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Highlands Today

Harder Hall Developer Seeks Inspection Extension

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By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: February 2, 2009

SEBRING - The Calibre Investment Group, LLC, will seek a 60-day extension on its inspection period on its project to develop the site of the vacant Harder Hall Hotel, when the Sebring City Council convenes on Tuesday.

"The mayor and council met with them individually," said Bob Hoffman, assistant city administrator on Friday. "We were impressed with the product they propose to build, which is an independent living, assisted living and a memory care facility.

"They proposed to build four additional two-story structures that blend architecturally with the Harder Hall structure. The four structures to be built are independent living facilities."

According to correspondence from Bob DePugh, representing Calibre, there are certain Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues that require additional time to work out and its current inspection period ends on Feb. 15.

The additional 60-day extension would push Calibre's inspection period out to April 16. The St. Petersburg-based company's $200,000 escrow deposit would remain fully refundable, according to the request.

"The purpose of this request is to grant time for Calibre Investment Group, LLC, to work with the seller in resolving issues concerning the existing and proposed U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development loans," DePugh wrote in a Jan. 29 letter to City Administrator Scott Noethlich.

Calibre is asking for the 60-day inspection period extension so it can hire consultants or lobbyists from Washington that would study the HUD issues and present options to the council, Hoffman said.

"Council members appeared to be impressed with the progress, their commitment to the project and their investment in resources," said Hoffman. "They've hired an architect, a contractor, a structural engineer and others to bring this project to fruition."

The architect named for the project is Wedding & Stephenson, Architects Inc. the contractor is W.G. Mills Inc. South.

"The total project is a $30 million project and if successful would have a significant and positive impact on our community."

On Jan. 22, Calibre presented the city administrator with a spiral-bound executive summary on Harder Hall, including its marketing analysis, graphics on its anticipated design, the latest construction cost analysis and most recent financing analysis.

A company called Real Property Research Group Inc. was retained to conduct a market assessment to evaluate the potential of a proposed retirement community to be located on the Harder Hall property.

"Overall we believe that the proposed Harder Hall Retirement Community project presents a strong opportunity for the development of a retirement community such as that proposed by the developer with a partial continuum of care including independent living assisted living and Alzheimer's dedicated assisted living services," the report stated.

"Dynamics that are favorable toward the project include a significant concentration of elderly persons and households in the market and a general lack of premier, state of the art retirement housing product in the market..."

"We note that the opportunity in the market appears to be most compelling for new independent living product due to relatively strong demand and the lack of existing competition. The opportunity for assisted living is somewhat more measured as this market is much more competitive than the independent living environment. This is an opportunity, however, to establish the subject as the premier retirement community in the area..."

There also appears to be an opportunity to support a significant number of Alzheimer's-dedicated assisted living beds at the Harder Hall property, the report stated.

Plans show 96 living units in the Harder Hall building and a total of 128 housing units in the four 13,000-plus square-foot residential independent living buildings. Total parking would be 254 spaces.

"Findings do indicate, however, that the market is price-sensitive and suggest that even as the premier community in the area, appropriate and achievable pricing will be integral to the potential success of the project," the report stated.

Plans provided for the project indicate a new kitchen on the ground floor in the area where the servants' quarters used to be housed before they were demolished, off of the main dining area and multipurpose (ball) room.

Downstairs rooms and second floor rooms at the northern end of the structure would be for the memory care units including dining spaces. A walled garden would be located on the Little Lake Jackson side of the wing.

The center lobby on the main floor would be for people to circulate and administrative offices. The second floor above the lobby would house spaces for certain amenities.

Third and fourth-floor rooms would be mostly for 53 assisted living units including one-bedroom and studios.

The fifth and sixth floors would each house four one-bedroom independent living quarters. The seventh floor indicates opportunities for two one-bedroom independent living quarters.

The four out-building plans to house independent living quarters, yet to be built, indicated studio units as well as one-bedroom and two-bedroom units in the floor plans.

Highlands Today reporter Joe Seelig can be reached at (863) 386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com .

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