Exclusive: Apartment tower near Tropicana Field moves forward
Mill Creek’s new development will include 383 apartment units as well as 15,316 square feet of retail space designed to front the Pinellas Trail

By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jun 14, 2021

A 20-story apartment tower on the western fringe of downtown St. Petersburg is moving forward, and its developers plan to begin construction in the fourth quarter.

The tower, which will include 383 apartment units and 15,316 square feet of retail space, last week received approval from St. Petersburg City Council acting as the Intown West Community Redevelopment Agency. The development team includes Boca Raton-based Mill Creek Residential Trust and local developers John Barkett of Barkett Realty and Stadler Real Estate Corp.

The project is designed to front the Pinellas Trail, the developers said. It is located on the west side of 17th Street South between the trail and 3rd Avenue South. The development includes a 20-story tower on the northern portion fronting the trail and an adjacent eight-story building. There will also be a 475-space parking garage and 15,316 square feet of retail space along the trail.

The site abuts the 86-acre Tropicana Field property, where plans are in the works for a massive redevelopment that would add residential, office, retail space and more in the coming years.

“This new development was created as a way to transform an underutilized section of the Pinellas Trail while connecting multiple bifurcated districts. It represents one of the largest shovel-ready sites remaining in our downtown core," Barkett said in a statement. “It’s our goal to meet the needs of St. Pete’s residents, and this development will be a truly innovative, attainable and cutting edge place to live and play.”

John Stadler of Stadler Real Estate Corp. put the 2.86-acre site under contract. Stadler's connections brought in Mill Creek, which has "experience in bringing luxury developments to the area as well as understanding the value in pushing the city toward the future."

Stadler played a similar role in another major downtown development, Icon Central. He purchased the Union Trust city block located on the northside of Central Avenue between 7th and 8th streets and entered into a joint venture with Miami-based Related Group.

“St. Petersburg is a community that is evolving. There are many opportunities for new development, and I look forward to being a part of that,” Stadler said in a statement. “The St. Pete real estate market is robust while attracting national attention, and our developments are leading the new wave of urban living.”