A new PNC Bank branch is planned for the former SunTrust building at Seminole Boulevard and Park Boulevard, but the city wants the design to fit the corridor first.
City Manager Ann Toney-Deal told the City Council on May 12 that developers intend to tear down the existing bank and put up a PNC branch in its place.
The site had drawn interest from Greenlane, a drive-thru salad concept, but that company is no longer pursuing a Seminole location, Toney-Deal said. In January, the council was critical of Greenlane’s design, which it said did not align with the city’s character.
She described the initial plans as a “very vanilla submission” that shows little more than a building footprint. The proposal does not yet include the architectural details the city expects along the corridor.
PNC branches in Largo and Pinellas Park have elements that would suit Seminole, Toney-Deal said. The current submission does not, though she noted the developers appear to be early in the process.
Because the property sits on a major corridor, it falls under the city’s architectural and landscaping guidelines. The city typically works with developers to bring projects in line with those standards.
The developers are seeking variances for the project to move forward, Toney-Deal said, and talks over the final design are continuing.