St. Regis work goes vertical on Longboat Key

As construction moves into the summer on the Residences at St. Regis Resort Longboat Key this summer, milestones are being passed one by one. 

The town recently granted five building permits for the residential and hotel complex's five main buildings, totaling $331.1 million:

• At 1601 Gulf of Mexico Drive, a five-story hotel building, valued at $175 million
• At 1561 GMD, a five story condominium building, valued at $55.57 million
• At 1591 GMD, a five-story condominium building, valued at $53.24 million
• At 1581 GMD, a five-story condominium building, valued at $42.64 million
• At 1571 GMD, a single-story amenity building valued at $4.67 million

As far as construction operations go, 2,700 piles have been driven and the rigging used to sink them removed, replaced by tower cranes.

More than 18,000 cubic yards of concrete have been poured, averaging about 250 a day. For comparison's sake, a fully loaded ready-mix cement truck can carry about 10 cubic yards. That explains the near constant stream of bright yellow-green machines up and down Gulf of Mexico Drive these days. 

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

Workers recently poured concrete for the hotel's second floor (the northernmost building), and work is underway on an underground stormwater vault. The base of the condominium building closest to GMD has been poured, with preparations under way to move to the second floor, and footings for the middle condominium building are being prepared now. 

The project, which will have 69 residences and 166 hotel rooms, is expected to be completed in about two years. The residences are sold out.