Any decision on the appropriateness of a massive historical restoration/new construction project in the heart of downtown Cedar Key was delayed Thursday, when the Architectural Review Committee voted to table the two petitions in order to get more details from the developers and get citizen input before proceeding. The proposals include the restoration of the majority of the buildings on the north side of the 400-block of 2nd Street, plus the moving of the Eagles' clubhouse from its current location on 3rd Street to the 500-block of 2nd street, and the new construction of several buildings on 3rd Street housing 40 hotel rooms and 24 "club units," shared by 190 owners. Before the petitioners could reveal any details of their presentation, committee member Dr. John Andrews moved to delay consideration, saying the materials he had reviewed contained "very little detail on what appears to be a massive project. We need more time to digest this." Dr. Andrews suggested a community meeting would be helpful, allowing the citizens of Cedar Key to review the plans and voice their opinions and concerns prior to a decision by the committee. Dr. Earl Starnes, speaking from the audience, agreed, saying he thought people would have a better idea of the scope of the project if they could study scale models of what he termed "a very serious proposal for the future of Cedar Key." Developer Manager Roy Norton told the committee his group had spent more than a year on the project, working with federal and state officials as well as numerous professional consultants. The group was bound by three principles, he said, including restoring the old buildings authentically, maintaining the working waterfront character of the community and being environmentally conscious in all aspects of the project. Members of the design team gave short presentations of the various aspects of the project. Linda Stevenson explained the historical considerations, saying the architects incorporated features of the existing buildings into the design elements of the proposed new construction. Existing buildings, she said, would include retail space at street level, with hotel rooms in the upper floors. In addition, the project would include rebuilding of the theater, and the former L&M bar, a two-building complex, would include a tavern below, with restaurant on the upper level. When pressed on the timing of the various phases of the project, Norton acknowledged the historical restoration couldn`t be completed without the development of the hotel on 3rd Street. The restoration was a "giant hole of money," he said, adding, "3rd Street will pay for 2nd Street." Architect Oscar Machado showed elevation drawings and renderings of the proposed new construction, explaining the design process to make the project fit with existing local buildings as well as comply with FEMA regulations. While several concerns, such as storm water ditches and parking, came into discussion, Building Official Robert Niffenegger reminded those present the items were not part of the scope of consideration of the Architectural Review Committee and would be addressed during the development review by the city commission. | 