March 16, 2021

Innovative shipping container apartments coming soon to downtown St. Pete

March 16, 2021/ Brian Zucker

Shipping container construction has been on the rise lately. Whether being used for hydroponic farming, a drive-in movie theater, an outdoor market, or housing, there seems to be no limit to what can be done with these steel boxes.

Although the idea of building with repurposed shipping containers was conceived decades ago, the trend didn’t start to gain steam until the mid-2000s. Container homes are generally built off-site, which increases construction speed, and their modular design makes them more efficient and durable. These benefits, along with a smaller floorplan, allow for lower rents when used to create housing.

Recently, St. Pete-based Path Communities announced plans for a 31-unit micro-apartment project built entirely out of shipping containers. The development, titled Path Communities at Booker Creek, will be located at the southwest corner of Burlington Avenue and 17th Street North.

March 12, 2021

St. Pete’s newest boutique hotel bar, The Scott, to offer coffee and cocktails

March 12, 2021/ Amy Kochek

Escape into the world of old Hollywood during the roaring 1920’s with a unique celebration of historic St. Pete at The Scott, a new downtown destination featuring expertly crafted drinks and locally roasted coffee, located in The Cordova Inn at 253 2nd Avenue North.

Set to open in April 2021, The Scott will be on spotlight in the recently upgraded lobby of The Cordova, which sits only a few blocks from the new St. Pete Pier, The Mall at Sundial, and is next door to the soon-to-open American craft beer tap house, Hops 2.0.

The Scott’s craft coffee bar will be open daily between 8am-3pm serving signature java drinks. The bar is partnering with Hogg Batch Coffee, owned by St. Pete locals Duane and David Hogg, who recently found a home for their roastery on the 2300 block of Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

March 10, 2021

The Blend Coffee & Wine opens third location on 34th Street North

March 10, 2021/ Amy Kochek

If you’ve been looking for delicious, local coffee you can enjoy without getting out of your car, your search can end here.

The Blend Coffee & Wine has opened its third location at 2760 34th Street North, which was previously home to a stand-alone Jimmy Johns.

This will be the first location to feature a drive-thru, along with indoor seating.The Blend’s other two outposts are located at 1211 4th Street North and 490 1st Avenue South inside the Tampa Bay Times building.

The indoor seating area at the new 1,860 square foot coffee shop will bring the same vibe and style to North St. Pete that the other two Blend locations have offered in downtown St. Pete since 2019.

March 09, 2021

A 179-car drive-in movie theater is coming soon to St. Pete

March 09, 2021/ Stephanie Stott

If watching your favorite film with St. Pete as your backdrop sounds like a dream come true, you’re in luck. A 179-car drive-in theater courtesy of Rooftop Cinema Club is coming soon to 2100 3rd Ave South in the Warehouse Arts District of St. Pete.

While the pandemic made movie-going nearly obsolete, drive-ins are, by nature, social-distancing friendly. Add online ticket ordering and contactless concessions, and you have a recipe for a safe, entertaining night—all in the glow of a 64 ft. cinema screen.

What’s movie night without popcorn? That buttery goodness will be available on-site, as well as soda and prepackaged candy. For even more dining options, RCC hopes to partner with a local food vendor and eventually operate a bar.

March 08, 2021

24-story high-rise apartment tower breaks ground in downtown St. Pete

March 08, 2021/ Anthony Close

Downtown St. Pete is set to add another apartment tower to its skyline with the recent groundbreaking of a 24-story building at 334 2nd Avenue South. The site was previously home to the troubled Onyx Premium Nightclub which was demolished in late 2019.

Led by Miami-based American Land Ventures, the building will be named “334” and is slated to have 220 apartments along with 14,348 square feet of ground floor retail space, which will front 2nd Avenue South and 3rd Street South. Parking for the property will be provided by an adjoining seven floor parking garage with 295 spaces.

March 05, 2021

400 Central scraps hotel, adds more office and retail space

March 05, 2021/ Brian Zucker

The real estate market in Florida, and especially St. Pete, has fared well despite COVID-19 challenges. In fact, Florida has continued to see an influx of new residents as people flee high-tax states such as California and New York.

Additionally, and perhaps surprisingly, St Pete Rising is not aware of any proposed developments in St. Pete that have been cancelled due to the virus. However, many projects have experienced delays as stakeholders decided to wait until the dust settled before reanalyzing market conditions.

Due to the global slowdown in travel, many developers have seen it difficult to secure financing for new hospitality construction. As a result, many planned hotels are being reconfigured for other uses, such as apartments or office.

March 02, 2021

53-unit townhome community proposed for St. Pete’s Gateway area

March 02, 2021/ Anthony Close

New townhomes could be coming soon to north St. Pete, according to recent documents filed with the city. PulteGroup, a national home builder, is proposing a 53-unit townhome community in the Gateway area.

Gateway is an area in Pinellas County that is located at the crossroads of St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Tampa. The central location has made the area an ideal place for several of the region’s top employers including Raymond James Financial, Home Shopping Network, Jabil, and Power Design, among others.

March 01, 2021

Whole Foods confirms St. Pete store is in development

March 01, 2021/ Brian Zucker

A few months ago, we started hearing whispers about a Whole Foods Market coming to St. Pete.

This isn’t the first time a Whole Foods has been rumored for the Sunshine City. In 2012, several local publications reported that the organic grocery chain was eyeing property adjacent to Synovus Bank at 333 3rd Avenue North in downtown St. Pete. That rumor never came to fruition.

A few years later, the Synovus Bank land was acquired by local philanthropist and art collector Rudy Ciccarello who pledged to build a world-class museum on the site. The five-story, 137,000 square foot Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement was later constructed on the property. Originally scheduled to open in 2020, the museum has pushed back its grand opening until later this year.

February 26, 2021

22 South Food Hall debuts inside the Historic Manhattan Casino this March

February 26, 2021/ Amy Kochek

The two-story Historic Manhattan Casino located at 642 22nd Street South will reopen mid-March as a multi-purpose building celebrating all things St. Pete and will include a food hall, co-working space, coffee shop, event venue, and bar.

There is something for everyone at the newly reconfigured space which is situated one mile from downtown St. Pete and in close proximity to the Grand Central District, the EDGE District, and the Central Arts District. Most importantly, it is in the Deuces, the historical main street of the Black community in St. Pete.

One of the building’s owners who is a part of the Callaloo Group, Mario Farias, emphasized the main goal of the building’s revival. “As someone who is a self-proclaimed southside kid, we are hoping to preserve the rich history of the building while still providing something new to the southside, which can sometimes receive a bad rap,” says Farias.

February 25, 2021

Plans for new Woodson African American Museum in the Deuces move forward

February 25, 2021/ Samantha Flanagan

After a year of planning, St Petersburg City Council unanimously voted earlier this month to approve $700,000 in funding for the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum, including a new location on 22nd Street and an impressive, Jazz-inspired design.

The soon-to-be-constructed 29,000 square foot building, designed by renowned Black-owned New York City-based Huff + Gooden Architects and local firm Wannemacher Jensen Architects, will feature two permanent collection galleries, a traveling exhibit gallery, a sculpture garden, outdoor covered event space, and a 500-seat event forum. In addition, there will be a book and gift shop, catering kitchen, and administrative offices on site.