St. Petersburg City Council came up one vote short Thursday in an effort to stop The Pelican, a proposed 21-story, 370-unit apartment tower on the edge of downtown. An appeal from preservation advocates failed to reach the five-member supermajority needed to overturn the city's Development Review Commission, so the high-rise's site plan remains in place. Neighbors who fought the project say the decision will push out long-time residents and reshape the character of the Uptown border.
Project and approvals
The Pelican is slated to rise roughly 221 feet on a 1.3-acre block at Fourth Street and Fifth Avenue North, with ground-floor retail and a multi-level parking garage. Designed by Baker Barrios for St. Petersburg-based Stadler Development, the project would replace several early-20th-century buildings on the block. As reported by Florida YIMBY, commissioners concluded the plan meets downtown zoning rules despite concerns from preservationists.
Why neighbors pushed back
Preserve the 'Burg and dozens of nearby residents packed council chambers to challenge the DRC approval, arguing the tower is out of scale with surrounding homes and will displace low-income tenants. More than 20 people spoke against the project during the hearing, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. "You have a problem when everybody is acknowledging this is not what we want to build, and yet we're somehow powerless to stop it," Preserve the 'Burg executive director Manny Leto told Axios.
Who would be displaced
The development site includes seven century-old buildings that neighbors say offer some of the city's dwindling naturally occurring affordable apartments. As reported by FOX 13, speakers highlighted Cara House, an independent-living complex that serves people dealing with mental-health and substance-use challenges, as especially at risk if demolition moves forward. Residents and advocates warned that relocating tenants on fixed incomes will be a serious hurdle.
Why council couldn't reverse the approval
Under city rules, overturning a Development Review Commission decision requires a five-member supermajority, a bar opponents could not clear. Four council members – Gina Driscoll, Deborah Figgs-Sanders, Richie Floyd and Lisset Hanewicz – voted to block the project, but with one member absent the motion failed and the DRC approval stood. Axios reported that several council members expressed sympathy for residents while saying the zoning code left them little room to act.
What the developer agreed to
As part of the approval, Stadler agreed to pay $1.5 million into the city's affordable-housing trust fund, contribute $50,000 toward public art and add screening to the exposed sides of the parking structure. Those conditions and concessions were outlined by St. Pete Catalyst.
What's next and why it matters
With the appeal denied, Stadler can move ahead with finalizing the land purchase, applying for demolition and building permits, and working on relocation plans for current tenants, although the developer has not released a construction timeline. The outcome highlights a broader shift in St. Petersburg toward taller downtown projects even as preservation groups and nearby residents push for stronger protections, a trend reflected in local coverage and planning records, including reporting by Florida YIMBY.
