Among top dollar condos for sale on St. Petersburg's Beach Drive, a glass aerie with views
By Susan Taylor Martin
Tampa Bay Times
Published: Aug 21, 2014

ST. PETERSBURG – For the new owner of this glass house, no worries about people throwing stones: It's 34 stories up.

A stunning tri-level penthouse atop downtown's Signature Place, the Glasshouse just hit the market for $3.2 million. That will get you black-veined marble floors, custom finishings and expansive views through the floor-to-ceiling windows that give the 4,177 square foot condo its name.

The present owners, interior designer Rob Bowen and Smith & Associates CEO Bob Glaser, estimate they spent $1.5 million on a "gut" renovation that transformed several small rooms into a sleek, spacious aerie that occupies the 34th through 36th floors.

"We wanted to go for a very classic, very timeless yet somewhat edgy and unique home," Bowen said. "Me being a designer and Bob being in real estate, everything we do, we try to do properly so it could last a hundred years."

As big and unusual as the Glasshouse may be, it's not the most expensive condo currently for sale in the Tampa Bay area.

A penthouse in Clearwater Beach's Sandpearl is listed at nearly $7 million. Along St. Petersburg's Beach Drive, perhaps the area's hottest condo market, a Parkshore Plaza penthouse owned by the children of ValPak founder Terry Loebel is going for $3.495 million. And a four-bedroom unit in the nearby Florencia is listed at $3.45 million.

With the Glasshouse also priced above $3 million, it's the first time anyone can remember that three such expensive units were on the downtown market at the same time.

That could be good news for the sellers. "There's very limited inventory in large square footage properties," Glaser said. "In Tampa, nothing is available in condos right now.''

He and Bowen paid $1 million two years ago for their condo on 1st Street S in Signature Place, the bay area's tallest residential building. Over the next 18 months, Bowen's team went to work, stripping the unit down to bare concrete and eliminating all but one wall on the first floor to maximize the space and with it, the views of the city and the bay.

"Signature is one of the only buildings with floor to ceiling windows, which is what originally what attracted us,'' Bowen said. "For me, there's that love of being the designer, of bringing the outdoors into the interior."

To keep the space light and airy, the kitchen wall that houses appliances is clad in stainless steel. In lieu of a traditional dining table, there's a 10 foot long slab of Starfire glass.

Among other unique features: A custom-made glass male figure mounted over the bath tub. and a shower pushed up against a glass wall for what the owners call "a somewhat voyeuristic bathing experience.''

The furniture, all of it custom. too, is negotiable.

The Glasshouse is not only good looking but "smart.'' It knows exactly where the sun is at all hours of the day and automatically lowers mylar-lined shades to block out the hottest rays. The result: electric bills that average just $300 in the summer.

The goal of creating what Glaser calls "an iconic place" paid off this year with an award from the Southeast Building Conference. The condo also has been featured on several web sites devoted to architecture and design.

Since the Glasshouse went on the market, there have been several showings, all to locals, with no offers yet. Once it sells, Bowen and Glaser plan to rent, probably in Signature Place, before moving into a new downtown condo tower expected to start construction later this year. What will they miss most about their current residence?

Answers Glaser: "I'll miss the spectacular sunrises and sunsets. You lie in bed and see the sun rise on one side and after a hard day you watch it set on the other side."

Answers Bowen: "I'll miss everything about it. It's a fantastic home and I'm excited to see what the next house will look like."

Contact Susan Taylor Martin at susan@tampabay.com. Follow @susanskate.