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Townhome project is planned for downtown
By SHARON L. BOND
© St. Petersburg Times, ST. PETERSBURG -- Another residential project is slated for the downtown area just south of Central Avenue where luxury apartments are under construction, more are planned and a grocery store and retail shops are expected in 2003. This townhouse project, to be called Charles Court, is on the drawing boards now because another project planned by developers Tim Clemmons and Dorothy Webb is stalled. Clemmons, who is an architect, and Webb, a former software entrepreneur, are Loftsville Inc. They planned a contemporary-design, mixed-use development of five stories on Fifth Avenue N. The project was approved by the city but opposed by two neighbors because of its design and scale. The neighbors have taken the matter to court. "While Tim and I remain confident that the project will eventually be cleared for action, we can't count on that happening soon," Webb said in a project update she e-mailed early last week. "We're a small company, and we can't afford to wait indefinitely on this project." Webb said the company is not large enough to have two projects going at one time. So Fifth Avenue Lofts will be put on hold, and Clemmons and Webb will proceed with Charles Court at 325 Fourth Ave. S. "We haven't closed on the property, but it is under contract," Clemmons said of the new project. "We are looking at 18 townhomes, similar to Straub Court." Buyers are moving into Straub Court, a Loftsville project of 14 townhouses near completion on Fourth Avenue N. Clemmons said the look of Charles Court would be like Straub Court, which he said was inspired by 1950s contemporary Florida architecture with Art Deco influences. Charles Court will be built between Third and Fourth streets S on what is now a parking lot. Under construction nearby are 277 luxury apartments being built by Zom Development Inc. of Orlando. Also close is the site on which Zom will build another 250 luxury apartments and the Sembler Co., developer of BayWalk, will build a grocery store and retail shops. Charles Court will feature two- and three-bedroom units. Some units will be lofts with two-story living rooms, Clemmons said. The townhouses will be three stories high, with garage and guest suite on the first floor. The kitchen and living and dining rooms will be on the second floor and bedrooms on the third. Webb said construction could get started as early as next spring. The project probably will take 12 to 15 months to complete, she said. Clemmons said the objections to Fifth Avenue Lofts will not make him timid about designing something a little more adventuresome. Renderings for the loft development show a contemporary building with three design faces. It appears more like many buildings in Miami Beach than what is the norm in St. Petersburg. "We still very much believe in the projects we are doing. We are not trying to sell to everybody. Downtowns are supposed to be very eclectic, different things for different people," Clemmons said. Townhouse prices have not been set for Charles Court but probably will be more expensive than Straub Court because the land is more expensive. Clemmons said construction costs on Straub Court came in higher than expected so all of that will be figured into sales prices for the new project. Early sales prices on units at Straub Court were between $151,000 and $210,000. When Charles Court is completed, Clemmons and Webb will get back to Fifth Avenue Lofts.
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