The former St. Petersburg police headquarters site has been sold to Tampa-based Ellison Development, which plans a 10-story office tower, a 165-room hotel and 42 workforce apartments on the Central Avenue property in the city’s EDGE District.
The company announced the closing Wednesday, Nov. 4, for The Central, a mixed-use development that already has a major office tenant lined up, although Ellison did not disclose the purchase price or a construction start date.
That tenant, investment management firm ARK Invest, plans to relocate its headquarters to Halcyon, a 10-story office tower with approximately 116,000 square feet of Class A space, more than 11,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, exterior balconies and tenant amenities.
Cushman & Wakefield is handling office leasing, with additional tenant announcements expected soon, while The Archer Group is working with several prospective retailers interested in Halcyon’s ground floor. Those shops will join Central Hotel, a planned 165-room property under Marriott’s Autograph Collection brand, complete with a restaurant, rooftop amenities and event space.
The hotel and office tower will connect through Central Plaza, a landscaped public gathering area surrounded by the development’s shops and restaurants, with 42 workforce apartments and a walkable rooftop park featuring native Florida landscaping also planned for the property.
A 531-space public parking garage is already finished and operating, and Ellison said it will remain open during construction of the office tower and hotel, although completion dates for the remaining buildings have not been announced.
“This is a big day for The Central and for the EDGE District,” said Casey Ellison, the company’s president and CEO. “The excitement surrounding this project has continued to grow, and this milestone brings us one step closer to delivering a destination that will create new opportunities and fresh energy to the neighborhood.”
The development will also feature a public art installation by Ya La’ford honoring the Courageous Twelve, the Black St. Petersburg police officers who challenged racial discrimination within the department.