January 25, 2024

First pop-up lesbian bar debuts in St. Pete

January 25, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

St. Petersburg is widely known for welcoming and embracing the LGBTQ+ community, and a local entrepreneur wants to further elevate the scene by introducing the first-ever lesbian pop-up bar experience.

"I've always had this longing desire to create a space for the lesbian-identifying community," said LGBT travel blogger and comedian Rachel Covello. "You need the right people to open a lesbian bar in downtown St. Pete. There are lots of risks with overhead costs. By having pop-ups, we can still bring this experience."

Through her pop-up bar venture, LickHer Lounge, Covello is working with restaurateurs and venue operators to secure brick-and-mortar space on select evenings.

January 24, 2024

St. Pete-Clearwater airport embarks on $110M terminal expansion amid stellar growth

January 24, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Passenger activity is soaring at the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), which welcomed nearly 2.5 million travelers last year and is preparing to handle even more.

"Because we are a strong tourism destination and have many direct flights with Allegiant Air [the leading airline at PIE], we are very fortunate to see such a recovery post-pandemic," said Airport Director Tom Jewsbury during a Tuesday, January 23rd airport event celebrating the historic passenger record.

The airport, located northwest of Interstate I-275, has non-stop routes to over 65 cities, which is primarily offered through Allegiant Air.

"We are now reaching a point to start on a significant expansion of the terminal and to provide future connections with Allegiant and other airlines," added Jewsbury.

January 24, 2024

80-unit affordable housing development proposed for 4th Street North

January 24, 2024/ Brian Hartz

An 80-unit affordable apartment building that will provide much-needed low-cost housing for seniors has been proposed for the southwest corner of the intersection of 106th Avenue North and 4th Street North. The project is planned for a parcel that is currently undeveloped.

Dubbed Flats on 4th, the $37.5 million project will consist of a four-story, mid-rise building that will offer 52 one-bedroom units and 28 two-bedroom units. Residents whose income is between 40 to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) will be eligible to apply for a lease.

January 23, 2024

Pete's Bagels expands bagel production, adds coffee bar in Grand Central District

January 23, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

St. Pete's beloved bagel shop Pete's Bagels, located at 2361 1st Avenue South, is expanding into a new production kitchen and adding more to its menu due to the ever-growing demand for their baked goods.

Owners Steven and Sara Peterman and Operations Manager Erica Gonzalez, who debuted Pete's General in 2019 in St. Petersburg’s Historic Uptown, have executed a lease for a 1,500-square-foot retail building in Gulfport.

They are currently converting the space at 1407 49th Street South, formerly home to Rico’s Pizza, into a production warehouse.

January 23, 2024

Deaf chef inspires, plans new restaurant ‘Def burger’ in north St. Pete

January 23, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Anna Cerney carefully watches the grill as she flips burgers and prepares toppings, timing everything to be fresh and hot for every customer to their exact liking despite a language barrier - Cerney is deaf.

Cerney, who's overcome a history of restaurant operators doubting her skillset due to deafness, is proving to the world that she is more than capable of serving up delicious burgers and other dishes out her Def burger food truck in St. Petersburg.

"I like developing relationships with my customers. If there's something wrong, I will know because I will read their reactions," said Cerney, who's a perfectionist at heart.

January 23, 2024

World’s most advanced VR gaming experience opening on Central Avenue

January 23, 2024/ Brian Hartz

A first-of-its-kind entertainment experience is coming soon to St. Pete.

Sandbox VR, a virtual-reality gaming franchise that has locations in 16 states and Washington, D.C., is expanding to Florida, and its Sunshine State debut will take place in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District.

The company, which bills its technology as the “world's most advanced virtual reality”, also operates in Canada and a handful of cities in Europe and Asia.

This technology allows players to see and physically interact with one another while feeling like they are in the middle of an action movie, with the heightened emotions that come from not just watching a film, but from actually becoming the stars of the action.

January 20, 2024

City to subsidize stalled Deuces affordable townhome development

January 20, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

A dirt site the city promised to redevelop into a thriving live-work environment for the South St. Pete community has remained just that - an empty lot - but officials are headstrong on pushing the project forward with significant subsidies.

During a Thursday, January 18th city council meeting, the majority of councilmembers passed a string of resolutions to move the needle on the affordable 24-unit townhome development located on 22nd Street South between 6th and 7th Avenue in the Deuces, a historic African-American entertainment and business district in the 22nd Street South corridor.

The approved resolutions included a roughly $13.1 million maximum guaranteed price (GMP) to Tampa-based Horus Construction Services, which was hired as the design-build firm in 2019.

January 19, 2024

Done Deals: St. Pete apartments are demolished, animal rescue expands, and affordable apartments funded

January 19, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Done Deals is a new weekly column by St. Pete Rising spotlighting recent real estate market insight and significant deals happening in the Sunshine City and beyond. The following information is sourced from public records and trusted intel.

Have real estate news to share? Send us an email at hello@stpeterising.com.

January 19, 2024

Local stained-glass artist opens downtown studio, workshop

January 19, 2024/ Brian Hartz

With its abundance of murals and museums, St. Petersburg has long been considered one of the artsier cities in Florida. But until recently, with the soft opening of Glass of Life at 499 7th Avenue North, across from Round Lake in Historic Uptown, stained-glass art and artists have not had a large presence in the city’s art scene.

Owner Jodi Chemes is a certified public accountant by trade but has been making stained-glass art as a hobby since 2014. About three years ago she began to sell her artwork, with pieces going for anywhere from $50 to more than $1,000, and then she would donate the profits to local animal shelters and animal rescue groups such as Pet Pal Animal Shelter and Friends of Strays.

For her workshop, Chemes used space in a commercial building she owns at 4116 8th Avenue South, but last year she began to look for a more visible space to showcase her work and offer classes.

January 18, 2024

New retail strip to welcome four businesses to the Grand Central District

January 18, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

A cold plunge spa, a tattoo business, and a marijuana dispensary are among the tenants coming to a new retail strip in St. Pete's Grand Central District.

The businesses are in the process of moving into the Shoppes on Central complex, located at 2160 Central Avenue in front of Tombolo Books’ and Black Crow Coffee Co.’s storefronts.

Miami-based investor Nick Molina purchased the site from local developer Jon Daou in 2021 when the property was a crushed shell parking lot. Construction on the new retail building began in early 2023 and will wrap up in the coming weeks.