Over the past few months, at the corner of 16th Street and Central Avenue, where the EDGE District meets the Grand Central District, three apartments buildings have completed construction and commenced lease-up on a total of 700 new apartments. A Tru by Hilton hotel has also just opened their doors across the street.

This pocket of new developments is the foundation of what will soon become a thriving community that will undoubtedly bring in a wave of coffee shops, cafes, boutiques, and services to the area.

Local restauranteurs, Chef Marlin Kaplan and his partner Lisa Masterson, are hoping to capitalize on the influx of residents when they open up Gracie Pasta and Provisions in a few days at 1431 Central Avenue, previously home to ARTicles which will still operate out of a storefront three doors down. This will be the second location of Gracie, with the original outpost located on Pass-a-Grille adjacent to Grace, the couple’s upscale casual eatery which opened in 2017.

Two new food concepts are taking over the former Caddy’s on Central space located at 217 Central Avenue. A restaurant tentatively namely The Brickyard will soon occupy the 8,000 square foot indoor and patio space and Pizza N’ Brew will operate out of the smaller, adjacent parcel.

The dual concept is being brought to the Sunshine City by Sarasota-based Segreti Hospitality Group. CEO Frank Segreti is a 4th generation restauranteur who has been in the restaurant and bar business for 22 years.

St. Pete has been on the restaurant group’s radar for a while, having been impressed by the city’s meteoric growth over the past decade. “If you want to go out and have some fun, you don’t go to Tampa, you go to St. Pete,” says Owner Relations Director Dana Speer. “In fact, we intend on moving our business office to St. Petersburg as well.”

There’s no doubt COVID-19 has had a drastic effect on both the retail and hospitality landscape. Over the past few months, we’ve seen many local shops completely pivot their business model in order to stay afloat. Bars have started selling cocktails to go, breweries have added food menus, and many retailers have opened online stores.

On Wednesday, one of the most well-respected chefs in Tampa Bay, Chef David Benstock of IL Ritorno, will launch a brand new digital butcher case stocked with essentials from beef, poultry, pork, special ‘Butcher’s Cuts’ such as lamb and veal, and an array of specialty provisions including handcrafted seasonings, rubs, salad dressings, cooking oils, and more.