Historically St. Pete: The 96-year-old Saint Mary’s Church and its amusing connection to a bathroom at the St. Pete Pier

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Historically St. Pete: The 96-year-old Saint Mary’s Church and its amusing connection to a bathroom at the St. Pete Pier

At St. Pete Rising, we are constantly providing comprehensive coverage on everything new and coming soon to the Sunshine City, but we think it’s also important to take a look back at our city's rich history.

Historically St. Pete, a monthly column on St. Pete Rising written by Executive Director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History Rui Farias, covers everything from the legend of underground mobster tunnels to the buildings and people that created the Sunshine City.

Follow us each month as we explore how these projects shaped St. Pete into the city we know and love today.

This month we explore the history of the 96-year-old Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and its amusing connection to a downtown bathroom nicknamed Little St. Mary’s.

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Multi-tenant retail building planned for the west end of Grand Central District

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Multi-tenant retail building planned for the west end of Grand Central District

A 6,079-square-foot retail building has been proposed for the west end of the Grand Central District.

The property is located at 2730 Central Avenue, just steps from the corner of Central Avenue and 27th Street, an area known for popular neighborhood restaurants like Wild Child, Baba, Casita Taqueria, and Bandit Coffee.

The site, which is owned by local real estate investor Rossi Bonugli, was previously occupied by two single-family homes that had been converted for retail use. They were demolished a few months ago to make way for the new development.

Bonugli had rented out the spaces for years but envisioned a greater use for the property.

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Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort could be rebuilt bigger than before

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Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort could be rebuilt bigger than before

After suffering major hurricane damage last year, Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort will be completely demolished and rebuilt, potentially larger than before, while preserving its nostalgic charm.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved a site plan last Thursday for a new four-story resort that will replace the 68-year-old property at 10700 Gulf Boulevard.

As first reported by St. Pete Rising, the rebuild calls for one single U-shaped building to house all 106 hotel rooms—the same number as before—on three levels above a 124-space surface parking lot beneath the structure, along with a 1,750-square-foot lobby and office space.

The resort’s appearance is expected to change significantly, but the Thunderbird name and its historic neon sign will remain.

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Dynasty Financial Partners to move headquarters to 400 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

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Dynasty Financial Partners to move headquarters to 400 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

The 46-story 400 Central condo tower under construction in downtown St. Petersburg has landed a major tenant to anchor its office space.

Financial services firm Dynasty Financial Partners will move from the 15th floor of 200 Central Avenue to 400 Central, which is the tallest building in St. Petersburg.

Dynasty has signed a 15-year lease to occupy all of 400 Central’s 45,000 square feet of Class A office space, according to a joint announcement from developer Red Apple Group and Dynasty.

The new headquarters will include a private entrance and lobby, a 15,000-square-foot rooftop terrace for special events, and several other custom amenities. Construction is underway, with Dynasty's move slated for November 2026.

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Whataburger files plans for Largo location, marking return to Tampa Bay after 15 years

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Whataburger files plans for Largo location, marking return to Tampa Bay after 15 years

A popular Texas-based fast food chain is making a comeback in the Tampa Bay area.

Whataburger has filed plans to open a new restaurant at 10150 Ulmerton Road in Largo.

The 3,671-square-foot building was most recently home to Joella’s Hot Chicken, which closed in October 2024. Prior to Joella’s, the space housed a Pollo Tropical, and before that, a Burger King.

According to documents submitted to the City of Largo in early 2025, Whataburger is proposing a $1.3 million remodel of the existing structure, including minor architectural and aesthetic changes, as well as interior renovations to the kitchen, lobby, and dining room.

The new restaurant will feature a drive-thru and seat 62 patrons.

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24-unit townhome community begins vertical construction in Grand Central District

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24-unit townhome community begins vertical construction in Grand Central District

A new townhome community is set to rise on the edge of St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District and Historic Kenwood, bringing a neighborhood feel to one of the city’s most vibrant urban corridors.

Indianapolis-based developer Onyx+East has officially launched sales for Blanc, a 24-unit luxury townhome project at 3001 1st Avenue North. The phased development will span seven buildings across a one-acre site.

The property, formerly home to a gas station, a single-family home, and an apartment building, was cleared prior to Onyx+East purchasing the site for $4 million in 2024. The parcel was previously owned by Salt Palm Development who planned to build The Bismarck, an 18-unit townhome community.

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Local coffee shop Sugar Baby quietly opens inside concrete design studio in Warehouse Arts District

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Local coffee shop Sugar Baby quietly opens inside concrete design studio in Warehouse Arts District

Coffee and concrete may seem like an unlikely match, but two local businesses are making it work.

After opening to rave reviews in Seminole two years ago, local coffee shop and café Sugar Baby has quietly debuted a new location inside a concrete design studio in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District.

Every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors can stop by Form43, located at 2621 Fairfield Avenue South, to grab a drink from Sugar Baby’s new coffee bar and wander through the 2,880-square-foot space filled with modern art installations, concrete furniture, and tropical greenery in concrete planters.

The new setup is more than just a pop-up. It’s a true collaboration between two local businesses with a shared vision of blending art, design, and community.

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First look inside the 42-story Art House condo tower set to open this fall in downtown St. Pete

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First look inside the 42-story Art House condo tower set to open this fall in downtown St. Pete

Three years after breaking ground, downtown St. Pete’s skyline is about to welcome its newest addition: Art House, a 42-story luxury condominium tower set to begin move-ins this October.

Located at 235 1st Avenue South, adjacent to 200 Central, the city’s tallest office tower, Art House is being developed by Kolter Urban, the South Florida-based firm behind ONE St. Petersburg and Saltaire.

The general contractor is Coastal Construction, with design contributions from SB Architects, ID & Design International, and Kimley-Horn. Smith & Associates is serving as the exclusive broker for the condo tower.

During a hard hat tour this week, St. Pete Rising got an exclusive look inside the tower, which has been under construction since mid-2022.

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381-unit Live Local Act development with workforce housing proposed in north St. Pete

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381-unit Live Local Act development with workforce housing proposed in north St. Pete

A major new affordable housing development could soon rise in north St. Petersburg. Atlanta-based real estate developer Wood Partners is proposing a 381-unit multifamily apartment complex at 11101 Roosevelt Boulevard North.

The five-story building, named Alta Roosevelt, is being reviewed under Florida’s Live Local Act, a 2023 state law designed to incentivize the construction of affordable and workforce housing.

The law allows residential developments to override local zoning restrictions such as height, density, and land use if at least 40 percent of units are set aside for households earning up to 120 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) and those units remain affordable for at least 30 years.

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Capybara Cafe opening next month in St. Pete will let you cuddle capybaras, wallabies, and lemurs

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Capybara Cafe opening next month in St. Pete will let you cuddle capybaras, wallabies, and lemurs

St. Pete is about to welcome a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

The Capybara Café, a wildly popular animal encounter café originally launched in St. Augustine, is opening a second location in the Sunshine City on July 11th.

Located at 4703 Park Street North, the café promises cozy coffeehouse vibes mixed with up-close moments with exotic animals, from cuddly capybaras to energetic lemurs.

Spanning 6,490 square feet, the industrial-chic café will be divided into private encounter spaces, animal lounging zones, and a relaxed café area serving coffee, muffins, cookies, and other light snacks.

But the real draw is the opportunity to get face-to-face with a rotating cast of animals from all over the globe, including wallabies, raccoons, skunks, armadillos, and more.

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