Protecting the Downtown National Register Historic District - No to "Bezu" Scroll to the bottom of the page to send your message to city council
March 1 Update - City council has affirmed the decision of the city's Development Review Commission to say NO to Bezu! Click here to read the newspaper story. The developer has submitted a revised plan "son of bezu" that still proposes a building out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood. No hearing date has yet been set for review of the revised plan.
Downtown St. Petersburg has a special sense of place, largely derived from its mix of old and new! The importance of downtown's inventory of historic buildings to the city's special feel was recognized In 2004 with the designation of the Downtown National Register Historic District. The district generally encompasses the area between Central & 5th Avenues North.
Fourth Ave. N., between the waterfront & I-375 is particularly rich in its collection and mix of historic resources. Facing this portion of 4th Ave. are seven designated local landmark buildings (one has been relocated) and an additional six buildings that have been identified as eligible for landmark designation.
The 1925 Flori de Leon Apartments, where Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig stayed when the N.Y. Yankees called the 'Burg their spring home, is one of the designated landmarks on 4th Ave. N. The "Bezu" is a proposed high rise condo tower to be built atop a massive parking garage at the corner of 1st St. & 4th Ave. N. and immediately next to the Flori de Leon. The Bezu is simply too much development on too small of a piece of property within the heart of the National Register district.
The city's Development Review Commission (DRC) reviewed the Bezu plan in December 2017 and unanimously voted to deny its request for development approval, finding the proposed high rise would be too tall and massive for its location. City council affirmed the DRC decision in February 2018.
Both the original and revised Bezu plans call on the city to determine if there is a limit to the mass, height and intensity of downtown development and if the special feel of the Downtown National Register Historic District is to be protected. It is time to for the city to make clear that keeping our city special matters! Making your voice heard makes a difference - send your message NOW to city council. Tell them yes to preserving the 'Burg and no to Bezu. Pictured to the right is a scaled drawing of the original Bezu plan showing Bezu next to the Flori de Leon (the lower grey portion is the parking garage)!
It's easy to send your message to city council (council@stpete.org). You can write your own or just click on the link below to sign your name to a simple, ready to use message.
Thanks for doing your part! Ask your family and friends to do so too!
Want to get more info about PTB's efforts to protect downtown's historic resources? Click here to go to the PTB First Block page or click here to go to the page about the 4th/5th Ave. N. corridor.
March 1 Update - City council has affirmed the decision of the city's Development Review Commission to say NO to Bezu!
The 1925 .jpg)
Both the original and revised Bezu plans call on the city to determine if there is a limit to the mass, height and intensity of downtown development and if the special feel of the Downtown National Register Historic District is to be protected. It is time to for the city to make clear that keeping our city special matters! Making your voice heard makes a difference - send your message NOW to city council. Tell them yes to preserving the 'Burg and no to Bezu. Pictured to the right is a scaled drawing of the original Bezu plan showing Bezu next to the Flori de Leon (the lower grey portion is the parking garage)!