34-story condo tower planned for the heart of downtown Tampa

TAMPA — The developers of the new Virage condo tower on Bayshore Boulevard are planning an even bigger project in the heart of downtown Tampa.

The 80-unit Arris is expected to rise at the corner of Ashley Drive and Twiggs Street on what is now a surface parking lot. At 34 stories, it would be among the tallest condo towers in the Tampa Bay area.

"Downtown Tampa has a new level of excitement and vibrancy that people across the country are noticing,'' Jay Tallman, president of Ascentia Development Group, said in a release. "Arris Tampa will be a beautiful architectural statement that adds to the downtown skyline, and residents will have world-class art, restaurants and entertainment just steps from their front door.''

Sarasota-based Ascentia and Batson-Cook Development are joint venture partners in the tower, which would overlook Curtis Hixon Riverfront Park, the Hillsborough River and the minarets of the University of Tampa. Plans call for no more than four units per floor with an as-yet-to-be-named restaurant taking up the entire ground floor.

Units would range from 1,100 to 3,700 square feet and be priced from $600,000 to more than $2 million. The tower also would include several levels of parking.

Tallman hinted that Ascentia had another bay area project in the works when he attended the May 14th topping off of Virage, a 24-story tower on site of the now-closed Colonnade restaurant. All but four of the 71 units in Virage have been sold at list prices ranging from $1 million to nearly $5 million. The building will be finished this year, with closings in early 2020.

READ MORE: Atop Tampa's new Virage Bayshore condo tower, you can see (almost) forever

The name Arris (pronounced AIR-iss) comes from an architectural term that refers to the sharp edge formed by the meeting of two flat or curved surfaces. As shown in renderings, the edges of the balconies on one side of the tower curve up, creating a curved shape overall.

The developers plan to break ground early next year for Arris, located at 507 N. Ashley Drive next to the law offices of Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler. Attorney Harley Riedel is among the owners of land.

"We were selective about who we chose to develop the site,'' he said in the release. "Since 1976, our law firm has had its offices in the century-old buildings that abut this site, and we were looking for a partner with a stellar reputation and an exciting vision for a high-quality project that will be our neighbor for many years to come. The Virage team and its vision met our requirements, and we congratulate them on their concept and design.''

READ MORE: Tampa Bay's newest, tallest condo tower is almost done, and units already are being flipped for big bucks

The tallest condo towers currently in Tampa are the 32-story SkyPoint and the 30-story Towers of Channelside. Construction is expected to start this year on the 35-story Eleve in the Channel Diestrict and Riverwalk Place, a 50-plus story tower downtown on the Hillsborough River.

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The tallest residential tower on Florida's west coast is the 41-story ONE St. Petersburg, completed late last year. The nearby Signature Place rises 36 stories.

Times staff writer Richard Danielson contributed to this report. Contact Susan Taylor Martin at smartin@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8642. Follow @susanskate.