Plans for apartment tower near Pinellas Trail move forward

The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission has given a nod for a new residential development to rise out of the ground along the Pinellas Trail.  

The DRC unanimously approved plans for Apogee Real Estate Partners’ planned 23-story apartment development at 155 17th Street South.  

The site is on the northwest corner of 17th Street South, providing a direct connection to the Pinellas Trail, and is across from the Mill Creek project. The original proposal was to construct it with 24 stories. 

St. Petersburg-based Apogee Real Estate Partners, which is led by John Stadler and John Barkett, intends to purchase the site on May 15, and demolish the existing 32,000-square-foot warehouse. 

“We saw the site several years ago. With Barkett working on the Trails Crossing project, we see the trail as a huge asset connecting into the Warehouse Arts District and Tropicana Field,” Stadler previously told the St. Pete Catalyst. 

The Trails Crossing project is a vision Barkett is spearheading that involves turning unused vacant sections under the Interstate I-275 overpass, where the trail runs, into a must-visit destination filled with dog parks, murals and shipping containers for local vendors. 

The proposed tower would have 204 dwelling units, 6,000 square feet of commercial space and a 300-space parking garage. The garage will also serve the retail users. 

The first five floors will be designed in an industrial style with a brick facade, and the building will also have a butterfly-styled roof to align with the architecture within the district.

Several of the commissioners commented that the design ties in well with Pinellas Trail and said a mural would be a great feature on the exterior of the building.