The Ballad Hotel Breaks Ground in Downtown Clearwater

CLEARWATER - City officials, project partners, and community stakeholders gathered last week in downtown Clearwater to mark the official groundbreaking of The Ballad Hotel, a redevelopment project expected to expand lodging, dining, and activity near the city's waterfront.

The ceremony highlighted collaboration between the City of Clearwater, the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency. Representatives from the DeNunzio Group, KAST Construction, Behar + Peteranecz Architecture, and Thornton Tomasetti joined city staff to celebrate the start of construction.

A New Hotel in the Heart of Downtown

The Ballad Hotel, a 10-story, 158-room hotel, will overlook Coachman Park and Clearwater Harbor and is part of a 230,000-square-foot, mixed-use development designed to support downtown events, meetings, and tourism. The project will feature ground-level restaurants and retail along Osceola Avenue, a rooftop bar, dining areas, meeting rooms with views of Clearwater Bay, and an integrated parking garage with 169 spaces.

Site History and Redevelopment Vision

The hotel site has long been a focal point of downtown Clearwater. Previously home to the Harborview Center, the property sits atop the bluff and once hosted retail, dining, conventions, trade shows, weddings, and community events.

In 2022, Clearwater approved the sale of the property for $9.3 million, clearing the way for redevelopment of the waterfront site. The Ballad Hotel represents the next phase of that vision and aligns with the city's long-term goals for economic development, tourism, and downtown revitalization.

Project Funding and Public Investment

The project is supported through a combination of private investment and public funding. The Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency is contributing up to $4.75 million, including $1.5 million to cover required impact fees, $2.25 million at project completion, and $1 million if closing occurs by March 1, 2026.

The city of Clearwater is also investing $22 million toward underground parking from the city's parking revenues. The development team is contributing $24.7 million toward the acquisition of the project sites, along with additional financial commitments tied to project deadlines.