In the past thirty years, Downtown St. Pete has seen an explosion of small businesses, local art culture and posh high-rise condominiums. But, the scenery of our coastal, urban environment was very different in 1976.

Plenty of entrepreneurs and leaders have shaped the landscape we see today, but one pioneer took the initiative to completely change downtown, and the legacy still stands today.

The construction of the Bayfront Tower in 1976 was an incredible advancement in architecture for our city, and since its completion almost 30 years ago, has continued to be a residential landmark of St Petersburg.

Nestled between Central Avenue and Beach Drive, the 29-floor tower is still one of the tallest buildings in our community. Though today, Ceviche, the St Petersburg Yacht Club and our seasonal Saturday Morning Market is a stone’s throw away, when the Tower was initially conceived, downtown was a totally different landscape.

"People were really taking a risk in moving down this way," says board member and resident Kathy Davey, "The city was completely different."

Photo: East view from 28th floor of Bayfront Tower

With the addition of more condominiums in the Beach Drive area, the Bayfront Tower is no longer alone. After years of the same design and lasting architecture, the citizens of the building have found themselves seeking change. So, the board members began creating a plan for renovation.

Ranging from tasks as small as changing the doorknobs to large-scale projects such as painting the facade, the association has contracted a local architectural firm and engineering firm to create the Master Facility Plan, the "MFP," which provides an outline for the proposed repairs and upgrades.

The plan details the long-term and ambitious changes set to occur at the Bayfront Tower over the next ten years. The members of the Bayfront Tower have to cast a vote for any aesthetic changes in the building. Davey adds, "People really have a say in what they want their building to look like. If they want new furniture in the lobby, everyone has to vote on it."

So far, outdoor balcony-railings have been voted on and approved for action. The Bayfront Tower condos will soon be adorned by minimalistic glass railing for their balconies, a project which should begin late this spring. 

Other renovations include revamping the 28th-floor community room and the individual hallways of the building. "We’re just digesting what needs to be replaced and what can be replaced," says Davey, "we’re getting a good scope of where to start."

Photo: West view from 28th floor of Bayfront Tower

Report contributed by Bernadette Di Blasio, Freelance Journalist and USFSP Professional Writing graduate. Bernadette is a bad-television enthusiast who covers the odds-and-ends of St. Petersburg lifestyle and culture. Though mostly nocturnal, she can sometimes be found tucked away in a corner of Kahwa or haunting her favorite porch steps and bar booths past sundown.

Like to see Bernadette cover a topic? Email info@iLovetheBurg.com with the subject "Yo Bernadette!" 

If you like this story, "Like" us on Facebook to stay updated.