In what could be a harbinger of future developments around downtown St. Pete, a pair of local real estate developers have proposed to construct an 8-story, 97-unit apartment building with zero parking on the east side of the Grand Central District.

Craig Bazarsky of BendinRoad Development LLC and Christopher Bicho of Landings Real Estates Group are under contract to purchase a 0.23-acre parcel at 1663 1st Avenue South. The property is currently home to a commercial building occupied by Dolman Law Group and Sunshine Kitty Catfe, Tampa Bay’s first cat café which debuted in 2019.

“The entire landscape of downtown St Pete has changed dramatically over the last few years and I knew it was only a matter of time until my small business would be directly impacted,” said Amanda Jones, owner of Sunshine Kitty Catfe, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. "It came as no surprise when I received news of the pending sale of our building.

“Fortunately, the current property owners and developers of the proposed project have been very considerate of me and Sunshine Kitty,” continued Jones. “We were able to reach an amicable agreement that will allow the Catfe to operate business as usual until the end of this year.”

The property also contains one of the last murals ever painted by Jimmy Breen, a beloved St. Pete artist who suddenly and tragically passed away last year. According to Jones, the developers have said they will try to save the mural, if possible.

Rising 100 feet tall, the apartment building will offer 97 residential units, comprising 84 studios and 13 one-bedroom apartments ranging from 358 to 680 square feet.

The $25 million development will include bike parking on site, but there will be no traditional parking lot or garage as a result of changes to the City’s land development regulations and comprehensive plan that relaxed the mandatory minimum parking requirements for multifamily developments in an effort to address affordable housing concerns.

The regulations, which were passed in September of 2019, do not require any parking spaces for units under 750 square feet. For urban developments, the construction of designated parking often makes up huge chunk of the project cost, translating to higher rents for building occupants. Since all units at the 1663 1st Avenue South will be under 750 square feet, parking is not required, which will hopefully result in a more affordable rental rate.

This is not the first residential development to take advantage of the revised regulations and include zero parking. The Metro, which features 100 fully furnished extended-stay units and no parking, will open in the EDGE District next month. Additionally, a five-story 25-unit apartment building recently debuted at 357 5th Street South with no parking.

The apartment building at 1663 1st Avenue South will include a first-floor residential lobby and outdoor lounge for residents fronting 1st Avenue South. A gym, a bike storage/parking area, and seven residential units will also be situated on the ground floor.

A 5th floor amenity deck will feature a lounge area, bench swings, grill stations, TVs, and a pool.

The property is located in the Downtown Center-2 (DC-2) zoning district which encourages “intense residential development that still allows for a mixture of uses that enhance and support the core and surrounding neighborhoods,” according to the City’s land development regulations.

In DC-2, developments with a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 3.0 or less are approved by right. Developments may increase above the base intensity by adding allowed FAR bonuses. If FAR falls between 3.0 and 5.0, the project will go through the streamlined approval process. Any development with an FAR between 5.0 and 7.0 will need public hearing approval.

The proposed apartment building at 1663 1st Avenue South has an FAR of 6.29, which will trigger a public hearing approval. A hearing date has not been set yet.

The project will be granted the additional FAR by achieving LEED Gold certification, which given to buildings that have implemented sustainability-focused practices. The developer will also provide financial support to the City's streetscape improvement program and the Housing Capital Improvements Projects (HCIP) trust fund to aid in the city’s workforce housing efforts.

Bold Line Design has been enlisted as the project’s architect, Kimley Horn as the civil engineer and landscape architect, EM Structural LLC as the structural engineer, Bunya Engineering LLC as the mechanical and plumbing engineer, Micamy Design Studio as the interior designer, Westside Engineering LLC as the electrical engineer, and HD Engineering as the fire protection engineer.

As for Sunshine Kitty Catfe, "though we are exploring options regarding the future of SKC in St. Pete, we would still love to see anyone who has yet to visit and of course anyone who has already visited and finds sanctuary in our little piece of kitty heaven.”

“It's sad to think about this building being replaced by something that doesn't include a cozy lounge full of adoptable cats, but the memories we've shared here over the past 3+ years will undoubtedly remain,” concluded Jones.

With its bike-centric focus, this new development at 1663 1st Avenue South will certainly pave the way for more developments of this kind in the future, further transforming downtown St. Pete into a walker’s paradise.