Construction on track at Viv apartments in EDGE District

The construction company behind Viv, two 15-story apartment towers coming to St. Petersburg’s EDGE District, is ahead of schedule and celebrating a recent milestone.

JE Dunn Construction has topped out the project, located at 1000 1st Ave. N., at 150 feet. The development comprises two 15-story towers, with a total of 269 market-rate apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom units. Amenities will include a club room, swimming pool, fitness center, 15,500 square feet of commercial retail space and a 355-space parking garage.

The developer Belpointe OZ acquired the 1.6-acre site in 2020 for $12 million, and the project received approval from the St. Peterburg City Council in December 2022. MSA Architects is responsible for the project’s design.

Belpointe’s redesigned proposed towers.

Dan Frazier, Project Director for JE Dunn Construction, said their goal with the project is to realize Belpointe OZ’s vision in a way that will contribute to the overall growth and development of the thriving St. Pete community.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be part of such a significant development district in the EDGE District in St. Pete,” Frazier said. “I think the EDGE District is starting to really come into its own. There’s a lot of opportunity in this area, especially being across the street from the Trop redevelopment. There are a lot of projects coming out and a lot of possibilities.”

The EDGE Business District Association submitted a letter of support for the development in 2022 and has been a vocal proponent of the project since 2021, as previously reported by the Catalyst. In the letter, the association listed several ways the project will align with its goals and is a fit for the community, including the addition of the parking garage and its use of retail space along Baum Avenue.

“It’s a unique project just for the simple fact that it’s a 600-foot-long site, so it looks very long. And then you’ve got some constraints on the ceiling and in that area, so you can’t go any higher than a certain height,” Frazier said. “I think that whole area of the EDGE district has been kind of dormant for a while. The developer is looking to be a partner with the city and the district, and so are we, to make this project come to life.”

A topping out celebration was held May 10, 2024.

The project is expected to be completed in Fall 2025. Frazier said so far, all is going as planned and they’re working about a week ahead of schedule. He said a May 10 topping out ceremony was a chance t o celebrate the milestone and the people making the project happen.

“For me, the top out celebration is really for the folks that are in the field,” Frazier added. “You can design, create and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the project a reality. It’s really about the craftswomen and men that are there day-to-day making that a possibility.”

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