The new $11 million Shore Acres Recreation Center is now open

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The new $11 million Shore Acres Recreation Center is now open

The City of St. Petersburg hosted a grand opening event on Saturday for the new $11 million Shore Acres Recreation Center. The 21,064-square foot, two-story facility is located at 4230 Shore Acres Boulevard NE and will serve the 2,200 homes in the Shore Acres neighborhood and throughout St. Pete.

The old center, which closed in August 2020, was built in 1964 as a private facility. The City of St. Pete bought the property in 1971 for $51,000. The new facility is twice the size as the old facility.

“We’re excited for the revitalization of the Shore Acres Campus that is home to the recreation center, aquatic facility and green space, which will bring more intergenerational recreational and educational opportunities not just to the neighborhood but to the St. Pete community,” said Mike Jefferis, Leisure Services Administrator with the City of St. Petersburg.

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TradeWinds Island Resorts proposes huge expansion on St. Pete Beach

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TradeWinds Island Resorts proposes huge expansion on St. Pete Beach

Spanning over 25 acres on one of the country’s most beautiful waterfronts, TradeWinds Island Resorts, which operates the Island Grand and RumFish Beach Resorts, is already an expansive property situated on St. Pete Beach.

Currently, Island Grand contains 545 hotel rooms, 10 restaurants and bars, and 5 pools with 450 cabanas. RumFish Beach Resort contains 352 hotel rooms, 5 restaurants and lounges, and 4 pools with 192 cabanas.

However, with a massive expansion in the works, TradeWinds will soon accommodate even more hotel rooms, restaurants, pools, and retail.

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Chiki Churros Dessert Bar is coming soon to the 600 block of downtown St. Pete

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Chiki Churros Dessert Bar is coming soon to the 600 block of downtown St. Pete

A new dessert spot will debut soon on Central Avenue’s beloved 600 block. Chiki Churros Dessert Bar is opening at 685 Central Avenue, which was previously home to The Lure Ono.

Ono, which is a sister concept of The Lure, announced the closure of their restaurant last month on social media. The social post also stated that “this is not goodbye as we are looking to re-open Ono again in a different location.”

Chiki Churros will offer a wide selection of fresh hand-made churros, ice cream, milkshakes, slushes, coffee, and homemade sodas.

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Habitat for Humanity selected to develop two affordable townhome projects in south St. Pete

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Habitat for Humanity selected to develop two affordable townhome projects in south St. Pete

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch has selected affordable housing developer Habitat for Humanity to develop two properties on 18th Avenue South in south St. Pete.

Earlier this year Habitat for Humanity submitted an offer to develop a 44-unit affordable townhome project named Pelican Place on a 2.1-acre city-owned lot across from Tangerine Plaza on the southwest corner of 18th Avenue South and 21st Street. The proposal was one of several that were received for the site.

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Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant Cava is coming soon to 4th Street in St. Pete

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Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant Cava is coming soon to 4th Street in St. Pete

A fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain with a build-your-own-bowl business model is coming soon to St. Pete.

Cava will take over the former Zoës Kitchen, which closed in 2020, at 1320 4th Street North.

Other Zoës Kitchen locations around Tampa Bay will also be converted to Cava-branded restaurants, including the Tampa outpost on South Howard and the Carrollwood location.

In November 2018, Cava Group Inc. acquired all 261 locations of Zoës Kitchen for $300 million. Ever since, the company has been flipping Zoës Kitchen locations across the country.

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Patrona Coastal Cafe and Roastery debuts on Gandy Blvd in north St. Pete

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Patrona Coastal Cafe and Roastery debuts on Gandy Blvd in north St. Pete

Set in the backdrop of pristine, coastal views of Tampa Bay, Patrona Coastal Cafe and Roastery opened earlier this year at 13090 Gandy Boulevard bringing St. Pete locals delicious breakfast offerings and international coffees.

The open-air café is where all the coffee magic happens, quite literally. Owner Eva Capo sources and roasts all beans in-house for the brand. Visitors can pull up to the scent of Guatemalan signature roasts brewing, reggae music playing, and palm trees framing views of the bay. You might even catch a glimpse of a passing dolphin or manatee with your coconut latte.

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Mayor Welch restarts process for 86-acre Tropicana Field redevelopment site

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Mayor Welch restarts process for 86-acre Tropicana Field redevelopment site

Today, Mayor Ken Welch stood behind a podium on the corner of 16th Street and 5th Avenue South under the 175 overpass to provide a huge update on the Tropicana Field redevelopment saga.

The announcement had been teased for months as the final decision on which proposal Mayor Welch would recommend – Midtown or Sugar Hill.

But instead, in front of a crowd of city leaders, stakeholders, and citizens, Mayor Welch announced that he will restart the process.

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YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg to explore redevelopment of 11-acre site in Union Central District

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YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg to explore redevelopment of 11-acre site in Union Central District

The YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg has begun exploring the potential for the redevelopment of a significant property in St. Pete’s Union Central District.

The site sits just one block south of Central Avenue at the intersection of 1st Avenue South and 31st Street and is bound by the Grand Central District and Palmetto Park to the east, Central Oak Park to the west, and Historic Kenwood to the north.

It is currently home to the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA which is the flagship location of the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg and features an indoor pool, rock climbing walls, and a full-sized gym among other amenities.

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Local crystal shop Lily Rose Jewelry to open in downtown St. Pete this summer

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Local crystal shop Lily Rose Jewelry to open in downtown St. Pete this summer

Later this summer, a local family-owned company that designs and hand-makes crystal jewelry will open its first storefront in downtown St. Pete.

Over the past few months, Lily Rose Jewelry Company has been building out the retail space at 209 1st Street North, just two blocks west of the entrance to the St. Pete Pier. The new shop will sell a wide variety of crystals as well as a selection of jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, and 108-bead malas.

“It is our goal to create wearable jewelry with the highest quality all-natural crystals and metals at the most affordable price possible,” said Sarah Simoncini, who owns Lily Rose with her husband Joe Simoncini.

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18-story residential tower Lake House will rise on Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete

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18-story residential tower Lake House will rise on Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete

An 18-story mixed-use tower has been proposed for the Mirror Lake neighborhood in downtown St. Pete. The development, named Lake House, will feature 77 condominiums and an 840 square foot café.

The $90 million project is being developed by St. Pete-based Skyward Living, which is helmed by St. Pete locals Hudson Harr and Tony Mullersman. Together with Tim Clemmons of Place Architecture, the duo previously built LIV 233, a three-unit townhome community on 4th Avenue North, and Urbana Townhomes, a five-unit townhome community on 7th Street South, along with many other residential infill developments.

With the downtown skyline as a backdrop, Lake House will be situated on a 0.49-acre lot located at 200 Mirror Lake Drive. The site is currently occupied by five one and two-story buildings that will be demolished.

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