companies owned by scientologists in clearwater

(Everything owned by parishioner-run companies is still on the tax rolls. 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. We built a graphic demonstrating just how little is left. The more its isolated and doesnt have people who are non-Scientologists around the area, the better.. ), Clear Takeover: How Scientology doubled its downtown Clearwater footprint in 3 years, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover. The church offered $15 million for the parcel. Reached at their condo, his wife declined to comment. Scientologists annually contribute $87,867,000 to charitable endeavors, money that uplifts the quality of life in Clearwater. Fischler offered Bosi $1.4 million, almost three times what the property was valued. The purchases totaled $11.8 million and were documented by the Tampa Bay Times in its November 2021 story: companies connected to the Church of Scientology are buying tracts of land within the 55-acre district and not disclosing what they plan to do with them. GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's the type of servitude. But in the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. ARKWRIGHT ROAD LIMITED City officials have long hoped for private investors to transform the North Marina Area, a 13-block district with undeveloped lots and 100-year-old bungalows overlooking Clearwater Harbor. They posted guards wielding billy clubs and mace. Argall left the church and was forced to abandon his business of more than 20 years. CBRE is an acronym for CB Richard Ellis. 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. They envisioned apartment buildings with ground-floor stores, winding paths with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and a concert venue that would draw visitors from across the region. Church of Scientology website It is with great pride we welcome you to the Church of Scientology of Melbourne. There's parishioners that come here from all over the world to take courses in high level auditing that's not offered anywhere else. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So the fact that the church is now buying up these properties through proxy organizations would maybe ring some alarm bells for the community because of what has happened in the past. Its like they are trying to control the whole thing.. This one is owned by a parishioner who had been featured on the churchs Meet a Scientologist video series. They adopted a master plan in 2016 that envisioned housing, a hotel and shopping to complement what they hope will be Clearwaters revitalized downtown less than a mile to the south. Andrus did not respond to an email, phone message, a note left at his office or a certified letter. Flag is supposed to be an insulated oasis. Yarbrough never learned the buyers identity. They doubled the churchs footprint in less than three years. 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. It has to be somebody with the money to invest in a real estate development deal. Theres no such thing in Scientology. Asked directly whether Scientology orchestrated or paid for any of the sales, the church did not answer. Those six lots were bought in November 2020 by a limited liability company then-managed by an employee of CA South, a Nashville-based real estate firm founded by Megan Epstein and advised by her husband, Stephen Epstein, both members of Scientology. There is ZERO chance of me getting sucked in. For the first time, a majority of the boards members will be Scientologists. MCMANUS: Yeah, I think that the key here is the uncertainty. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. 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. Nearly all of the properties were bought through limited liability companies, which are required to disclose their operators but not their owners. In January and February 2017, a handful of limited liability companies bought six prime downtown parcels. He walked away with nothing. Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. (Guess he hasnt seen the game tapes), US Supreme Court refuses to block Florida execution of Donald Dillbeck, Red-hot USF women close out home schedule with explosive offensive showing, Editorial Cartoons for Thursday from Times Wire Services, Church of Scientologys presence in Pinellas County, Clear Takeover: How Scientology doubled its downtown Clearwater footprint in 3 years, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover, Typhoon cancels Clearwaters sister city visit to Nagano. 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. 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. This is the Church of Hyper-Surveillance that knows everything about the private and business lives of its members; their social media activities; and even what they did in their past lives. Do you own your house? Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Times with an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. Aaron Smith-Levin, who left the world of Scientology after 29 years, is running to serve on the council in Clearwaterwhich has been home to the church's international spiritual headquarters. But on the notice filed with Pinellas County for the roof replacement at 801 N Fort Harrison Ave., Andrus signed his name as a manager of the company that owns the building. In addition to a park and amphitheater, Imagine Clearwater also calls for several new projects on the waterfront with residences and retail. Some have donated millions to the church. Then walk down Cleveland Street downtowns main artery. It is all so convenient for Rodney that it appears to be scripted. 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? MCMANUS: Yeah, that's a good question. However, we reserve our prior opinion and modify it by stating that some GPB Capital money may be in the Clearwater real estate purchases mix. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. TRACEY MCMANUS: Hi, Lulu. This means the total revenue of the "300" scientology businesses that are owned by the 9700 local scientologists is equivalent to 7.5 average car dealers. 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.. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with reporter Tracey McManus. He has also lived in Hong Kong and South Korea. 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. They called it, quote, "little more than self-serving propaganda intended to give the appearance of objective reporting." Osman Ozsan is of interest to us because he is connected to Rod Riley, a non-Scientologist realtor and real estate developer from Arizona. David Gentile is creative with money and had hundreds of bank accounts and sub-funds when he ran GPB Capital. It has terrorized defectors with private investigators, smear campaigns and relentless litigation. Many of their properties weren't listed for sale. But the promised downtown revival never came. Fifty-three of those are for properties owned by companies run by himself with fellow Scientologist Emrani, a candidate in this election. After FBI raids uncovered the infiltrations, city officials launched their own investigations. The Times counted each parcel that was assigned a value by the property appraiser as a single property with five exceptions. The Scientology leader had offered the Clearwater Marine Aquarium $15 million for that 1.4-acre grass lot on Pierce Street. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. Should we cut my sister out of the family inheritance? Scientologists living in Clearwater span the gamut of professional life . I dont know what their plan is.. 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. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. The main reason why developers didnt want it was they didnt want to be near the Church of Scientology, Searcy said. It also has to be someone who trusts the Epsteins enough to invest with them. He is not listed on the corporate filings for any of the eight limited liability companies that recently bought the North Marina properties. Tyler Rice has run Carillon Flooring Center on North Fort Harrison for 30 years, the business his father started there in 1964. Hes starting to assemble properties, Allbritton said. Spa not owned by a Scientologist. Fischler did not respond to phone messages, a certified letter or a note left at her condo. Delk described the projects which require voter approval as key to the plans success. Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown.. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. Tracey McManus is a Scientology reporter for the paper, and she joins us now. Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. MCMANUS: Scientology arrived in downtown Clearwater in 1975. Project Normandy was described in one of hundreds of internal memos Scientology officials exchanged about their plans to infiltrate and control Clearwater. What Clearwaters City Council thinks, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, See a slideshow of all the churchs buildings. This is a story for another time. Local TV station WTSP reports. Much of downtown Clearwater is now owned by people or companies tied to Scientology, a report finds. Those six lots were bought in November 2020 by a limited liability company then-managed by an employee of CA South, a Nashville-based real estate firm founded by Megan Epstein and advised by her husband, Stephen Epstein, both members of Scientology. Take away the church footprint, a few condo towers and all buildings owned by the government. "You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear," he said, "so it's tough to make economic sense out . Right now, at least 30 businesses owned by non-parishioners are renting from Scientologists. Real estate developer from Arizona the uncertainty an email, phone message a. 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