Anna Maria Downtown Redevelopment
Ed Chiles, local businessman and son of the late ex-Governor Lawton Chiles, spoke to the Anna Maria Island Historical Society last week at their annual luncheon meeting, to present his company’s plans for retail, office, and residential redevelopment on Pine Avenue.
Chiles investment group has purchased seven properties, one of which is the earliest homestead of George Bean. He said he intends to restore the house.
Pine Avenue is the main street of Anna Maria City and connects the City Pier on Tampa Bay to the beach on Gulf of Mexico. Until the present causeways and bridges were built for motor access, visitors would arrive by boat from Tampa and walk across to the beach. One of Chiles
restaurants, The Sandbar, is at the beach end of Pine Ave.
Mr Chiles presented a drawing by noted architect Gene Aubry showing one proposed structure and promised to retain an historical look to their redevelopment. He asked the AMIHS members for their support when he requests building permission from Anna Maria City.
The AMIHS luncheon was held at another of Chiles restaurants, the Beach House, in Bradenton Beach.
AMIHS hosts a museum, cottage, garden, and city jailhouse on Pine Ave.
Tags: History, Property
