City moves forward with affordable housing and retail development on 22nd Street South

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City moves forward with affordable housing and retail development on 22nd Street South

Mayor Ken Welch has selected Green Mills Group, a South Florida-based affordable housing developer, to redevelop a historically significant city-owned property at 951 22nd Street South.

The selection follows a Request for Proposals (RFP) process that launched in August 2024, which drew three submissions from Green Mills Group, Tall Cotton, and Alexander Goshen/Goode Van Slyke Architecture.

Under Green Mills’ proposal, the vacant 0.68-acre site would be transformed into a $20 million mixed-use development, called Heritage Grove, featuring 54 affordable apartments and 2,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

City Council is expected to vote on a negotiated ground lease and development agreement next Thursday, October 16th.

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Marina Pointe launches sales for new 17-story condo tower in South Tampa

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Marina Pointe launches sales for new 17-story condo tower in South Tampa

Marina Pointe, the newest luxury waterfront condominium community in Tampa’s Westshore Marina District, is moving ahead with its second tower as pre-sales officially begin.

The new 17-story building, named Luna, will bring 151 residences to the private peninsula off Gandy and Westshore Boulevards.

Following the sellout of Marina Pointe’s first tower, which was completed in 2024 with 118 condominiums and seven Harbour Homes townhouses, sales are expected to move quickly.

Residences in Luna are planned to range from 1,193 to 3,400 square feet, with one- to four-bedroom layouts.

Prices start at $1 million and exceed $4 million for larger units.

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Massive $6.8 billion redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site proposed by group of local leaders

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Massive $6.8 billion redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site proposed by group of local leaders

A trio of well-known business leaders have submitted a proposal to purchase and redevelop 95.5 acres of downtown St. Petersburg, including the Historic Gas Plant District.

Casey Ellison, CEO of Ellison Companies;Cathie Wood, the founder of global investment firm ARK Invest; and Jonathan Graham, President of Horus Construction are behind the effort. Baker Barrios would serve as the master planner architect.

The group submitted a 98-page unsolicited proposal to the City of St. Petersburg this morning outlining a $6.8 billion vision for a new mixed-use district anchored by innovation, housing, cultural institutions, and world-class event venues.

The project would be built in four phases over the next 17 years and will include flexibility to accommodate the Tampa Bay Rays should the team remain beyond 2028.

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Iconic Tampa Bay restaurant Datz has closed in downtown St. Pete

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Iconic Tampa Bay restaurant Datz has closed in downtown St. Pete

Datz in downtown St. Pete has permanently closed, marking the end of what was once one of Tampa Bay’s most popular restaurants.

Earlier yesterday morning, a message was taped to the restaurant’s door:

“An ending to an era! It’s been a great and memorable journey throughout the years. Unfortunately, we have finished our final chapter in our Datz story.”

The message continued, “It’s been a privilege and our pleasure throughout the years! Be well and until we meet again. Stay Datzy!”

The note did not provide a reason for the closure, and a call to the owners, Suzanne and Roger Perry, was not returned.

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15-story Viv apartments to begin move-ins next month in the EDGE District

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15-story Viv apartments to begin move-ins next month in the EDGE District

Rising 150 feet, the highly anticipated 15-story Viv apartment community is now ready to welcome residents.

Announced in 2021 by developer Belpointe OZ, the complex is located on a 1.6-acre site at 1000 1st Avenue North in St. Pete’s EDGE District. The development features two 15-story towers with 269 market-rate apartments and a four-story parking garage offering 355 spaces.

Local general contractor JE Dunn Construction commenced construction in June 2023 and completed vertical construction in May 2024.

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Local boating company Hubbard's Marina selected as new operator of Cross Bay Ferry

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Local boating company Hubbard's Marina selected as new operator of Cross Bay Ferry

A longtime local boating business may bring back the popular ferry service connecting downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa, with more frequent trips and year-round service.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has recommended Hubbard’s Marina, a nearly century-old Madeira Beach-based business, to relaunch and manage the Cross Bay Ferry, which first launched in 2016. If approved, service could resume as early as 2026, ahead of the peak spring break season.

Hubbard’s Marina, which would operate the service as the Tampa Bay Ferry, was one of four respondents to PSTA’s Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on August 5th.

Founded in 1928 by Captain Wilson Hubbard as a bait-and-tackle shop, Hubbard’s Marina has grown into a major fishing and boating business. The family-owned company moved to John’s Pass on Maderia Beach in 1976, where it now offers deep-sea fishing, sightseeing tours, and operates a maintenance and manufacturing facility in Gulfport.

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It’s official: The Tampa Bay Rays have been sold to Jacksonville billionaire

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It’s official: The Tampa Bay Rays have been sold to Jacksonville billionaire

It’s official. The Tampa Bay Rays have been sold.

An ownership group led by 44-year-old billionaire Patrick Zalupski, CEO of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes, has finalized the $1.7 billion purchase of the Major League Baseball franchise from longtime owner Stu Sternberg.

The transaction closed Tuesday following unanimous MLB approval last week.

“It’s an incredible honor to become the stewards of the Tampa Bay Rays, a franchise with a proud history and a bright future,” said Zalupski in a statement. “We are especially privileged to have been chosen by Stu Sternberg as his successors, and we’re all energized by the responsibility to serve Rays fans everywhere and this great game.

Commissioner Rob Manfred added, “Major League Baseball is pleased to welcome Patrick and his partners to the ownership ranks. Their collective experience and passion for the game will serve the Rays well as they enter this exciting new chapter."

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Celebrity Chef Geoffrey Zakarian to open new restaurant at The Central in downtown St. Pete

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Celebrity Chef Geoffrey Zakarian to open new restaurant at The Central in downtown St. Pete

Internationally recognized chef and TV personality Geoffrey Zakarian will introduce a new restaurant concept at The Central, a new mixed-use development under construction in St. Petersburg’s EDGE District.

Zakarian, known for his modern American cuisine, more than 25 years of leading top kitchens across the country, and appearances on competitive cooking shows, announced on Tuesday the flagship restaurant will be located in the 168-room Central Hotel within the 2.1-acre development at 1301 Central Avenue. The Central Hotel will be part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection.

“St. Petersburg is a city brimming with energy and creativity, and we are thrilled to create a dining experience that captures that spirit,” Zakarian said in a statement.

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17-unit townhome-style apartment community breaks ground on 1st Avenue South

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17-unit townhome-style apartment community breaks ground on 1st Avenue South

New modern residences are rising on a vacant property on 1st Avenue South near 34th Street in St. Petersburg.

Northern Trust Builders broke ground earlier this month on a $4.7 million project that will bring 17 townhome-style apartments across two three-story buildings to the site.

The development is led by Tampa-based Zhukovskyi Development, headed by Tony Zhukovskyi, and designed by local architect Pete Alfonso Jr.

The first building, at 3655 1st Avenue South, will have nine units. The second, at 3651 1st Avenue South, will include eight.

Zhukovskyi bought the property last August for $255,000.

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12-story luxury condo tower to rise in St. Pete’s 67-acre Marina Bay waterfront community

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12-story luxury condo tower to rise in St. Pete’s 67-acre Marina Bay waterfront community

A new luxury condominium tower will be developed on the Pinellas Bayway, marking the final major development within Marina Bay, a 67-acre gated waterfront community adjacent to Eckerd College and southwest of the Skyway Marina District in St. Petersburg.

Marina Bay developer Reza Yazdani plans to submit plans in early October to the City of St. Pete for the Marina Bay Residence, a 12-story condominium tower featuring panoramic views of Boca Ciega Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

The $120 million project will include 96 residential units, two levels of parking, and a suite of upscale amenities.

Since acquiring the initial Marina Bay property from Eckerd College in 2003, Yazdani has transformed the site into a premier coastal residential enclave featuring a deep-water marina and 187 homes, including single-family residences, villas, and condominiums located along almost 2,000 feet of the Intracoastal Waterway.

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