Local developer files plan to preserve historic building and build condos on Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete
/A rendering of the proposed development, which includes the preservation of the existing Cade Allen home | Backstreets Capital
A St. Petersburg-based developer has filed plans to preserve a historically significant property fronting Mirror Lake and construct a seven-story condo building in downtown St. Pete.
The 0.47-acre site at 250 Mirror Lake Drive North is currently home to an 87-year-old building that will be restored and remain on site. A new two-story residence will be built on the northeast corner of the property and an 18-unit condo building will be constructed on the west side of the property on what is currently a vacant lot.
The 0.47-acre site is located at 250 Mirror Lake Drive North | St. Pete Rising
The developer, Backstreets Capital, has operated out of a 1920’s-era building across the street from the site at 248 Mirror Lake Drive for the past four years.
The existing two-story 1937-built building, while not listed on the local or national register of historic places, is adorned with a bronze plaque noting the building as being a “contributing structure of the downtown historic district.”
The building was constructed by prominent St. Pete homebuilder Cade Allen, who is most widely known for his stone-clad houses most prominently located in St. Petersburg’s Allendale neighborhood.
The 4,000-square-foot structure is currently used as an office building but was originally built as a single-family home. Backstreets plans on converting it back to residential use as a single-family home.
The existing 1937-built Cade Allen home as it currently exists on the site | gOOGLE sTREETVIEW
Just north of the Cade Allen home, Backstreets plans to build a new two-story detached single-family home inspired by Allen's architectural design.
To make way for the new 2,800 square-foot home, Backstreets plans on demolishing an existing two-story garage and will salvage materials from the garage, including the Cade Allen stone veneer and clay barrel roof tiles, into the construction of the new home.
Both single-family homes will have separate two-car garages with alley access.
The restoration of the Cade Allen house will begin as soon as possible, likely in early 2025, and will coincide with the construction of the adjacent single-family home.
Pricing for the homes has not been announced but will, according to the developer, reflect the uniqueness of the property.
West of the two single-family homes, there are preliminary plans for a seven-story condominium building named The Cade, paying homage to the work of Cade Allen.
The 18-unit condominium building will be the second phase of the development. Backstreets Capital says the timeline for the building is likely two to four years out and there are no immediate plans to launch sales or break ground.
The proposed building will embody a contemporary architectural style and will incorporate Mediterranean Revival elements inspired by the nearby Tomlinson Adult Education Center and BridgePoint Church at the Mirror Lake Lyceum.
The residential building, designed by St. Pete-based Place Architecture, will front Burlington Avenue North and the ground floor will consist of a residential lobby, parking garage, and utility spaces.
In total, the project will have 29 parking spaces and 18 bicycle parking spaces. Additionally, there will be no curb cuts on Mirror Lake Drive or Burlington Avenue North and all parking will be accessed via the alley.
The property is zoned Downtown Center-2 (DC-2) and the project will have a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 2.8 – below the allowable base FAR of 3.0.
To make the project a reality, Backstreets Capital is requesting a variance for reduced setbacks on the west and north side of the condominium building above 62 feet.
The developer says the variances are needed to preserve the existing Cade Allen home on the site.
A site plan for the proposed development | Backstreets Capital
"The justification for the setback variance is the preservation of the existing 87-year-old building at the southeast corner of the site,” Backstreets Capital wrote in a variance application to the St. Petersburg Development Review Commission (DRC).
“To develop a new residential building with no bonuses for height or [Floor Area Ratio], it is necessary to build a portion of the building into the setbacks above 62 feet.”
The $17 million development has drawn support from Preserve the Burg, a local historic preservation advocacy organization, who has worked to establish a local historic district in the Mirror Lake neighborhood.
“Backstreet’s development proposal for 250 Mirror Lake [Drive] sets a benchmark for compatible development in a historic neighborhood,” writes Manny Leto, Executive Director of Preserve the Burg, in a letter to the DRC. “We look forward to seeing this project go forward.”
“The request is a reasonable compromise between maximizing what can be placed on the property and preserving both the noteworthy Cade Allen structure and the Mirror Lake shoreline,” writes Leto.
Because the project is requesting a variance, it is required to hold a public hearing before the Development Review Commission.
The public hearing and variance request are scheduled to be heard September 4th.
“We are excited to take the next step for this mixed-use project,” says Will Conroy, Founder & President of Backstreets Capital in a statement to St. Pete Rising.
“If we are successful, Backstreets will be preserving an important piece of St. Pete’s local heritage while thoughtfully integrating new development.”
Pricing for The Cade condominiums has not been announced.
A landscaping plan for the proposed development | Backstreets Capital
If approved, The Cade will become the latest development by Backstreets Capital, who has established itself as one of St. Pete’s most seasoned local developers.
Other developments Backstreets Capital has partnered on include The Salvador, a 13-story condo tower built in 2017, and The Nolen, a 23-story condo tower under construction downtown St. Pete. Both projects were led by Tampa-based DDA Development.
Backstreets Capital is also part of the development team for The Central, a mixed-use development previously known as Orange Station, that is under construction in the EDGE District.
The group is also building Strum Place, a nine-unit townhome community on Central Avenue in west St. Petersburg and Canopy Oaks, a nine-unit townhome development on Dr. MLK Jr. Street in the Euclid St. Paul neighborhood.
