GARCIA-NAVARRO: What is the view of the local community? A sign in front of the business says, "Notice: This is one of the only spas in downtown Clearwater not owned by a Scientologist .". Tyler Rice has run Carillon Flooring Center on North Fort Harrison for 30 years, the business his father started there in 1964. NIO stock swings lower after reporting losses that were much wider than expected, 3Ms stock surges after company says DOD data show 90% of earplug plaintiffs had normal hearing, Marc Benioffs Salesforce fairy tale is crumbling down around him. But that is where it ends. The Times used the date that transactions were recorded in Clerk of Courts official record as the date of sale. That's the findings of a story in the Tampa Bay Times that's headlined clear takeover. After buying eight buildings on and around Cleveland Street in 2018, Moises Agami, a parishioner and developer, now has restaurants, shops and other businesses in 16 of those 20 storefronts. Hormel says inflation, supply chain issues and weak sales hit earnings, Macy's shares surge as retailer posts earnings well ahead of forecasts, A supposed Scientology cruise ship is quarantined in St. Lucia over measles, Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman says Lorne Michaels gave her the best financial advice, As Republicans further intensify Hunter Biden focus, Attorney General Garland insists hes remained hands-off in years-old investigation, Teslas stock falls 5% as Elon Musks Master Plan 3 is short on details about both cars and finances, What's next for bonds in 2023 after the worst year in history. All 45 North Marina properties were purchased by companies managed or operated by two longtime members of Scientology: Steven Hayes, an attorney who has done legal work on behalf of church related organizations for more than two decades, and Norm Novitsky, a businessperson who has donated at least $5 million to Scientology. Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent $103 million over the past three years buying up vast sections of downtown Clearwater. . 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. "You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear," he said, "so it's tough to make economic sense out . This is a big giveaway in our view. Graphics by ELI MURRAY The greatest number of properties were bought by companies controlled by either Israeli businessman Itzhak Zano or another Scientologist who represents him. Miscaviges offer to revitalize downtown hinged on the city ending its attempt to buy one vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. About $15.9 million was paid in cash. I would assume hes a Scientologist or involved with them in some fashion. Melitta coffee filters are manufactured in Clearwater, Florida. Construction on eight townhomes on the south end of the marina began Oct. 1, according to county records. The most recent deal came when a New York firm bought a former demolition yard on Nicholson Street for $593,400 on Oct. 20 and then flipped it two days later for $1 million in cash to one of the Scientology-tied limited liability companies, according to property records. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Times with an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. While theres no law against hanging onto property, developers typically buy land, build on it and sell it for profit. I think it's comparable to say it's kind of, like, if there were to be a Vatican reporter in Vatican City. Soters comment evokes for us what Captain Renault said in Casablanca: Im shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!. Church of Scientology website It is with great pride we welcome you to the Church of Scientology of Melbourne. The Church of Scientology has done many things at a remove or by a ruse, feint, or stratagem. He took over Bob Lees Auto to continue the business legacy and served on the Downtown Development Board for a decade. The hotel has 11 stories and features 220 rooms, three restaurants, a swimming pool and a . The church has amassed 60 properties in Pinellas County since arriving in 1975. MCMANUS: It kind of started in early 2017. Andrus helped carry out a plan to stop a Scientologist who had spied on the federal government from turning himself in to the FBI. We reported at that time that a handful of limited liability companies bought about six downtown properties, and Scientology leader David Miscavige had presented a retail plan to two city staff officials. But the couple isnt ready to let go. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with reporter Tracey McManus. That company has had no connection to Coldwell Banker for decades. This one is owned by a parishioner who had been featured on the churchs Meet a Scientologist video series. Scientologist normally dont deal with outsiders in my experience. Concerned he wouldnt be able to pay his mortgage, Argall said he deeded the building, appraised at $780,000, back to the previous owner. Most religions have a fundamentalist wing, Rinder said. Both have been there for decades. Cazares responds with an $8 million libel suit. Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown. A few weeks later, John Yarbrough sold the building where he had run his electrical services business for 22 years. Visitors are expected to stay in Scientologys hotels and eat at private church restaurants. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And I guess the larger concern is that this could really thwart the city's plans for redevelopment if the Scientologist organizations are going to have all this property that they're going to keep for their own purposes. But companies controlled by different parishioners bought neighboring properties that create clear assemblages of land. Instead, the aquarium sold it to the city in April 2017 for a lot less $4.25 million. It has terrorized defectors with private investigators, smear campaigns and relentless litigation. But in the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. The impact is clearest in the heart of downtown. The lack of action from Scientology-tied buyers has precedent. Osman Ozsan has been a Scientologist since the 1990s. Do I spend another 10 years and see what happens in downtown Clearwater?, Scientology, Pinellas County and Clearwater Reporter. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Just out of curiosity, when you say the tactics that they used in the '70s, what were those? The Florida Secretary of States record on Rod Rileys RST Capital Advisors LLC: Categories: Clearwater, Osman Ozsan, Trish Duggan, Tagged as: CA South Development, Clearwater Marina District, David Gentile, DEUTERIUM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, DEUTERIUM INVESTMENT ADVISORS LIMITED, Gary Soter, Gregori And Company LLC, Maria Dolores Gregori Fuster, Megan Epstein, Osman Ozsan, Ozsan, RSR Capital Advisors LLC, Stephen Epstein, Tampa Bay Times, Tracey McManus, Trish Duggan, Re: The companies paid a combined $11.8 million in cash for 28 undeveloped parcels, five empty commercial buildings and a dozen homes, When I read that, I couldnt help but be reminded of the English Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas (On the third day of Christmas/ In summer 2017, Mark Searcy, a longtime Clearwater real estate agent who is not a Scientologist, assembled a 1-acre site by getting the owners of three adjoining properties to agree to sell. The inn had stood empty since being damaged in a 1989 arson fire and the Church of Scientology acquired the land in 1991 after it had been purchased by local property developer Terence J. McCarthy, the owner of T.J.M. The origin story for the CB in CBRE does come from Coldwell Banker, but that was a very long time ago. He has also lived in Hong Kong and South Korea. I mean, do they view it as helpful for the community at large to have a major religious organization centered in their town or not? The church acquired three others in a land swap. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Dozens of residents showed up to speak. He was overseeing the religion from aboard a ship to avoid investigations into tax evasion and fraud when he selected Clearwater as a spiritual headquarters. Made an offer. Because the city rebuffed Miscaviges offer, Bunker, who has advocated against alleged abuses in Scientology for 20 years, said he sees the parishioner-involved real estate purchases that followed as a vindictive and desperate play to interfere with Clearwaters revitalization efforts. Scientologists from across the globe make pilgrimages to the campus, called Flag. Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operated by members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. The churchs hostility toward the public became clear from its first days in the city in fall 1975. and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. AMI's culture and team members truly make AMI an amazing place to work! He wanted the council to stop trying to buy a vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. Local Scientology spokesman Ben Shaw and international spokeswoman Karin Pouw did not respond to repeated requests by the Times for an interview with Scientology leader David Miscavige. TRACEY MCMANUS: Hi, Lulu. The city and the church fought in court for years. His attorney, Louis Zaretsky, wrote in a letter to the Times that Zano is a businessman with vast real estate holdings in Israel, Germany, Poland, New York and Florida who makes investments based on his belief that they will appreciate or otherwise contribute to his long-term goals.. The campus collects millions each week through fundraising and payments for expensive courses and high-level religious counseling not offered anywhere else. Osman Ozsan runs two funds in Clearwater: According to online records, Ozsan, Gregori And Company LLC has only two client accounts: Osman Ozsan is on the Advisory Board of CA South Development, a firm founded by Scientologists Megan and Stephen Epstein. Im concerned, Mayor Frank Hibbard said. 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