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Condo to reach new heights

Tampa moves what would be the tallest building in the bay area one step closer to reality. Completion is expected in about four years.

By JANET ZINK
Published May 19, 2006

TAMPA - A 51-story condominium that would be the Tampa Bay area's tallest building won preliminary approval Thursday from the Tampa City Council.

Daytona Beach developer Amon Investments plans to build a 630-foot tall condo tower at Washington and Morgan streets in downtown Tampa.

That tops the planned Trump Tower, previously touted as the bay area's tallest, by 37 feet.

"I just see good things with this building," said Wilson Stair, the city's urban design manager. "It's going to be a signature building downtown."

Stair gave high marks to the spire and lighting on top of the building, and a ground-floor arcade with colorful awnings and outdoor cafes along a 20-foot sidewalk.

The developers provided more than the city requires for open space and left plenty of room on the four corners of the block for public art, Stair said.

"It's a trendsetter," he said. "It's good to see these kinds of projects go in because they set a benchmark in what we expect in architecture as more buildings come in."

The building, temporarily dubbed Tampa Condo II, will include 472 units and 15,000 square feet of retail space. Prices will range from $300,000 for a 700-square-foot unit to $2-million for a 4,000-square-foot penthouse. Construction should begin in two years and be completed about two years after that, officials said.

While it would be the tallest in the Tampa Bay area, it would be considerably shorter than the state's tallest building, the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami, which is 800 feet tall.

"It will be quite a transformation from a surface parking lot into a stunning building," said City Council member Linda Saul-Sena.

The project voted on Thursday is only half of what Amon Investments originally planned for that corner of downtown. The company announced in December it would construct twin 625-foot towers connected by a sky bridge.

City officials, though, have discouraged the elevated walkway.

"We don't encourage sky bridges because it takes away from circulation on the sidewalk and also it crosses our rights of way and blocks light," Stair said. "If we were in a place where our climate was harsh like Minnesota, then it would be more acceptable. Here in Florida, we like to keep people on the ground. We only make exceptions when it's a public safety issue."

Fred Hill, vice president of development and construction for Amon Investments, wouldn't comment on the status of the second building.

"We have other interests in downtown Tampa besides these two sites," he said. "We're in negotiations for the purchase of various properties in downtown Tampa. Because of those negotiations, I'm only focusing my comments on what was presented today."

The project is part of a residential boom in and around downtown Tampa that includes more than a dozen buildings with greater than 20 stories.

Amon Investments is headed by Austrian-born investor Felix Amon. Since 2001, the company has focused on projects around Daytona Beach and Orlando.

Last year, Amon Investments turned its attention to the Tampa Bay area, starting with Clearwater.

Amon himself wielded a sledgehammer in December to pave the way for downtown Clearwater's first residential redevelopment project. Station Square, with 126 units and 15 stories, will rise along Cleveland Street, next to the city's historic post office.

The City Council is to take a final vote on the Tampa project June 1.

Information from Times files was used in this report. Janet Zink can be reached at 813 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com.

[Last modified May 19, 2006, 05:57:18]