St. Petersburg - Despite nibbles, YMCA building without buyer

After a burst of attention this fall, downtown's historic YMCA building is again without a buyer.

Boarded up since it was sold in 1999, the ornate plaster and concrete building at 116 Fifth St. S was the subject of some development interest in the fall, when one buyer signed a contract and another waited on the sidelines to make a deal.

Those plans have since fallen through, said Philip Powell, a partner in VPC3 II, the group that owns the property. The 51,500-square-foot building was last advertised for sale at $2.2 million. Built in 1926, the building housed the YMCA headquarters until the agency moved to First Avenue S. It has since been considered for development as condominiums, a private residence, a nightclub, a boutique hotel and a day spa.