$25 million tower with small apartments proposed in St. Pete's Grand Central district
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jun 6, 2023

A development team that recently broke ground on small, furnished apartments near Water Street Tampa is bringing a similar concept to St. Petersburg’s Grand Central district.

The eight-story building planned for 1663 First Ave. S will include 97 apartments, according to plans filed with the city, and will not include any parking for cars — only for bicycles. The 0.23-acre parcel is currently home to Sunshine Kitty Catfé and Dolman Law Group. The project is from a local development team comprised of Christopher Bicho of Landings Real Estate Group and Craig Bazarsky of BendinRoad Development LLC.

The project is estimated to cost $25 million and will have 84 studios and 13 one-bedroom apartments. In 2019, the city passed a regulation that does not require parking spaces for units under 750 square feet. The units proposed at the site will range from 358 square feet to 680 square feet.

“The project’s proximity to the SunRunner BRT system and its location in the Intown area, as well as its proximity to downtown St. Pete, make it a prime location for residents who live a car-free lifestyle,” the application read. “SunRunner stops are planned at 13th Street, which is less than (a third of a mile) away from the project. Therefore, while the project seeks a pedestrian-friendly environment, the forthcoming development of the BRT/SunRunner necessitates higher-density housing, since more people will arguably be present along Central Avenue.”

The 100-foot building includes a gym, lobby, outdoor lounge and seven apartments on the first floor with an amenity deck featuring a pool, grill area, lounge and 10 units on the fifth floor. Floors two to four will have 15 units per floor, and floors six to eight will have 11 units per floor. According to the application, the developer will contribute to the Housing Capital Improvements Projects fund for workforce housing.

The project will seek approval from the Community Redevelopment Agency on June 15.

The development team also includes Bold Line Design as the architect for the project and Kimley-Horn as the civil engineer.

The Mint House at Metro St. Petersburg in the Edge district will open next month and was also built without parking spaces. The Metro features 100 short-term rental units that average 484 square feet.