By Joey Lachman
ST. PETE BEACH- Guarding the mainland of St. Petersburg since the late 1950s, St. Pete Beach has been a jewel of the coastal town since the very beginning. The same beach would be almost unrecognizable to anyone who may have graced it’s sugary sand in the early days. Rapid development and commercialization have transformed St. Pete Beach into one of the vacation capitals of the world. Has it also transformed the identity of the very beach many love and call home? According to many residents, it has. That tiny slice of paradise has turned into a steaming hot plate of tourism. A trend that has positivly impacted state and local economies, in turn providing a steady stream of revenue for community projects. This change is one that certainly shifted the identity of our beloved beaches, but could it be a change for the better or worse?
In the early days, the beach was nothing more than a big sand dune with a few restaurants and inns, but the flowing gulf and green grasp of mother nature enthralled its visitors. Over the years the community grew into a small, sleepy town offering relaxing vacation getaways. Today, St. Pete Beach is populated with high-rise condominiums and luxury resorts, gone are the days of seeing the Gulf of Mexico from the east side of Gulf Boulevard. But here are the days of growth and development for the community that calls this island home. Since the very beginning, the TradeWinds resort has been a cherished member of the St. Pete Beach community, welcoming guests since its founding in the early 1960s.
Over the years the resort has grown and changed hands, but the allure of the gulf beach and comfort of the resort has remained the same, keeping guests coming back for years on end. Not long ago in late 2019, the resort was purchased by the South Florida-based institutional owner and manager of hotels, 1754 Properties. The firm also owns the iconic Downtown Tampa hotel The Floridian, in addition to over two billion dollars in property holdings with a wide range of reputable investors.
“1754 and its investment partner are uniquely well suited to continue the great legacy of TradeWinds. The resort is in excellent hands, and its guests, the resort’s team members and the city of St. Pete Beach should be excited about their involvement,” said Tim Bogott, former CEO of Fortune Hotels, the seller and previous owner of the TradeWinds Resorts.
Since the purchase of the property, 1754 and its partners have released plans for a massive renovation and restructuring of the 25-acre TradeWinds property. The proposed development would add an estimated 850,000 square feet of additional resort space, three parking garages and 650 new guest rooms along with a renovation of the existing amenities. The city of St. Pete Beach’s land development laws allow for 75 temporary lodging units per acre, after completion of the expansion the resort will have 1,587 units (937 current rooms plus 650 new rooms after expansion). This still leaves the resort with the potential to develop up to 288 more units on the current property after the expansion. The project is 100% privately funded, takes no money from taxpayers and shows the earnestness of the new owners to turn this resort into a world-class vacation destination.
In this great country we call home, the rights of an individual or corporation to do what they want with their land remain paramount. However, one could argue that the land the TradeWinds is on is a symbolic one, and one that is crucial to the community’s identity. Once TradeWinds starts to expand, will there be any beach left? Since the announced development, the Sirata (TradeWinds next-door neighbor) has announced a similar “world-class” renovation of their own with the help of their new partner, the hotel giant Marriott. It seems that change has come yet again for the beautiful beach so many call their own.
“I just think it's going to bring a lot of traffic to this beach and given the fact that the Sirata is doing the same thing, they're building 3 hotels on their site! I just think that this beach is going to be crazy,” said Suzie Brooks, a St. Pete Beach resident for over 40 years. Brooks talked about how the proposed development could change the identity of the beach she came to love, “a lot of people like this place the way it was, even myself you know. They had like three or four mini golf courses, and it was just low-key, family beach,”
Since the early 60s TradeWinds has been a vacation destination for those across the globe, and with this expansion the property will be well-equipped to welcome travelers far into the future. It is also important to mention the monetary benefits this project will have for the community with the creation of new jobs and tax revenue. The TradeWinds development website boasts an estimated “$19 million in new annual tax revenue” that will be created by the expansion. The architectural firm Nunzio Marc DeSantis Architects has been tasked with leading the design, the firm has designed many luxury resorts for Four Seasons and the Ritz Carlton.
“This development will provide a wonderful destination that will attract more tourists and allow for more tourism dollars to help build the beach’s economy,” said Alexis Hoffstadter, The Director of Training and Culture Development for TradeWinds. “Our architects and designers have worked with the community to ensure that the traffic patterns will be addressed, and we have drawings for a large and upscale beach access that will allow for a better access point.”
Change is inevitable, but that does not mean the change is for the better or worse. This development will affect each community member differently, some may enjoy the public additions, and some may wish their old beach was back. With the expected rising prices to follow, some families that have been coming for years on end may have to find another destination where they can better stretch their vacation dollar. Seemingly gone are the days of a quaint, low-key beach, and here are the days of development. However, the days of development bring quality public features along with unmatched accommodations on one of the best beaches in the world. This development could revolutionize the TradeWinds property and solidify it as the vacation destination of St. Pete Beach, one of the vacation destinations of the world.
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