Phase 2 of EDGE District redevelopment moves forward

The developer behind the Moxy Hotel, currently under construction in St. Petersburg’s EDGE District, is moving forward with plans for a new connected and walkable mixed-use project that includes a 20-story, 360-unit apartment tower and a 365-space parking garage.

Last fall, Miami-based real estate firm investment firm PTM Partners unveiled a conceptual development for the 1100 Block of Central Avenue, stretching to 1st Avenue South and 11th Street to 13th Street, that will be part of the group’s latest concept – the EDGE Collective. 

The initial phase includes the soon-to-be-completed 163-room Moxy Hotel by Marriott. The second phase, presented at the Jan. 4 city council meeting, includes a redevelopment of the 110-year-old adjacent building. Proposed plans would keep the existing commercial spaces on Central Avenue, including a local landmark building located at 1180 Central Avenue, which is currently occupied by Bodega restaurant. However, the plans call for the demolition of the two most Eastern buildings, currently the site of Pin On Cafe and the shuttered Dr. BBQ restaurant. 

A site plan for a proposed mixed-use development at 11th St. S and 1st Ave. S. shows plans that retain the existing Moxy Hotel and buildings with offices and commercial spaces shown in yellow, and proposes the demolition of the two most Eastern buildings shown in red. Image: City of St. Petersburg.

Project plans for the apartment tower place the majority of resident use along 1st Avenue S. The proposed tower would sit atop a six-story garage, where vehicles would enter from 11th Street onto Commercial Avenue S., which is proposed to be vacated. Plans designate the first floor for commercial use, the second through sixth floors for parking, the seventh floor for residential units and amenities including a pool deck, and the eighth through 20th floor for the rest of the proposed residential units. Developers say the plans are consistent with other multi-story, mixed-use buildings in the Intown West Redevelopment Plan (IRWP).

Attorney Don Mastry, representing the developer, noted the project aims to unify Central Avenue and tie it to the proposed changes coming to the Historic Gas Plant District development.

“It’s going to also result in activating the ground floor with arcades and it’ll accommodate small businesses as well as large,” Mastry said. “It’s going to end up with a cohesive, unified master plan for the whole block, which is presently fragmented, underutilized and not in good shape.”

Roger Curlin, Executive Director of the EDGE Business District Association, said the association is supportive of the overall plan and is working with the developers to ensure it flows with and fits within the master plan for the district. He also added that the Association and its members were pleased to see the developer added more parking than required by the City, noting that the district’s increasing number of residents and businesses will require additional public parking.

“The EDGE district is going to become one of the densest in the county and certainly in the city over the next three years,” Curlin said. “We want all of our businesses to flourish and we want all of our residents to feel at home. Whether it’s by walking, scooter, car, bus, SunRunner or bicycle, folks want to get to the district and navigate around our area, and we want them to be able to do that. Cars are still a main form of transportation for many people, so we need to make sure we have enough space for folks who want to get to [the EDGE District] by vehicle will have a way to do that.”

City staff and council members acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency found the project consistent with the IRWP and the project was unanimously approved, with Councilmembers Gina Driscoll, Richie Floyd and Copley Gerdes absent.

Renderings for the proposed development show how developers envision the $100+ million project, which they plan to design with a “modern architectural style” while incorporating some of the historic architectural elements along Central Avenue. Images: City of St. Petersburg.

PTM Partners is working with Petersburg-based Storyn Studio for Architecture, which is the same group designing the Moxy Hotel. Michael Tillman, co-founder and CEO of PTM Partners, identified the alleyway between the Moxy Hotel and Bodega restaurant as one of several sections he wants to redevelop as a walkable environment and gateway to the Tropicana Field site. 

“We are being mindful in the design and density. When we planned the hotel, we built it further from the street so it wouldn’t tower over Central Avenue,” Tillman previously said. “We have the same intention with the tower.” 

While plans show the retention of the current businesses on Central Ave., the redevelopment would impact Pin On Cafe, which currently operates at 1100 Central Ave N. Curlin said he hadn’t heard what the cafe’s future plans are if the redevelopment proceeds.

Calls to the cafe owner, seeking comment, were not immediately returned.