Construction begins on 23-story apartment tower in downtown Tampa
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Dec 15, 2015

The demolition of a strip of abandoned storefronts in downtown Tampa is underway, preparing the site for a 23-story apartment tower.

DPR Construction, the general contractor on the project, has fenced off the 900 block of North Franklin Street and began demolition today. A construction official said it would take about two months to completely level the site.

Atlanta-based Carter, the tower's developer, has closed on all of its financing for the project, chief development officer Conor McNally said Monday.

"The buildings will soon be down and we will be digging our foundations," he said. "We expect to hold a formal groundbreaking ceremony early in the new year."

Carter closed on the site in mid-September for $6.4 million. The tower is to include 362 apartment units and 8,000 square feet of street-level retail, along with a fitness center on the ground floor. The development will include an eight-story, 460-space parking garage topped off by an eighth-story amenity deck that will include a pool and garden area and a club room. A smaller lounge will be on the top floor of the tower.

There could soon be several residential towers under construction in downtown Tampa: Developers are planning a February groundbreaking for a 21-story tower in the Channel district, and Related Group appears to be moving forward with a tower on Harbour Island.

Having urban residential options could make Tampa more attractive to a young, educated workforce - and the companies that want to attract that type of talent. Even with several towers planned or under construction, the city still lags competitor cities around the Southeast in number of downtown residential units.

Ashley Gurbal Kritzer is a reporter for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.