Then and Now: The rise of the EDGE District in downtown St. Pete

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Then and Now: The rise of the EDGE District in downtown St. Pete

In the past few years, the EDGE District has turned into a neighborhood known for its restaurants, bars, and boutiques. But go back just a decade and you’ll find it was only recently a sleepy strip of boarded up storefronts.

Downtown St. Pete’s boom years began right after the recession when a pair of luxury condo towers, Ovation and Signature Place, opened on Beach Drive in 2009. The new residents helped revive Beach Drive, which began filling out with more restaurants and shops.

Over the years, downtown’s popularity continued to rise, as did the demand for more places to eat, drink, and shop. Housing also became highly sought-after as people desired to live in the most walkable downtown in Florida.

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Live music country bar Welcome to the Farm to replace MacDinton’s in downtown St. Pete

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Live music country bar Welcome to the Farm to replace MacDinton’s in downtown St. Pete

Country superstar Chase Rice and Forward Hospitality Group have plans to bring a little bit of southern country fun to St. Pete this summer with the opening of Welcome to the Farm.

Known for top 10 hits like “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” featuring Florida Georgia Line and “Eyes On You,” Chase Rice has sold more than 2 million albums and has over 2 billion total streams worldwide.

The live music country bar will debut in the former MacDinton’s Irish Pub located at 216 1st Avenue North on the Jannus Block, the most popular block for nightlife in downtown St. Pete.

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Mixed-use retail building approved for downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

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Mixed-use retail building approved for downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

A mixed-use retail building has been administratively approved for a prominent parcel in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District.

Central Ave Corner Holdings, LLC, an entity which is controlled by local developer Jonathan Daou and Eastman Equities has submitted plans to build a two-story building at 1053 Central Avenue. The lot sits directly on the roundabout in the EDGE District at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and 11th Street next to Independent Bar.

The approved building features 1,472 square feet of ground floor retail and two second floor residential units.

The retail space will feature large storefront windows with a black façade resembling a neighborhood pub. White brick veneer will adorn the second floor.

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163-key Moxy hotel planned for St. Pete’s EDGE District lands $42 million construction loan

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163-key Moxy hotel planned for St. Pete’s EDGE District lands $42 million construction loan

A mixed-use development planned for downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District is moving forward and will break ground later this month after landing a $42 million construction loan from Forbright Bank.

The project, known as the Edge Collective, is a joint venture between Miami-based PTM Partners (PTM) and Fort Lauderdale-based and DoveHill Capital Management.

“We are excited to partner with Forbright Bank and break ground on a true mixed-use development that will complement the EDGE District’s abundant energy and become a destination experience,” says Scott Meyer, Chief Financial Officer of PTM Partners.

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23-story apartment tower approved near Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete

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23-story apartment tower approved near Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete

Yesterday, the City of St. Pete administratively approved a site plan and density bonuses for a 23-story apartment tower proposed for the southeast corner of 3rd Avenue North and 5th Street across from the Mirror Lake Community Library in downtown St. Pete.

The 0.94-acre property was purchased in January for $15.5 million by Las Vegas-based Ault Global Real Estate Equities (AGREE), a subsidiary of BitNile Holdings, and Schock and Haywood Development led by Aaron Schock and Josh Haywood.

Back in 2018, a 21-story mixed-use residential building was approved by the City’s Development Review Commission. Although that approval is still in effect, the new owners have opted to redesign the building with a modernized design.

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$300 million mixed-use development anchored by Moffitt moves forward in downtown St. Pete

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$300 million mixed-use development anchored by Moffitt moves forward in downtown St. Pete

A $300 million mixed-use development proposed for 800 1st Avenue South in downtown St. Petersburg took a step forward after presenting to the Community Benefits Advisory Committee (CBAC).

Initially proposed in August 2021, the project is a result of an unsolicited offer from Moffitt Cancer Center, UPC Insurance Holdings Corp., and developer TPA Group. The group envisioned a mixed-use campus that is anchored by a 75,000 square foot Moffitt Cancer center outpatient building on a 4.59-acre site at 1st Avenue South and 8th Street.

Moffitt plans to offer comprehensive cancer care for the first time in Pinellas County. Services at the site will include clinical trials and research studies, medical oncology, hematology oncology, radiation therapy, infusion, advanced imaging, and screening and diagnostic services.

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The Twisted Indian debuts in the Grand Central District

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The Twisted Indian debuts in the Grand Central District

Downtown St. Pete is filled with incredible restaurants serving a variety of cuisine. Hungry residents and visitors can indulge in Venezuelan, Portuguese, even Nordic/Asian fusion. But for whatever reason, there is very little Indian food.

Luckily, we have The Twisted Indian.

Owner Lokesh Vale introduced the concept to St. Pete in 2016 with the unveiling of The Twisted Indian food truck. It quickly became a staple at downtown’s Saturday Morning Market. And in 2019, The Twisted Indian graduated from food truck to food hall.

But if the rave reviews are to be believed, The Twisted Indian is deserving of its own dedicated restaurant space. And that’s exactly what we’ve got. Last week, after a year a planning, Vale debuted The Twisted Indian’s first brick-and-mortar location at 2639 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

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19-story apartment building approved for 1st Avenue North in downtown St. Pete

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19-story apartment building approved for 1st Avenue North in downtown St. Pete

Last Wednesday, St. Pete’s Development Review Commission unanimously approved a 19-story apartment tower at 1641 and 1659 1st Avenue North in downtown St. Pete.

The project, which was first proposed in January, will feature 244-units along with a 256-space parking garage. St. Pete-based HP Capital Group and Chicago-based Tandem Partners are the developers.

HP Capital is the team behind Reflection, a 18-story condo tower under construction at 300 8th Street North, and a 264-unit affordable housing development proposed for Fairfield Avenue near the Warehouse Arts District.

The approved building on 1st Avenue North will include parking on the first through fourth floors with a total of 256 parking spaces, exceeding the 154 spaces required. 244 bicycle parking spaces will also be available.

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23-story apartment building approved for 17th Street near Tropicana Field in downtown St. Pete

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23-story apartment building approved for 17th Street near Tropicana Field in downtown St. Pete

St. Pete’s Development Review Commission has unanimously approved a 23-story apartment tower at 155 17th Street South in downtown St. Pete. The building is the latest proposal for the western side of downtown St. Pete that is increasingly seeing larger developments.

The project is being proposed by St. Pete-based Apogee Real Estate Partners and will feature 204 apartments, 6,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space, and a 300-space parking garage.

“The site offers amazing views and access to all St. Pete has to offer being situated at the gateway to both the budding Warehouse Arts District and the Tropicana Redevelopment Site,” said John Barkett, Managing Partner at Apogee, to St. Pete Rising in April.

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Owners of Mangosteen open Green Pagoda on 4th Street in north St. Pete

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Owners of Mangosteen open Green Pagoda on 4th Street in north St. Pete

A new Asian fusion restaurant and cocktail bar has quietly opened in north St. Pete. Green Pagoda is located at 7900 4th Street North in the space formerly home to E.B.I. Sushi, and before that Hooks.

The new eatery is helmed by Sean Thongsiri with assistance from Serena Raynard.

Thongsiri also owns and operates Mangosteen, a popular tropical Asian restaurant and bar situated on Central Avenue’s popular 600 block. Another downtown restaurant, The Crane, is also in the works from Thongsiri.

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