St. Regis hits one-year construction mark

A year has passed since the groundbreaking of The Residences at St. Regis Resort Longboat Key held on Oct. 25, 2021. 

“We’re actually slightly ahead of schedule,” Unicorp National Development CEO Chuck Whittall said. “Everything is moving along smoothly. We are still targeting a July 2024 opening. It’s on track to do that right now.”

As of Oct. 20, crews had started installing windows on the hotel building, the northernmost structure on the property. Residents and visitors of the barrier island will be able to see progress towards completing the exterior of the buildings. 

On the condo side, crews have poured the third floor of building two, and building three is being topped out. Masonry is halfway up the building. The slab-on-grade is 80% complete. 

According to an email update sent on Oct. 10, the fourth floor of building two on the condo side was being poured. The roof was being placed on the first area of the hotel. Condo building three and four are next on the list for roofs placed. 

In February, Whittall and the Unicorp team is planning to host a topping-off ceremony when the final building reaches its design height.

Two model rooms for the hotel portion of the site will be built off-site with completion expected in January. 

“We are building two hotel rooms outright, so we know what the rooms will look like,” Whittall said. “When it’s finished, we don’t want to have built 170 hotel rooms and then go ‘oh gee, we should have this in a different place.’” 

The rooms will allow the team to ensure every detail is perfect including wallpaper, tile, carpet and layout. 

During the first part of 2023, crews will begin digging swimming pools. 

Whittall touted hearing no complaints from neighbors of the construction or from the town in general. Contractors keep in touch with neighbors on a weekly basis to keep them informed of how the site is progressing. 

“I think it’s going to exceed everybody’s expectations,” he said. “We are continuing to enhance it in various different ways. I think it is going to be a special property for the town of Longboat Key and a special property to the state of Florida.” 

In August, the town granted five building permits, each valued at $185,000 for the installation of electrical wiring in the property’s five planned buildings. 

The condo complex will have 69 units arrayed in three five-story buildings on the south side of the property with parking garages on the ground level. All of the condominium units have already been sold. 

The 166-room hotel is being built on the north end, featuring two restaurants, a beach grill and three bars. Additionally, a ballroom with seating for 425 is planned, along with six meeting rooms and two board rooms.

About 350 workers are shuttled to and from the property each day from a mainland staging area.