A year after it was first announced, the historic Union Trust bank building, at 895 Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg, is on track to be reborn as J. Fiore’s Contemporary Steakhouse, an upscale steak and seafood restaurant, set to open in mid-2024.

The renovation of the property’s basement, ground floor, and mezzanine has been a major undertaking, requiring substantial planning, design, and construction.

“We are all-hands-on-deck right now,” said St. Pete-based entrepreneur Jim Fiore. “The 2,000-square-foot extension of the mezzanine is complete and the HVAC, plumbing, and electric is all being installed as we speak.”

Nearly a year after being announced, Nauti Duchess, a nautical-themed bar and full-service restaurant that was set to take over 217 Central Avenue, never made it out of port.

But a new concept from Forward Hospitality Group, the owners of Good Night John Boy and Welcome to the Farm, is now slated to occupy the prime downtown location. Most recently, the space was home to Caddy’s on Central, which closed in 2020 after COVID-19 shut down all restaurants and bars in Florida. 

Glamper, according to Michael Schwartz of Forward Hospitality Group, is a bar inspired by camping, backyard cookouts, Fourth of July celebrations, and other summertime activities. Like Good Night John Boy and Welcome to the Farm, the concept debuted in Cleveland before coming to St. Pete.

The wine bar craze shows no signs of abating as Spitz Wine Bar, a new concept founded by the owners of Bandit Coffee Co., announced that it has leased space at 2520 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District with plans to open sometime in the first half of 2024.

The space is currently home to Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies, which will be moving in February to 6340 Central Avenue and share a space with Traditions School of Herbal Studies.

Spitz Wine Bar offered few details in an Instagram post, writing, “It’s official, y’all, we’ve signed a lease and have set a path to open early/mid next year within the Grand Central District. More details to come.” Its Instagram page says the bar will offer “real wines” and “tasty bites.”