More than 600 apartments can move forward on a site associated with St. Petersburg College in the Skyway Marina District after St. Petersburg City Council rejected an appeal challenging the project, clearing the way for another major residential development along the rapidly changing 34th Street South corridor after a debate over housing affordability, retail space and the future of growth in South St. Petersburg.
The council voted 6-1 to deny the appeal of the proposed 619-unit development planned for a 16.25-acre site at 3200 34th St. S. The project includes seven apartment buildings rising up to 72 feet, surface parking and a one-acre parcel reserved for future commercial development.
City staff recommended approval, and the Development Review Commission previously approved the site plan, but the project drew opposition from the developer behind nearby SkyTown, which argued the proposal failed to follow the broader mixed-use vision established for the Skyway Marina District because it does not include retail frontage along 34th Street South. The appeal also challenged the project’s stormwater calculations.
Opponents argued previous market-rate apartment developments in the district incorporated retail uses intended to create a more walkable corridor and stronger connection to the surrounding community. They also challenged the developer’s argument that the project would create more attainable housing options because there are no binding affordability requirements tied to the apartments.
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In response, attorneys for the developer said the city’s rules allow standalone apartment projects on the site and argued the Skyway Marina plan serves as a long-term vision rather than a binding requirement.
As part of that argument, the developer said the project intentionally avoids the higher construction costs associated with parking garages by using surface parking, an approach they argued could reduce monthly rents by $300 to $500 compared with comparable projects in the area.
The developer also argued the site’s location between Interstate 275 and 34th Street South makes it different from other mixed-use projects deeper inside the district. The reserved commercial parcel, according to the developer’s team, already has interest from a food-and-beverage operator.
The debate over the project extended into public comment, where residents, district representatives and Stetson law students described the difficulty of finding housing near campus and the need for additional housing options in South St. Petersburg.
At the same time, Skyway Marina District leaders argued the city risked losing leverage over future retail and community-focused development along the corridor if projects move forward without stronger mixed-use requirements.
Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders, who represents the district, cast the lone vote supporting the appeal. Although she acknowledged the project met the city’s technical requirements, she questioned whether additional market-rate housing would help residents struggling with affordability pressures in South St. Petersburg.
She also criticized what she viewed as insufficient outreach to nearby residents and said developers should consider broader community impacts beyond meeting minimum requirements.
Other council members said the city had limited grounds to block the project because the proposed use is already allowed on the site. Several members said overturning previous staff approvals carries a high threshold and distinguished between the district’s long-term vision and the city’s enforceable development requirements.
The decision clears the way for another large-scale residential project in the Skyway Marina corridor, where city leaders continue balancing housing demand, affordability pressures and competing visions for redevelopment in South St. Petersburg.
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