Week of Oct. 30-Nov. 5

Queensway Bay Developer May Phase In Existing Plan

By Kurt Helin,
Editor

In a step that could keep the current Queensway Bay design viable, developers now have until Nov. 7 to say they will move forward with the existing project -- probably in phases and possibly still with Resorts Theaters -- or the entire project will be reopened to a public process.

That was what came out of a series of meetings last week between Developers Diversified Realty and city officials, according to Second District Councilman Dan Baker, whose district includes Queensway Bay.

They're still very interested in doing the project," Baker said. "They are looking at alternatives, which may mean doing it in phases."

If DDR comes back before Nov. 7 and says they can start the portion of the project south of Shoreline Drive -- and they break ground by the end of the month -- then at least that part of the existing project would go ahead, Baker said. The part of the project north of Shoreline Drive may then be postponed until a theater is in place or it may be redesigned, he added.

For DDR to move forward, it would need the approval of its tenants south of Shoreline Drive, its financial partner BankOne and DDR's own board of directors, Baker said.

If DDR cannot get those approvals, a motion to cancel the Exclusive Right to Negotiate with DDR will be on the council agenda Nov. 14, Baker said. That would reopen the entire process, he said.

On another front, while the parent company is in bankruptcy, Resort Theaters may not be out of the Queensway Bay picture, according to City Manager Henry Taboada.

For the proposed 15-screen theater, Resort started a limited-liability company separate from the main theater group, Taboada said. DDR's lease for the theaters is with that LLC, not the main theater chain in bankruptcy, he said.

While Resort officials told DDR they want to move forward, there is a question as to whether BankOne would see the two as truly separate and still put its money in, Taboada said.

Meanwhile, longstanding opponents of the existing Queensway Bay project have been busy lining up alternative proposals for any future discussion of the space.

Opponents' main objection was that the space was not special, with the movie theaters often being pointed to as a sign that this project was something that could be found in many places throughout the nation.

Proposed alternatives have included a park or garden, a park with small shops below ground level, and home to a museum.

Many of those opponents said their voices were not sought out or heard in the mid-1990s when the Queensway Bay project was being designed. That comment grates on city officials.

"Anybody who said there hasn't been public input wasn't paying attention," Taboada said.

The Queensway Bay Advisory Committee members were made up of appointees of the mayor and each of the City Council members, said Robert Paternoster, director of the Queensway Bay project for the city.

That group met regularly throughout the design phase with both the original project designers and DDR to offer advice -- and sometimes criticism -- of the design, he added.

Each of those meetings was open to the public and had a public comment period. The meetings took place monthly at times, quarterly at other times, depending upon the stage the project was in.

If DDR does not move forward with at least part of the project by the end of November, Baker said he will be sure there is plenty of opportunity for more public commentary on the next round of design.