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I had to make a decision, Bosi said. Fischler did not respond to phone messages, a certified letter or a note left at her condo. The acquisitions mirror the pattern that unfolded downtown between 2017 and 2019, when companies tied to Scientology bought 100 properties within walking distance of the waterfront and the churchs international spiritual headquarters, then left many of those buildings vacant and lots undeveloped. Companies controlled by Hayes have bought about half the property on Rices block and nearly the entire block directly south. wikipedia.en/Flag_Building.md at main chinapedia/wikipedia.en Lares and his wife, Emily, sold the diner inside a decade ago. Mike Rinder, who led Scientologys intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said any property owned by a parishioner is in the churchs control. They spent $6.5 million to renovate the public Seminole Boat Ramp, a popular centerpiece seen as a sign of the citys commitment. Hotel in Clearwater. Following a fallout with the City Council, Scientologists started to buy downtown property - $103million worth to be exact - at an unprecedented rate and now the church and its members own185 properties that cover 101 acres of downtown. But just how has the church expanded at such an alarming rate? He saw the area improve when police cracked down on drugs and prostitution decades ago. Moreover, tens of thousands of Scientologists travel to the city each year from around the world to participate in religious services at the Church's spiritual home. Scientology boasts 10million followers, but surveys and accounts from former members suggest there are no more than 30,000 worldwide. In late 2020, Terri Novitsky also was elected to the Downtown Development Board, an advisory group tasked with promoting downtown. Defectors have said they were paid less than $50 a week. Boca Raton, FL . They include consumer products, a lighting manufacturer, development firms, fitness, advertising and marketing, environmental services and financial advisers. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige met with city officials and acknowledged the church acquired them as part of his plan to spend $55 million renovating downtown buildings and recruiting high-end retail to empty store fronts. If people all over the world would do this, it would change the earth." Letsgetstarted. 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. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. 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. She said, Well, well have to invite you down for dinner, he recalled. Scientology is all I have to say, There are no pros that unless you are a Scientologist. No one from the church dictates to me what to buy, what to sell, what to do.. 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. The impact is clearest in the heart of downtown. George Orwell's astonishing novel 1984 depicts a dystopian world that has many remarkable similarities to scientology. Has the Church of Scientology ever killed anyone? You will discover the facts for yourself when you read that article; it provides the real answer as to what has happened with downtown revitalizationand how that revitalization was torpedoed by the Times. Limited liability companies managed by Hayes, the attorney whos done work on behalf of the church, bought almost the entire square block directly east of the North Ward school. Charles 'will NEVER build real relationship with Archie and Lili unless Harry and Meghan get new royal 'Putin has STOLEN our Ukrainian children': Distraught parents tell how THOUSANDS of youngsters never EMILY PRESCOTT: Sarah Ferguson 'confused' after seeing photos from goddaughter's wedding she thought she was Joe Biden is 'unlikely' to attend King Charles' coronation due to Ireland trip - despite promising to A 14-year-old autistic boy's naive prank. When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? 1 (727) 205-9357. In Clearwater, Fla., there's been a quiet series of land purchases over the last three years, $103 million worth made by the Church of Scientology and its parishioners - a doubling of the church's footprint near its international headquarters. I Am a Citizen of Clearwater. I Am a Scientologist. In summer 2018, Fischler walked into Bob Lees Auto Repair on Park Street to make owner Dennis Bosi an offer. Graphics by ELI MURRAY 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. A deserted coin laundry. 9,523 Scientologists live in the Tampa Bay area. They keep their operations going. Audited NOTs (NOT stands for NED [New Era Dianetics] Operating Thetan) The analysis considered property within the general boundaries of Cedar Street to the north, Missouri Avenue to the east, Chestnut Street to the south and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west. Revealed: The top 10 fastest-growing destinations for UK pensioners retiring overseas. Thank you for having us. (Which, actually, all Scientologists are under pressure to do. I dont know what their plan is.. Its too soon to say how the shift in ownership will affect downtown. Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in sight. Though most of the representatives of the 32 companies who purchased the downtown real estate in the past few years, few gave comment on their purchase and claimed Scientology wasnt a factor in the land buy. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. Mike Rinder, who led the churchs intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said that when it comes to property around Flag, theres no real distinction between whether its owned by the church or a parishioner. MCMANUS: Yeah, I think that the key here is the uncertainty. A for-lease sign sits in long-vacant retail space at The SkyView condo tower, owned by Scientologist and developer Moises Agami. It has terrorized defectors with private investigators, smear campaigns and relentless litigation. In the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Scientology plan to infiltrate the government. They haven't started construction - or are they going to redevelop them and bring businesses in and contribute to a vibrant downtown? Didn't like the Grab N Go Idea for a continental Breakfast. Fort Harrison Hotel - Wikipedia He owns Stonebridge Real Estate and served as president of the Florida Gulfcoast Commercial Association of Realtors in 2017. Then,. 1,915 reviews. In six cases, buyers made four times the propertys value deemed by the county property appraiser. Seventy-one percent of the 60 parcels the Church of Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas County are tax-exempt for religious purposes. Yarbrough never learned the buyers identity. 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. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And we reached out to the Church of Scientology about the Tampa Bay Times report. The logical conclusion is Scientology must have some sort of a game plan in mind, but theyre not public with what it is, City Council member Hoyt Hamilton said as he looked at a map of downtowns new ownership. For the first time, a majority of the boards members will be Scientologists. He promoted the site to about 75 hoteliers and developers across the country. 'Theyve got one intention, and one intention only. Huestler said broker Terri Novitsky calls him every now and again to see if hed be interested in selling. The gallery does not include properties bought by companies run by church members. Click here to read the story. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. Thank you very much. Scientology leader David Miscavige told city officials the properties were part of the churchs proposed retail redevelopment plan. MCMANUS: Well, our reporting shows that Scientology has a big interest in preserving its downtown campus. But after a dispute with the city, Miscavige cut communication. srini devadas linkedin MCMANUS: You know, Lulu, from my reporting, I've learned that there's a lot of mistrust and suspicion still in the community when it comes to Scientology because a lot of the residents here were living in the city when Scientology arrived in the '70s, and they remember the tactics Scientology used. Rice said hes been surprised that he has not been approached by brokers trying to buy his 10,000-square-foot building. It was owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Times used the date that transactions were recorded in Clerk of Courts official record as the date of sale. Scientology in Clearwater Big Brother is Watching You. June 22, 2022; Posted by . There are 22 Church of Scientology facilities in downtown Clearwater. Save. Top Hotels Closest to Church of Scientology in St. Petersburg In 1975, Scientology creator L. Ron Hubbard bought a historic hotel in downtown Clearwater. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. By then, he had found an auto garage he could buy in Dunedin. Scientology founderL. Ron Hubbard called Clearwater its spiritual headquarters. The church now completely controls the heart of the city, save for a few condominium tower and buildings owned by the government, the Tampa Bay Times discovered after reviewing 1,000 deeds and business records, shocking city leaders and residents at the scope of the churchs dominance. Scientology leader David Miscavige pictured above. Scientology has said it has 10 million followers, but surveys and accounts from former members suggest there are no more than 30,000 worldwide. Why Scientology not recruit Clearwater citizens - Aaron Smith-Levin 307 S Myrtle Ave Frnt, Clearwater, FL 33756-5524 +1 727-446-3354 Website Menu. City officials are suspicious that the church could be planning to do something with the land they now posses. View Hotel. Born in Germany, he began his career at the Hotel Restaurant Melber, followed by the Four Seasons in Munich and the Hotel Kempinski in Berlin. 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. Although that arrangement is standard in real estate, it makes it impossible to know whether the properties are owned by the Scientologists who manage the companies, the wealthy church or another hidden party. ', Freedom Magazine is a Scientology produced publication. And inside those findings was a plan that Scientology operatives had created and written to establish area control. But,so far, there have been only 4 comments posted to, It was fantastic stream! Project Normandy was described in one of hundreds of internal memos Scientology officials exchanged about their plans to infiltrate and control Clearwater. Scientology proposed a major redevelopment project meant to lure in new business to the empty stores in the citys waterfront area and near the churchs headquarters, but the council interfered, botching plans for a land deal that the church wanted for its expansion plan. Andrus, the former church operative, has broken ground on a condo tower near the citys boat ramp and filed plans for another housing complex nearby. City officials plan to partner with a developer on ways to adapt the red brick schoolhouse, like turning it into a hub for restaurants, retail, or apartments. The only thing you see is the Scientology minions ." Irwin said the church members are spotted wearing "brown dress . Trump congratulates Justin Trudeau on winning a second term Three soldiers died when their tank fell off a bridge into a Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' All five City Council members said they doubted the rash of purchases were unrelated. Buy up as much property as they can for the church whether they use it or not, whether they let it sit there and rot so no one else can be there,'Tom De Vocht, a former Scientology executive who oversaw the churchs property in Clearwater from 1996 to 2001, said. The city and the church fought in court for years.