The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 39

THE TAMPA TRIBUNE OD Si 0 Thursday, January 12, 1995 Lender takes over Eastlake Square 1 4 rnir 1 mtltm The Bottom Line Mickie Valente pers, officials were hoping a side effect to the new office would be added security at the mall. Last year, Eastlake was one of seven regional malls not included in a real estate investment trust issued by DeBartolo. The prospectus for the REIT, called DeBartolo Properties Management says the properties weren't included because they were either up for sale, prohibited contractually from being transferred or weren't generating cash. DeBartolo spokeswoman Marie Cartwright said Eastlake wasn't excluded because of financial problems. But she wouldn't elabo-; rate.

Details of the deal and future plans for the mall were unclear. "We have chosen a property manager and are assessing our options," said Brian Carmichael, a spokesman for John Hancock, who referred questions to DeBartolo. DeBartolo and J.C. Penney representatives wouldn't comment except to say that John Hancock "took over ownership." A letter about the change is being sent to Eastlake merchants today. The mall has been affected by changing neighborhoods and stronger competition, such as the long-awaited Brandon Town Center set to open Feb.

15. To generate more shopper traf By LISA BACKMAN Tribune Staff Writer TAMPA John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. has acquired struggling Eastlake Square Mall in east Tampa. The Boston-based insurance company is one of the original mortgage holders and paid $10 for the 18-year-old mall, according to property records. It took over the property Dec.

31 from Eastlake Square Associates, a joint venture between a corporation formed by the late Edward J. DeBartolo and JCP Realty, a subsidiary of J.C. Penney Co. Inc. nue and 56th Street near Interstate 4 and the Florida State Fairgrounds.

As a result, John Hancock approved a $7 million mortgage on the property. Merchant National Bank Trust of Indianapolis lent $5 million and Citibank lent $8 million, according to property records. Since then, the area became more industrialized. Shoplifting and armed robbery have become a problem. Last year, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office located an office in the mall.

Though its purpose was to provide educational materials and advice to mall shop- fic, some of Eastlake's tenants have changed their focus. For instance, Dillard turned its Eastlake store into a clearance outlet. J.C. Penney plans to move its discounted furniture operation to the bottom floor of its Eastlake store as part of an overall renovation of the store to begin in February, said Catherine Jones, the store manager. Housewares also will be included on the first floor.

Apparel, cosmetics and jewelry will move to the second floor, Jones said. When Eastlake Square opened in 1976, it was expected to do well at its location at Hillsborough Ave Beard to leave Paragon Korean native heads county's Asian office All Kimi Springsteen wanted to do was be a college professor. For a young girl growing up in Seoul, South Korea, in the 1950s there really wasn't a more appropriate career option. If she had stayed there, that's likely what she might have done. But a Texas education and falling in love with a U.S.

Air Force officer would change her entire perception of her possibilities. Today she is making a career of seeing the unlimited potential not only in herself, but instilling that vision in others. As the United States is turning its attention to the "big emerging markets" of Asia, Springsteen is helping Hillsborough County officials discover the emerging communities of Koreans and a dozen other Asian groups that are emerging within the county's borders. Springsteen is the manager of the county's recently established Asian Affairs office. The office is the newest of the three county offices established to reach out to the minority citizens and businesses in the county.

Springsteen was assigned to her part-time post in October. Already, however, Springsteen, who is Jte BP- i tt 'A If" i li 'ft I 6 By JEAN GRUSS Tribune Staff Writer TAMPA Richard A. Beard III, one of Tampa's largest and most influential developers, will become a consultant to the company he helped start. Paragon Group Inc. announced Wednesday that Beard, 51, would be leaving his 15-year post as managing director of the company's Southeast region later this month.

The company said Beard will remain in Tampa to pursue personal real estate interests and become a business development consultant to Paragon. The announcement ended i 1 7 accustomed to a frenetic pace running her trade consulting business, Springsteen International, can see that she has her work cut out for her. Though Asians represent a rapidly growing group of citizens within the county, the diversity of their cul- mm- ma weeks of rumors that Beard was leaving Paragon. Beard, one of the most active developers in the area, put Paragon's signature on the Tampa sky -3 JIM REEDTribune photo Huddle house Diane Murphy, left, and Travis Vining set up their Orlando Entertains display Wednesday at the Tampa Convention Center in preparation for Florida Huddle, an annual conference held today and tomorrow. The TampaHillsborough Convention and Visitors Association announced Wednes- day it will broaden a promotion that packages Busch Gardens and Adventure Island tickets with hotel accommodations.

More hotels are participating this year and more area attractions are expected to join. It will promote the offer, available April through October, throughout the Southeast. Consumer prices up modestly in December, 1994 n.i.i.'i.i,'.ii.ii.'i.mw.i:ir?a Consumer line with Beard downtown landmarks like Barnett Plaza, the Gothic-inspired 100 North Tampa and the glass-enclosed Enterprise Plaza. "I'm pleased to have a continuing relationship with Paragon," Beard said in a prepared statement. "This creates a competitive advantage for my interests, establishes a solid foundation for future business opportunities with the company and enables me to assist in its growth plans." Beard could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Paragon spokesman David Hooks said Beard was considering options such as providing consulting services, aligning investors for various real estate projects or developing properties. William R. Cooper, Paragon's chairman, issued a brief statement about Beard's changing role with the company. "Dick has been a key factor in the growth and success of Paragon Group," Cooper said. "We thank him for his contribution and look forward to continuing to work with See TOP, Page 8 prices Percent change, month to month, seasonally adjusted.

o.s A Reuters News Service Report WASHINGTON A modest rise in consumer prices in December kept inflation last year at a tame 2.7 percent, the same as in 1993, the Labor Department said Wednesday but economists predict inflation will gather steam in 1995. Medical-care costs in 1994 posted the smallest rise in 22 years. Clothing prices plunged the most in 42 years, while airline fares tumbled a record amount. Despite the robust economy, last year's 2.6 percent rise in the underlying "core" inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, was the smallest in 29 years. But analysts said inflation will creep up in 1995 because of the economy's strength and rising wages.

They predicted the Federal Reserve will boost interest rates again soon to keep prices in check, despite December's tame price picture. "As long as the economy is growing briskly, as it is, the Fed is going to continue to push up interest rates," said Richard Berner of Mellon Bank Corp. The Labor Department said its Consumer Price Index rose 0.2 percent last month after a 0.3 percent rise in November. The 2.7 percent rise last year was the fourth straight year the index has hovered around 3.0 percent. Prices of fresh fruits and vegetables rose last month, while energy and clothing costs fell.

Excluding food and energy, the core CPI increased just 0.1 percent last month after a 0.2 advance in November. "There is no sign of price acceleration yet," said David Sloan, I.D.E.A. Inc. economist. "Normally, in an American recovery the CPI has started to turn up well before this state.

This recovery has seen inflation subdued for longer than any recovery in 25 years or so, and that is pretty encouraging for the economy." 0.4 02 Uiimiib JFMAMJJASONO 1994 Springsteen tures and language presents some challenges uniquely different from those in the two major minority communities in the area. A diverse mix They represent only roughly 2 percent of the county population, but they include immigrants from a dozen or so countries including Korea, China, Japan and Vietnam. The language barriers and cultural differences make it difficult for any one person to coordinate all these groups. But, oddly enough, it is not the diversity among the groups that is presenting her initial and biggest challenge in her position. It's what all of these groups have in common that presents the first hurdle, she said.

No matter which country they immigrated from, many of the Asians living here came to the United States to escape oppressive government regimes. "Most Asians aren't used to government assistance. They feel as if they don't want to receive anything free from anyone," Springsteen said. So, it looks like this new position will require her to tap the skills learned in her first life in education. For a short time Springsteen served as a professor of English at a Korean university and was a public school teacher in Tampa before launching her trade business with her husband 10 years ago.

Government 101 The first lesson for her new students will be to educate them on how the local government works. Many of them run or work in small family businesses and stick close to their ethnic community. Therefore, they are often unfamiliar with the opportunities available to bid for government contracts or sit on county boards. But, it isn't just those in the Asian community that she must educate. When talk turns to minority issues in the city or county, Asians have not traditionally been a main topic of conversation.

She is amused and frustrated by the number of government and business leaders who have had rare, if any, contact with those who live and work within the Asian community throughout the Tampa Bay area. Though she's encouraged by the county's interest, she doesn't plan to limit her circle of support to county officials. She is actively lobbying city council members as well as Tampa chamber officials in an attempt to raise funds for a multicultural center that could serve the multilingual and cultural needs of her ethnic community. Always the teacher, she hopes to build an entire brigade of Asian cultural educators by tapping the local Asian students. SYou can reach Mickie Valente through i DmAn, a.mail at trihAO nr ia tha Source: Bureau ot Labor Statistics AP graphic HSN hires ex-Macy's executives for project Natural gas trams slated for Aquarium i Made by Chance Coach Inc.

of Wichita, the trams will be converted to run on gas by Motor Fuelers of Clearwater. By FRANK RUIZ Tribune Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG Television retailer Home Shopping Network Inc. has hired a pair of former Macy's executives to step up development of a electronic television mall idea that it announced a year ago. The project, called Television Shopping Mall, or TSM, was supposed to be ready last summer.

Now the St. Petersburg company says the electronic mall will begin in the last three months of this year. To make that happen, HSN has hired Meridian Ventures, a South Carolina management firm specializing in retailing and technology, to help handle the project. The chief executive of Meridian, Thomas C. Shull, is a former R.H.

Macy Co. executive vice president along with another Meridian executive, Eugene Rohrer. Shull and Rohrer once helped to organized a similar television marketing idea called TV Macy's which died after Macy's merged with Federated Department Stores last year. As planned, the mall concept works like HSN's television shopping idea: People view retail goods on television then pick up the telephone to make orders. But the mall idea would allow numerous other merchants besides HSN to also market wares on television.

HSN would provide the order-taking and other technological expertise as well as the format. HSN predicts Television Shopping Mall will reach more than 3 million homes though cable televi-sion channels when it's launched later this year. It expects to increase Its share of the television retailing marketplace with the new venture, but HSN spokeswoman Louise Cleary couldn't specify how much. Gerald Hogan, HSN's top executive, was not available for comment. The electronic mall idea is not entirely new to HSN.

One of Its subsidiaries, HSN Interactive, operates an electronic mall on the Internet, a worldwide computer network. 4 By STEVE HUETTEL Tribune Staff Writer TAMPA Their environmental consciousness will be raised as soon as Florida Aquarium visitors park their cars. Two trams powered by natural gas will whisk people between the parking lot and the aquarium thanks to a $150,000 gift from Peoples Gas and a matching grant from the Florida Energy Office. The first of their kind in the state, the trams will promote the clean-burning gas as a motor fuel, said Keith Gruetzmacher, alternative fuels manager for the state's largest natural gas utility. Some 30,000 cars and trucks on Florida's roads now run on natural gas.

"There are a lot of natural gas projects in commercial fleets," Gruetzmacher said. "But they're vehicles people wouldn't know are natural gas." Manufactured by Chance Coach Inc. of Wichita, the diesel-powered trams will be converted to run on compressed gas by Motor Fuelers of Clearwater, he said. They spew out one-fifth the pollutants of the regular vehicles, said John Racanelli, aquarium director. "It's another way we can dramatically reduce the impact of our project on the environment," he said.

Set to open March 31, the aquarium will draw an estimated 1.8 million people the first year. The trams will carry up to 49 passengers who don't want to make the quarter-mile walk, especially in summer heat and rain, said Herman Ross, vice president of guest services. They will get a tour of the environmentally friendly parking lot, designed with permeable pavement and ditches lined with native plants to filter out gasoline, oil and heavy metals from storm runoff. The aquarium's carefully cultivated message of protecting Florida's ecosystem will reach in administrative offices and even the restaurant kitchen. Bankrolled by a $250,000 donation from Ogden Projects an environmental firm, workers will recycle all paper, glass and plastics.

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