Design and Construction Report staff writer
Officials marked the start of construction Thursday for the Ballad Hotel, a 10-story, 158-room hotel overlooking Coachman Park and Clearwater Harbor. The hotel is part of a 230,000-square-foot, mixed-use development aimed at expanding lodging, dining, and activities near the city’s waterfront.
The groundbreaking ceremony included representatives from the City of Clearwater, the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency, and development partners including DeNunzio Group, KAST Construction, Behar + Peteranecz Architecture, and Thornton Tomasetti.
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.
The hotel site has been a focal point of downtown Clearwater. It previously hosted the Harborview Center, which accommodated retail, dining, conventions, trade shows, weddings, and other community events. In 2022, the city approved the sale of the property for $9.3 million, clearing the way for redevelopment.
Funding for the project comes from a combination of private investment and public contributions. The Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency is providing up to $4.75 million, including $1.5 million to cover impact fees, $2.25 million at project completion, and $1 million if closing occurs by March 1, 2026. The City of Clearwater is contributing $22 million from parking revenues toward an underground garage. The development team is investing $24.7 million toward acquisition costs and other project obligations.
Construction is expected to take several years, with the hotel and surrounding development aimed at supporting downtown events, meetings, and tourism.
