New townhomes and office HQ proposed alongside expanded preservation in north St. Pete
/A rendering of the proposed townhomes that would be built on one of the three sites in north ST. Pete | lema construction
Three wooded lots in north St. Pete's Gateway area, currently vacant and littered with debris, may soon become expanded and maintained preservation grounds alongside a local office building and a new residential development.
The noncontiguous sites, purchased by St. Pete-based general contracting firm Lema Construction in February for $400,000, are located on the northeast side of 4th Street North and Gandy Boulevard.
The properties are surrounded by commercial and multifamily developments, including the assisted living facility Aventura Bay Place, the Winn-Dixie-anchored Bayview Shopping Plaza, and a site slated for future townhomes.
An aerial of the three sites and intended uses in north ST. Pete | lema construction
During a St. Petersburg Community Planning and Preservation Commission (CPPC) meeting on Tuesday, members unanimously approved amendments to the City’s Future Land Use and Official Zoning Map for the three sites. These changes will allow the development of a 20-unit townhome development, a corporate office for Lema Construction, and the restoration and enhancement of a preservation area.
On Site 1, located at the southeast corner of 110th Avenue North and 4th Street, a preservation area will expand from 0.38 acres to 1.23 acres. The site is predominantly covered with Brazilian pepper trees.
“The concept is taking these small isolated low-value preservation areas and essentially condensing the preservation over wetland [creating a] high-value net benefit,” said Craig Taraszki, a partner at Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns LLP, representing Lema Construction.
A rendering of the proposed 20-unit townhome community coming soon to north St. Pete | lema construction
A new one-story, 6,000-square-foot office for Lema Construction will be built on Site 2, a 0.71-acre parcel at the corner of 108th Avenue and 4th Street. The company currently leases space at 1631 Commerce Avenue North.
On the final parcel, a 1.35-acre lot fronting Gandy Boulevard designated as Site 3, plans call for the construction of 20 modern townhomes across four three-story buildings. The homes will feature large glass windows, covered front porches, fenced backyards, balconies, and two-car garages. Two retention ponds will bookend the townhomes on both sides.
The CPPC’s recommendation must now go before the City Council for final approval. A hearing date has not yet been set.
a rendering of Lema construction’s proposed new hq building in north St. Pete | lema construction
A development agreement between Lema Construction and the City of St. Petersburg restricts the number of residences on Site 3 to 20 units. It also limits Site 2 to office use only, with a maximum of 10,000 square feet, and designates all of Site 1 as preservation land.
Per the agreement, the current owner will be responsible for maintaining the preservation areas.
Lema Construction is partnering with St. Pete-based Frontier Engineering Inc. on the proposed development.
The project would represent another significant milestone for Lema Construction, which has led renovation and new build projects for institutions including St. Petersburg College, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and Albert Whitted Airport.
