A lot featuring a signature building and surface parking lot in St. Pete’s EDGE District could soon be redeveloped according to documents that were recently submitted to the City of St. Petersburg.

Silver Sands LLC, which purchased the property at 900 Central Avenue in 2019 for $5.75 million, filed site plan review documents in August for a 12-story mixed-use building at the southwest corner of Central Avenue and Dr. MLK Jr. Street. The intersection serves as the eastern gateway for the EDGE District, a burgeoning downtown neighborhood that extends from Dr. MLK Jr. Street to 16th Street between 1st Avenue North and 1st Avenue South.

The proposed development calls for 209 dwelling units and 13,338 square feet of commercial space. The building was designed with Spanish architectural elements by Humphreys & Partners Architects who also designed Related Group’s Icon Central located across the street at 855 Central Avenue. Similar to Icon Central, the facade features a mix of materials including stone at the ground level and stucco for the higher levels. 

At 146-feet, the proposed building would be one of the tallest in the EDGE District and would be located just east of 930 Central Flats, an apartment building developed by Bainbridge in 2018 which recently sold for $64 million. 

The ground floor of the proposed building would have retail space fronting Central Avenue and Dr. MLK Jr. Street. Above the retail space would be three floors of parking with a total of 175 parking spaces — more than double the required 87 spaces. 225 bicycle parking spaces will also provided. 

The upper portion of the building is designed in a U-shape with an amenity deck on the fifth floor. Residential units would occupy part of the fifth floor and all of floors six through twelve. While the submitted plans don’t specify whether the dwelling units are condominiums or apartments, the design of the building suggests they will be rental units. 

Currently the building at 900 Central Avenue houses Anytime Fitness, Peace of Yoga, and Leann’s Nails, among other businesses. Recently the building was also home to Room 901, a conversation bar, and Subway, however both businesses recently closed.

Built in 1918, it is the EDGE District’s oldest building and was originally built as a hotel. Throughout its history, the three-story brick building has operated as a Post Office, drug store, and a variety of other businesses. It’s also located within proximity to the site of the first rail terminal in the city. If the proposed project is ultimately approved, the building at 900 Central would be demolished.

While the building was built in the early twentieth century, it is not designated historic or listed on a list of potentially eligible properties the City of St. Petersburg identified in 2006. The EDGE Business District Association (EBDA) recently filed a preliminarily application with the city for Local Landmark Designation of the building. 

That application will be reviewed by the St. Petersburg Community Planning and Preservation Commission, however a date has not been set yet. The EDGE Business District Association has solicited the help of Preserve the Burg to guide them through the process. If the application is granted, the building will likely be protected from demolition.

EBDA would like to preserve the northern most corner capstone section of the building while allowing for the rest of the lot to be developed. Ideally, EBDA envisions a development similar to Icon Central, which preserved the Union Trust Bank building and incorporated it into the project.  However incorporating the northern portion of the building would require a redesign of the proposed development and would likely result is fewer residential units.

Because the application is being submitted by a non-owner third party, the path to Local Landmark Designation could be difficult. Third party applications for Local Landmark Designation have proved controversial in the past since they’re usually submitted without the support of the property owner. Late last year the City of St. Pete instituted new rules to prevent legal skirmishes after two controversial historic preservation battles. 

Ultimately it remains to be seen whether the city will grant Local Landmark Designation for the building, however it appears likely that, regardless of the designation, the lot will be redeveloped. A timeline for the development is not yet known.