St. Pete releases tool to help homeowners build accessory dwelling units

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St. Pete releases tool to help homeowners build accessory dwelling units

The City of St. Petersburg has launched a new tool to assist homeowners in determining if they can build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on their property. 

The initiative aims to increase awareness about ADUs and ultimately boost their numbers, thereby expanding the city’s housing supply.

ADUs are independent living spaces located on the same property as a primary residence. These units can vary in form and size, including garage apartments, granny flats, pool houses, backyard cottages, and more.

The size of an ADUs can range from small efficiencies to two-bedroom units, which may be either owner-occupied or rented. In St. Petersburg, ADUs are restricted to 800 square feet or 67% of the primary home’s size, whichever is smaller. 

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Warehouse Arts District upzoning approved, paves way for new development

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Warehouse Arts District upzoning approved, paves way for new development

A major zoning overhaul in the Warehouse Arts District is expected to spark a flurry of new development in the historically industrial neighborhood near downtown St. Pete.

Last week, after years of planning and debate, St. Petersburg City Council unanimously voted to adopt the SunRunner Target Employment Center (TEC) Local Overlay, which encompasses 58 acres generally located south of 1st Avenue South, east of 24th Street South, and north and west of Interstate 275.

The Warehouse Arts District houses many of St. Pete’s most popular businesses such as 3 Daughters Brewery, Urban Stillhouse, Morean Center for Clay, and the Duncan McClellan Gallery.

The zoning change is designed to boost housing, job creation, and commercial opportunities around the SunRunner Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station at 22nd Street by allowing non-industrial uses to develop alongside small-scale fabrication, makers, and arts spaces when performance measures are met.

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Five-unit modern craftsman-style townhomes to be built in Kenwood

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Five-unit modern craftsman-style townhomes to be built in Kenwood

Five modern craftsman-style townhomes are coming soon to St. Pete's Kenwood neighborhood.

Husband-and-wife team Max and Kaitlin Vollmer, who are actively working on multiple residential projects in St. Petersburg, are on the cusp of demolishing a 70-year-old seven-room assisted living building at 2168 9th Avenue North for their new townhome development dubbed Historic Kenwood Townhomes. 

The property sits directly between a medical office and a retail plaza housing several local businesses, including Simply Delicious, a hidden gem known for their Cuban sandwich, and The Violet Stone, a Philadelphia-style pizzeria that's relocating to Crescent Heights.

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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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St. Pete to consider designating Mirror Lake neighborhood as a local historic district

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St. Pete to consider designating Mirror Lake neighborhood as a local historic district

A portion of the Mirror Lake neighborhood in downtown St. Pete may soon become a local historic district, adding a layer of protection to properties within the neighborhood.

A citizen-initiated application was submitted to the City of St. Petersburg on June 14th, asking the city to consider designating nearly 21 acres around Mirror Lake as a local historic district to preserve its pedestrian-friendly, low-rise character amid a wave of new development.

The Mirror Lake neighborhood is situated between 8th and 4th Streets and between 1st and 5th Avenue North in downtown St. Pete and contains a large collection of historic homes and landmarks.

The natural lake at the center, known as Mirror Lake, once served as a freshwater reservoir for the small settlement of St. Petersburg (originally known as Wardsville) before becoming a central gathering destination and oasis in the heart of St. Pete, according to city records.

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Wildflower Ice Cream to bring made-to-order soft-serve to St. Pete this winter

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Wildflower Ice Cream to bring made-to-order soft-serve to St. Pete this winter

A new locally owned and operated ice cream shop serving customizable, blended soft-serve is coming soon to Crescent Heights in St. Pete.

Wildflower Ice Cream plans to be the neighborhood go-to sweet shop at 2603 Dr. MLK Jr. Street North, replacing the shuttered House of Pipes and Cigars shop. The Violet Stone, a local pizzeria that went viral earlier this year, will relocate to a neighboring storefront in the coming months.

The new business, founded by St. Pete residents Steve and Sarah McGarry, will use a Swirl Freeze Blending Machine, an innovative all-in-one machine that easily and quickly swirls ice cream with candies, fruits, nuts, or cookies to create an infinite variety of flavor combinations.

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