Leaders from the city of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County joined development partners this week to break ground on a massive new development in the Skyway Marina District that will include 121 new affordable housing units.
The Sky Town development, to be located at 3201 34th St. S. in the area surrounding the old Ceridian building, is a 34.3-acre site. When completed, it will be home to more than 2,000 apartments and a retail area anchored by Sprouts Farmers Market. It will also include self-storage space.
A six-phase project, the first phase will include 401 housing units, including 121 designated as affordable. Of those, 61 will be reserved for those earning up to 120% of the area median income, which is about $103,000 for a family of three. The other 60 units will be for those earning up to 80% of the area median income, or about $69,000 for a family of three.
Originally planned as all-market rate housing, the city and county provided $10 million to include affordable units — $4.5 million from the city and $5.5 million from the county.
“The Sky Town development marks a new era for the Skyway Marina District. This public-private project is an example of how forward-thinking investments can strengthen neighborhoods, attract workforce talent, and expand opportunities for residents,” Mayor Ken Welch said.
He added his thanks to the county and to developers Altis Cardinal, along with “the many partners for their collaboration and shared commitment to create affordable and workforce housing.”
“We continue to build on one of our key pillars of progress, Housing Opportunities For All, by ensuring St. Pete residents have a safe and stable environment to call home,” Welch said.
The city’s contribution to the project came via a forgivable loan from the Housing Capital Improvement Fund. The county’s contribution came from Penny for Pinellas funds.
Housing units will range in size from 562 to 1,370 square feet and will be available in studio and with one to three bedrooms. Amenities will include a rooftop lounge, swimming pool and ground-level retail.
The iconic Ceridian building will remain, though it’s no longer used as Ceridian’s headquarters. It will serve as an office building.
A perhaps little known fact: The building, when it was occupied by what was then Florida Power in the early 1990s, was used briefly as a backdrop in the sci-fi series SeaQuest, a Star Trek-like show that sought a new frontier below the ocean.
Also worth noting, Welch received a $25,000 contribution from Altis Cardinal to his affiliated political committee, The Pelican Political Action Committee, on Sept. 30. The City Council approved the $4.5 million for the project in April.