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Urban living with a twist

The developers of a Channel District project want it to be like Manhattan's artsy Tribeca and SoHo neighborhoods, with a Florida twist.

Tampa developers are taking a bite out of the Big Apple in the latest effort to turn the Channel District into a popular urban retreat.

Channelside Developers last week unveiled plans to build the Meridian, a 35-unit loft project at Whiting and 12th streets.

At the helm are Steve Gardner and sons Truett and P.J. and Tom Newkirk and his son Mark, whose family owns nearby Newk's Cafe.

Stephen Smith of the Cooper Johnson Smith Architecture firm in Tampa gleaned the concept from Manhattan's artsy Tribeca and SoHo neighborhoods. To give it a Florida twist, he added a South Beach vintage art deco/maritime design.

The Meridian will boast a rooftop swimming pool and spa with cabanas and a clubhouse overlooking downtown Tampa. Units range from 900 to 1,850 square feet and cost $185,000 to $450,000. Most will have a private balcony, high ceilings, large industrial windows, granite kitchen and bathroom countertops with designer fixtures, stainless steel appliances, exposed metal duct work, oversize bathrooms and closets and on-site parking.

In keeping with neo-urbanist principles, the five-story building will mix residential and commercial space. Developers want to bring a coffee shop, dry cleaners and other retail businesses on the first floor.

The Meridian is one of several residential projects in the works for the neighborhood.

One of the obvious draws is location. The area is steps from the Florida Aquarium and St. Pete Times Forum and blocks away from the Tampa Museum of Art and Tampa Theatre.

"We saw a lot of potential in this area with Channelside and the streetcar within walking distance," said Truett Gardner, a land-use lawyer. "It's nice that you can hop on the streetcar, go to Ybor City, have a drink and go home without having to use your car."

Kim Markham, one of the area's first residents and a member of the Channel District Council, said the project advances efforts to make the neighborhood a diverse place to live. The Meridian will stand in vivid contrast to the Victory Lofts going up next door, which represent a bold, high-tech look toward futurism.

The developers plan to foster the local creative element by including nontraditional live/work studio spaces on the first floor.

To build the project, the developers have contracted the construction team of Batson-Cook, who just finished Tampa's Cruise Terminal 3. Smith & Associates have signed on as the real estate consultants.

So far, reaction has been positive, Gardner said. The Channel District Council has received many inquiries from people in cities, such as Chicago and New York.

Mayor Pam Iorio is scheduled to speak at the Meridian's kickoff party June 12. Construction should start this fall, with opening dates set for fall of 2004.

For information, go to www.meridianlofts.com