Permits Advance for Echelon’s $225 Million Twin-Tower Development in Downtown St. Pete
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One of downtown St. Petersburg’s largest planned residential developments has reached another key milestone as permits move forward for Echelon’s proposed twin-tower apartment project on the former UPC Insurance headquarters site.
The mixed-use development, planned for approximately 3 acres at 800 2nd Avenue South, will transform a prominent downtown property into a high-density residential destination featuring two 31-story towers, hundreds of apartments, ground-floor retail space, and extensive resident amenities. The latest permit activity signals continued progress toward construction as developers work through the final stages of approvals.
The project is being developed through a partnership between St. Petersburg-based Echelon and Tampa investment firm Third Lake Partners. Plans call for approximately 824 market-rate apartment units and more than 35,000 square feet of retail and commercial space designed to activate the surrounding streetscape. Once completed, the development will rank among the largest residential projects ever built in downtown St. Petersburg.
The towers will rise roughly 343 feet above downtown, making them among the tallest structures in the city. The residential community will include studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom floorplans, with private balconies and premium amenities overlooking the downtown skyline and Tampa Bay waterfront.
Project plans also include a seven-story parking podium containing approximately 1,550 parking spaces and hundreds of bicycle parking spots. An expansive rooftop amenity deck is expected to feature resort-style swimming pools, fitness facilities, gathering spaces, sports courts, and outdoor recreation areas designed to appeal to urban renters seeking a walkable downtown lifestyle.
The redevelopment replaces the former UPC Insurance office campus, a property that has been the subject of multiple redevelopment concepts over the past several years. Earlier proposals included office, hotel, healthcare, and residential components. The current Echelon-led vision focuses primarily on residential density and street-level retail activity, helping support the continued growth of downtown St. Petersburg’s urban core.
The project also reflects broader development momentum occurring throughout St. Petersburg as population growth, housing demand, and investment continue to reshape the city’s skyline. Large-scale residential developments have increasingly become a focal point for downtown expansion as developers seek to meet demand for housing near employment centers, entertainment venues, and waterfront amenities.
With permitting activity now advancing, demolition and site preparation efforts could move forward in the coming months, bringing the long-discussed redevelopment one step closer to construction. If completed as planned, the Echelon project will add more than 800 new residential units while creating a significant mixed-use destination along a key corridor connecting downtown St. Petersburg to the future redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District.
