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Clearwater To Fix Store Problems From Beach Walk

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

Marlyn Tracey, president of Anchor Mini Mart Inc., received a settlement from the City of Clearwater due to the construction of the BeachWalk project and the hardship and drainage issues it's caused her business. She plans to use some of the money to restock empty shelves.

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By STEVEN GIRARDI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2008

CLEARWATER BEACH - The Anchor Mini-Mart's flooding and parking problems are about to be relieved, with $400,000 in help from the city of Clearwater.

Attorneys for the city and the store have agreed on a settlement to resolve issues created by the city's $30 million Beach Walk project.

The Beach Walk makeover, which added new sidewalks and streetscaping for the aging beach area, created a water trap that has flooded the mini-mart at 207 Coronado Drive and eliminated access to a handful of parking spaces.

"They created a moat in the front of the building, and they created a moat in the back,'' store owner Marlyn Tracey said today. "People are not going to jump over a puddle to get into a store.''

She said the flooding, combined with the loss of parking, has limited access to the store and crippled the business. "You can't sell anything if there's no one to sell it to,'' she said.

Tracey, who opened the store 20 years ago, said the settlement will help, even after paying the attorneys and experts. "My shelves have been literally empty because of the lack of money to buy anything,'' she said.

Assistant City Attorney Paul Hull said the city council is scheduled to vote Thursday on the $400,000 settlement to fix the sidewalk and parking access at the mini mart. Council members reviewed the deal on Monday during a work session.

Meanwhile, owners of the Hi-Seas Motel, 455 S. Gulfview Blvd., are suing the city for blocking off eight parking spaces with the sidewalk construction.

Owner Camillo Conti said the loss of parking for hotel guests is the latest problem caused by the construction, which has limited access to his business for more than a year.

"We've paid dearly for that Beach Walk,'' Conti said.

He said the project engineers "said they had made a mistake and they were going to fix it.''

Reporter Steven Girardi may be reached at (727) 451-2333.

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