5700 Escondida Blvd. #402, St. Petersburg, FL 33715

Vista de Oro is a hidden gem on the island of Isla del Sol. Located directly on Boca Ciega Bay and hidden from the Pinellas Bayway by a beautiful golf course, the 30-unit building has a distinctive history. It was designed to accommodate upper level executives of General Electric as they created and developed the Island. As a result, Vista de Oro was built to a particularly high standard in terms of structure and amenities. It features a lobby on a first floor that also contains a fitness center, a small kitchen, an area used for card games and meetings, as well as an office for an on-site maintenance person. Outside is a landscaped walkway beside a duck pond leading to a private pool area. The pool may also be accessed more directly through the under-building garage in which each resident is assigned one space. In addition to a huge, heated pool and spa overlooking the Bay, there is shaded seating under a pergola with two BBQ grills for the use of residents. Vista de Oro also boasts a private beach from which residents launch kayaks and a driveway that connects directly to the Pinellas bike trail. Unit 402 is as distinctive as the building it is in! It was totally remodeled in 2013 -- converted from 3 bedrooms, 3 baths to 2 bedrooms, 2 baths with a bonus room and wide open floorplan to better capture the spectacular views. There is also a 25’ balcony accessed from sliders in the living room and master bedroom. Both large bedrooms boast ensuite bathrooms, separate vanity/dressing areas, linen closets and large walk-in closets. The master bedroom has an oversized walk-in shower clad in marble, while the second bathroom has a tub/shower combination. The huge open kitchen features cherry wood cabinets, premium level granite and stainless steel appliances. The floors of the main living area and baths are 24” porcelain tile, all windows are covered in protective film to reduce solar heating/fading, and new hurricane shutters were installed in May 2020. A prized feature of this condo is that all rooms are positioned along the south, waterside of the building; there are no dark rooms or less than spectacular views in any part of the unit. In summer, when the sun is high overhead, the balcony remains shaded. In winter, there is sun, plus sunrises and sunsets. All rooms feature wide open water views all the way to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which is beautifully illuminated at night. Cruise ships can be seen passing beneath it and along Ft. DeSoto. Pelicans, herons, egrets and osprey fly by the windows and dive for fish throughout the day, while dolphins (which may also be seen and heard through open windows) and cormorants frequently engage in game-playing with kayakers. It is a wonderful life!