New apartment tower, Publix in Channel district take key step forward
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jul 20, 2016

Channel Club, the new development in downtown Tampa that will include a 21-story apartment tower and Publix Super Markets Inc. store, reached a milestone on Wednesday.

The developer of the project, Mercury Advisors, has started pre-construction work on the site, a vacant lot along Meridian Avenue, between Twiggs and Madison streets in the Channel district.

The pre-construction work includes tests and measuring to make way for a deep shaft foundation, said Ken Stoltenberg, principal of Mercury Advisors.

Stoltenberg said this phase can take four to six weeks, as the process is weather dependent. He said it was too soon to commit to a specific groundbreaking date.

Entering the pre-construction phase is especially significant for the Channel Club, which is one of the most anticipated developments in downtown Tampa. It signals that the project is moving forward after being stalled for several years.

The 21-story apartment tower will include 323 apartments. The 37,600-square-foot Publix store on the site won't break ground until the tower is topped out, which should be about 10 months after the tower breaks ground.

Publix in December confirmed its plans to locate on the site. The store will have rooftop parking and will front Meridian Avenue.

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