St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

Religious sermons and wedding bells may once again echo through the sanctuary of a 100-year-old historic brick church at the edge of St. Petersburg’s Euclid-St. Paul neighborhood.

The 100-year-old Euclid Methodist Church, located at 919 10th Avenue North, has sat vacant for years. Inside, it’s plagued with black mold, collapsed ceilings, and crumbling walls.

Yet despite the daunting repairs ahead, owners Noam and Irene Krasniansky are determined to breathe new life into the deteriorating building, which was added to the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places in 2004.

The couple purchased the church in 2023 for $1.1 million using profits from the sale of their Los Angeles home. Their original vision was ambitious: transform the church into a 180-person event venue with a seven-unit bed and breakfast called The Treehouse.

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Popular Mexican food truck Johnny Nevada’s finds a new home in the Grand Central District

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Popular Mexican food truck Johnny Nevada’s finds a new home in the Grand Central District

One of St. Petersburg’s most popular food trucks has found a semi-permanent home in the Grand Central District.

Last month, Johnny Nevada’s quietly opened a pop-up inside Ride ‘em Cowboy at 2451 Central Avenue. The pop-up is expected to run for at least a year, according to owner James Shields.

“We’re excited to be back in the Grand Central District,” Shields told St. Pete Rising. “Lost & Found was one of the food truck’s first gigs, and we’ve also spent a lot of time at Par Bar and Dog Bar.”

Launched in 2022, Johnny Nevada’s quickly became a staple at major local events like Localtopia and the St. Pete Grand Prix. However, back-to-back hurricanes in 2024 temporarily halted operations.

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Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort to be demolished and rebuilt

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Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort to be demolished and rebuilt

The iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort, a Treasure Island landmark for the past 68 years, is set to be completely demolished and rebuilt after sustaining catastrophic damage caused by last year’s back-to-back hurricanes.

The courtyard-style resort, located at 10700 Gulf Boulevard, was among many properties hit hard by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which left behind piles of debris and extensive structural damage, forcing the immediate closure of the beloved beachfront destination.

In a social media post on December 9th, the Thunderbird wrote, “We are deeply touched by the outpouring of love from our guests and the community. It means the world to us—and we want to make one thing clear: The Thunderbird Beach Resort is NOT going anywhere.”

Originally built in 1957 as the 64-unit Thunderbird Motel at a cost of $750,000, the resort has long been a staple of the area.

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Inside The Nolen, a 23-story luxury condo tower, as it nears completion in downtown St. Pete

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Inside The Nolen, a 23-story luxury condo tower, as it nears completion in downtown St. Pete

Soaring 23 stories above downtown St. Pete, The Nolen is putting the final polish on its exclusive collection of 31 high-end condominiums.

The development team is preparing to welcome its first wave of residents by the end of May.

The Nolen, located at 126 4th Avenue Northeast, is being developed by Tampa-based DDA Development—led by Bowen Arnold and John Schilling—and St. Pete-based Backstreets Capital, led by Will Conroy.

“We’re working through our punch list with the crew, architects, and engineers. Once that’s complete, we’ll issue buyers a 10-day closing notice and conduct walk-throughs with them. We expect to close on about three units per day,” said Bowen Arnold, principal at DDA Development, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

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Slim Charmer, a new martini bar from the owners of Wild Child, opens in the Grand Central District

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Slim Charmer, a new martini bar from the owners of Wild Child, opens in the Grand Central District

Nestled in a charming 1940s building, a New York–style cocktail parlor and tasting room has arrived in St. Petersburg, offering martinis and eclectic small plates.

From Matt Kaye and Rob Reinsmith—the duo behind the popular Wild Child restaurant—comes Slim Charmer, an intimate, 26-seat martini lounge located next to Wild Child’s patio at 2706 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

Kaye hopes the 800-square-foot space, named after a former nickname for his wife, will stand out as an innovative destination where guests can savor the unexpected and explore flavors not found elsewhere.

Both the food and drink menu will rotate frequently based on the season and available ingredients.

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144-unit affordable apartment community proposed for Largo

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144-unit affordable apartment community proposed for Largo

A Santa Monica, CA-based developer plans to convert a vacant site in Largo's Pinellas Groves community into a 144-unit affordable apartment complex.

Named Olea on 126, the project will include three four-story residential buildings at 6727 126th Avenue North, with units designated for residents earning between 40% and 80% of the area median income (AMI).

The community will offer surface parking and amenities such as a clubhouse, park area, and covered patio.

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Inside Elliott Aster, The Vinoy’s new signature restaurant opening mid-May

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Inside Elliott Aster, The Vinoy’s new signature restaurant opening mid-May

The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, a landmark on downtown St. Petersburg’s waterfront, is set to unveil its new signature restaurant, Elliott Aster, in mid-May. This opening marks the completion of the first phase of an extensive renovation of the historic hotel.

Located at 501 5th Avenue Northeast, The Vinoy has been a defining feature of downtown St. Petersburg since its construction in 1925. Owned by Bryan and Shanna Glazer—who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—the hotel has undergone a comprehensive renovation aimed at modernizing its amenities while preserving its historic charm.

The Glazers purchased the property for $188.5 million in 2018 and embarked on a transformation that included updates to the hotel’s veranda, porte-cochère, lobby, guest rooms, spa, and restaurants. Additionally, The Vinoy was rebranded as part of the Marriott Autograph Collection.

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St. Pete approves $22.5 million to repair Tropicana Field roof

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St. Pete approves $22.5 million to repair Tropicana Field roof

The City of St. Petersburg is moving forward with extensive renovations and repairs to make Tropicana Field playable for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2026.

In October 2024, Hurricane Milton's powerful winds shredded the stadium's fabric roof, allowing rain to pour into the venue. As a result, the stadium sustained significant water and wind damage, rendering it unusable.

In addition to damaging the roof, the storm also compromised critical infrastructure, audiovisual equipment, and the turf field.

Due to the extent of the damage, the Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

City officials are hoping to have Tropicana Field ready for baseball in time for the 2026 season. In the meantime, due to the extent of the damage to the Trop, the Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

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Pepe's Cantina Mexican Grill opens next week in Historic Kenwood

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Pepe's Cantina Mexican Grill opens next week in Historic Kenwood

A new Mexican restaurant is set to open next week in St. Petersburg’s Historic Kenwood neighborhood, bringing tableside guacamole, tacos, and margaritas to the area.

Pepe’s Cantina Mexican Grill, a growing Central Florida-based eatery, will launch its first Tampa Bay location on April 11 at 3118 3rd Avenue North in the Shoppes at Kenwood.

The 2,275-square-foot space previously housed Cider Press Vegan GastroPub, which closed in October 2024. Before that, it was home to the popular LGBT bar Georgie’s Alibi.

"We initially looked in Tampa, but the Cider Press location had the perfect layout for a cantina with minimal renovation needed," John Cameron, a local franchisee, said to St. Pete Rising.

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Mainsail Art Festival celebrates 50 years this weekend with 250+ artists and live music

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Mainsail Art Festival celebrates 50 years this weekend with 250+ artists and live music

One of St. Petersburg’s premier cultural events, the Mainsail Art Festival, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend, drawing over 100,000 visitors and showcasing the city's diverse creative community and passion for the arts.

The 50th Annual Mainsail Art Festival will take place at Vinoy Park on the St. Petersburg waterfront, running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 5th and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 6th.

Each year, a dedicated team of Mainsail volunteers organizes this free-admission event, welcoming thousands of residents and tourists to explore high-quality artwork, participate in family-friendly activities, and enjoy live music and local food vendors.

This year’s festival will feature its largest lineup ever, with over 250 artists showcasing work across 13 mediums: ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, graphics, jewelry, metal, mixed media, oil/acrylic painting, photography, sculpture, watercolor, and wood.

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