The St. Petersburg Yacht Club, a landmark on the city’s waterfront since 1917, is charting a course for the future with tentative plans for a complete rebuild of its current facility. Leadership at the esteemed St. Pete Yacht Club is aiming for fiscal year 2028-29 to commence demolition and construction, signaling a significant investment in the club’s long-term vision.
Members of the St. Pete Yacht Club were briefed on the redevelopment project via an email update, following several meetings of the Building Replacement Oversight Committee (BROC) held between July 2023 and February. This update detailed a “bottoms-up approach” being adopted to meticulously assess site utilization and maximize the efficient use of construction resources, primarily funded through club dues. To lay the groundwork for this ambitious project, the St. Pete Yacht Club has already undertaken a comprehensive property survey at its 11 Central Avenue location, conducted thorough soil tests, and diligently gathered crucial information pertaining to city ordinances and easements.
Minutes from the February 27 BROC meeting reveal that Skanska, a globally recognized engineering firm, has been selected to spearhead the master planning phase. Skanska will be responsible for developing conceptual designs, which will be shared with both city officials and the St. Pete Yacht Club membership for feedback and approvals. Preliminary pre-cast concrete massing models have already been created to visualize potential building configurations on the site. These models presented two distinct building options, both incorporating a substantial 48,500 square feet of air-conditioned space and a swimming pool, underscoring the scale of the proposed redevelopment of the St. Pete Yacht Club.
“Now that we know the most we can put there, we have to start thinking about what we want to put inside,” explained Rear Commodore and project spokesperson Joe DiVito in a follow-up interview. He emphasized the collaborative nature of the next phase, stating, “That’s going to take a series of meetings with a whole group of people and committees.” Over the next six to ten months, St. Pete Yacht Club members will play a vital role in determining the allocation of space within the new facility, specifically for amenities such as a new restaurant, ballroom, and various meeting areas, ensuring the redesigned St. Pete Yacht Club meets the evolving needs of its membership. A key decision also looms regarding the construction of a new parking garage, an integral component of the overall site development.
The current St. Pete Yacht Club structure was built in the 1980s with a design to withstand a Category 1 hurricane. However, reflecting updated safety standards and the increasing intensity of storms, the new building standard is to withstand a Category 4 hurricane. Officials are currently evaluating cost estimates to retrofit the existing structure to meet these stringent codes. “By the time we finish construction, we’re going to have a 45-year-old parking garage,” DiVito pointed out, highlighting a critical factor in the decision-making process. The St. Pete Yacht Club is weighing two primary options: upgrading the existing parking garage or a more comprehensive approach. “Choice two is tearing the whole thing down, building the parking garage underneath the club and building the club above it. That has not been decided,” DiVito clarified, indicating the significant considerations involved in ensuring a resilient and modern St. Pete Yacht Club facility.
Historical context also plays a significant role in shaping the redevelopment plans. The “Great Hurricane of October 1921” served as a stark reminder of nature’s power, forcing a complete rebuild of the St. Pete Yacht Club just four years after its original opening. More recently, Hurricane Ian, which devastated Southwest Florida in September 2022, impacting numerous yacht clubs in its path, further underscored the critical need for enhanced environmental resilience in waterfront facilities like the St. Pete Yacht Club.
Beyond hurricane resilience, stakeholders have identified several pressing needs within the current St. Pete Yacht Club facility, including a new elevator, roof and pool deck renovations, kitchen modernization, and essential electrical repairs. As former club president Brian K. Smith stated in June 2023, even an extensive remodel would fall short of meeting current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regulations. The building’s current floor elevation is six feet below stipulated building standards, and FEMA mandates complete replacement if storm damage exceeds 50% of the facility’s appraised value. DiVito noted that these regulatory factors could influence the project’s timeline and scope.
“It could change based on costs, based upon storms – hurricanes that we get – any number of factors,” he explained, acknowledging the dynamic nature of long-term construction projects. “We don’t know what the costs are going to be in four and a half to five years – so, it might take a little longer,” DiVito added, while also pointing out potential avenues for accelerating the timeline. “And we could have somebody say, ‘I’d like to give you x amount of dollars to help with construction,’ and we could start earlier,” suggesting the possibility of philanthropic contributions impacting the project’s commencement.
According to meeting records, St. Pete Yacht Club officials are scheduled to engage with the city’s historical preservation staff to secure demolition approval, a necessary step given the landmark status of the existing structure. The minutes also acknowledge that organizations like Preserve the ‘Burg may express their perspectives on the proposed demolition, highlighting the community interest in the St. Pete Yacht Club’s future. While a 50-foot height restriction above base flood level is in place, the St. Pete Yacht Club has the potential to build up to 75 feet with city approval following a public hearing, offering design flexibility for the new facility. The email update to members emphasized the commitment to a thoughtful and deliberate planning process, ensuring sufficient time “to be thoughtful and methodical prior to officially engaging the team that will deliver a timeless, elegant and functional clubhouse that embodies the spirit of our prestigious club while meeting the needs and aspirations of our members.”
In a parallel development showcasing ongoing improvements at the St. Pete Yacht Club, construction is already underway on a new event pier and a 475-foot floating dock. DiVito explained that the existing pier structure, over 50 years old, was facing significant structural issues and becoming a “real problem.” The new pier is designed to better accommodate regattas and the numerous events hosted by the St. Pete Yacht Club, enhancing its capabilities as a premier sailing and social venue. “We tackled that first, and I think it’s going to be a tremendous asset to the club and the community,” DiVito concluded, underscoring the positive impact of these upgrades.
