Crisp Waffle Company opening on Central Avenue in the Grand Central District

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Crisp Waffle Company opening on Central Avenue in the Grand Central District

The Grand Central District is replete with great food choices. Whether you are in the mood for a bagel or a burrito, falafel or fish, there is something for everyone in the up-and-coming neighborhood. And this September, the Grand Central District is expected to get a little bit sweeter.

Sarasota's popular Crisp Waffle Company is expanding to the Sunshine City. The all-day waffle café has announced a new location at 2414 Central Avenue, where it will replace UBHaven: Dog Training, which continues to operate without a physical storefront.

Started in 2020 by owner Todi Garay, Crisp Waffle Company specializes in serving authentic Liege waffles with ingredients imported from Belgium.

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A small-batch gourmet popcorn shop is coming to the Grand Central District

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A small-batch gourmet popcorn shop is coming to the Grand Central District

Get your taste buds ready because Sunshine City Popcorn Co., a gourmet, small-batch popcorn shop, is coming soon to 2533 Central Avenue, a Grand Central District storefront that formerly housed Miss Pitty Pat's Porch, an antique shop.

Owner Brooke Wolf is aiming to open for business in mid-August, she told St. Pete Rising. She did her homework before developing a business plan for Sunshine City Popcorn Co., traveling to Texas to meet with a popcorn consultant “who taught me everything,” she said. “He’s helped open popcorn stores as far away as Japan. Who knew?” 

Sunshine City Popcorn Co., Wolf said, will make more than 50 flavors of popcorn, both sweet and savory, at its new 1,000-square-foot shop. She secured the Grand Central District spot thanks to Jessica Dwyer of Dalton Wade, who also represented the landlord.

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Fast-growing Gateway Subs to open third location in St. Pete

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Fast-growing Gateway Subs to open third location in St. Pete

After debuting in summer 2021 with a location at the Shoppes of Kenwood, at 3112 3rd Avenue North, and following that up with a South Pasadena shop in summer 2022, Gateway Subs is set to open its third sandwich shop in less than two years.

The newest Gateway Subs will be located at 5931 4th Street North, next to a Curaleaf medical cannabis dispensary, and is on track to open in late August or early September, according to co-founder and co-owner Grant Strayer. 

At 1,843 square feet, “It will be the biggest Gateway Subs location,” he said in an interview with St. Pete Rising.

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15-story apartment tower starts to rise in the EDGE District

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15-story apartment tower starts to rise in the EDGE District

Nearly three years after it first acquired the 1.6-acre site for $12.1 million — and two years after revising its plans in response to business and community stakeholders — Belpointe has broken ground on a $70 million, 15-story mixed-use development at 1000 1st Avenue North in downtown St. Petersburg’s EDGE District.

“We are thrilled that construction is underway on this exciting new project in St. Petersburg,” said Belpointe OZ’s CEO, Brandon Lacoff. “This development will offer residents the perfect blend of luxury and convenience, with easy access to shopping, dining, and entertainment options. We are excited to see this project come to life and to contribute to the growth and development of the St. Petersburg community.”

St. Pete City Council greenlighted the project, located at the southwest corner of 1st Avenue North and Dr. MLK Jr. Street, just west of the Engine No. 9 restaurant, in December 2022.

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Bayfront Health completes new emergency room near Tyrone in west St. Petersburg

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Bayfront Health completes new emergency room near Tyrone in west St. Petersburg

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg has announced the completion of a four-story standalone emergency room in the Crossroads neighborhood of west. St. Petersburg.  It will open for patients on Monday, June 19th.

Located at 1800 66th Street North, the 42,000 square foot building was announced in June 2021 and broke ground in March 2022. The building contains a 14,000 square foot emergency room located on the ground floor. The second and third floor contain space for future medical offices. 

The emergency room will include 12 exam rooms, including two resuscitation rooms, six waiting areas, and an ambulance bay.

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Sales launch for Coquina Cabanas, a 13-unit tropical townhome community, proposed for Coquina Key

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Sales launch for Coquina Cabanas, a 13-unit tropical townhome community, proposed for Coquina Key

Downtown St. Petersburg’s rampant growth has spilled over to the city’s south side in the form of Coquina Cabanas, a 13-unit townhome community proposed for 3850 Pompano Drive Southeast on Coquina Key.

Coquina Cabanas was unanimously approved by the city’s Development Review Commission in July 2022 and is designed with a “coastal modern meets vintage Florida” vibe. According to the project’s website, the community will be the “perfect blend of coastal tranquility and downtown cool.”

Sight Development, a Tampa-based company who is also building Canvas City Homes in the Warehouse Arts District, is behind the project. Sight says the community is being developed “with a focus on improving housing density in close-in neighborhoods, while providing stylish and well-appointed homes for the discerning buyer.”  

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400 Beach Seafood and Tap House to temporarily close for renovation

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400 Beach Seafood and Tap House to temporarily close for renovation

Big changes are coming to one of Beach Drive’s most prominent restaurants. 400 Beach Seafood and Tap House is about to embark on a top-to-bottom renovation that is sure to enhance the dining experience for its patrons.

Starting on June 12th, the 8,200-square-foot restaurant will close for an estimated six months to undergo the extensive makeover.

“We are excited to be renovating and reimagining our dining space at 400 Beach Seafood and Tap House,” said owners Shawn and Jeanna Damkoehler in a release. “We know the restaurant has been a staple on Beach Drive for over 10 years and we are looking forward to many more years of creating memories with our guests.”

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Developer chosen to bring affordable housing to former Tomlinson Adult Learning Center in downtown St. Pete

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Developer chosen to bring affordable housing to former Tomlinson Adult Learning Center in downtown St. Pete

The nearly century-old Tomlinson Building in downtown St. Petersburg’s Mirror Lake neighborhood will get a new lease on life thanks to a plan that’s been greenlit by Pinellas County Schools (PCS), which owns the property and in fall 2022 issued a request for proposals for the property at 296 Mirror Lake Drive.

According to a news release, a group called Tomlinson Community Partners (TCP), a joint venture between Dantes Partners and Goshen + Cornerstone, has been chosen to transform the 1.36-acre site, which includes two surface parking lots and the three-story, 40,942-square-foot Tomlinson Building.

The Tomlinson Building opened in 1924 as St. Petersburg Junior High School and became a vocational high school in 1931. In 1935, the name was changed to Edwin H. Tomlinson Vocational School. Another name change occurred in 1978, when it became known as the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center.

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Construction set to begin on two new apartment buildings in downtown St. Pete

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Construction set to begin on two new apartment buildings in downtown St. Pete

Construction is set to begin on a pair of apartment building that are slated to bring 220 smaller, more attainable apartments to downtown St. Petersburg.  

Named Ellington Place, the buildings are being developed by Florida-based REM Capital and are situated at 770 4th Avenue North and 200 17th Street North. REM Capital owns and operates 24 properties across the southeastern United States.

This will be the group’s first ground-up development says REM Capital’s President Robert Ritzenthaler. “I never dreamed we’d be developing in St. Petersburg,”says Ritzenthaler, who is a Tampa Bay resident.

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Construction begins on Bear Creek Commons, an 85-unit affordable apartment building, in west St. Pete

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Construction begins on Bear Creek Commons, an 85-unit affordable apartment building, in west St. Pete

Construction has begun on an 85-unit affordable housing development in west St. Petersburg.

The building, named Bear Creek Commons, will be located on a 4.66-acre site at 635 64th Street South adjacent to Bear Creek, a 2.7 mile stream that flows to Boca Ciega Bay. The property was previously home to Grace Connection Church. 

The building is being developed by Blue Sky Communities, an affordable housing developer who most recently opened Skyway Lofts, a 65-unit affordable apartment complex in the Skyway Marina District of St. Pete. Due to overwhelming demand, a second Skyway Lofts phase is in the works which will consist of an additional 66 apartments.

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