St. Regis Longboat Key is ‘on budget and on time’

More than a year ago, the Longboat Town Commission gave their approval for the Residences at St. Regis Resort to be built at the former site of The Colony Beach and Tennis Resort. Since then, Moss Construction has been busy building what the developer says will be the nicest resort in all of Florida. When it is complete, the 166-room hotel along with three condo buildings comprising 69 units will be a landmark destination on Longboat Key, reviving a popular destination that invokes nostalgic memories in many local residents. Chuck Whittall, president of Orlando-based Unicorp National Developments Inc., said construction was “on budget and on time,” and he expects the construction phase of the project will be completed in March 2024, with occupancy of the condo units expected in July 2024. The condo units in the property have all been sold, he said. The St. Regis project on Longboat Key has been a passion project for Whittall as it’s taken more than 10 years from when he became involved to when he expects the project to be completed.

“Most of our projects take just two or three years,” he said. “But this one will have taken 12 years, but it’s going to be beautiful.”

Because of The Colony’s ownership structure, a protracted legal fight ensued after the resort closed its doors in the early 2000s, which wasn’t resolved until Whittall became involved in redeveloping the property.

Not even Hurricane Ian has been able to slow down the construction progress.

“There’s been many barriers,” Whittall said, “and none of them has stopped us.”