2,084-unit Sky Town begins vertical construction on first apartments in St. Pete
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Vertical construction has commenced on the first phase of apartments at Sky Town, a planned $800 million mixed-use development at 3201 34th Street South in the Skyway Marina District.
The 34.3-acre site, once home to the Ceridian office campus, is being redeveloped in six phases to include 2,084 apartments, 69,000 square feet of retail anchored by a 23,000-square-foot Sprouts Farmers Market, and 120,000 square feet of self-storage.
It is the largest project currently in development in St. Pete, based on acreage and number of units.
The Sprouts Farmers Market, now nearing completion, sits along the east side of the property and will serve as the gateway to the future redevelopment. A 4,500-square-foot retail outparcel fronting 34th Street South is also under construction.
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St. Petersburg has a rule that protects our waterfront. If the city wants to lease public waterfront land for longer than a short term, voters decide. That rule is worth keeping, and a "yes" vote on Charter Amendment #2 does not weaken it.
Here is what it changes. Under the City Charter, Port leases are capped at 10 years unless voters approve more in a citywide referendum. Charter Amendment 2 would raise that cap to 25 years, the same limit Albert Whitted Airport has had since 2004, when voters raised it from five years. Giving the Port the same terms as its neighbor is sensible.
Here is what it does not change. The ballot language says the amendment "would not change the permitted use of the Port." It does not approve residential development at the site, and it does not approve any redevelopment of the Port. It changes one number, the maximum lease length. Every lease would still go through the city administration and City Council. The amendment does not hand anyone a blank check. It lets the city negotiate from a stronger position.