GARCIA-NAVARRO: And we reached out to the Church of Scientology about the Tampa Bay Times report. 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. 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. Real estate agent David Kerr represented a buyer that paid more than three times what a property was valued by the county property appraiser. Steven Epstein took the unusual step of preparing an affidavit to tell the Tampa Bay Times that his client was not the Church of Scientology. February 27, 2023 endeavor air pilot contract No Comments . We don't know if they're just going to continue to squat on them - because they haven't done anything yet. And he was going to build an entertainment complex with Tom Cruise. Mike Rinder, who led Scientologys intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said any property owned by a parishioner is in the churchs control. On Sept. 7, Epsteins employee was removed from the corporate filings of the company that own the land. 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. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. CBRE is an acronym for CB Richard Ellis. Flag is what they call it, and it's the international spiritual headquarters of the church. 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. Scientology came to downtown Clearwater in 1975. Scientology has been accused of using the information as blackmail. Spa not owned by a Scientologist. Sep 19, 2022 - Anonymous Employee in Clearwater, FL. There are 22 Church of Scientology facilities in downtown Clearwater. At least eight businesses that got new landlords tied to Scientology moved out and have not been replaced. 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. Ever since Ive been here, and ever since Ive dealt with Scientology officials, I have heard the leaders articulate that they want to see a vibrant downtown, Horne said. Wayne E. Lee ran his Auto Parts Distributors business on Park Street since 1982. Most religions have a fundamentalist wing, Rinder said. Terri Novitsky and Hayes did not return calls and emails requesting comment. The lack of action from Scientology-tied buyers has precedent. Osman Ozsan is of interest to us because he is connected to Rod Riley, a non-Scientologist realtor and real estate developer from Arizona. Copyright 2023 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. According to a new report by The Tampa Bay Times, the Church of Scientology and related entities now own over $260 million of property in downtown Clearwater. The 1.4 acre lot was across the street from City Hall and adjacent to a 13-story Scientology religious retreat. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. Seventy-one percent of the 60 parcels the Church of Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas County are tax-exempt for religious purposes. Its designed not for recruiting new members but for hosting established followers. 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. Thank you very much. Tampa Bay Times reporter Tracey McManus has spent the last four years writing about Scientology and the churchs relationship with the city of Clearwater. The new owners also are sitting on about 30 undeveloped lots. Our opinion is that Riley was instructed to get ahead of the story by bringing up Scientology before he was asked about it. Graphics by ELI MURRAY This is a story for another time. Part of the reason for that is because they have this Sea Org that works full time and is paid less than $50 a week. Whats more, the Times found a Scientology magazine from the 1990s that listed goals for the new millennium. Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. Searcy felt like hed created a canvas for a dream hotel, condo and retail project: near the bridge to Clearwater Beach, no height restrictions, all under $5 million. Brokers who are Scientologists approached at least 15 downtown owners about unlisted properties. The churchs campus grew slowly over decades. 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. Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operated by members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. However, this tactic can backfire when it comes across as answering a question no one has asked. 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. In a letter to the Times, the church denied it ever tried to take control of the city. In those cases, four or more parcels purchased together clearly comprised a single piece of real estate. This is a story for another time. The few willing to answer questions said Scientology has no influence on their real estate dealings. 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.. 1. Longtime City Manager Bill Horne said he cant tell whether the church wants the same thing. Huestler said broker Terri Novitsky calls him every now and again to see if hed be interested in selling. And the tactics they were using to establish area control included infiltration, spying, smearing enemies. Some have donated millions to the church. 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. My true love gave to me/Three French hens/Two turtle doves/And a partridge in a pear tree). So we kept our eye on the downtown purchases. The church, its members and companies they control now own 185 properties that cover 101 acres in the center of downtown. Jim Huestler is the blocks only holdout with a rental home on the northeast corner. 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. The church attracts members through a theology of self improvement and understanding. 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. And half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued by the county property appraiser, the Times found. Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. Why does this matter? And our analysis found that these church officials were offering two, three, four times what the property appraiser said the properties were valued. 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. We interpret it as the Tampa Bay Times getting too close for Mr. Epsteins comfort. 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. Amazing Place to Work. During spiritual counseling, parishioners are interrogated about their deepest secrets, which are recorded in folders and stored indefinitely. The goal was to capture the area immediately surrounding both Scientologys headquarters, City Hall and the city-owned waterfront. It is a big faux pas in business PR to bring up the subject of religion when it is absolutely unnecessary to do so. More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover, The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped, Slideshow: See every building owned by the church, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, See a slideshow of all the churchs buildings. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has bought 60 . And $99 million of the $103 million in real-estate deals over the past three years were in cash. The downtown and North Marina properties bought by limited liability companies managed or operated by members of Scientology remain on the tax rolls. Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. Religious Technology Center (RTC) is the primary manager of Scientology intellectual property. The Church of Scientology and its parishioners now own a lot of real estate in Clearwater, Fla., as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. Of the 100 properties bought by parishioner-managed companies near the downtown waterfront from 2017 to 2019, 24 storefronts and buildings remain empty, including a former Walgreens, an old jewelry store and prominent buildings along the North Fort Harrison corridor. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So clearly they wanted these properties a great deal. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address If so, it's technically possible with a home IPO. TRACEY MCMANUS: Hi, Lulu. 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. There's parishioners that come here from all over the world to take courses in high level auditing that's not offered anywhere else. Thats a factor we do not control, Delk said. Visitors walk through downtown on a Friday. MCMANUS: Scientology arrived in downtown Clearwater in 1975. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. 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 Hes starting to assemble properties, Allbritton said. He is linked to the Church of Scientology via the Epsteins and Trish Duggan. . It does not include properties recently bought by companies run by church members. But that is where it ends. Much of downtown Clearwater is now owned by people or companies tied to Scientology, a report finds. My plan is to keep renting, Huestler said. Click here to read the story. Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Timeswith an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. 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. Gulf Coast Marine and ClearwaterPlumbing. 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/ These workers sign billion year contracts, are paid very little, work around the clock. It was a very turbulent time. She estimated that around a quarter of the . But the promised downtown revival never came. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past . In an interview with Scientology-owned "Freedom Magazine" Gendusa said that she moved to Clearwater to study Scientology more than 25 years ago. "I do not want to be associated . They called it, quote, "little more than self-serving propaganda intended to give the appearance of objective reporting." An empty Walgreens. GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's the type of servitude. Andrus did not respond to an email, phone message, a note left at his office or a certified letter. Scientologist normally dont deal with outsiders in my experience. They keep their operations going. Nearly all of the roughly two dozen people listed as operating the companies are Scientologists. Xenu Who? If the council in 2020 isnt on board with doing something his way, hes going to do it himself.. Additional Clearwater real estate purchases began in 2019. ( magazine) Applied Philosophy ARC Straightwire (ARC stands for affinity-reality-communication) ARC Fil Direct Audited NOTs (NOT stands for NED [New Era Dianetics] Operating Thetan) The Auditor VIDEO: Finally, Scientific Proof that Scientologys Body Thetans Cannot Exist! Real estate agent Daphna Fischler brokered at least 10 downtown sales on behalf of seven buyers. They came in under a fake name to buy the Fort Harrison Hotel, a historic hotel right in the center of downtown. Richard Tobias, an independent real estate appraiser in Pinellas County, said vast purchases of downtown real estate by entities tied to Scientology have cast confusion over the market. Seventy-three percent of the property is tax-exempt for religious purposes. 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. "You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear," he said, "so it's tough to make economic sense out . (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. Scientology members fuel another land-buying surge in Clearwater Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in. We are an equal opportunity employer and fully EEOC compliant. businesses owned by scientologists. 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. And in 1977, the FBI raided Scientology's headquarters in LA and D.C. And they uncovered hundreds of thousands of memos and documents. It is headed by David Miscavige [1] . I would ask that you clarify the reference to CBRE. synergy rv transport pay rate; stephen randolph todd. MCMANUS: Yeah, I think that the key here is the uncertainty. You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear, he said, so its tough to make economic sense out of it.. 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. In Florida, limited liability companies that buy property are required to disclose administrative operators but not their owners. Theyve got one intention, and one intention only, De Vocht said. But David Kerr, a local real estate agent and parishioner, walked in one day with an offer. He shows up in Clearwater from Arizona a few months ago. It would be the same if I was a (proud) Christian, Jew, or Muslim. 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. 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. Asked directly whether Scientology orchestrated or paid for any of the sales, the church did not answer. City leaders spent tens of millions improving streets, subsidizing residential projects and hiring consultants. 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. For the first time, a majority of the boards members will be Scientologists. Hibbard previously served as Mayor from 2005 until 2012, leaving office because of term limits. Melitta coffee filters are manufactured in Clearwater, Florida. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. Scientology leader David Miscavige told city officials the properties were part of the churchs proposed retail redevelopment plan. The property wasnt on the market. And he was going to recruit high-end retail to some of the empty storefronts because downtown Clearwater's pretty depressed. His partner is Scientologist Maria Dolores Gregori Fuster. CONNIE HUMBURG, TRACEY McMANUS, ELI MURRAY, ELI ZHANG | Times. A few weeks later, John Yarbrough sold the building where he had run his electrical services business for 22 years. Scientologists deal with useful non-Scientologists quite often. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email along with 7129 other subscribers. Riley thereafter became a Regional Manager forCB Richard Ellis. 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