May 07, 2026

Controversial Tierra Verde Marina redevelopment narrowly approved after heated debate

May 07, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

St. Petersburg’s Development Review Commission voted Wednesday night to approve a controversial redevelopment of the Tierra Verde Marina after hours of public comment and debate over traffic, hurricane safety, environmental impacts, and compatibility with the surrounding island community.

The approval narrowly passed with a 4-3 vote. Commissioners Charles Flynt, Sam Blatt, and Sarah Jane Vatelot voted against the project. Kevin Reali, Joseph Griner, Will Conroy, and David Hugglestone voted in favor.

Along with the approval, the DRC passed two conditions of approval. Commissioners unanimously voted to require a thorough noise study and limit noise levels to 60 decibels. They also approved operating hours for the marina and pool from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

Today, the marina features 64 wet slips, 314 high-and-dry racks within a 58,000-square-foot indoor storage complex, a 24,000-square-foot shopping center, and a gas station.

The approved proposal would demolish the existing shopping center and gas station and redevelop the seven-acre marina property at 100 Pinellas Bayway South with two additional 72-foot dry-storage rack buildings, a public restaurant and rooftop bar, retail space, marina offices, and a private pool area for marina members.

May 07, 2026

The Beachcomber hotel and Jimmy B’s Beach Bar on St. Pete Beach sell for $31.5 million

May 07, 2026/ Kyla Fields

An iconic waterfront hotel on St. Pete Beach, which has operated for more than 50 years, now has new owners.

The Beachcomber Hotel, located at 6200 Gulf Boulevard, has been purchased by South Carolina-based OTO Development for $31.5 million.

The seller, Miami-based Gencom, acquired the hotel in 2018 for $24 million.

The 102-room Beachcomber is one of the most recognizable hotels on St. Pete Beach, known for its laid-back “Old Florida” vibe and Jimmy B’s Beach Bar, a popular live music venue that has become a staple for both tourists and locals.

OTO Development, a hospitality company that develops, owns, renovates and manages hotels across the United States, has not publicly detailed its long-term plans for the property.

“This is an exciting addition to OTO’s growing portfolio in the Tampa-St. Pete market,” said CEO Rob Rain in a press release. “The Beachcomber complements our nearby properties, positioning us to meet continued demand from the millions of tourists who visit St. Pete Beach each year.”

May 06, 2026

12-story, 150-unit affordable housing tower proposed for former Playhouse Theater site in Grand Central District

May 06, 2026/ Brian Zucker

The former Playhouse Theater and Morph Nightclub properties in St. Pete’s Grand Central District could soon be demolished for a new affordable housing tower near downtown St. Pete.

Tampa-based affordable housing developer Blue Sky Communities has the 0.61-acre site at 1850 Central Avenue and 1833 1st Avenue South under contract for $6.25 million.

The deal is expected to close in March 2027.

Plans call for a 12-story, 150-unit affordable apartment tower, called JR Tower, with 3,000 square feet of commercial space.

“Getting affordable and workforce housing in downtown St. Pete is becoming increasingly difficult so this is an opportunity that doesn’t present itself often,” Blue Sky Communities Executive Vice President and CFO Scott Macdonald said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

“I hope it will alleviate a lot of the challenges this area is seeing for staffing businesses. Additionally, we are excited for the residents to be able to utilize the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as JR Tower will be a quarter of a mile from a BRT station,” Macdonald added.

Blue Sky Communities plans to utilize Chapter 17.5 of St. Pete’s municipal code, which allows affordable housing developments on certain commercially and industrially zoned properties in exchange for long-term affordability requirements.

May 06, 2026

Michelin-recommended Cousin Vinny’s bringing chicken cutlet sandwiches to St. Pete

May 06, 2026/ Kyla Fields

A Tampa sandwich shop known for its New York Italian-American chicken cutlet sandwiches is making its way to St. Pete’s Grand Central District.

Cousin Vinny’s Sandwich Co., recently recommended by the Michelin Guide, is preparing to open at 2063 Central Avenue, taking over the space formerly home to Little Philly, which closed in December.

The new sandwich shop is expected to debut by the end of 2026.

The menu features a variety of chicken cutlet sandwiches, such as the best-selling Thee Parmesan Don, a chicken parmesan sandwich with house-made red sauce, mozzarella, and grated parmesan.

A smaller lineup of Italian-American deli sandwiches and wraps are also available.

For partner AJ DeSimone, the move across the Bay has been a long time coming.

“Opening a second location in St. Pete seems like the natural progression of a restaurant that starts in Tampa…but we recognize that it’s a completely different market,” DeSimone said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We’re not trying to ‘Tampa their St. Pete,’ but we want to be a part of their community and bring a type of cuisine that might not be available to them all of the time.”

May 05, 2026

Dave’s Hot Chicken bringing the heat to Pinellas Park

May 05, 2026/ Kyla Fields

A California-based franchise known for hot chicken is expanding its footprint in Pinellas County.

Dave’s Hot Chicken is headed to 4683 Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park, taking over a former Moe’s Southwest Grill, which closed earlier this year.

According to plans submitted to the city, Dave’s Hot Chicken is currently renovating the space—constructing new partition walls, ceilings, and bathrooms, revamping the plumbing and electrical systems, and installing a new kitchen exhaust hood and self-order kiosks.

The 2,300 square-foot, fast-casual restaurant will be able to seat 61 people.

Scott Strahm of King Chicken LLC, the local franchisee of this location, tells St. Pete Rising that the new Pinellas Park storefront will be open by July.

The fast-casual chain is known for its Nashville-style chicken tenders, which can be piled high on a slider or served on top of fries or mac and cheese.

May 05, 2026

120-bed skilled nursing and rehab facility to expand in Pinellas Park

May 05, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Gulf Shore Care Center, a comprehensive rehabilitation and nursing facility, is expanding its footprint in Pinellas Park.

The 120-bed center, spanning over 44,000 square feet at 6767 86th Avenue North, plans to add an adjoining 20,000-square-foot building with 77 new beds—allowing the facility to serve more residents in need of care.

As part of the expansion, at least 77 surface parking spaces would be added to the property for a total of 130 spaces.

The original center was built in 1997 with 60 beds. An addition 60 beds were added in 2007.

During a Pinellas Park City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 21st, Councilmembers unanimously approved a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and preliminary site plan approval for an expansion of the residential care facility.

May 04, 2026

Public Q&A offers clearer look at competing visions for the redevelopment of the 86-acre Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete

May 04, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Developers vying to redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete made their first public pitch last Thursday at the Coliseum, as the City of St. Petersburg hosted an open house featuring presentations from the four shortlisted teams: ARK Ellison Horus, The Burg Bid, Foundation Vision Partners, and the Pinellas County Housing Authority.

Each group walked through its vision for the site before taking questions from attendees, offering a more direct look at how their proposals could take shape.

Much of what was presented has already been detailed in the teams’ formal submissions, which have been covered previously.

The more revealing portion of the event came during the Q&A, where developers addressed topics ranging from affordability and economic opportunity to phasing, infrastructure, and long-term community impact.

Mayor Ken Welch is expected to select one or more teams to move forward with in June, even as the St. Petersburg City Council recently voted 6-2 to pause the process.

The entire two hour event can be seen on YouTube. The City is requesting resident’s feedback on the presentations here.

Below is the Q&A session, which has been edited for clarity and length.

May 04, 2026

Shipley Do-Nuts to open first St. Pete shop on 4th Street North, replacing Starbucks

May 04, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Shipley Do-Nuts, a classic no-frills Texas donut shop known for fresh, handmade treats and kolaches, is coming to St. Pete.

The chain will open at 4946 4th Street North in a space formerly occupied by Starbucks, which closed in late 2025 as part of a nationwide initiative to shutter stores lacking drive-thrus.

Shipley’s offers more than 40 varieties of donuts alongside kolaches, a beloved Texas pastry made with fluffy, slightly sweet dough and stuffed with a variety of savory fillings.

Shipley’s donut menu centers on its classic glazed along with a wide range flavors like chocolate, strawberry, cherry, vanilla, and maple, as well as varieties paired with sprinkles, coconut, or nuts.

There are also a selection of filled donuts, with creams and fruit jellies, alongside denser cake donuts in flavors like buttermilk and blueberry.

Shipley also has donut holes, apple fritters, bear claws, and cinnamon rolls.

May 01, 2026

Jackson’s Gastropub is now open, bringing New Orleans fare to south St. Pete

May 01, 2026/ Kyla Fields

A new sports bar and neighborhood pub quietly opened its doors in south St. Pete last week.

Jackson’s, a new 3,840 square-feet restaurant, recently made its debut at 1700 34th Street South, just south of Gibbs High School and across from the newly opened Yo-Mama Fried Chicken.

It’s the newest eatery from local restaurateur Dan Soronen, who has owned and operated restaurants in St. Pete since 2005.

He says that Jackson’s offers affordable, quality food in a casual environment.

“I live in South St. Petersburg, and there’s always talk about the area being a food desert for shopping centers and grocery stores. But on top of that, we really don't really have a lot of quality restaurants in the area,” Soronen tells St. Pete Rising. “So we wanted to open a chef-driven sports bar for everyone that lives here.”

With a full-liquor bar and a sizable dining room that seats over 100 people, he hopes Jackson’s will fill the need for a locally owned, family-friendly sports bar in the area, noting that new residents in the booming Skyway Marina District need a go-to neighborhood spot.

May 01, 2026

An intimate 45-seat speakeasy, 31 South, opens this weekend at St. Petersburg Distillery in the Warehouse Arts District

May 01, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

St. Petersburg Distillery is expanding into the evening hours with a new speakeasy inside its Warehouse Arts District campus.

Tucked inside the distillery’s industrial warehouse at 800 31st Street South, a secluded second-floor space has been reworked into an intimate, 45-seat speakeasy that opens today at 6 p.m.

“This is when people want to come together and socialize, from six o’clock to midnight,” CEO Evan Brownstein said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

The space, called 31 South, sits above the distillery’s production floor, where guests typically end their tours.

What was once a simple tasting area has been redesigned into a swanky lounge with dim mood lighting, vintage furnishings, a mix of gold and green accents, and jazz music playing overhead.

“The tours are all about educating our guests. We want this space to be where they can socialize and relax,” Brownstein said. “It’ll be a hidden gem within a hidden gem.”

The redesign was led by marketing coordinator Meridian Joy-Piper and VP of Operations Kylie Judge, who sourced much of the furniture and decor locally and incorporated historic photos throughout the space.