January 06, 2023

Beloved burger joint El Cap has sold to local owners who will preserve its legacy

January 06, 2023/ Brian Zucker

It’s never easy to say goodbye. Especially when something has been around for generations. In the last few years, St. Pete has had to let go of some of its oldest institutions.

COVID-19 claimed two of the Sunshine City's most precious gems — St. Pete’s oldest family-operated restaurant, Coney Island Grill, and Florida's largest and oldest independent bookstore, Haslam's Book Store.

Just in the past month, Munch’s Restaurant and Sundries was shuttered after 70 years in business and Wilson’s Sports Lounge was demolished after a 50-year run on 4th Street.

Additionally, Kissin’ Cuzzins is under contract to be sold. Its fate is unknown.

Last week, another St. Pete establishment, El Cap, was sold – or at least 50% of it. However, unlike the shuttered institutions of the past few years, El Cap will continue to live on for years to come at 3500 4th Street North.

January 06, 2023

The Residences at 400 Central secures $252 million construction loan

January 06, 2023/ Anthony Close

Red Apple Real Estate, the developer behind The Residences at 400 Central, announced that the project has secured a $252 million construction loan and is set to go vertical construction.

The 46-story mixed-use development is slated for a 2.3-acre site at 400 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete and will include 301 condominium residences ranging from one- to four-bedroom units along with 40,000 square feet of Class A office space, and 25,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

The construction loan is being provided by Bank OZK, one of the nation’s most active construction lenders. While Bank OZK is based in Little Rock, Arkansas, it has a significant presence in St. Petersburg. Bank OZK Innovations Lab, the bank’s entrepreneurial and innovation hub, is based in downtown St. Petersburg.

January 05, 2023

465-unit housing development with retail approved for Coquina Key Plaza in south St. Pete

January 05, 2023/ Anthony Close

A planned mixed-use development proposed for the former Coquina Key Plaza in south St. Pete has been approved by St. Pete’s Development Review Commission.

As previously reported, St. Pete-based real estate company Stoneweg purchased the beleaguered Coquina Key Plaza located on 14.5 acres at 4350 6th Street South in March 2022 for $8.9 million.

After purchasing the land, Stoneweg revealed plans for a mixed-use development featuring four separate buildings containing a total of 465 apartments and 20,817 square feet of retail space.

January 05, 2023

Candle, skin-care shop Bohemian Rêves set to expand

January 05, 2023/ Brian Hartz

Bohemian Rêves, a St. Pete native company selling everything from their handcrafted skincare and candle line to plants, jewels, and all things evoking desert senses, is expanding into two vacant spaces next to its current location at 1620 Central Avenue. The business, which was founded in 2016 by Amelia Naomi Dean will now occupy 1622 and 1624 Central Avenue, as well, which had been home to an acupuncture clinic.

Dean has big plans for the extra retail space. Among them to include her distinctive take on a potential coffee bar, as well as room to allow her to stock products from brands that don’t have a large presence in St. Pete, Dean says, adding that she would also like to create a men’s section.

“There are so many brands on the west coast that aren’t big here yet,” she says, “but there’s a space for them. We could curate a whole section.”

January 04, 2023

Aerial St. Pete: Construction photos from St. Pete's newest real estate developments

January 04, 2023/ Anthony Close

This month’s edition of Aerial St. Pete shows the progress on several real estate developments throughout St. Petersburg.

Aerial St. Pete is a column by St. Pete Rising which features exclusive aerial photography of projects under construction in St. Petersburg, FL. To accomplish this, we have teamed up with AB3 Visuals.

In this article we are taking a look at ARK Innovation Center, Domus Urbana, Echelon Site 9, Marina Club Apartments, and Saltaire.

December 28, 2022

Here are the biggest real estate development stories on St. Pete Rising of 2022

December 28, 2022/ Anthony Close

2022 was another banner year for real estate development news in downtown St. Petersburg.

Projects big and small moved through the development pipeline and continued to transform St. Pete’s urban neighborhoods. Here are the top real estate development stories from 2022 broken down into three categories by project stage: Ground Breakings, Proposals, and Nearing Completion.

The Ground Breakings section includes projects that began construction this year while Proposals is broader and includes projects that were either proposed or approved but have not yet begun construction. Projects that are under construction and are expected to be completed in the first half of 2023 are included in the Nearing Completion section.

There were many other townhome projects and smaller infill developments that progressed throughout 2022; however, these top stories only include the largest real estate developments in St. Petersburg.

December 27, 2022

Here are the top 10 most popular restaurant and bar stories on St Pete Rising of 2022

December 27, 2022/ Brian Zucker

This is it, St. Pete. Your top 10 most popular restaurant and bar stories on St. Pete Rising over the past 12 months.

For the past nine years, we’ve been living and breathing everything St. Pete to keep you in-the-know and serve as the authority on everything new and coming soon to the Sunshine City.

From fast-casual eateries to high-end cocktails bars and everything in between, this was a huge year for new restaurant and bar announcements brought on by pent up demand from the COVID-19 lockdowns.

If you aren’t hungry and thirsty before you start reading this story, you will be once you finish—we promise.

We’ve got a lot to look forward to in 2023. Now let’s dive in.

December 22, 2022

Revised plans approved for 15-story mixed-use development in St. Pete’s EDGE District

December 22, 2022/ Anthony Close

St. Pete City Council has approved revised plans for a $70 million mixed-use development at the southwest corner of 1st Ave North and Dr. MLK Jr. Street in St Pete’s EDGE District.

Developer Belpointe, which invests in Opportunity Zones, first announced plans for the project in early 2021.

Tentatively referred to as 1000 1st Avenue North, the development was set to feature two, 15-story apartment towers with a combined 254 rental units and 22,000 square feet of commercial space.

December 21, 2022

The Annex Coffee House set to open in Gulfport

December 21, 2022/ Brian Hartz

A new drive-through coffee shop will open before the end of the year on Gulfport Boulevard South, giving residents a locally owned alternative to the nearby Dunkin’ Donuts that opened a few years ago.

Located at 5133 Gulfport Boulevard South, The Annex Coffee House takes the place of Two Dads, a takeout restaurant that opened in early 2021. Before that, the 600-square-foot building, which neighbors the recently shuttered Smokin’ J’s barbecue restaurant, housed a produce stand.

Jenna Malowany of KW Commercial represented the landlord and tenant in the lease transaction.

Owner Johnny Ciani, a native of Tampa, has partnered with Johnny Ruetz, the owner of Three Birds Tavern in St. Petersburg, on The Annex. The two met through their work with TBS Beverage Solutions, a distributor of coffee and tea products servicing north and central Florida.

December 21, 2022

33-unit apartment building approved for 4th Avenue South in downtown St. Pete

December 21, 2022/ Brian Hartz

A vacant 0.2-acre parcel three blocks east of Tropicana Field could be developed into a seven-story, 33-unit apartment building.

Located at 630 4th Avenue South, the property is owned by Yaron Levi of Onyx St. Pete LLC, which, according to SunBiz, has a Valley Stream, NY mailing address.

Onyx St. Pete LLC purchased the site in August 2022 for $1.55 million. A now-cancelled four-unit townhome project, SOMA, was once proposed for the site.