September 24, 2025

Historically St. Pete: The 100-year-old cafeteria craze that reshaped dining in St. Pete

September 24, 2025/ Rui Farias

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.

This month we look back at the rise of cafeteria culture that swept through the Sunshine City in the 1910s and 1920s.

September 23, 2025

Publix plans bigger store at Gateway Market Center on 9th Street North in St. Pete

September 23, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

One of St. Petersburg’s largest shopping centers is preparing for a major upgrade.

Gateway Market Center, located six miles north of downtown at 7751-8229 9th Street North, will soon break ground on a new Publix supermarket as part of a broader redevelopment effort led by InvenTrust Properties Inc.

The Illinois-based real estate investment trust, which owns and manages open-air shopping centers nationwide, plans to demolish the 60,450-square-foot Bealls, which recently closed, and replace it with a new 54,964-square-foot Publix, according to plans obtained by St. Pete Rising.

The store will be built adjacent to the existing 37,888-square-foot Publix, which has anchored the site for more than two decades.

The current Publix is expected to stay open during construction to avoid disrupting service, with operations likely shifting to the larger store once it is complete.

September 22, 2025

St. Pete’s largest indoor Halloween market debuts next month with 50+ vendors, Labubu tattoos, and spooky lattes

September 22, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Spooky season is creeping in early this year, and St. Pete is about to get its biggest dose of Halloween spirit yet.

On Saturday, October 11th, the debut of the Spooky Island Market will transform Coastal Creative in the Grand Central District into a tropical-meets-haunted bazaar unlike anything the Sunshine City has ever seen.

From noon to 5 p.m., more than 50 local vendors will take over the venue at 2201 1st Avenue South, creating an eerie indoor gathering inspired by the haunted resort from the 2002 Scooby-Doo movie.

Guests can expect a pumpkin patch, oddities, spooky photo ops, Halloween-inspired installations, and plenty of exclusive treats designed to give you goosebumps.

September 19, 2025

Aerial St. Pete: Construction progresses on five major developments in the Sunshine City

September 19, 2025/ Anthony Close

The latest edition of Aerial St. Pete highlights five major real estate projects under construction in the St. Petersburg.

Aerial St. Pete is a recurring column by St. Pete Rising that features exclusive aerial photography documenting the city’s rapid development. To capture these images, we’ve partnered with AB3 Visuals.

This month’s update showcases construction progress on the expansion of the historic Cordova Inn, the Bernie McCade Second District Court of Appeals Courthouse, Institute Square at Orlando Health Medical Pavilion, Waterways Apartments & Marina, and The Henry at Whitney Village.

September 18, 2025

50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences sales gallery opens in downtown St. Pete

September 18, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The team behind what is expected to become St. Pete’s tallest tower marked a major milestone Wednesday evening with the grand opening of the Waldorf Astoria Residences sales gallery.

Located at 100 2nd Avenue South in the City Center office tower, the gallery features a full model unit that cost more than $1 million to build, giving prospective buyers and the public an early look at what the 50-story project will offer.

Rising 539 feet at 150 2nd Avenue South, the 163-unit Waldorf Astoria Residences will be St. Pete’s first hotel-branded luxury condominium tower.

The $500 million project is being co-developed by Miami-based Property Markets Group and St. Petersburg-based Feldman Equities, in partnership with Vancouver-based City Office REIT and Orlando-based Tower Realty Partners. Hilton will manage the residences, while Smith & Associates Real Estate is leading sales.

September 18, 2025

Sprouts Farmers Market sets opening date for first St. Pete location

September 18, 2025/ Brian Zucker

St. Pete’s first Sprouts Farmers Market is preparing to open its doors in the Skyway Marina District on Friday, November 14th.

The 23,000-square-foot store at 3411 32nd Avenue South will serve as the anchor retail tenant in the $800 million Sky Town development.

Sky Town, developed by Miami-based Altis Cardinal, is one of the largest projects currently underway in St. Pete.

The 34.3-acre site, formerly home to the Ceridian office campus, is being redeveloped into a mixed-use community that will include 2,084 apartments, 69,000 square feet of retail, and 120,000 square feet of self-storage.

Vertical construction recently commenced on the first phase of apartments.

The new Sprouts, which sits on the east side of the property, was constructed by Tarpon Springs-based Hawkins Construction.

September 17, 2025

$33 million Tierra Verde Marina redevelopment revised, residents remain opposed

September 17, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A developer has revised its plans to redevelop a prominent seven-acre property on Tierra Verde, but many residents believe the project is still not in the city’s best interest.

Tampa-based Greenleaf Capital, the real estate division of HCI Group Inc., is seeking approval from the City of St. Petersburg to transform the Tierra Verde Marina at 100 Pinellas Bayway South into a modern boat club with expanded amenities.

The goal, according to the developer, is to revitalize the island’s waterfront entryway.

The marina currently has 64 wet slips, 314 high-and-dry racks within a 58,000-square-foot storage complex, a 24,000-square-foot shopping center, and a gas station.

The $32.7 million redevelopment calls for demolishing the retail plaza and marina facilities to make way for a larger storage facility and private boat club with a restaurant, bar, and pool.

Greenleaf Capital acquired the site in 2011 for $5 million, three years after 28 acres of Tierra Verde, including the marina, were annexed by St. Petersburg.

The company is also seeking a 15-foot height bonus to build a nine-story, 90-foot-tall storage facility.

September 17, 2025

Two-story retail building planned for former gas station site in the Grand Central District

September 17, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A Citgo gas station on the corner of Central Avenue and 28th Street is set to be redeveloped into a new retail destination.

Clearwater-based general contractor Build America Luxury Homes has submitted plans to demolish the 1957-built station and replace it with a two-story, 13,500-square-foot retail building at 2801 Central Avenue, next to Cheeky’s Fish & Raw Bar.

“We are experienced in taking old, rundown, or neglected places and turning them into community assets,” said Qemal Hasanbelli, owner of Build America Luxury Homes and BA Construction, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

Hasanbelli purchased the 0.22-acre lot in December 2023 for $1.75 million.

Designed by Oldsmar-based ArchEvoke Studio LLC, the building would accommodate multiple retailers and restaurants, bringing new business opportunities to this stretch of the Grand Central District.

September 16, 2025

2,084-unit Sky Town begins vertical construction on first apartments in St. Pete

September 16, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Vertical construction has commenced on the first phase of apartments at Sky Town, a planned $800 million mixed-use development at 3201 34th Street South in the Skyway Marina District.

The 34.3-acre site, once home to the Ceridian office campus, is being redeveloped in six phases to include 2,084 apartments, 69,000 square feet of retail anchored by a 23,000-square-foot Sprouts Farmers Market, and 120,000 square feet of self-storage.

It is the largest project currently in development in St. Pete, based on acreage and number of units.

The Sprouts Farmers Market, now nearing completion, sits along the east side of the property and will serve as the gateway to the future redevelopment. A 4,500-square-foot retail outparcel fronting 34th Street South is also under construction.

September 16, 2025

The Mariel luxury townhomes to begin construction on former Dairy Inn property

September 16, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Six luxury townhomes are preparing to break ground on the former Dairy Inn property, where the iconic ice cream shop served St. Pete for 76 years before closing in November 2023.

The new project, named The Mariel, is scheduled to begin construction next month at 1201 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North, across from Hooks Sushi Bar and just minutes from downtown St. Pete.

A seasoned development team includes Jeff Craft and Brandon Wolford of Shell Basix Design/Build, which has developed more than 850 townhome units across the region; Ely Payne of Baysite Engineering as the civil engineer; and St. Pete-based Fraze Design as the architect.

The Mariel’s six residences will each span over 2,800 square feet with three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and a bonus room.

Designed for modern luxury living, the homes will feature 12-foot ceilings, premium appliances, and natural gas cooking.

Each home will feature block construction with hurricane-rated windows and doors, and buyers will have the option to add a private elevator leading to a rooftop terrace.