16-story hotel approved to replace 100-year-old storm-damaged building in downtown St. Pete
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An 11-story storm-damaged building in the heart of downtown St. Pete is one step closer to being demolished and redeveloped into a 16-story boutique hotel after receiving its first approval from the city.
St. Pete City Council, meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), found the proposed plan to demolish the 100-year-old building at 300 Central Avenue and construct a 16-story tower with 74 hotel rooms and 4,000 square feet of commercial space consistent with the City’s Intown Redevelopment Plan.
The existing structure, historically known as the Smith Empire Building and called the Coronet 300 since 1966, was constructed in 1924 as a commercial building and later adapted for mixed-use residential purposes in the 1960s. The building is not listed on the Local or National Register of Historic Places.
Local entrepreneur and developer Steve Gianfilippo of Gianco Companies, who purchased the building in 2017, said the vacant structure suffered significant damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Interim repairs will be made to ensure safety while plans for the new hotel are finalized.
The existing building at 300 Central, built in 1924, suffered extensive damage during last year’s back-to-back hurricanes and is expected to be demolished for a 16-story boutique hotel | Apartments.com
Sean Kelly, attorney and principal at Najmy Thompson PL representing Gianfilippo, said a specific timeline for demolition has not been determined. However, if a building official deems the structure to be substantially damaged, demolition would be required at that time.
In the meantime, Gianfilippo plans to install new netting around the damaged stucco as a safety precaution.
“We’ve been waiting a long time for something to happen here,” Councilmember Gina Driscoll said during the meeting. “What we have now is in pretty bad shape…It’s got to go.”
Councilmember Driscoll also emphasized that the city does not want a pile of dirt left at the site for years after demolition before hotel construction begins.
Following Driscoll’s comments, Councilmembers Corey Givens and Deborah Figgs-Sanders expressed concerns about the lack of parking for the 74-room hotel.
The new 16-story hotel will incorporate mid-century design elements, such as breeze block on the ground floor | Behar + Peteranecz
Kelly noted that the city code permits off-site parking, and Gianfilippo is finalizing a parking agreement with the neighboring First Central Tower for the use of 23 parking spaces.
He also informed councilmembers that alternative parking options are available if no agreement is reached with First Central Tower.
The new $20 million boutique hotel will rise to 172 feet and incorporate mid-century design elements reminiscent of the original structure, such as breeze block on the ground floor and the west-facing exterior.
The ground floor will feature a lobby and commercial space with potential outdoor seating at the corner of 3rd Street South and Central Avenue. The second-floor mezzanine will also include commercial space.
Floors three through seven will each contain eight hotel rooms. Floors eight through fifteen will have four rooms per floor, and the sixteenth floor will have two rooms.
A rendering of the 16-story hotel planned for 300 Central Ave in downtown St. Pete | Behar + Peteranecz
Amenities will be located on the eighth and sixteenth floors.
Gianfilippo said he is currently in talks to partner with a prominent hotel brand for the project.
In an interview with St. Pete Rising, Gianfilippo said that, pending financing, entitlements, and necessary approvals, construction is expected to begin by the end of the year and take approximately 18 months to complete.
Local architecture firm Behar + Peteranecz designed the new building.
With CRA approval secured, the next step is for the project to be reviewed by the Development Review Commission. A date for the hearing has not yet been scheduled.
