News Summary
The St. Petersburg City Council has approved plans for a new boutique hotel at the site of the long-vacant Smith Empire Building. The hotel will feature 74 rooms and will help stimulate local business by providing attractive lodging in the downtown area. Developer Steve Gianfilippo aims to begin construction by year-end, with a projected completion in about 18 months. While concerns about parking have been raised, arrangements for off-site parking are in place. Local community members are optimistic about the redevelopment’s potential to enhance downtown St. Petersburg’s appeal.
St. Petersburg – A long-vacant building at 300 Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg is set for demolition and redevelopment into a new boutique hotel featuring 74 rooms. The St. Petersburg City Council has approved the initial plans for the project, aligning with the city’s strategy for downtown redevelopment. The existing structure, known historically as the Smith Empire Building and more recently as the Coronet 300, has been unoccupied for several years, suffering significant damage from past hurricanes.
The building, constructed in 1924, has faced challenges due to hurricanes Helene and Milton, which have left it in poor condition. Although a previous proposal to convert it into a luxury apartment complex was abandoned, the current plan aims to enhance local business activity by providing attractive lodging options. Local business owners have expressed optimism about the hotel’s potential to draw more customers to their establishments.
A damage assessment of the structure is required to confirm the project’s feasibility. In the meantime, developer Steve Gianfilippo of Gianco Companies, who purchased the building in 2017, will carry out interim repairs to secure the site while finalizing the hotel plans. The timeline for the damage assessment remains unknown, but Gianfilippo aims to begin construction by the end of the year, with an estimated completion time of about 18 months.
The new boutique hotel is expected to be a 16-story building, incorporating 4,000 square feet of commercial space. Design elements will feature mid-century architecture, including breeze block accents on the ground floor and a west-facing exterior. The hotel’s layout will include varying room sizes spanning floors three through sixteen, and specialized amenities will be available on the eighth and sixteenth floors.
The ground floor will serve dual purposes, housing a lobby and commercial spaces, with favorable potential for outdoor seating at the busy intersection of 3rd Street South and Central Avenue. As part of the planning, concerns regarding parking have arisen, given the limited space for the 74-room hotel. However, Gianfilippo has arranged for off-site parking at the nearby First Central Tower to accommodate guests.
Before development can proceed, the project must receive approval from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and will subsequently be reviewed by the Development Review Commission. No specific date has been set for the next phase of hearings associated with the project.
Local architecture firm Behar + Peteranecz is leading the design of the new hotel, and Gianfilippo is in talks with a notable hotel brand to secure an affiliation, ensuring a reputable presence for the new establishment. City Council member Gina Driscoll stated that due to the current condition of the existing structure, demolition is necessary to facilitate this transformative project.
As plans develop, community stakeholders are hopeful that the new boutique hotel will invigorate the downtown area and contribute to St. Petersburg’s growing appeal as a destination for visitors and locals alike.
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Additional Resources
- St. Peterising
- Google Search: St Petersburg boutique hotel
- St. Pete Catalyst
- Wikipedia: Hotel
- I Love The Burg
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Hotel
- Travel + Leisure
- Google News: boutique hotels Florida
