property. Appraisal Development International determined the parcel is worth $1.1 million, while Cliggitt Valuation determined it's worth $690,000.