Will a topless bar strip homes of their value?

Destin resident Ken Wampler said a strip club is not something he wants in his backyard, especially since he's trying to sell his house.

Wampler lives at 310 Liriope Loop, in a neighborhood adjacent to the industrial zone, which has been approved for adult entertainment. And since Atlanta strip club owner Terry Stephenson settled his lawsuit with the city of Destin, the zone could be used for that purpose for the first time in the city's history by the end of the summer.

“Take a left next to the strip club, and that's my neighborhood, doesn't sound good,” Wampler said.

Especially since he said his home is made for a family, with four bedrooms and a pool. It's on the market for $386,000, and while he said the possibility of a strip club hasn't had an effect on his property's value, the opening of one would impact future home sellers in his neighborhood.

“If it was there when I bought this house in 2002, I wouldn't have bought it,” he said. “I'm not going to get a family to buy this house if there's a strip club in the area.”

The family element is also the reason that Rising Star real estate agent Christine Taylor said the strip club could mean a decrease in home values in the area. Taylor said the home she's selling at 216 Twin Lakes Lane is in a neighborhood that caters to families, and she thinks potential buyers would have a negative reaction to the type of people that may frequent a strip club hanging out around the corner.

“It won't help home values at all,” Taylor said. “If it were to open and clients had to drive by it to preview a house, it would absolutely have a negative affect.”

But owner of Anderson Realty and Auctions Ben Anderson said he isn't concerned about a topless bar moving into Destin. The former Florida Association of Realtors District 9 Vice President said the age and stability of neighborhoods near the industrial zone, such as the Kell Aire subdivision, will shield them from being impacted by the strip club.

“These neighborhoods are structured within boundaries of similar dwellings and have been developed and maintained for many, many years as quality single-family neighborhoods,” Anderson said. “I don't think the physical location of the club will significantly alter the quality and integrity of those neighborhoods to the east and to the north of the industrial zone.”

He said the Twin Lakes neighborhood, which is also adjacent to the industrial zone, is a much newer development. However, he said Twin Lakes was developed in close proximity to the commercial development on Airport Road, and that did not significantly affect home prices.

Anderson went on to commend the city for relegating the club to the “least offensive location within the city,” while still permitting business and free enterprise to exist.

He said when Okaloosa Island featured a strip club on U.S. Highway 98 at the foot of the Brooks Bridge, home values in adjacent neighborhoods were not significantly affected. And he doesn't expect prices for homes off of Airport Road to decrease if the strip club moves in.

“Overall, it will not affect the neighborhood,” Anderson said. “Once it's out of the papers, most people won't even be aware that it is there.”

Destin Area Chamber President and CEO Shane Moody agreed. He said the damage has already been done to the local real estate market.

“I think the recession has kind of caused the prices to decline as much as they are going to,” Moody said. “I don't see that being a big issue, any more than the airport is.”
ONE PASTOR'S POINT

When Terry Stephenson first announced his plans to open a strip club in Destin, city leaders met with area pastors. Father Mike Hesse of Immanuel Anglican Church offered this viewpoint to The Log.

“I have given the issue a great deal of thought and prayer. I think that our city leaders fought the issue as much as the law and reason would allow. As Christians we ought never be surprised that non-believers do not share our moral values. Now that the agreement has been reached, I believe the less attention which is drawn to the club the better off we will all be. Lots of articles will only serve to provide free advertising. We need to pray for those involved even as we pray that this community will not provide sufficient financial support for the club to thrive.”

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