Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operated by members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. We believe it's important to shed light on a powerful institution that's very controversial and plays a big role in our community. Inc. magazine's 2019 report on the 5,000 fastest-growing privately owned businesses in America cites 16 firms based in Clearwater. It has to be somebody with the money to invest in a real estate development deal. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., [ More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover ]. Brian Andrus controls companies that last year bought a marina on N Osceola Avenue and six nearby properties, all bordering a redevelopment project at the citys public boat ramp. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. They came in under a fake name to buy the Fort Harrison Hotel, a historic hotel right in the center of downtown. Then walk down Cleveland Street downtowns main artery. The city has no record yet of redevelopment plans being submitted for any of the North Marina properties since the purchases began, according to planning and development director Gina Clayton. Advance! GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's the type of servitude. Almost all of the properties were quietly bought through limited liability companies required to disclose their operators but not their owners as is pretty standard in real estate. The city and the church fought in court for years. What Clearwaters City Council thinks, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, See a slideshow of all the churchs buildings. And $99 million of the $103 million in real-estate deals over the past three years were in cash. A broker who was a Scientologist approached a downtown property owner. All they did was act like children and make crude sex/homophobic/racial jokes about being raped, gangbanged, etc. 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. Mike Rinder, who led Scientologys intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said any property owned by a parishioner is in the churchs control. 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. He owns Stonebridge Real Estate and served as president of the Florida Gulfcoast Commercial Association of Realtors in 2017. Fischler did not respond to phone messages, a certified letter or a note left at her condo. 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. One of the factors they do control is the waterfront land that's protected by city charter, that they are in the middle of a $64 million plan right now to redesign and develop into a park with gardens and a concert venue. This month, Shahab Emrani was elected to the Downtown Development Board, which helps promote downtown. The church, its members and companies they control now own 185 properties that cover 101 acres in the center of downtown. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. They paid $26 million. Delk described the projects which require voter approval as key to the plans success. I had to make a decision, Bosi said. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has purchased 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name. Sep 19, 2022 - Anonymous Employee in Clearwater, FL. MCMANUS: Brokers representing these companies were approaching downtown property owners. The church has amassed 60 properties in Pinellas County since arriving in 1975. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. Rileys Clearwater Marina District development has a $350 million price tag on it. Assistant City Manager Michael Delk said the citys priority is turning the spectacular land it owns into a community destination, no matter who owns the private property around it. We will continue research on our new Trish Duggan theory. CBRE is an acronym for CB Richard Ellis. But now these LLCs tied to Scientology control the retail district. A lot of them are vacant lots, vacant buildings, empty storefronts. Take away the church footprint, a few condo towers and all buildings owned by the government. Reached at their condo, his wife declined to comment. 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. 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.. It is a big faux pas in business PR to bring up the subject of religion when it is absolutely unnecessary to do so. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Explain to me why the paper has a Scientology reporter. Gentile also purchased several Clearwater companies owned by Scientologists who may have invested the proceeds into land deals. The campus collects millions each week through fundraising and payments for expensive courses and high-level religious counseling not offered anywhere else. Flag is run by the churchs full-time workforce, the Sea Org, whose members sign billion-year contracts and work around the clock. Unrestrained 5-year-old child falls out of truck, run over in Tampa, troopers say, Hundreds of USF students join statewide walkout to protest DeSantis education policies, Rays Shane McClanahan already hitting upper 90s nice to see, Estimates vary widely on cost to expand school vouchers in Florida, Food company A Good Human is opening a vegan cooking school in St. Petersburg, Bucs new coordinator is confident! At least eight businesses that got new landlords tied to Scientology moved out and have not been replaced. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has purchased 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name. Among other things, Ozsan is, according to our source, Trish Duggans money manager. Huestler said broker Terri Novitsky calls him every now and again to see if hed be interested in selling. She estimated that around a quarter of the . Gentile also purchased several Clearwater companies owned by Scientologists who may have invested the proceeds into land deals. In a letter, the church said the Times is misinterpreting Scientology policy and that other religions also practice shunning. $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. I just was curious if this is possibly a decent job or if EVERY scientologist owned company is a recruiting scam. Do you own your house? This is a big giveaway in our view. In January and February 2017, a handful of limited liability companies bought six prime downtown parcels. Scientology has said it has 10 million followers, but surveys and accounts from former members suggest there are no more than 30,000 worldwide. [ The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped ]. Scientology Fines OTs $100,000 if They Talk About Xenu or Body Thetans! 1. Another tell. Real estate agent Daphna Fischler brokered at least 10 downtown sales on behalf of seven buyers. Business Outlook. 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. Riley had no reason to mention that he had worked with Mormons and will now work to communicate with the Scientologists in Clearwater. This reads like deliberately premanufactured PR to us. Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. Church officials used a straw corporation to buy the historic Fort Harrison Hotel and moved in under a fake name. We also hold the distinction of being the first Scientology Church in the Southern Hemisphere. Mayor George Cretekos listens at a City Council meeting in April 2017 as residents pushed the council to purchase a vacant lot that Scientology also wanted. 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. High-ranking defectors provide an unprecedented inside look at Scientology, its leader and the Lisa McPherson case. They now own most commercial property. Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday. synergy rv transport pay rate; stephen randolph todd. In North America, Melitta is the leading brand of coffee filters. In her November 2021 article on Scientologists buying land in Clearwater, Tracey McManus wrote (emphasis ours): The city received an informal inquiry last year related to vacant land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue. Clearwater A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past three years buying up huge sections of downtown. And it's also basically the financial nucleus of the entire organization. Made an offer. 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 few willing to answer questions said Scientology has no influence on their real estate dealings. In San Diego, Taylor Guitars and Deering Banjo Company. It is all so convenient for Rodney that it appears to be scripted. About 72 percent of those properties are tax exempt for religious uses. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. I saw a business opportunity, Ezra said. . The goal was to capture the area immediately surrounding both Scientologys headquarters, City Hall and the city-owned waterfront. Seventy-three percent of the property is tax-exempt for religious purposes. All rights reserved. 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. Tampa Bay Times reporter Tracey McManus has spent the last four years writing about Scientology and the churchs relationship with the city of Clearwater. 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. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. By then, the churchs intelligence unit was already deploying an elaborate scheme to establish area control in the city. Coincident with this Riley-registered RSR Capital Advisors as an LLC in Florida on March 21, 2022. 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. Soters comment evokes for us what Captain Renault said in Casablanca: Im shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!. The Church of Scientology acquired the building in 2017 as part of its downtown redevelopment plan. It also has to be someone who trusts the Epsteins enough to invest with them. 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. 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. The Times described sales as cash transactions when they were paid without a mortgage filed in public records. (CBRE) in April 2016. Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. Should we cut my sister out of the family inheritance? MCMANUS: Right - because the city officials have said that there's only so many factors they control. The new owners also are sitting on about 30 undeveloped lots. Taking into account these denials, we now have a new opinion to offer our readers. And the mayor at the time, Gabe Cazares, really raised the alarm. And our analysis found that these church officials were offering two, three, four times what the property appraiser said the properties were valued. Scientology leader David Miscavige told city officials the properties were part of the churchs proposed retail redevelopment plan. He had committed to downtown in 1997. My sister is always struggling with money and drugs: I own a house with my husband and mother. It is headed by David Miscavige [1] . A broker is trying to buy the building Peter and Emily Lares have owned for decades. Its too soon to say how the shift in ownership will affect downtown. Through a spokesperson, Epstein said in an email that CA South looked into developing the properties on behalf of a client but walked away when the city did not relax a rule prohibiting a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue. 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. Amazing Place to Work. 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. But even when the church isnt in control, its presence can deter development. At first, I just wanted to make a short video about the buildings and programs they are doing in clearwater. Good luck on that. About $15.9 million was paid in cash. And the properties cover about 100 acres. In those cases, four or more parcels purchased together clearly comprised a single piece of real estate. There is no discrimination for or against *any* religion. 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. can t use carpenter's workbench skyrim; how long does it take a rat to starve to death; cowboy hat making supplies; why would i get a letter from circuit clerk Ive been waiting for this neighborhood to clean up for 30 years, and I still think its around the corner, Rice said. Many of their properties weren't listed for sale. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. They have completed courses and spiritual counseling that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. So we kept our eye on the downtown purchases. All five City Council members said they doubted the rash of purchases were unrelated. That has led defectors from the church and city leaders to believe there is little chance parishioners are making significant real estate deals around Scientologys mecca without the churchs involvement. Then in 2017, companies controlled by parishioners began buying retail property at an unprecedented rate. Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. A few months after Yarbrough relocated, a new electrical company moved into his old building. Graphics by ELI MURRAY Many of the properties werent on the market. In Florida, limited liability companies that buy property are required to disclose administrative operators but not their owners. If you are looking for a career where your coworkers and leadership care about you and your success, AMI is the right place! The other side of that is flag is run by the Sea Org, the Scientology's full-time workforce. By then, he had found an auto garage he could buy in Dunedin. Each had proposed major redevelopment projects, designed to lure new business into the empty storefronts that surround the city-owned waterfront and the churchs spiritual headquarters. Pros. The Florida Secretary of State records show the firm went dormant in 2012. He took over Bob Lees Auto to continue the business legacy and served on the Downtown Development Board for a decade. Originally founded in 1955, we are the oldest Scientology Church in Australia. There are 22 Church of Scientology facilities in downtown Clearwater. Clearwater is the permanent home to more than 10,000 Scientology parishioners. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Clearwater is the center of that revenue stream. This gallery shows all 60 properties Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas county and the six retail properties the church acquired through limited liability companies in 2017. 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? Most of the new owners have done little with their acquisitions. Flag is supposed to be an insulated oasis. Dozens of residents showed up to speak. Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. Most religions have a fundamentalist wing, Rinder said. ), [ Slideshow: See every building owned by the church ], In the 90s, a Scientology magazine listed the churchs goals for 2000. The city, meanwhile, moved ahead on its now-$84 million Imagine Clearwater project, a plan to transform the city-owned downtown waterfront with an outdoor amphitheater, a garden, bluff walk and plaza. This gallery shows all 60 properties Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas county and six additional retail properties the church acquired through limited liability companies in 2017. Osman Ozsan is of interest to us because he is connected to Rod Riley, a non-Scientologist realtor and real estate developer from Arizona. A few weeks later, John Yarbrough sold the building where he had run his electrical services business for 22 years. Where did all that money come from? ), 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. CLEARWATER An old jewelry store on the corner of Cleveland Street that welcomes visitors to the core of downtown sits empty, unchanged since a company managed by a Church of Scientology. Scientologists annually contribute $87,867,000 to charitable endeavors, money that uplifts the quality of life in Clearwater. An empty Walgreens. The companies paid a combined $11.8 million in cash for 28 undeveloped parcels, five empty commercial buildings and a dozen homes in the district, most of them dilapidated. New details about the case of Lisa McPherson, who died in the care of Scientologists, from the executive who directed the Church of Scientologys handling of the case. Some have donated millions to the church. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., But Tal Ezra, a Scientologist who recently bought four parcels of land in downtown Clearwater, told the Times that he has plans for an office space and a retail shop. Clarification made on CBRE and thank you for pointing that out. Among them: make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past three years buying up huge sections of downtown Clearwater. This purchase was part of Project Normandy, a covert Scientology program to take over Clearwater. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So clearly they wanted these properties a great deal. In summer 2018, Fischler walked into Bob Lees Auto Repair on Park Street to make owner Dennis Bosi an offer. After his stint at CBRE, Riley worked for Caliber Wells in Scottsdale, Arizona and then left the firm. He shows up in Clearwater from Arizona a few months ago. Any property owned by a Scientologist or linked to a Scientologist is owned by the church, because the church owns its parishioners, said De Vocht, the former executive in charge of real estate, who reported directly to Miscavige. The churchs campus grew slowly over decades. After that, the Times writes, Scientology began grabbing property at an unprecedented rate, adding that 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 fact, 22 of the first 33 buildings on Cleveland Street, considered the downtown districts main artery, are tied to Scientology. Write by: . Our opinion is that Riley was instructed to get ahead of the story by bringing up Scientology before he was asked about it. Aaron Smith-Levin, a former Sea Org member, said a church ethics officer in 1993 pressured Smith-Levins father-in-law to sell Scientology a downtown property it wanted for expansion. The Church is the largest property taxpayer in downtown Clearwater, paying nearly $1 million in property taxes last year. I think it throws a stake in it when one party owns 50 percent or so. Scientology came to downtown Clearwater in 1975. How much of Clearwater is owned by Scientology? 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. But after a dispute with the city, Miscavige cut communication. In Mesa, its the Mormon Church that dominates the area and I was able to work in that environment. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. Howd that go? In the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Scientology plan to infiltrate the government. A for-lease sign sits in long-vacant retail space at The SkyView condo tower, owned by Scientologist and developer Moises Agami. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. The total of all Scientology-connected Clearwater real estate purchases $114.8 million. During spiritual counseling, parishioners are interrogated about their deepest secrets, which are recorded in folders and stored indefinitely. We don't know what they're planning to do with the properties. City officials are trying to make the area a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. One of these accounts shows discretionary assets of $134.77 million. Melitta coffee filters are manufactured in Clearwater, Florida. Rabid Cult: Scientology Bites Dog Food Company; Attacks Cream Cheese; and Screams at Rolling Stone Magazine, Podcast with Aaron Smith-Levin: Grant Cardone Lawsuit Update & David Gentile Criminal Case. Seventy-one percent of the 60 parcels the Church of Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas County are tax-exempt for religious purposes. "I do not want to be associated . Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Timeswith an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. MCMANUS: Well, our reporting shows that Scientology has a big interest in preserving its downtown campus. Real estate agent Brian Andrus controls seven properties bought around the citys public boat ramp. Since 2017, the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members have bought 92 properties around the center of downtown. The report notes that half of these properties have been bought since January 2017 after the organization and the Clearwater City Council presented competing redevelopment projects to the downtown district and its waterfront. According to his resume, he started the firm in 2003. Hes still holding out. Almost immediately, a decades-long trickle of purchases by church members turned into a flood. Hibbard previously served as Mayor from 2005 until 2012, leaving office because of term limits. 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. Can you give me a sense of the scale and how they have made this happen with the relatively little fanfare over the years? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Nicole Lyn Pesce is News Editor, Trending at MarketWatch and is based in New York. Andrus did not respond to an email, phone message, a note left at his office or a certified letter. On Sept. 7, Epsteins employee was removed from the corporate filings of the company that own the land. About 72 percent of those properties are tax exempt for religious uses. Agami also signed two more leases on the same block with restaurants owned by people not connected to the church. (SOUNDBITE OF CHICK COREA'S "RETURN TO FOREVER"). GARCIA-NAVARRO: What do you mean billion year contracts? They didnt say what they were going to do with them, and I never asked, said Chesney, who works as the citys marine and aviation department director. 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. 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. The Church of Scientology, its members and companies controlled by its members have spent $103 million over the past three years buying retail property in downtown Clearwater, Fla., according. Businesses without ties to the church are moving into a few of those. Companies controlled by Hayes have bought about half the property on Rices block and nearly the entire block directly south. In six cases, buyers paid quadruple the propertys value. After FBI raids uncovered the infiltrations, city officials launched their own investigations. Philip Kirkpatrick, Clearwaters senior economic development coordinator, said Stephen Epstein spoke with city officials in December about a potential commercial and multifamily project on the site. And the Times found that in six cases buyers paid quadruple a propertys value. To reiterate our earlier point, Ozsan, Gregori And Company LLC has only two client accounts. In the world of scientologywhere anything goes and all laws in the wog world by damnedits Christmas 24/7. The project broke ground in August and is aimed at helping bring businesses and foot traffic to the empty storefronts in the surrounding blocks. Melitta electrics and accessories are manufactured, marketed and distributed under a licensing agreement. Scientologist normally dont deal with outsiders in my experience. 20, 2019. Zano did not respond to questions about what his plans for the properties. A sign in front of the business says, "Notice: This is one of the only spas in downtown Clearwater not owned by a Scientologist .". This one is owned by a parishioner who had been featured on the churchs Meet a Scientologist video series. N'T know what they 're planning to do so worked for Caliber Wells Scottsdale. Undeveloped lots the empty storefronts cost tens of thousands of dollars goal was to capture the immediately., the Sea Org, the Sea Org, the church of Scientology facilities in downtown,. The financial nucleus of the 60 parcels the church has amassed 60 properties in Pinellas County since arriving 1975! Feelings and funny business with you every Monday, etc delighted you provided the information handful of limited liability bought. Are delighted you provided the information old building both Scientologys headquarters, city the! 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