I’m working on a story about the potentially giant CSX rail/freight distribution center project south of Winter Haven. With that in mind, I had a nice chat Monday with Haven Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bob Gernert about that project and Haven in general.

I need to do more reporting about the CSX project before I talk too much about it.

But the conversation with Gernert reminded me of a couple of notes I wanted to make related to Winter Haven’s development.

—First, the city is understandably salivating over the hundreds of potential new jobs and the tax base bump CSX could bring.

But it’s worth remembering that this deal wouldn’t be possible if Haven officials had their way in 2002, when they fought hard to bring a Reliant Energy power plant to the exact same piece of property they now want to use for CSX’s center. That plant was going to bring fewer than 50 jobs and consume enormous amounts of reuse water forever, ensuring that it couldn’t be used for anything else. The payoff would have been an influx of tax and fee revenue for city government to use to help develop the city.

Winter Haven went as far as to mail a “fact sheet” about the power plant that in many cases exaggerated the benefits of the plant. Relations between the city and critics of the deal became contentious. The battle became moot after Enron collapsed and the wholesale energy market – and the Reliant project—collapsed with it.

Gernert acknowledged Monday that the collapse of the Reliant plan was a blessing in disguise for Haven’s development, because it allowed the CSX deal to become a possibility.

“One door closes, and another door opens,” he said.

—I have long thought that downtown Lakeland needs a Borders, Barnes and Noble or other corporate book store to serve as a longterm anchor/magnet for foot traffic.

Haven has built just such an anchor, with its strategically located public library and adjoining coffee shop. I made a trip there a couple of weeks ago, on a Tuesday, I think. The place was teeming with people reading, meeting, sharing coffee and otherwise doing the things that make a city’s heart livable.

Gernert says the library has truly changed the character of Haven’s downtown, where there are many signs or redevelopment. It shows the power of public investment to shape a city’s future and quality of life.

Haven is clearly a city on the move. City Manager David Greene is aggressive, and Gernert credits him with much of the energy surrounding the city today. I intend to devote more of attention to it. In the meantime, Gernert and the chamber have set up their own quite useful blog. It’s perhaps the best source of information and discussion on the CSX project currently available. Gernert says he’s working with CSX officials to set up a permanent Q and A for the blog.

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