St. Petersburg, FL (October 14, 2020) – The EDGE District in downtown St. Petersburg is getting a new mixed-use project on the site of the old Police Department headquarters, and the project’s developers have announced a name for the project, inspired by the railroad that put St. Petersburg on the map in 1888.
Edge Central Development Partners has named the project “Orange Station at the Edge.”
The development partners worked with the EDGE Business District Association’s EDGE District History Project to uncover unique stories about downtown St. Petersburg, which ultimately led to naming the project Orange Station. Through the History Project, the partners learned that the City of St. Petersburg was founded in the late 1880s when Peter Demens brought his Orange Belt Railway to land owned by John Williams in south Pinellas County.
The City’s first train arrived June 8, 1888 at a temporary depot at 9 th Street and First Avenue South in what is today’s EDGE District, according to historian Ray Arsenault, author of “St. Petersburg and the Florida Dream – 1888-1950.” The arrival of the Orange Belt Railway spurred the initial development of the city.
“We were surprised and excited to learn about the historical significance of this part of downtown St. Pete,” said Jay Miller of J Square Developers, one of the project partners. “Orange Station perfectly captures what this project will bring to downtown and the Edge District.”
With 100,000 square feet of new office space, 85 new residential units (condominiums and workforce apartments), 20,000 square feet of new retail shops along Central Avenue, and a 400-space public parking garage, “we expect Orange Station to become a hub of activity where people come and go seven days a week for lots of different reasons,” Miller said.
The various building components will surround a new public plaza with several outdoor cafes and will serve as one of the stations for the new Sunrunner bus rapid transit line connecting downtown with St. Pete Beach.
Last month, the City and the developer announced that Orange Station will also include a public art tribute to “The Courageous 12,” the 12 black St. Petersburg police officers who successfully sued the city in the 1960s to gain the same rights as their white counterparts.
The announcement of the Orange Station name comes as the developers have released updated conceptual renderings of the project. The sleek nine-story office building will feature views to the south of the project’s pedestrian plaza and Central Avenue. Office tenants and condominium residents will also enjoy views of the downtown St. Petersburg skyline to the east.
The parking garage will be located mid-block, providing direct access to the residential and office buildings. The garage stair tower will feature a six-story green wall with foliage cascading down the elevation to add an exciting natural feature to the plaza.
“The evolution of the design embraces the energy of the surrounding EDGE District,” said project architect Tim Clemmons of Place Architecture in St. Petersburg. “Today, it’s a hip, eclectic neighborhood and we wanted the project to reflect that vitality.”
Site preparation and demolition will begin in 2021, with project completion expected in 2023.
Edge Central Partners is a joint venture comprised of local companies:
-J Square Developers, based in St. Petersburg, has developed a number of area residential and retail projects, including the Trader Joe’s on Fourth Street N;
-Tampa-based DDA Development, led by Bowen Arnold and John Schilling, has developed such St. Petersburg projects as downtown’s Salvador condominium and Campbell Landings, a senior apartment living complex;
-Craig Sher and Will Conroy of St. Petersburg-based Backstreets Capital, LLC are longtime St. Petersburg civic leaders and investors.
Project architect Tim Clemmons of St. Petersburg-based Place Architecture, and office leasing specialist Wendy Giffin of Cushman and Wakefield complete the project team.
For more information visit: www.orangestationstpete.com