Photo via City of St. Petersburg
The zoning for Mirror Lake Drive has a maximum height of 125 feet. But that’s not the case just 175 feet west and south of the water where Gravel Road Partners high rise was approved.
“I would like to reiterate that this site is not on Mirror Lake Drive,” Mastry said. “In fact, it’s 175 feet west of Mirror Lake Drive.”
Why does that matter? Because last month, the city denied another developer, Lake House Condominiums, and its 18-story and 200 foot tall residential high rise looking to come out of the ground at 200 Mirror Lake Dr. The zoning for Mirror Lake Drive has a maximum height of 125 feet. But that’s not the case just 175 feet west and south of the water.
The currently unoccupied site—sold to Gravel Road for $6.4 million in March of last year—is between 685 and 699 1st Ave. N., and 694 Arlington Ave. N. The current structures include two single-story office buildings, a two-story triplex, a parking lot, and an alleyway. Part of the building includes a mural by local artists, the Vitale brothers. Located just across from the Unitarian Universalist Church, the developer is proposing a covered plaza and art installation to buffer between the apartment tower and the church.
“It’s underutilized and outdated,” Mastry said.
City zoning official Corey Malyszka recommended approval of the project. The approved building is 235 feet tall and includes a parking garage and commercial space in addition to residential. The value of the project is $63.5 million. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA approved the development with little discussion and no opposition Thursday.
As part of the proposal, Gravel Road Partners offered $1.27 million towards the city’s housing and capital improvements trust fund for workforce development.
