Greenspace is a vital urban amenity in St. Petersburg. 93% of the city is within a half-mile walk of a public park. With community, equity and inclusion in mind, designers of the 1920s felt a responsibility that new developments should balance building volume with social greenspace. The result is Central Avenue, characterized by wide sidewalks and arcades that foster a culture of walkability. This project is conceived as a component of these larger social systems and a continuation of the ethos that generated them.

It gives back to the city in the design of a new public space providing the opportunity for planned visits and chance encounters alike. Additionally, it relies on a highly articulated façade of surfaces pushed and pulled to break up the primary mass of the building, giving it an intimate, human proportion that effectively frames the street and engages it as an active public space. Architecture like that of the Moxy Hotel, food hall, and co-working spaces enable St. Petersburg, and the Collective Development, to be thriving, vibrant places of public life.