Related Group's Ritz-Carlton Residences on Bayshore land final city approval
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Nov 5, 2020

The Ritz-Carlton Residences on Bayshore Boulevard have received final approval from Tampa City Council.

The Ritz-Carlton Residences — a strictly residential project branded with the luxury hotel's flag — will be built on the site that's currently home to Bay Oaks, an aging apartment complex. The developer, Miami-based Related Group, is planning 170 condos in two towers and 12 townhouses on the nearly 5-acre property.

Council members Luis Viera, Joseph Citro, Charlie Miranda and Guido Maniscalco voted in favor of the rezoning approval. Councilmen Orlando Gudes and Bill Carlson voted to deny the rezoning request, and Councilmen John Dingfelder was absent.

City council narrowly granted preliminary approval on Oct. 2.

Several neighbors spoke against the plans, citing its proximity to The Stovall, a neighboring condo tower. The protests were similar in nature to those voiced at the first hearing in early October.

Mike Hammon, Related senior vice president, told council that the developer purposely set the tower back from Bayshore Boulevard 25 feet to preserve as much of The Stovall's view corridor as possible.

"The law on this is clear — in the state of Florida, if you want a view, you buy the view," said Truett Gardner, an attorney representing Related. "I’m not trying to be cold or calculated. But this is just one of those situations where we’re not going to make everybody on Bayshore happy with where this is sited."

Hammon previously told the Tampa Bay Business Journal that Related plans to build out a sales gallery in the first quarter of 2021