City chooses $22.4M hotel plan for vacant downtown building

The Community Redevelopment Agency in New Port Richey has selected the Main Street Reserve proposal to transform the former Main and Bank Building into a hospitality and events hub. The plan estimates total project costs at $22.4 million. The city intends to contribute just over $3.9 million toward the development.

In early October, five groups presented plans for the city-owned property. Applicants included Brainstorms Science Discovery Center, Main Street Reserve, the Museum of Archaeology, Paleontology and Science, Quamitry Labs Inc. Signal House, and Sterett Holdings LLC. The Cotee. On October 26, City Manager Debbie Manns informed the board that Quamitry Labs had withdrawn its application.

During the October 26 meeting, the CRA board voted to rank Main Street Reserve as its first choice. The Cotee proposal placed second, followed by Brainstorms and the Museum. Board members noted that the Harry Schwettman Education Center, formerly Gulf High School, might better suit the science and museum proposals due to its available indoor and outdoor space. This observation was made despite community members attending the earlier meeting to support Brainstorms.

The Main Street Reserve design features a multi-story structure anchored by a Grand Hall conference center. The plan includes a ground-floor restaurant, an upscale rooftop lounge, and a city-owned parking garage. The proposal also allows for potential retail, office, and residential space.

Manns stated that staff will now enter a due diligence phase to negotiate terms with the developer. This process could take up to 120 days. If the parties cannot solidify an agreement, the CRA retains the option to revisit the The Cotee proposal as the next best alternative.

Daisy Thomas, vice president of the Brainstorms Board of Directors, addressed the decision in a statement following the meeting. “We didn’t propose a science discovery center downtown simply because we needed a building,” Thomas said. “We proposed it because we believe children and families belong at the center of our community’s future, and downtown should reflect that.”

The organization cited proximity to Sims Park, the public library, and local businesses as reasons for its preference for the downtown location. Brainstorms plans to continue seeking a permanent home for its hands-on discovery center in New Port Richey. No active redevelopment is currently occurring at the Schwettman building, though officials aim to address environmental remediation concerns before developing a reuse plan for that site.