Ellison Development has broken ground on The Central, a 2.1-acre project, on the site of the former St. Petersburg Police Department, that will include the first, new 4-star hotel in downtown since The Vinoy and the city’s first, new Class A office space in decades.
The Central will include more than 500 public parking spaces, workforce housing and retail space, plus a monument by nationally known artist Ya La’ford honoring the Courageous 12.
The Courageous 12 was a group of black officers who went to court in 1965 to gain the full rights, and authority, of their white counterparts.
Previously branded as Orange Station, The Central’s 15-story hotel will be an Autograph Collection Hotels property. In addition to a bar and restaurant concept, the hotel is expected to offer meeting and conference rooms, multiple event spaces, fitness facilities, a multi-level theater and a rooftop pool.
The 12-story office tower will have 125,000 square feet of Class A office space. The 42 apartments that will be part of the development will be 100% workforce housing. The multifamily component will be known as The Wye.
The Central is expected to be complete in 2026.
