After sitting underutilized for years, the windowless Frontier building at 821 1st Avenue North is finally set to see new life.
Plans have been filed with the City of St. Petersburg to redevelop the seven-story, 233,590-square-foot office and data center, which is partially leased by Frontier Communications. The proposed redevelopment includes 41,333 square feet of ground-floor retail space, 137,663 square feet of self-storage, and 54,594 square feet of office space.
Originally constructed in 1928 by the General Telephone Company of Florida, the building was expanded in 1967 and 1970. It remains a key part of St. Petersburg’s internet infrastructure, housing extensive fiber optic cable, switch rooms, frame rooms, and generators as large as jet engines.
Nearly the entire ground floor will be converted into retail spaces ranging from 1,550 to 3,900 square feet. These spaces will front all four sides of the building: 1st Avenue North, Dr. MLK Jr. Street North, Arlington Avenue, and 8th Street North…