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(15) stories found containing 'architect rick gonzalez'


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  • City, Walesbilt Developers Open Negotiations With a "Productive" Meeting

    Robert Connors, Managing Editor|Updated Jan 6, 2022

    A proposed multi-million dollar rehabilitation and redevelopment of the eleven-story Walesbilt Hotel in downtown Lake wales crept closer to reality Tuesday as representatives of a development team met with city officials to negotiate an agreement on the project. A second meeting is planned for Thursday. The city issued a statement on Wednesday evening characterizing the initial meeting as "productive." Representatives of the developers offered no comment on the negotiations...

  • City Commission Agrees To Negotiate Hotel Deal Under Deadline

    Robert Connors, Managing Editor|Updated Jan 5, 2022

    With a promise to hold a special meeting if needed, Lake Wales City Commissioners agreed Tuesday evening to enter negotiations with a development consortium hoping to rehabilitate the historic Walesbilt Hotel in downtown Lake Wales. The deal may depend on whether the two parties can reach a deal within weeks. "Our main goal is just partnering with the City," Daniel Greenberg of Blue Chip Commercial Capital, LLC. told commissioners, pointing out that they already have a...

  • Is Walesbilt Hotel Project On Verge of Success?

    Robert Connors, Managing Editor|Updated Dec 21, 2021
    1

    A Walesbilt Hotel redevelopment project is "within 90 days of having a firm loan commitment," according to Michael H. Frost, president of Buena Vista Hospitality Group, Inc. (BVHG). Frost spoke to LakeWalesNews.Net shortly after learning that the Lake Wales City Commission will consider approving initiation of a lawsuit to attempt to regain title to the property this week. Frost's Buena Vista Hospitality Group is the same organization that completed the refurbishment of the...

  • Still More Details Emerge of Walesbilt Hotel Redevelopment Deal

    Robert Connors, Managing Editor|Updated Dec 21, 2021

    Details of the pending redevelopment of the Walesbilt Hotel continue to emerge as members of the development team prepare to share plans with the City Commission at Tuesday's meeting. The long-awaited hotel project is seen as the lynchpin of downtown project being sparked by the Community Redevelopment Agency. The CRA has authorized the issuance of bonds up to $18.5 million to fund extensive reconstruction of downtown streets as part of the Lake Wales Connected plan. That...

  • City Explores Legal Action to Take Back Historic Walesbilt Hotel

    Chevon T. Baccus APR|Updated Dec 20, 2021
    1

    Lake Wales city commissioners at their March 16 meeting are expected to authorize legal action that could lead to the city taking back the historic Dixie Walesbilt Hotel. Also called the Grand Hotel, the 10-story structure built in 1926 remains empty and only partially restored since it was turned over to developer Ray Brown more than 10 years ago. The city spent about $7,000 for attorney Kevin Ashley with the Peterson Myers Law Firm to research whether the city has grounds...

  • City Commission To Consider Suit To Regain Walesbilt Hotel

    Robert Connors, Managing Editor|Updated Dec 20, 2021
    1

    The long-delayed resolution of the contract between the City of Lake Wales, the Community Redevelopment Agency and Walesbilt Hotel owner Ray Brown may be heading to a concluding chapter. Brown had been granted title to the building more than a decade ago on an agreement to redevelop the structure. Tuesday's City Commission agenda will include consideration of whether the city should file a lawsuit or take other action to regain possession of the eleven-story structure after...

  • New Owner Wants City to Drop Foreclosure, Waive Fines on Seminole Hotel

    Chevon T. Baccus APR|Updated Sep 17, 2020
    2

    Henry Kebabjian wants to redevelop the historic Seminole Hotel in downtown Lake Wales, but his timing may be a little off. Kebabjian bought the three-story hotel Aug. 19 at a bargain-basement price of $10,500, two months after the city's Code Enforcement Board voted to foreclose on the property. The city in 2017 declared the building unsafe, emptied it of tenants and condemned it for multiple code violations. Recent owner Cardiff Howell of Orlando was unable to submit an...

  • City May Take Possession of Historic Seminole Hotel

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated Jul 1, 2020

    The City of Lake Wales may take possession of the historic Seminole Hotel, now two and one-half years after it was first condemned as unsafe. The Lake Wales Code Enforcement Board Thursday, June 25 authorized the city to move forward with foreclosing on the property, since owner Cardiff Howell had been unable to correct multiple code violations or to sell the hotel to someone who could restore it. If the city takes possession, commissioners will have to decide what to do with...

  • Seminole Hotel Project Moving Forward as City Reviews Plans

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated Aug 20, 2019

    The prospective developers of the historic Seminole Hotel shared conceptual site plans with Lake Wales city officials Tuesday, Aug. 13. South Florida architect Rick Gonzalez produced the drawings in partnership with local developer Ray Brown. Gonzalez has more than 30 years' experience restoring historic buildings and serves as vice chair of the Florida Historical Commission. City Development Services Director Kathy Bangley said she was pleased with the conceptual plans and lo...

  • Seminole Hotel Demolition Bid Comes in at $700,000

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated Jun 12, 2019

    The City of Lake Wales now has even more incentive to support prospective developers of the historic Seminole Hotel: the bid to demolish it came in June 4 at $700,000. Simpson Environmental Services of Trilby, FL submitted the lone bid, calling for $100,000 for the demolition and another $600,000 for "asbestos and road closure." City Planning and Development Director Kathy Bangley said city officials have made no decisions regarding the demolition bid: "It is currently...

  • City Staff Pledges Cooperation with Seminole Hotel Developers

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated Jun 5, 2019

    Lake Wales city staff members and the proposed developers of the historic Seminole Hotel gathered for their first official meeting to outline necessary steps to move the project forward. Planning and Development Director Kathy Bangley told city commissioners Tuesday June 4 that developer Ray Brown had submitted an acceptable plan and would be granted access to the hotel starting Thursday, June 6. Bangley brought four staff members to the May 30 meeting with Brown, while...

  • Developer Brown Takes Seminole Hotel Spat to City Commission

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated May 22, 2019

    Developer Ray Brown took his frustration with city staff directly to the Lake Wales City Commission Tuesday May 21 and left the meeting with a commitment to at least discuss how to move forward his plans to restore the historic Seminole Hotel. After some "he said, she said" banter that left commissioners expressing their own frustrations, City Planning and Development Director Kathy Bangley assured the commission "we will do everything to accommodate their team." Vice Mayor Ro...

  • Architect Wants Financial Interest in Historic Seminole Hotel and 30 Apartments

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated May 14, 2019

    Rick Gonzalez is passionate about restoring historic buildings and he loves Lake Wales. The South Florida architect finally got his first look last week inside the Seminole Hotel and now he's ready to not only create a detailed restoration plan but also to become a financial partner with developer Ray Brown. "I've been doing this work for 30 years and I've seen all types of conditions for historic buildings. This building is just like many others - there's nothing...

  • Preservation Architect Determines Seminole Hotel Good Candidate for Restoration

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated May 9, 2019

    The historic Seminole Hotel in Lake Wales is in "good condition and solid enough to restore," according to Architect Darrin Engel, who has more than 30 years' experience in historic building restoration. A senior project manager with REG Architects of West Palm Beach, Engel did a walkthrough assessment April 30 along with his assistant, Brian Lara. "I've been in some very dangerous buildings that do require care but that is not one of them," Engel said. "I was comfortable...

  • Developer Fights City Over Seminole Hotel Restoration

    Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor|Updated Apr 24, 2019
    2

    Developer Ray Brown wants to purchase and restore the historic 1929 Seminole Hotel on First Street in Lake Wales but he says the city is anti-development and throwing up roadblocks. Brown, who also is in the process of restoring the historic Walesbilt Hotel, says the Seminole is a solid structure with great potential. He plans to partner with architect Rick Gonzales from West Palm Beach, who has extensive experience with restoration of historic buildings and serves as vice cha...