Pass-a-Grille faces redevelopment proposals nearly a year after Hurricane Helene

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene tore through the Gulf Coast, some of Pass-a-Grille’s prime real estate is seeing major redevelopment and more proposals are in the works.

The apartments, known locally as the Barracks by the Sea, have a few buildings still boarded up from the storm.

The property holds a unique place in the beach town’s history. Originally used as Army barracks during World War II, the units were part of St. Petersburg’s role in hosting soldiers stationed in the area.

Now, the owners are seeking city approval to replace the storm-damaged structures with a modern, eight-unit apartment complex.

Community push to preserve beach charm

All around Pass-a-Grille, signs of rebuilding are visible. But for residents and business owners, the question is whether new developments will honor the town’s old-Florida charm.

"Pass-a-Grille is a unique area. It’s just a beautiful area. It’s paradise," said Rick Falkenstein, owner of Hurricane Seafood Restaurant has told FOX13 during the post-storm recovery. Still, he acknowledges change is on the horizon. "It’s going to change…it’s really going to change…and it’s sad."

Several residents FOX13 spoke to said they support some of the proposed changes like Barracks by the Sea, and said its better than the property being turned into 'McMansions.'

New hotel proposal

Just steps from another local icon, the Seahorse Restaurant, a fixture since 1930, now being rebuilt, an open lot could soon host a very different kind of development.

Plans have been submitted for a four-story, 17-room boutique hotel with a rooftop pool. The hotel called the Helios, has a sleek, modern design, but with just 17 rooms, it has a smaller footprint.

Because the project sits within the city’s Eighth Avenue District, it does not require a design review, meaning the architecture does not have to reflect the character of the surrounding area.

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The City of St. Pete Beach's senior planner told FOX13 that while design requirements for the district are in the works, they have not yet been adopted.

Timeline:

Both projects are currently under review. The city says site plan approvals generally take 60 to 90 days. The Barracks by the Sea redevelopment also seeks exceptions to certain building requirements and will require board approval.

Importantly, neither the apartment project nor the proposed hotel will require approval from the St. Pete Beach City Commission.

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