IT’S ALMOST LIKE WE’RE SOMEWHERE (#78): When I started work with Wittner, I took very close notice of the Wittner Centre which he had just built. It was a very successful project and one of the best designed and decorated office complexes in St. Petersburg. His daughter, Sharyn Jacobson, was an interior decorator and her touches were obvious throughout.
In his 2007 obituary, Wittner was described as inventive, creative, and extremely entrepreneurialistic. That he was. He was also a natural salesman and very slick, the kind of person I later learned to avoid. A tenant with everything clearly spelled out in a lease was safe. Wittner honored a firm contract and paid his bills. He just seemed to forget promises and handshake deals. Ira Mitlin on the other hand, never forgot either. I loved that man. He was a good soul.
Wittner was a very successful insurance agent and was always active in the community. He was charitable and some thought generous. In the years that I knew him, and I hope he softened in his older age, everything that he did or gave was measured on a cost/reward basis. Whatever he gave needed to return a business benefit or increase his perception in the community and thereby be good for future business.
Wittner was quick judge of character, he could size you up before you sat down. He always hired the best people and used them well. Tom Coates, a CPA that was our comptroller, was a great guy, honest, but shrewd as a CPA should be. I believe he was a good influence on Wittner. One rule that Tom had, and it was a good one, was to always get 3 bids, even when renewing a contract with an existing vendor. Existing vendors sometimes took business for granted and raised their prices above the market.
Another key man was Lee Regulski, an engineer who handled design and construction. Dee Valdes was in charge of PR and marketing. Tom Riden, with Riden, Watson, and Goldstein, was Wittner’s attorney. Tom was sharp and tough, a good man to have on your side. Together with Ira and me, it was a good group to work with and explore new concepts. When we had meetings, I took the notes. It reminded me of playing pinball. The flow of ideas would be heading in a certain direction until someone raised a good point, and then the flow would shift. This would happen over and over in the course of a meeting. I could always keep track, and often anticipated what would happen next.
Wittner branched out into real estate by building office space for physicians. His medical centers were attractive and well maintained. I remember one day I was at the offices of Fernando Borges and his partners to renew a lease. I was seated at a desk, making a small change in the lease. Fernando came over and looked down, lightly touching my bald spot, “You know Scott, we could cut out a flap of skin in the middle here, and sew the two sides together. That would reduce the bald spot and give you a mini facelift. Then we do hair plugs and you’d have a full head of hair.” Since I had been bald for years and had gotten used to it, I declined. Also, Fernando was a urologist.
While I was with Wittner, we built several new new projects, the US Bank Building, City Center, and the Wittner Centre Crossroads. The US Bank Building was fine, just what you would expect. City Center was exceptional. The Wittner Center Crossroads was a disaster, but Wittner got his money out and left his employees and business associates holding the bag.
For now, let’s focus on City Center, it was a phenomenal concept, and helped start the redevelopment of downtown St. Petersburg. Marketed as a Community Partnership, tenants were able to buy a share of the ownership in the 262,500 square foot project. This allowed tenants to recover a portion of the high rent they paid, and was key in selling the building for a good profit. The City of St. Petersburg built the parking garage.
City Center was a 4 story tower and a 12 story tower connected by a 5 story atrium with a marble waterfall. Sharyn Jacobson did a stunning job. My favorite feature in the lobby was a tropical bird painting collage by Robert Schott. City Center was to feature a boutique hotel, The Presidential Inn, on the fifth floor of the South Tower and The President’s Club, an elegant private dining and meeting facility, on the tenth floor. One bank of elevators featured glass walls and provided a breathtaking view of Tampa Bay as they rose to the 12th Floor.
By groundbreaking, tenants included, in addition to Wittner’s Real Estate and Insurance operations, Centerbanc, Willian R. Hough & Co., Riden, Watson, & Goldstein, and the law firm where I started, Fisher & Sauls. City Center was designed to provide all of the amenities needed by our tenant/owners. The first floor featured The Business Service Center managed by Watson Haynes, who became a dear friend. Mary Rainey, wife of County Commissioner Chuck Rainey, operated Rainey Travel, also on the first floor.
As the broker for Wittner Properties, Inc., I was also in charge of the leasing. It was a pleasure to work closely with business leaders, and I enjoyed the chance to deal with Louie Adcock again.
The groundbreaking for City Center was, in reality, a groundbreaking for the redevelopment of downtown St. Petersburg. So many friends were there and the future seemed bright. After the ceremonies we retired to a reception on the fifth floor rooftop of the St. Petersburg Pier.
Someone passed out cigars. The other people at our table were facing Tampa Bay, but Linda and I were facing due west, looking back over town. The sun was beginning to set. I pointed out the gorgeous sunset to my friends, took a puff on my cigar, a sip of champagne, and said, “Isn’t this amazing? It’s almost like we’re somewhere!”
