Two years after breaking ground, Ascent St. Pete, a luxury apartment tower that also features a hotel, has started moving in residents.

The $117 million, 36-story Ascent, located at 225 1st Avenue North, began pre-releasing its apartments in September last year, a few months after the project topped out at 378 feet.

Developed by South Carolina-based Greystar Real Estate Partners, the building features 357 apartments and a 172-key AC Hotel by Marriott, which Greystar recently sold to OTO Development for $60 million.

“It’s going really well,” said Alexandra Kozak-Mehta, Director of Development for Greystar, referring to leasing activity. “We had an enormous amount of pre-leasing.”

According to Kozak-Mehta, about 40% of Ascent’s apartments have been leased, and of those, 66 are already occupied. “We haven’t even released the last third of the building,” she said. “We’re only leasing floors 6 to 26 right now. No three-bedroom units are available now, but in a month or two, those will be released.”

A great deal of anticipation has been building around Ascent. The tower stands across the street from the Jannus Block, arguably downtown St. Pete’s most popular nightlife destination, and two blocks from Beach Drive, St. Pete’s waterfront parks, and the St. Pete Pier.

However, residents won’t need to leave the building for a bite to eat or a drink if they don’t want. The 8th floor of the Marriott hotel features Cane & Barrel, the city’s newest rooftop bar. The new nightlife hotspot features a 1,000-square-foot interior lounge and bar along with a 1,900-square-foot rooftop terrace that includes a second bar.

Additionally, St. Pete Rising announced last month that prominent Tampa Bay chef Chris Ponte will be bringing his award-winning modern Italian restaurant OLIVIA to the ground floor of Ascent by the end of the year.

The residential portion of Ascent is replete with attractive features as well. Its amenities include a rooftop terrace and clubhouse, co-working spaces, a fitness center, and an exclusive penthouse lounge.

The building’s main pool deck is located on a sixth-floor amenity deck that features outdoor lounges, private cabanas, outdoor grilling areas, firepits, and extensive landscaping. There’s also a rooftop pool on the building’s 37th floor. That amenity will open later in the year, most likely in August, Kozak-Mehta said, adding that move-ins for the third tranche of apartments will be scheduled around that time. 

“The last few units will start pre-leasing in a month or so with move-ins scheduled for  July or August,” she said.

Floors 26 to 36 will have a total of 10 three-bedroom units, and according to Kozak-Mehta, Greystar already has a waiting list of more than 40 applicants for those residences. “We have a total waitlist on the third tranche of over 150 people,” she said. “We’re doing in-person tours now so people can get into the building and tour the units and see the amenities.”

Speaking of amenities, “the pool’s filled and looks great,” Kozak-Mehta adds. “We’re also hoping to have some shared services with the hotel on the pool deck. Drinks, from Cane & Barrel, and potentially food. It will really feel like an elevated amenity area.”

For more information on Ascent St. Pete, visit its website, follow it on Facebook and Instagram, or stop by the leasing office at 225 1st Avenue North.