Mayfair Inn closer to reopening, River Rats win 2nd title in 3 years

Thanks for checking out the “Dog Days of Summer Edition“ of Around the Clock. The heat is beating down on us here in Bokey, but the news never stops. Here are some tidbits I gathered this week.

Everybody say, “Hotel, Motel, Mayfair Inn”

The restoration of the old Mayfair Inn is a step closer to becoming reality.

On Aug. 3, the Sanford Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) unanimously approved the conditional use request by Key Performance Hospitality Management (the firm wanting to buy and restore the property) to allow transient lodging on the property.

Don’t let the phrase “transient lodging” scare you. It’s the technical term planning professionals use for what we laymen call a hotel. And while I’m at it, let me clear up some incorrect information I recently provided on one of the Facebook groups regarding the next steps for the project.

Now that P&Z has approved the conditional use, Key Performance Hospitality Management (KPHM) must wait 30 days to see if anyone appeals the P&Z decision. If by Sept. 3 no one takes such action, the proper paperwork is filed with the Seminole County Clerk of the Court, and the matter is complete.

I erroneously said that it would require 2 public hearings by the City Commission for final approval. That is not the case, and I apologize for the misinformation.

The only way the City Commission will become involved is if there is an appeal of the P&Z decision, which is extremely unlikely.

So what happens next?

Representatives from KPHM have publicly said once the conditional use is finalized they will purchase the property. How long that will take, I don’t know, but KPHM Executive Vice President and CFO Troy Antonik laid out an aggressive timeline during the June 5 public meeting. The company wants to begin actual construction in the spring of next year, so I don’t expect there will be much dilly-dallying (Translation: East Tennessee idiom meaning “delay because of indecision”).

For a refresher about the proposed plans, here are my previous articles on the subject: “Hotel returning to historic Mayfair Inn investors say” and “Public quizzes investors about plans for Mayfair Inn purchase, rehab“

We are the champions …

Congratulations to the Sanford River Rats, who brought home the Florida Collegiate Summer League (FCSL) championship Sunday Aug. 6.

During the league’s 14-year history, the Rats have been in the championship game 7 times and have taken home 4 titles, including the inaugural championship in 2004.

The Rats defeated the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs 6-5 in 10-inning thriller. Sanford’s Omar Villaman was named the MVP for the game.

With the win the Rats finished the season with a record of 33-12, which sets an FCSL record for most wins in a season.

Bring you car to the parking lot

Well, not just yet. The Bokey reported back in May that the City Commission approved a proposal to lease land at the southwest corner of 2nd Street and Palmetto Avenue for a public parking lot (City OKs new d-town parking plan). At the time the city projected the lot could be operational by August.

It’s now August and not much progress has been made.

I talked with Deputy City Manager Tom George this week. He said the city has ordered a Phase 2 environmental assessment several weeks ago. To date, the private contractor has yet to take core samples on the property. Once that occurs, the city can pave and stripe the lot.

I’ll update you when I know more.