The project, Harborage Marina Village near the Salvador Dali Museum, gets unanimous approval from a review panel.
By JAN WESNER CHILDS
Published February 8, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - A luxury 14-story condominium and retail project planned for the waterfront south of downtown St. Petersburg won preliminary approval from the city Wednesday.
The Environmental Development Commission unanimously approved the site plan for the project known as Harborage Marina Village near the Salvador Dali Museum. It consists of a 52-unit condo tower, two parking garages and more than 33,000 square feet in the 1100 square block of Third St. S.
It is expected to cost $40-million to build, and condos in the building could sell for up to $1.3-million. Boat slips would be available for an additional charge.
The site is the former home of Great Explorations, the children's museum that is now adjacent to Sunken Gardens, and is part of the city's Bayboro Redevelopment Plan.
Proponents hope it will fuel further redevelopment in the area, which is home to the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus as well as the Dali museum.
The project next has to go before the City Council. If approval continues, construction is expected to start this summer.
The EDC is an appointed city board that hears requests for variances, site plans and special exceptions to environmental regulations. It meets at 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at City Hall.
In other business Wednesday, the EDC approved:
URBAN LEAGUE: A plan by the Pinellas County Urban League to turn a vacant fire station at 2701 Fifth Ave. S into offices for two of its programs. The building, empty since 1997, would be used as office space for a program that helps low-income families pay their utility bills. It would also be used for an alternative education program for up to 20 middle school students who have been targeted as potential dropouts.
EDC members and a neighborhood representative said the plan seemed like good way to reuse an old building.
"It's nice to see something positive coming into the Midtown section," Freddie Miller, vice president of the Palmetto Park Neighborhood Association, told the board. "Everything we've seen or heard seems like a win-win situation."
WALGREENS: A site plan for a Walgreens at 7676 Fourth St. N. Part of the 1.34 acre site was formerly Pep's Seagrill Restaurant. The building would cover about 14,000 square feet and include a drive-through pharmacy pick-up window. No one spoke for or against the project during a public hearing at the EDC meeting.
- Information from Times files was used in this report.
What is the EDC?
The Environmental Development Commission is a citizens board that meets the first Wednesday of each month to review large development projects. The board reviews and approves site plans and has the power to grant exceptions to city codes for elements of projects that do not conform. Decisions of the commission can be appealed within 10 days to the City Council. After approval, the petitioner has the city's permission to go forward, although further scrutiny may be required by other governing agencies.
