Michelin-starred chef to debut new restaurant at The Vinoy in downtown St. Pete

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Michelin-starred chef to debut new restaurant at The Vinoy in downtown St. Pete

A Michelin-starred chef will open a new sophisticated steak and seafood restaurant at the historic Vinoy Resort and Golf Club along St. Pete's downtown waterfront in early 2025.

Elliot Aster, the new restaurant debuting at 501 5th Avenue Northeast inside the Vinoy, is a concept from Boka Restaurant Group and Chef Lee Wolen, who is behind Chicago Michelin-award-winning Boka restaurant, Italian eatery Alla Vita, and GG's Chicken Shop.

The new restaurant, named after a native Florida wildflower and pays homage to the real estate developer Gene Elliott who named the Vinoy after owner Aymer Vinoy Laughner, will replace Marchand's Bar & Grill, which has been closed since 2020.

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St. Pete speakeasy The Saint to be transformed into The Ball, a pop-art-inspired bar and lounge

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St. Pete speakeasy The Saint to be transformed into The Ball, a pop-art-inspired bar and lounge

The Saint, a St. Pete speakeasy known for its moody dark red lighting and intimate atmosphere, will reopen as a new vibrant upscale cocktail lounge this winter.

Owner David Fischer, who founded a string of St. Pete LGBTQ-focused bars and destinations such as the Cocktail St. Pete nightclub and The Wet Spot pool bar, unveiled details this week of the new rebrand for The Saint at 49 24th Street North in the Grand Central District.

Parent company Pour Behavior and ZaZoo’d, Fischer's interior design team behind The Saint and other concepts, will transform the space into a new pop-art-inspired bar and lounge dubbed "The Ball," celebrating the symbolism behind the iconic disco ball.

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46-story 400 Central tower nears vertical completion in downtown St. Pete

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46-story 400 Central tower nears vertical completion in downtown St. Pete

Vertical construction is nearly complete for Red Apple’s 46-story condominium tower, The Residences at 400 Central, as crews have reached the 43rd floor with a new floor being added every six days.

New York billionaire John Catsimatidis Sr., founder of Red Apple Group, and select media members gathered at the tower site on Monday morning for a ceremonial topping out celebration.

“I wanted to build something in honor of Margo’s parents who’ve been coming to St. Pete for 40 years,” said Catsimatidis Sr. “My only regret is that I did not invest sooner.”

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Done Deals: St. Pete to sell prime downtown property, Sundial renovation continues, New bar opens in Gulfport

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Done Deals: St. Pete to sell prime downtown property, Sundial renovation continues, New bar opens in Gulfport

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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Local developer wins approval to convert historic Westminster Presbyterian Church property into residences

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Local developer wins approval to convert historic Westminster Presbyterian Church property into residences

A local developer will restore and bring a new use to the deteriorating 98-year-old Westminster Presbyterian Church in St. Pete's Old Northeast neighborhood that has sat vacant for over a decade.

Pinellas Park-based Belleair Development Group, which has delivered multiple commercial and residential projects throughout St. Petersburg, plans to convert the former church and school at 126 11th Avenue Northeast into one single-family home and two townhomes. 

The Westminster Presbyterian Church, designed in 1926 by well-known architect Archie Parrish, has been altered with expansions and different building elements over the years and is listed as a local historic landmark in the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places.

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