In early August, Moffitt Cancer Center along with United Insurance Holdings Corp. and TPA Group submitted an offer to the City of St. Pete to purchase a 4.5-acre site at 800 2nd Avenue South in downtown St. Pete.

The proposal called for the development of a mixed-use project that would include a state-of-the-art outpatient cancer care facility, a mixed-use modern multi-family residential tower with a workforce housing component, activated ground floor retail, a public-access parking garage, and the retention and future expansion site of the United Insurance Holdings Corp. headquarters.

UPC Insurance had previously planned to purchase the site in 2018 to build a 150,000 square foot office building, a 500-space public parking garage, and a potential hotel. However, UPC scrapped the project in 2020 after reporting higher than expected losses as a result of a busy hurricane season and cited the need to reassess office space needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new boutique hotel is coming to downtown St. Petersburg this winter. The Exchange Hotel, formerly known as the Hotel Indigo, will feature 76 charming guest rooms and suites along with an elegant restaurant & bar and spacious event space in the heart of the city’s downtown district.

“We look forward to The Exchange Hotel serving as a comfortable, walkable home base from which to explore all the Sunshine City has to offer,” said Andre Ward, the hotel’s General Manager. “Nestled in the heart of Downtown St. Pete, our hotel features a unique balance of inviting gathering spaces and charming, cozy guestrooms that provide the perfect place to rest your head – whether you’re here for work or play.”