March 09, 2026

La Dolce Vita Trattoria brings authentic Italian fare to the Grand Central District

March 09, 2026/ Kyla Fields

An authentic Italian eatery with several outposts in Pinellas County has opened a new restaurant on Central Avenue in St. Pete.

Local Italian restaurant La Dolce Vita Trattoria, which has locations in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and St. Pete Beach, is welcoming customers to its newest restaurant at 2363 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

Last week, La Dolce Vita Trattoria took over the space previously occupied by Matteo Trattoria & Pizzeria, adjacent to the popular club Cocktail. The new Italian restaurant quietly opened its doors on March 4.

At La Dolce Vita Trattoria’s new St. Pete location, guests can start their meals with one of the restaurant’s many salads or antipasto dishes, including carpaccio, sautéed mussels, burrata, roasted octopus, fried calamari, and bruschetta.

March 06, 2026

Foxtail Coffee Co. and 3Natives Acai Cafe to open in the Skyway Marina District

March 06, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

New retailers are set to join the growing Skyway Marina District as part of a large mixed-use development.

Foxtail Coffee Co., Solis Mammography, and 3Natives Acai Cafe will open in a new retail building along 34th Street South.

The 4,500-square-foot retail building is located on an outparcel fronting the newly-opened 23,000-square-foot Sprouts Farmers Market at 3411 32nd Avenue South.

Developer Frank Guerra of Altis Cardinal broke ground on the retail building in 2025 as part of the $800 million Sky Town development.

The 34.3-acre site, formerly home to the Ceridian office campus, is being redeveloped into a mixed-use community that will include 2,084 apartments, 69,000 square feet of retail, and 120,000 square feet of self-storage.

Vertical construction on the first apartment building at Sky Town began in September 2025.

March 06, 2026

First workforce housing development filed under the Live Local Act in Largo nears completion

March 06, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Global real estate firm Trammell Crow Residential is nearing completion of a new 240-unit luxury apartment community in Largo.

Caspia is being constructed on a 9.5-acre property at 705 Redbud Lane near the corner of 8th Avenue SE and Donegan Road.

The community, which is expected to launch preleasing soon, will contain a mix of affordable and market rate housing.

40% of the units will be reserved for households earning at or below 120% of the area median income (AMI), or roughly $68,400 annually in the City of Largo, while the remaining apartments will be rented at market rates.

Groundbreaking on the development began in 2024. Construction is now nearing completion.

March 05, 2026

619-unit Alton Skyway apartments approved for SPC’s Allstate Campus in the Skyway Marina District

March 05, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Despite facing opposition from area developers and others, a 17.25-acre property in south St. Pete is expected to become a new 619-unit apartment community.

On Wednesday, the St. Petersburg Development Review Commission ultimately approved a site plan from Delray Beach–based Kolter Multifamily to build Alton Skyway, a luxury garden-style apartment development at 3200 34th Street South.

The approval passed with a 5-1 vote, with DRC member Joseph Griner casting the lone opposing vote.

The property, owned by St. Petersburg College, includes several educational buildings that will be demolished to make way for Alton Skyway, a two-phase development featuring eight five-story buildings and neighborhood-scale retail.

March 04, 2026

14-unit luxury condo-hotel Sunshine Club begins construction in Treasure Island

March 04, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

A six-story condo-hotel has broken ground in Treasure Island.

City officials and the Pinellas Beaches Chamber recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Sunshine Club, a 14-unit project planned for a 0.28-acre site at 12200 Gulf Boulevard.

Condo-hotels allow buyers to purchase individual units that can be used personally or placed into a nightly rental program.

“I think it’s going to just be a huge hit here in Treasure Island,” Treasure Island Vice Mayor Tammy Vasquez said during the event held last month.

“We are just looking forward to getting back to normal and getting our visitors back, and we’re super excited about it,” she added, referencing the area’s rebound after many buildings suffered damage from back-to-back hurricanes in 2024.

The project, which was conceptualized in 2022 and approved by the city the following year, is being built by local developer and contractor Bill Karns, who was brought in by the new ownership group to oversee development and construction.

March 04, 2026

Dali Museum unveils $65 million expansion in downtown St. Pete

March 04, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

The Dali Museum is preparing for a major expansion that will bring new galleries, learning spaces, and immersive art experiences to its downtown St. Pete waterfront campus.

Museum officials on Wednesday unveiled plans for a $65 million expansion that will add approximately 35,000 square feet to the property at 1 Dali Boulevard.

Construction is expected to begin in fall 2026, with the new spaces scheduled to open to the public in 2028.

The expansion will introduce flexible gallery spaces designed for immersive exhibitions that blend art and technology, a dedicated learning center for K–12 students and adult education programs, and new community event spaces for gatherings and cultural programming.

“We are creating a museum that will stand with the great cultural institutions of the world, prepared to meet the expectations of today’s visitors and the curiosity of those who will walk through these doors decades from now,” said Hank Hine, executive director of The Dali Museum. “This is a defining moment for our institution and for St. Petersburg. It’s not about being bigger; it’s about being bolder.”

March 03, 2026

New bar Trailer Daddy to bring backyard party vibes to downtown St. Pete

March 03, 2026/ Kyla Fields

A new Americana-themed bar is rolling into downtown St. Pete this weekend and it’s bringing red Solo cups, plastic flamingos, and a whole lot of nostalgia with it.

Trailer Daddy opens this Friday, March 6th at 8 p.m. at 217 Central Avenue, taking over the space most recently occupied by Glamper.

The concept is the vision of Matt Knoth, Director of Art and Design and Partner at Ohio-based Forward Hospitality, the team behind Welcome to the Farm, Good Night John Boy, Hi 5, My Rich Uncle, and Tony D’s Sub Shop — all located on the Jannus Block in downtown St. Pete.

While Glamper had a camping vibe, Trailer Daddy embraces what CEO Michael Schwartz calls “the best kind of American chaos.”

“When he proposed this, Glamper wasn’t doing poorly,” said Forward Hospitality Partner Mark Acchione. “But this space should be doing more. It needed a hook — and this concept has one.”

The result is a part-club, part-bar concept built around nostalgia, humor, and photo-ready moments.

March 03, 2026

Padme Flower Farm brings U-pick flowers to the Warehouse Arts District

March 03, 2026/ Kyla Fields

A new field of color has quietly taken root in the Warehouse Arts District.

Tucked along 3rd Avenue South between 22nd and 23rd Streets, just steps from 3 Daughters Brewing and Sol St. Pete Bistro, Padme Flower Farm is turning an empty grass lot into a hand-tended haven of ranunculus, snapdragons, anemones, ageratum, and phlox.

The one-acre urban flower farm is the creation of Mallika Nair, an environmental studies graduate, agroecology scholar, and longtime community gardener who says flowers weren’t always part of her plan.

Nair grew up in New York City but spent weekends at her family’s home in Pennsylvania, where compost piles and time in nature planted early seeds of curiosity.

She later studied environmental studies at New College of Florida in Sarasota, focusing her degree on food systems.

March 02, 2026

Popular cinnamon roll shop Cinnaholic opens first St. Pete location this week

March 02, 2026/ Kyla Fields

Nearly a year and a half after first announcing plans for St. Pete, gourmet cinnamon roll shop Cinnaholic is finally ready to open its doors.

The plant-based dessert franchise will soft open this Friday, March 6th, in a 1,225-square-foot space at 5246 4th Street North, formerly home to Nutrishop and next to Metro Diner.

To celebrate, the shop will offer $2 original cinnamon rolls from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on opening day. The store plans to remain open until 10 p.m. or until supplies sell out.

After opening weekend, regular hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Cinnaholic is known for its fully customizable cinnamon rolls, allowing customers to choose from a wide range of frostings and toppings.

Popular frosting flavors include almond, banana cream, marshmallow, cream cheese, peanut butter, and raspberry.

March 02, 2026

First look at Volta Wine + Market coming to 400 Central in downtown St. Pete

March 02, 2026/ Kyla Fields

New renderings have been released for Volta Wine + Market, offering a first look at a new local wine shop, gourmet market, and intimate bar opening on the ground floor of The Residences at 400 Central later this year.

The approximately 2,000-square-foot concept is set to begin construction this month and will be among the first retail tenants at the 46-story condo tower, now nearing completion by New York–based Red Apple Group.

Founded by Michelin-recognized sommelier Zach Pace and partner Rachelle Tomushev, Volta is designed to feel like you’re being welcomed into someone’s home rather than stepping into a traditional wine shop.

The shop won’t contain a single TV in favor of vinyl records and analog hi-fi sound.

“The world’s best wine shops share a common trait: the feeling of being welcomed into someone’s home,” Pace said in a statement. “Whether you're a novice wine lover or a luxury collector, all are treated as honored guests.”