Downtown St. Petersburg is about to get a new high-rise neighbor. A 24-story apartment tower is slated to rise at 275 5th Street South as Chicago-based developer Focus and co-developer Bradford Allen move from site testing into full construction. The mixed-use project will bring roughly 370 rental apartments, street-level retail and a double-height sky lounge just off Central Avenue. Developers estimate a construction window of about 26 to 28 months, aiming to open the building in 2028.
Loan Closed, Dirt Already Moving
According to St. Pete Rising, Focus has already started early groundwork testing on the site and has closed a construction loan with Affinius Capital. The outlet reports the company is teaming with co-developer Bradford Allen and intends to move into vertical construction once the engineering work wraps. Recent on-site activity and permit filings point to a quick pivot into full-scale building as soon as foundations are locked in.
Project Size And Who Is Behind It
Focus lists the development as a 24-story, mixed-use tower totaling about 511,509 square feet, with roughly 367 residential units and about 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. The project marks the firm's first foray into the Tampa–St. Pete market. As outlined on Focus's site, PLACE Architecture is serving as the local architect, and the team is targeting a 2028 completion. In the company's portfolio, the building is billed as a Class-A, highly walkable addition to downtown's apartment offerings.
Design, Amenities And Project Team
Local reporting indicates the tower will feature a 3,000-square-foot ground-floor co-working space, an amenity deck above the parking podium with a resort-style pool and a parking garage with more than 300 spaces. The showpiece is planned as a double-height Sky Lounge on the 24th floor. Those features, along with the 26- to 28-month construction timeline, are detailed by St. Pete Rising. The project team includes local architect Tim Clemmons of PLACE Architecture, global design firm Gensler on interiors and general contractor KAST Construction.
What It Means For Downtown
The Focus tower is part of a broader high-rise surge that is reshaping St. Pete's skyline and downtown street life, adding more renters and new ground-floor retail to an already tight urban core. similar projects topping out downtown suggest a small group of builders and lenders is repeatedly active in the market. For nearby residents and businesses, that translates into more cranes and construction noise in the near term, followed by a noticeable bump in rental inventory once these buildings start opening.
What To Watch Next
Bradford Allen says vertical work will kick off after engineering and groundwork testing are complete, with occupancy planned for 2028 and the exact sequencing to be spelled out through permit filings and on-site notices. As the team locks in its construction schedule, the public can expect official updates on any lane or sidewalk impacts and changes to traffic management. We will be tracking permits and on-site postings to report firm dates for demolition, foundation pours and the first visible signs of the tower climbing into the skyline.
