Many of the properties werent on the market when the deals were made. Fischler did not respond to phone messages, a certified letter or a note left at her condo. All they did was act like children and make crude sex/homophobic/racial jokes about being raped, gangbanged, etc. CLEARWATER Ed Chesney had two rental homes and two vacant lots in the North Marina Area on the market for a year before his real estate agent called in late 2019 with good news. Purchases in the North Marina Area took off in July 2019, three months after the City Council voted to buy the historic North Ward Elementary School across the street from the Seminole ramp and Andrus condo. Concerned he wouldnt be able to pay his mortgage, Argall said he deeded the building, appraised at $780,000, back to the previous owner. He publicly asked why there were security cards with billy clubs and mace on the roof. Some landlords tied to Scientology have helped bring life to portions of downtown. A sign in front of the business says, "Notice: This is one of the only spas in downtown Clearwater not owned by a Scientologist .". The Church of Scientology and its members are rapidly buying up a vast downtown neighborhood in a Florida city, according to a major investigation by the Tampa Bay Times. Among them: make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. MCMANUS: It kind of started in early 2017. Welcome. Lares declined again when Fischler met him at a restaurant in Pinellas Park for lunch, and once more when she tried in May. Miscaviges offer to revitalize downtown hinged on the city ending its attempt to buy one vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. The Imagine Clearwater project aims to transform the city-owned waterfront into a vibrant park with gardens, a concert green, a walkway with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and mixed-use projects. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Who are they buying from, and how much were they offering? Do I spend another 10 years and see what happens in downtown Clearwater?, Scientology, Pinellas County and Clearwater Reporter. The Church of Scientology and its parishioners now own a lot of real estate in Clearwater, Fla., as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. Graphics by ELI MURRAY Agami, the developer whose family gave $10 million, leased a storefront to a non-Scientologist that has become a successful restaurant since opening in 2017. In Florida, limited liability companies that buy property are required to disclose administrative operators but not their owners. Fischler offered Bosi $1.4 million, almost three times what the property was valued. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Leading up to the waterfront, 22 of the first 33 buildings now have ties to Scientology. 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. But they werent ready to sell the building, which they had owned for 27 years. Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. Rice said hes been surprised that he has not been approached by brokers trying to buy his 10,000-square-foot building. The new owners also are sitting on about 30 undeveloped lots. Then the council interfered with a land deal that Scientology demanded for its plan. Made an offer. In January and February 2017, a handful of limited liability companies bought six prime downtown parcels. Some of the parishioners have a history of working on Scientologys behalf. In response to detailed memos summarizing the reporting, the church criticized the Times for portraying its members as mindless robots and for having a preconceived agenda to present every Scientology story in a false and unfavorable light.. Among them was to make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. In 2016, city consultants began planning what has become a $64 million effort to reinvigorate the waterfront called Imagine Clearwater. Project Normandy was described in one of hundreds of internal memos Scientology officials exchanged about their plans to infiltrate and control Clearwater. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. I saw a business opportunity, he said. The only record of redevelopment that has occurred among the 45 properties is a roof replacement on a vacant building on North Fort Harrison Avenue and internal demolition in a former flooring center two blocks north, according to notices in Pinellas County records. A for-lease sign sits in long-vacant retail space at The SkyView condo tower, owned by Scientologist and developer Moises Agami. ( magazine) Applied Philosophy ARC Straightwire (ARC stands for affinity-reality-communication) ARC Fil Direct Audited NOTs (NOT stands for NED [New Era Dianetics] Operating Thetan) The Auditor 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. The 2017-2019 Downtown Clearwater land purchases made by Scientologists totaled $103 million. businesses owned by scientologists. But his offer had a catch. Seventy-one percent of the 60 parcels the Church of Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas County are tax-exempt for religious purposes. The Church was unaware of the significant number of properties owned by Scientologists in the Clearwater area and are delighted you provided the information, the letter continued. . And he was going to build an entertainment complex with Tom Cruise. VIDEO: Finally, Scientific Proof that Scientologys Body Thetans Cannot Exist! Companies controlled by Hayes have bought about half the property on Rices block and nearly the entire block directly south. Four high-ranking defectors describe bizarre behavior and physical beatings inflicted by Scientology leader David Miscavige. Some have donated millions to the church. Over half are owned or operated by Scientologists. City Council member Mark Bunker said although the church is not the official buyer of the downtown and North Marina properties, there is reason to believe Scientology leader David Miscavige is orchestrating the parishioner-operated companies making the acquisitions. They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront, putting the secretive church firmly in control of the areas future. In recent puff piece media coverage in Clearwater, we are told that Riley: is in the process of buying 15 tracts in the Clearwater Marina area to develop what he is calling the Clearwater Marina District a connected walkable community with modern offices, retail, luxury condos and a boutique hotel, as well as affordable housing. Church of Scientology website It is with great pride we welcome you to the Church of Scientology of Melbourne. Andrus did not respond to a phone message or email inquiring if he was involved in the 45 purchases in the blocks surrounding his condo project. It met his criteria: It was located in a warm climate near an international airport and had a hotel the Sea Org could turn into a base. $99 million of the purchases were paid for in cash.. We have previously presented a case that the $103 million was provided by Scientologist David Gentile's GPB Capital Holdings. and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. And in 1977, the FBI raided Scientology's headquarters in LA and D.C. And they uncovered hundreds of thousands of memos and documents. Melitta coffee filters are manufactured in Clearwater, Florida. Tracey McManus is a Scientology reporter for the paper, and she joins us now. Richard Tobias, an independent real estate appraiser in Pinellas County, said vast purchases of downtown real estate by entities tied to Scientology have cast confusion over the market. The Florida Secretary of State records show the firm went dormant in 2012. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has bought 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name: 58 are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown. Your characterization that his religious affiliations somehow control his business activities is evidence of personal bias against his religion, Zaretsky wrote. GARCIA-NAVARRO: That's Tracey McManus, who reports on Scientology for the Tampa Bay Times, talking about the church's increased real estate footprint in Clearwater, Fla. The pattern of Scientology-tied companies buying so many properties and sitting on them "flies in the face of most land economics," said Tobias, who has been appraising property in Pinellas County for 50 years. And he was going to recruit high-end retail to some of the empty storefronts because downtown Clearwater's pretty depressed. Jim Huestler is the blocks only holdout with a rental home on the northeast corner. After leaving Caliber Wells, Rodney Riley began working with Megan and Stephen Epstein. synergy rv transport pay rate; stephen randolph todd. MCMANUS: Well, our reporting shows that Scientology has a big interest in preserving its downtown campus. There is nothing unnatural about Scientologists wanting to live in the same city that houses the international spiritual headquarters of their church, said a letter signed by Scientology attorney Gary Soter. Scientology Fines OTs $100,000 if They Talk About Xenu or Body Thetans! Fair Game: Leah Remini & Mike Rinders Podcast, The Aftermath Foundation: Help for Those Who Want to Leave the Sea Org, Scientologys Membership Contract Goes Down in Flames in Court, Chris Shelton's Sensibly Speaking Podcast, Dr. Steven Hassan's Freedom of Mind Resource Center, Stefani Hutchison's Confront & Shatter Blog, The Aftermath Foundation: Helping Those Who Have Left the Sea Org, More Scientologists Getting Into Crypto: Alfreddie Johnson and Karilyn Youngman-Trammell and Their Solar Gold Cryptocurrency, More Grant Cardone Fraud: His Plan for Businesses to Use Credit Cards to Pay for Cardone Sales Training and then Declare Bankruptcy, Church of Scientology International(158), Scientology Fair Game: Cult Leader David Miscavige Orders Attacks on Marc Headley and His Business, US Federal Prosecutor Now Investigating Retired LAPD Cop & Scientology Pal Captain Cory Palka for Corruption, Subpoena-Evader and Thug Life Scientology Leader David Miscavige Served a Subpoena by a US Federal Court on Valentines Day 2023, Scientologist David Gentile Goes Down in Flames in the Pretrial Phase of His US Federal Criminal Case. Scientology leader David Miscavige told city officials the properties were part of the churchs proposed retail redevelopment plan. Its too soon to say how the shift in ownership will affect downtown. It teaches that expanding Scientology is key to saving the world, then wields a system of totalitarian policies to keep parishioners in line. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Explain to me why the paper has a Scientology reporter. They were very secretive, he said. Times reporters built a database of hundreds of properties in the center of Clearwaters downtown. Candidates and Scientologists Emrani, Kintzel and . The church also targeted the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Justice and scores of foreign governments. We will continue research on our new Trish Duggan theory. Scientology has been accused of using the information as blackmail. Why does this matter? In addition to a park and amphitheater, Imagine Clearwater also calls for several new projects on the waterfront with residences and retail. As a general rule, when someone makes an unsolicited statement, as Riley did by mentioning Mormons and Scientologists, it suggests to us hidden connections. It set aside $10 million for secret real estate purchases in Clearwater. Getty. Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address They paid $26 million. He shows up in Clearwater from Arizona a few months ago. Most of the sales have not previously been reported. In the article cited, Riley makes an interesting comment (emphasis ours): The opportunity Riley is pursuing to activate the 21 acres is similar to his project in Mesa, Arizona, where he acquired and developed nine properties. In private meetings with council members, the Scientology leader described a plan for high-end shops, Cleveland Street facade renovations and an entertainment complex involving actor Tom Cruise, Scientologys most famous parishioner. The churchs influence comes from the estimated $3 billion in cash and assets it has collected from its followers. Brokers who are Scientologists approached at least 15 downtown owners about unlisted properties. Its important for me to communicate with the Scientologists in Clearwater and have that ability to work side-by-side, Riley said, also noting he is now based in Clearwater. Epstein could have simply told the reporter his client was not the Church of Scientology and left it at that. 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