Apartments planned for vacant downtown site

A seven-story apartment building is in the planning stages at 630 4th Ave. S., which was previously eyed for a luxury townhome project. 

Onyx St. Pete LLC, a New York-based entity connected to Yaron Levi, has filed plans to build the new apartment building with 33 units and a 16-space garage at the 0.2-acre site, near Tropicana Field. 

The St. Petersburg City Council, meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), will review the $6 million project Jan. 5 to determine if it’s consistent with the Intown Redevelopment Plan (IRP).

A different developer was previously planning to build a four-unit townhome community called SOMA at the site. However, those plans were withdrawn. The Onyx St. Pete entity purchased the site earlier this year for over $1.5 million. 

The contemporary-styled building will have a residential lobby on the ground floor as well as parking. Open green space will be found on the east and west sides of the building. 

Floors two through six will have six units per floor. Every unit will have a balcony. The seventh floor will have three units and indoor/outdoor amenities, including a lounge area, a fitness area and an uncovered rooftop terrace, according to the application. 

The developer is working with St. Petersburg-based Behar and Peteranecz Architecture. 

The property is in the DC-2 zoning district, which allows for intense development, and permits multifamily and commercial uses with a FAR (floor area ratio) of up to 7.0. The project has a proposed FAR of 4.08.

The developer listed similar developments within the area and IRP, including Campbell Landings and other residential buildings. 

“The building design took into consideration the relationship with the newer developments in the immediate area by creating a continuous street edge, integration of open space and landscaping and concealing the parking garage,” according to the application.