After hours of debate, 21-story, 370-unit luxury apartment tower wins approval in downtown St. Pete
/The Pelican, a 21-story apartment tower, has been proposed for downtown St. Pete. View from NE to SW | Baker Barrios
A cluster of small affordable apartment buildings could soon be demolished to make way for a 21-story, 370-unit luxury apartment tower in downtown St. Petersburg.
After hours of debate, the city’s Development Review Commission voted 6-1 Wednesday evening to approve the project planned for a 1.3-acre site along 5th Avenue North between 4th and 5th Streets.
In addition to 370 apartments, the project, known as The Pelican, would also include 3,819 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and a 485-space parking garage.
St. Pete-based Stadler Development, led by John Stadler and his son Chris, is spearheading the $134 million project, which would share a city block with the Hollander Hotel and Trinity Lutheran Church.
Stadler is under contract to purchase the property from local investor Michael Andoniades, who owns the Hollander Hotel and several other properties throughout the city.
The project is planned for a 1.3-acre site along 5th Avenue North between 4th and 5th Streets | Google Maps
Commissioner Charles Flynt cast the lone dissenting vote after more than a dozen public speakers argued that the project’s scale, massing, and design are out of character for the area and would displace existing residents.
The site is currently occupied by seven apartment buildings constructed between 1920 and 1930, totaling 76 affordable units.
Notable properties include the 41-unit Wirick assisted-living facility at 434 4th Street North and the Cara House apartments at 450 5th Avenue North.
The Pelican, a 21-story apartment tower, has been proposed for downtown St. Pete. View from SE to NW | Baker Barrios
The property is also located within the Downtown St. Petersburg National Register Historic District, bounded by 5th Avenue North, Beach Drive, Central Avenue, and 9th Street North.
While all seven existing buildings are considered “contributing” to the district, that designation does not protect them from demolition, as none are individually designated historic landmarks at the local or national level.
Preserve the Burg Executive Director Manny Leto was among a handful of speakers and also submitted a letter to the Development Review Commission, writing, “We believe this project proposes to demolish more contributing structures to the Downtown National Register District than any other previously approved development that we can recall.”
“Regarding the scale of the proposal, Commissioners should consider how approval of this 200-foot-plus project, proposed within the midst of three National Register historic districts, could alter the neighborhood’s predominantly low-rise character,” the letter continued.
A street-level view of The Pelican, a 21-story apartment tower proposed for downtown ST. pete | Baker Barrios
Trenam Law land use attorney Don Mastry, speaking on behalf of Stadler Development, argued that the city has a history of allowing high-rise buildings to be constructed next to much shorter ones.
“Most importantly, just four blocks east at 400 Beach Drive along the same 5th Avenue corridor, a 29-story building has stood for nearly 20 years,” said Mastry. “It sits across from a two-story home and directly adjacent to the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association.”
Mastry also reminded the Commission that the developer is not seeking any variances and that everything proposed is allowed under the city’s code.
The Pelican, a 21-story apartment tower, has been proposed for downtown St. Pete. View from NW to SE | Baker Barrios
The property is zoned Downtown Center-2 (DC-2), which permits a base floor area ratio (FAR) of 3.0, with up to 7.0 FAR allowed through bonuses outlined in city code.
FAR is the primary way the city regulates development intensity, measuring how much total building space can be constructed on a site relative to the size of the property.
The Pelican is designed at the maximum 7.0 FAR, utilizing 4.0 FAR in bonuses.
These include a 1.0 FAR contribution to the city’s Housing Capital Improvements Projects (HCIP) trust fund to support workforce housing, a 0.5 FAR bonus from the purchase of transfer of development rights (TDRs) from a locally designated landmark site, and an additional 2.5 FAR through a combination of eligible bonuses such as workforce housing support, historic TDRs, LEED certification or equivalent, streetscape improvements, or added open space.
The Pelican, a 21-story apartment tower, has been proposed for downtown St. Pete. View from SW to NE | Baker Barrios
That said, the developer has made several minor adjustments in response to commissioner feedback following the September Development Review Commission meeting, when the proposal was deferred.
While the tower’s scale and unit count remain unchanged, Stadler Development returned Wednesday with updated plans and new renderings from local architecture firm Baker Barrios showing a more modern, visually refined design, including a large red pelican art piece at the building’s entrance.
The revisions also adjust parking allocations, increasing the number of spaces dedicated to The Pelican from 400 to 425, with the remaining spaces reserved for the Hollander Hotel.
First floor site plan for The Pelican, a 21-story apartment tower proposed for downtown St. Pete | baker barrios
Now that the project is approved, if built, the ground floor of the building will consist of residential units, a double-height lobby, and commercial spaces, which will wrap the first two levels of the structured parking on the north, east, and west facades of the building.
Vehicular access will be available from 5th Street North and the alley to the south.
A residential amenity deck with indoor and outdoor spaces will be located on the sixth floor, above the parking garage.
The tower will include 67 studios, 186 one-bedroom units, and 117 two-bedroom units.
Stadler Development is also planning a separate 21-story residential tower near USF St. Pete in downtown St. Pete. That project will include 213 units, 2,250 square feet of retail space, and a 230-space parking garage.
A rendering of the giant geometric pelican artwork in the courtyard of The Pelican residential tower | baker barrios
