The Brief
- Pass-a-Grille is facing redevelopment proposals nearly a year after Hurricane Helene.
- The apartments, known locally as the Barracks by the Sea, have a few buildings still boarded up from the storm.
- 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.
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.”…