He said he doubts businessmen like Agami are planning to sit on their newly acquired property forever. Then in 2017, companies controlled by parishioners began buying retail property at an unprecedented rate. 4. Hardly any Clearwater resident is not skeptical of the sect's proclaimed goals and "reform" activities. Our next goal is to have Downtown Clearwater secede from Clearwater and become its own city. Nearly all of the roughly two dozen people listed as operating the companies are Scientologists. Preview our new site's modern look, easy-to-use online services and new features that show . March 11, 1979. Copyright 2007-Present FlowingData. "They arent doing it by themselves, its coming from the head, and thats the problem with Scientology, Allbritton said. A Clearwater couple wrote on Feb. 17, 1976, that they were suspicious of the Scientologists' motives and wondered what could be done. Tyler Rice has run Carillon Flooring Center on North Fort Harrison for 30 years, the business his father started there in 1964. Among them: make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. The Church of Scientology purchased 92 new properties in Clearwater between 2017 and 2019. Fine with that. The documents indicate the targets included the Clearwater and Dunedin city commissions, the mayors' offices, the city attorneys' offices, police departments and even planning and zoning boards. David Allbritton: Its coming from the headEligible for a second term in 2022On Miscavige: Allbritton said he believes Scientology leader David Miscavige is assembling properties for the betterment of himself, whether or not the 2020 council supports him.If they develop them for businesses that would be good for the public? Both groups say they are dedicated to "social reform. Many of the properties werent on the market. Miscavige cut off communication with the city. 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. Most did not respond or declined to comment. The church offered $15 million for the parcel. And half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued by the county property appraiser, the Times found. The goal was to capture the area immediately surrounding both Scientologys headquarters, City Hall and the city-owned waterfront. Its designed not for recruiting new members but for hosting established followers. She reported full-time for six months, interviewing more than 90 people and reviewing more than 1,000 documents, to bring you this story. Documents show that in November 1976, and in the following months, Scientologists sought to uncover what they said were "false" sect activity reports allegedly contained in the files of scores of local, county and state government agencies. City officials are trying to make the area a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. 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. Scientology leader David Miscavige had his own redevelopment plan. Its the only way to take the public waterfront land the city owns and turn it into a destination that everyone can embrace, he said. The Times counted each parcel that was assigned a value by the property appraiser as a single property with five exceptions. Hes starting to assemble properties, Allbritton said. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. The city received an informal inquiry last year related to vacant land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue. He saw the area improve when police cracked down on drugs and prostitution decades ago. ), On Scientology as a landlord: Cundiff said Scientology is known for keeping their properties looking nice. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. At least eight businesses that got new landlords tied to Scientology moved out and have not been replaced. We as government officials and me as a council member and American, Im not treading on any churchs or any individuals right to buy or sell property.. The solution: "All political activity is to be carried on via front groups.". Eventually, open tensions faded. City leaders spent tens of millions improving streets, subsidizing residential projects and hiring consultants. Almost immediately, a decades-long trickle of purchases by church members turned into a flood. Internal church documents detailed missions that planted spies in the state attorneys office, the Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Sun newspaper. Asked directly whether Scientology orchestrated or paid for any of the sales, the church did not answer. And some prominent members, like developer Moises Agami, have brought successful businesses into the city.But what happens to downtown next is now clearly up to Miscavige, Allbritton said. By then, term limits would force several council members out of office, giving him a new slate of elected officials to try to work with. ", To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subjectclick here. He had committed to downtown in 1997. Few of the Scientology members who made these purchases were willing to talk about them. He promoted the site to about 75 hoteliers and developers across the country. The new owners also are sitting on about 30 undeveloped lots. But his offer had a catch. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. On the Times: Cundiff said he wondered why the Times wasnt also looking at how many properties the Catholic Church owns or the Presbyterian Church owns. (Neither church has major holdings or its international headquarters downtown. 20, 2019. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. Through a spokesperson, Epstein said in an email that CA South looked into developing the properties on behalf of a client but walked away when the city did not relax a rule prohibiting a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue. In essence, the sect wanted to control the city's politicians, media and religious groups. Clearwater Office. The churchs campus grew slowly over decades. Wayne E. Lee ran his Auto Parts Distributors business on Park Street since 1982. Lares declined again when Fischler met him at a restaurant in Pinellas Park for lunch, and once more when she tried in May. Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. by Richard Leiby, . All three council members were reacting to a Sunday Tampa Bay Times investigation that revealed $103 million in commercial land purchases tied to Scientology in the center of downtown Clearwater, around the church's international spiritual headquarters. Gulf Coast Marine and ClearwaterPlumbing. An empty Walgreens. The churchs hostility toward the public became clear from its first days in the city in fall 1975. The city and the church fought in court for years. Tom De Vocht, a former Scientology executive who oversaw the churchs property in Clearwater from 1996 to 2001, said he believes Scientology is responding to the citys efforts by creating a buffer to keep the public away. Date: November 3, 1979 By Richard Leiby, Sun Staff Writer WASHINGTON - The Church of Scientology of California had big plans for the unsuspecting community of Clearwater when it arrived there in November 1975. Real estate agent Daphna Fischler, a Scientologist, called and showed up to the shop a handful of times in mid-2018. All five said they believed the sales were related. City officials have long hoped for private investors to transform the North Marina Area, a 13-block district with undeveloped lots and 100-year-old bungalows overlooking Clearwater Harbor. What Clearwater's City Council thinks about Scientology's downtown takeover Then he would try again, with new council members. For Tampa Bay Times, Tracey McManus and Eli Murray delve into the purchasing of properties Clearwater, . Progress were making is very, very slow, Hamilton said. American Clear Water Systems Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. Fine with that. Now, 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. 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. What Clearwater's City Council thinks about Scientology's downtown takeover Our systems are designed for maximum durability and minimum maintenance. I dont mix my personal business with other areas in my life, said Terri Novitsky, a Scientologist who manages a company that bought two office buildings on Chestnut Street in 2017. On Scientologys plans: Cundiff said he couldnt speculate on what the new property owners have in mind for their vast sections of downtown. Mike Rinder, who led the churchs intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said that when it comes to property around Flag, theres no real distinction between whether its owned by the church or a parishioner. Florida Times How Scientology doubled its downtown Clearwater footprint The only one who knows is probably David Miscavige, he said.On the Times: Cundiff said he wondered why the Times wasnt also looking at how many properties the Catholic Church owns or the Presbyterian Church owns. (Neither church has major holdings or its international headquarters downtown. The rest of Clearwater can rename itself "Wogville" In the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Scientology plan to infiltrate the government. "They arent doing it by themselves, its coming from the head, and thats the problem with Scientology, Allbritton said. Just make more income with Scientology. All systems are designed to meet your specific needs without breaking the bank! Of the 100 properties bought by parishioner-managed companies near the downtown waterfront from 2017 to 2019, 24 storefronts and buildings remain empty, including a former Walgreens, an old jewelry store and prominent buildings along the North Fort Harrison corridor. And I think their pants are on fire too otherles. Lets just hope theyll be good property owners., They havent broken any laws, Cundiff said of the purchases. 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