New Italian market and food hall to open in downtown St. Pete 

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New Italian market and food hall to open in downtown St. Pete 

A vacant commercial space in St. Pete's Grand Central District will become a new high-end Italian market and dining hall. 

Julius Nasso, founder of The Big City Group and Big City Hospitality, has announced plans for the new concept, San Valentino Italian Market, which will debut later this year at 2063 1st Avenue South. 

The 12,082-square-foot building, located behind Trophy Fish seafood restaurant, was formerly occupied by Classic Architectural, a local cabinet and furniture fabricator. 

This will be Big City Hospitality’s first concept in downtown St. Pete. 

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Popular Asian-fusion food truck Shiso Crispy opening restaurant this weekend on Central Avenue

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Popular Asian-fusion food truck Shiso Crispy opening restaurant this weekend on Central Avenue

Shiso Crispy, a food-truck-based Asian fusion eatery, is moving from Pinellas Park to St. Petersburg’s EDGE District while simultaneously launching franchises in other cities and states.

Owner and Head Chef Ronicca Whaley, in an interview with St. Pete Rising, said she will open this weekend at 1431 Central Avenue. There will be a soft opening on Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a full opening on Saturday.

“I’ve made this a really cool, vibey spot to go hang out and eat Shiso Crispy food,” Whaley said.

The space was previously occupied by a cheese shop operated by Brooklyn South and, before that, Gracie Pasta and Provisions.

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St. Pete Beach approves $500 million expansion of TradeWinds Island Resorts

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St. Pete Beach approves $500 million expansion of TradeWinds Island Resorts

After St. Pete Beach commissioners delayed voting on TradeWinds' proposed expansion plans last week, the owners have finally won their approval.

Following hours of debate that started Tuesday evening and bled into Wednesday morning, in a 3-2 vote, the commissioners narrowly approved a development agreement and conditional use permit (CUP).

The approval comes with a list of conditions for the redevelopment of the 25-acre beachfront resort at 5500 Gulf Boulevard on St. Pete Beach.

Commissioners Karen Marriott, Nick Filtz, and Richard Lorenzen voted in favor of the expansion plans. Mayor Adrian Petrila and Betty Rzewnicki cast the opposing votes.

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Popular Orlando restaurant Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine to open in St. Pete’s EDGE District

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Popular Orlando restaurant Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine to open in St. Pete’s EDGE District

An authentic Turkish restaurant serving chargrilled chicken kebap, fresh babaganoush, and slow-braised lamb shank is coming to Central Avenue this winter.

Bosphorous, which refers to the body of water that lies in the center of Istanbul and connects Europe to Asia, will take over a portion of the ground floor of the former Furnish Me Vintage building across the street from Hawkers Asian Street Food.

The building, located at 1246 Central Avenue, is part of a larger mixed-use development known as the EDGE Collective being brought to life by Miami-based PTM Partners and DoveHill Capital Management. Anchoring the project is a 163-key Moxy Hotel by Marriott, which is slated to open in June.

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Construction begins on 60-unit affordable housing project in south St. Pete

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Construction begins on 60-unit affordable housing project in south St. Pete

Construction has begun on the Bayou Court Apartments, a new affordable housing development in south St. Pete.

Situated near the southeast corner of Lake Maggiore at 4201 6th Street South, this new three-story affordable housing community is poised to address the housing needs of low- and moderate-income households in south St. Pete.

Gravel Road Partners, a Washington D.C.-based workforce and affordable housing developer, acquired the two-acre property in 2022 for $1.7 million.

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Texas iced tea franchise HTeaO brews plans for first drive-thru in Pinellas County

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Texas iced tea franchise HTeaO brews plans for first drive-thru in Pinellas County

Iced teas with bold fruity flavors from Sweet Georgia Peach to Mango Tango will be served at HTeaO's new planned Largo store. 

Texas-founded franchise HTeaO, an indoor and drive-thru iced tea restaurant chain, plans to expand its Florida footprint with a new storefront at 3460 East Bay Drive. 

HTeaO has over 100 drive-thru stores throughout the U.S., offering 26 flavors of unsweetened and sweetened tea, as well as iced coffees and chai lattes, which are available for purchase by the gallon. 

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304-unit apartment development filed under Florida's Live Local Act proposed for 22nd Avenue North in St. Pete

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304-unit apartment development filed under Florida's Live Local Act proposed for 22nd Avenue North in St. Pete

The City of St. Petersburg has received its first development application filed under Florida’s Live Local Act. The proposed development is located at 3100 22nd Avenue North and currently consists of a retail plaza that houses JB Factory Flooring and Studio Physique, a fitness studio. 

The 7.27-acre site is owned by ZSPR PROPCO of Tampa, LLC and is under contract for purchase and development by Houston-based The Hanover Company, a private real estate developer.

A purchase price was not disclosed.

The proposed Hanover development will include 304 apartments which consist of 196 one-bedroom apartments and 108 two-bedroom apartments. All the units will rent to households earning at or below 120% of the area median income (AMI).

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Flower shop and wine bar Pistil House coming to St. Pete's Grand Central District

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Flower shop and wine bar Pistil House coming to St. Pete's Grand Central District

A local couple is flipping a 1926 bungalow in St. Pete’s Grand Central District into a combined florist shop and wine bar.

Drawing from his experiences working in Oregon’s wine country and at St. Pete floral shops and breweries, Anthony Diaz and his fiancée Carly Dauscher aspire to bring the same flare through a new venture.

The couple has leased a 1,300-square-foot home at 2533 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District. 

Pistil House will focus on single stem cut flowers and offer imported wines, coffee, and small plates. The word ‘pistil’ refers to the female reproductive part of a flower.

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Owners behind Lolita’s Wine Market to debut new concept in downtown St. Pete

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Owners behind Lolita’s Wine Market to debut new concept in downtown St. Pete

The owners of Lolita's Wine Market are reopening their former Grand Central District storefront with a new concept.

Owners Alex and Kelly Rodriguez, who relocated Lolita’s from the 1700 block of Central Avenue last year to a space inside the Morean Center for Clay, will debut their new concept - Chef's Table by Lolita's - at 16 18th Street South, according to a recent business filing.

The original Lolita's, which debuted in 2017, is known for its create-your-own charcuterie boards and small plates. The couple named the business after their rescue dog, Lola.

In addition to the new concept, Lolita's will continue to have a presence in the Warehouse Arts District at 420 22nd Street South.

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Done Deals: Rays seek construction manager, Fresco's remains afloat, 4th Street retail lists

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Done Deals: Rays seek construction manager, Fresco's remains afloat, 4th Street retail lists

Done Deals is a 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.

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