August 16, 2019

35-Story Saltaire Moves Forward with Council Approval

August 16, 2019/ Anthony Close

A condominium tower proposed for Downtown St. Pete moved one step closer to reality with an important approval from St. Pete City Council. Yesterday afternoon, City Council reviewed the plans for Saltaire, a 35-story condo tower proposed for the parking lot of the Bayfront Hilton Hotel, for consistency with the Intown Redevelopment Plan (IRP).

The Intown Redevelopment Plan is a revitalization plan that was adopted in 1982 in order to facilitate public and private investment in Downtown St. Pete. Simply put, the IRP is a framework for new development in downtown.

August 12, 2019

12-Story Condo Project Proposed Near Beach Drive in St. Pete

August 12, 2019/ Anthony Close

A local developer with deep ties to Downtown St. Petersburg has proposed a 12-story condominium building on 4th Avenue NE adjacent to one of their past projects.

JMC Communities, which previously developed Ovation, a 26-story building at 140 Beach Drive, The Florencia, a 21-story building at 100 Beach Drive, and Rowland Place, a 6-story building at 146 4th Avenue NE, has announced its latest project: The Perry.

The proposed 20-unit condo tower is planned for 136 4th Avenue NE, just west of Rowland Place and less than a block from bustling Beach Drive. Currently, the location is home to the Bay Gables house, a 1910-built Vernacular home which features both Colonial and Queen Anne architectural elements.

July 29, 2019

Redevelopment of St. Pete’s Former Police Station Moves Forward

July 29, 2019/ Anthony Close

A prime city-owned block on Central Avenue is moving one step closer to redevelopment with the narrowing down of potential proposals. Back in January, the City of St. Petersburg issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the purchase and development of the property located at 1300 1st Avenue North in the EDGE District. The property is the site of the former headquarters of the St. Pete Police Department, which moved into a new building across the street earlier this year.

The RFP contained a list of items and uses, both required and preferred, that defined the type of development the city envisions for the site. The ultimate goal of the RFP was to attract proposals that were mixed-use in nature with retail, office, mixed-income housing, civic/park space, and possibly a hotel.

Submissions were due on May 10th and the city received a total of seven proposals, which featured a range of concepts from national developers and local groups. One common denominator across the proposals is the inclusion of ground floor retail and public parking, both of which were high on the city’s priority list for the site.

July 17, 2019

36-Story Mixed-Use Tower Proposed Near Jannus Block in Downtown St. Pete

July 17, 2019/ Anthony Close

A grassy parcel of land which has stood vacant in the center of Downtown St. Pete for more than a decade could soon see activity with a proposed mixed-use project. Global real estate developer and operator Greystar Real Estate Partners is proposing a 36-story, 357-foot tall development on the northwest corner of 1st Avenue North and 2nd Street North, across from the popular Jannus Block. 

The $117 million project, called Ascent St. Petersburg, is designed around a marquee luxury apartment tower which will feature 354 rental units and an adjacent 172-key hotel.

The residential tower fronts 1st Avenue North and sits atop a six-story parking pedestal. Resident amenities include a sixth floor indoor/outdoor amenity deck with a pool and fitness center. The 35th floor of the building will have additional amenity space on an outdoor rooftop deck — likely to be the highest semi-public space in the city.

July 12, 2019

Burlington Townhomes Rising on 8th Street in Downtown St. Pete

July 12, 2019/ Anthony Close

Another townhome project is coming soon in Downtown St. Pete. David Weekley Homes, the nation’s largest private home builder, is developing a 24-unit townhome community called Burlington Townhomes located at the northwest corner of Burlington Avenue and 8th Street North.

The project is on the same site where 801 Conway was previously proposed. That project, which was initially announced in early 2016, would have featured 35 units in a series of four story buildings surrounding an interior parking motor court.

But before 801 Conway could break ground it was delayed by a series of permitting issues and was ultimately cancelled due to rising construction costs. Many of 801 Conway’s permitting delays were a result of its unique design, which featured a mix of condominiums and townhomes.

June 21, 2019

Proposed EDGE District Hotel Gains Flag and Council’s Approval

June 21, 2019/ Anthony Close

Back in October, St. Pete Rising broke the news of an 11-story, 135-key boutique hotel proposed for the heart of Downtown St. Pete’s trendy EDGE District. Since the announcement, DevMar Development has been diligently working behind the scenes to bring the project to fruition.

The development will be located on a currently vacant lot at the southeast corner of 1st Avenue North and 11th Street North, which is owned by local real estate investor Jonathan Daou, the de facto “mayor” of the EDGE District.

After months of planning, many of the project’s details are starting to come into focus. We’ve just learned that the hotel will be a Marriott property. Specifically, it will fall under Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio brand.

“Once they toured the area, the folks at Marriott immediately saw the potential for the EDGE District,” says Mark DeMaria, CEO of DevMar. “And with so much city pride throughout St. Pete, we knew the Tribute Portfolio brand would be a perfect fit.”