Orange Station revises development plan, adds office space and announces a boutique hotel in downtown St. Pete

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Orange Station revises development plan, adds office space and announces a boutique hotel in downtown St. Pete

The team behind Orange Station, a mixed-use development planned for downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District, has announced major changes to the project which includes increasing the amount of office space, adding a boutique hotel, and removing the development’s luxury condominiums.

Orange Station was announced by Edge Central Development Partners in late 2019 in a request for proposal (RFP) process spearheaded by the City of St. Petersburg.

The project is a joint venture of J Square Developers, DDA Development, and Backstreets Capital, LLC, who have previously worked on other St. Petersburg developments like the Salvador, St. James Townhomes, and The Nolen.

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Lolita’s Wine Market is moving to the Warehouse Arts District

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Lolita’s Wine Market is moving to the Warehouse Arts District

After six successful years in their current building, the popular eatery, known for its create-your-own charcuterie boards and small plates, will relocate to a space inside the Morean Center for Clay at 420 22nd Street South.

The new building has a storied history. It was originally built as a freight depot in 1926 and is the only substantially unaltered example of railroad architecture left in St. Petersburg. According to the Morean’s website, the building, “houses 60 artists at any given time and includes a retail space, galleries, private artist studios, and a nationally renowned artist-in-residence program.”

We could not be happier to hear that Lolita’s has found a new home and will be a fixture in St. Pete’s dining scene for years to come. Nine months ago, its fate was uncertain.

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9-seat raw bar and tinned fish restaurant Barbouni debuts in the Grand Central District

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9-seat raw bar and tinned fish restaurant Barbouni debuts in the Grand Central District

Hold the anchovies and flaked tuna — thanks to the arrival of a new restaurant in the Grand Central District, there’s much more to canned fish than the usual options.

Barbouni has opened as part of Baba, a Greek and Lebanese eatery located at 2701 Central Avenue. It’s a raw bar that serves freshly shucked oysters, of course, but its menu also features stone crab, crudo, and 48 different types of tinned fish — everything from mackerel, herring, salmon, trout, clams, and mussels to, of course, sardines and even barnacles. Craft cocktails, wine, and other alcoholic beverages are also available.

The restaurant, Barbouni, gets its name from a mildly sweet fish, also called “red mullet” that is a staple in Greek fish taverns. The fish is usually fried, grilled, or even served as tartare, drizzled with citrus and fresh herbs.

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Third Lake offers to purchase 1.5 acres of city-owned land in downtown St. Pete

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Third Lake offers to purchase 1.5 acres of city-owned land in downtown St. Pete

Third Lake Partners, a Tampa-based investment advisory firm, has offered to purchase a prime downtown property from the City of St. Pete. The 1.53-acre parcel is located on the southwest corner of 800 1st Avenue South, directly west of UPC Insurance’s former headquarters building, which Third Lake purchased in 2022 for $10.5 million.

The property, which is currently a surface parking lot, was once part of a $200 million mixed-use proposal that would have included a 75,000-square-foot Moffitt Cancer Center, a 30-story residential tower, and a 14-story hotel.

However, Mayor Ken Welch rejected the deal in 2022 citing inadequate affordable and workforce housing. The developers had proposed designating 17.5% of the residential units as affordable and workforce housing, but Welch wanted at least 30% to be deemed affordable.

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St. Pete’s first dog waterpark Mutts and Martinis sets opening date

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St. Pete’s first dog waterpark Mutts and Martinis sets opening date

Mutts and Martinis didn’t open in March as planned, but rest assured, dog parents — the highly anticipated canine waterpark and full-liquor bar will open on Friday May 26th, according to updates posted on its Instagram page.

The 5,000-square-foot facility, located at 2900 Central Avenue, was developed by Natalie Conner, owner of Love My Dog Resort and Playground, which has locations in downtown St. Pete and northern Pinellas County. 

The grand opening celebration starts at noon on Friday May 26th with a live DJ, a light food menu, and a full bar.

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