267-unit apartment building Alexan 1700 approved for 1700 Central Avenue
THE PROPOSED SEVEN-STORY DEVELOPMENT WOULD FEATURE 267 UNITS AND 18,000 SQUARE FEET OF GROUND FLOOR RETAIL IN THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT
St. Pete City Council approved a seven-story mixed-use development planned for the 1700 block of Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. Convening as the Community Redevelopment Agency, City Council unanimously found the development consistent with the Intown West Redevelopment Plan.
Alexan 1700 is a $105 million, 267-unit apartment building being developed by Dallas-based Trammell Crow Residential, a subsidiary of Crow Holdings.
The group is under contract to purchase a 2.02-acre block along Central Avenue and 1st Avenue South between 17th Street and 18th Street. Terms of the sale were not announced.
In addition to apartments, the building would also feature 18,000 square feet of commercial space and an interior garage with 475 parking space and 267 long term bike spaces.
ALEXAN 1700 HAS BEEN PROPOSED FOR THE 1700 BLOCK OF CENTRAL AVENUE, BOUND BY 17TH STREET, 18TH STREET, CENTRAL AVENUE, AND 1ST AVENUE SOUTH.
Prior to Council’s approval, the St. Pete’s Development Review Commission approved a vacation of a 20-foot wide east-west alley located on the block.
The block is currently home to a collection of small residential and commercial buildings occupied by various local businesses such as The Burg Bar and Grill, Lolita’s Wine Market, Dirty Laundry, Avid Brew Company, Fraze Design, FRSTeam by Rogers, and Hamm Signs.
Each of the existing property owners were offered the option to own a retail unit in the new development to replace their existing space. The developer does not plan to own the retail units in the building and, as a result, local owners may control the retail space.
“I’m one of the [existing] property owners. I think it’s a fantastic deal,” says Charles Hamm, owner of Hamm Signs, who operates on the block. “I think it’s great that the owners had a chance to get their own retail units in this new development that they are going to own. That could be a model for more development in St Pete.”
THE 1700 BLOCK OF CENTRAL AVENUE IS CURRENTLY HOME TO A COLLECTION OF SMALL RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OCCUPIED BY VARIOUS LOCAL BUSINESSES.
Apartments at Alexan 1700 will be available in studio, 1-, and 2-bedroom configurations. A pool courtyard would be situated on the east side of the building fronting 17th Street.
Alexan 1700 is just the latest multifamily development in the Grand Central District. In addition to Arte, 1701 Central, and Vantage which opened in 2020, several other projects are in the works including the 246-unit Sky St Pete, a 244-unit project by HP Capital Group, the 383-unit Modera St. Petersburg, and the 204-unit Trails Edge Apartments.
A construction timeline for Alexan 1700 has not been announced.