Backstreets Capital announced the completion of a meticulous restoration of the historic Cade Allen residence at 250 Mirror Lake Drive in downtown St. Petersburg. After nearly 7,800 hours of work on windows, doors, floors and granite, the more than 4,000‑square‑foot home—originally built by pioneering developer Cade Allen—has been returned to its original single‑family use and listed for $3.5 million.
Restoration details
The project involved restoring 16 original doors, 30 windows, and rebuilding four additional windows to match the historic design. Over 1,000 hours were spent on exterior work, with roughly a third of the total labor focused on the windows. Crews discovered exceptionally dense, nearly petrified pine within the walls, requiring heavy‑handed nailing to secure new fasteners.
Backstreets reused original pine where possible, supplementing with new lumber where necessary to preserve the home’s historic character. The developer also salvaged about 250 granite stones from the property’s detached garage, planning to incorporate them into the foyer of the new condominium building.
The Cade condominium development
Behind the restored house, Backstreets is constructing The Cade, a seven‑story, 15‑unit condo project. Originally envisioned as 18 units, the plan was revised to larger three‑ and four‑bedroom residences averaging over 2,100 sq ft. Construction is about 50 % complete; the fourth‑floor slab is slated for pouring next week, and the foundation work began in April.
Six of the 15 units have already sold, and the developer expects the entire project to be finished by 2028. Prospective buyers are drawn to the panoramic views of the St. Petersburg skyline that the location offers.
Preservation and community impact
The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission required preservation of the Cade Allen home as a condition of approving the redevelopment in 2024. Although the house is not individually listed on historic registers, the city treats it as a contributing structure to the downtown historic district.
Backstreets founder Will Conroy, who also lives in the Allendale neighborhood, emphasized the collaborative effort behind the project, noting that coordinating the many skilled tradespeople was both challenging and rewarding.
The restored residence will remain separate from the condo tower, preserving its historic integrity while the new development adds modern housing options to the downtown core.
Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.
