October 24, 2025

Massive street festival Halloween on Central returns to Central Avenue this weekend

October 24, 2025/ Brian Zucker

St. Pete’s largest family-friendly open-air event, Halloween on Central, returns for its fifth year this Sunday, October 26th, from noon to 5 p.m. And it’s completely free.

Once again, more than two miles of Central Avenue will close to vehicular traffic, from Dr. MLK Jr. Street (9th) Street to 31st Street, for a full day of festive fun in the heart of the Sunshine City.

With Central Avenue closed to cars, thousands of trick-or-treaters and festivalgoers can stroll, roll, and explore 22 blocks filled with candy stops, live entertainment, vendors, and costumed revelers.

This year’s celebration is presented by ARK Ellison Horus Baker Barrios in partnership with the Grand Central District, EDGE District, and the City of St. Pete.

“Having ARK Ellison Horus Baker Barrios as our title sponsor this year has helped remind us of what community and local is all about,” said Roger Curlin, Executive Director of the EDGE Business District Association. “With attendance typically exceeding 100,000, this event brings residents and visitors together for the perfect all-community gathering.”

October 23, 2025

Melt n Dip dessert lounge coming to former Rollbotto space in downtown St. Pete

October 23, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new dessert café is on its way to downtown St. Pete.

Melt n Dip, a dessert chain known for waffles, crepes, and gelato, plans to open at 221 1st Street North at Plaza Tower near Sundial and Beach Drive.

The new shop will occupy a 2,300-square-foot space that previously housed Rollbotto, a sushi restaurant that opened in 2012, closed in May 2024 after more than a decade in business.

Harrison Gault and Jay Billings of Commercial Partners Realty represented the tenant, while Kevin Yeager, also of Commercial Partners Realty, represented the landlord.

October 22, 2025

Developer buys more land on Salt Creek as investment now tops $59 million

October 22, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Clearwater-based real estate firm Prometheus Partners has once again expanded its portfolio along Salt Creek in St. Pete.

The company, which has now spent $59 million acquiring over 15 acres in recent years, quietly acquired two more industrial properties just south of downtown as part of its ongoing effort to assemble a large swath of contiguous land in the Old Southeast neighborhood.

According to property records, Prometheus purchased the 3.4-acre site at 333 16th Avenue South, the 57,000-square-foot former home of Captain’s Fine Foods, for $7.5 million on Monday.

Last Tuesday, the company acquired the 0.48-acre property at 205 15th Avenue Southeast for $2 million. The site includes a 7,000-square-foot warehouse currently occupied by Universal Stenciling and Marking Systems.

Both sites are zoned IC (Institutional Center), which is intended for public and semi-public uses such as hospitals, universities, utilities, and government facilities.

October 22, 2025

Seven-story affordable apartment building for seniors proposed for city-owned lot in downtown St. Pete

October 22, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The City of St. Pete has received another offer to redevelop part of the Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete.

The Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA) has submitted an unsolicited proposal to purchase and redevelop a city-owned parking lot at 1659 3rd Avenue South into an 80-unit affordable housing building for seniors.

In 2023, the Rays and Hines submitted a nearly identical proposal for the same site.

The property, which sits adjacent to the recently completed Modera St. Petersburg apartment tower, has been historically used as parking for Tampa Bay Rays games.

In an October 8th offer letter to the city, PCHA Executive Director Neil Brickfield detailed plans for a seven-story building designed by St. Pete-based Storyn Studio for Architecture in partnership with local developer Ascension Real Estate Partners.

The proposal calls for the City to convey the land to PCHA so it can utilize the Affordable Housing Voucher Program to ensure long-term affordability.

October 21, 2025

St. Pete to invite new proposals for redevelopment of Historic Gas Plant District

October 21, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The City of St. Petersburg is once again preparing to solicit proposals for the redevelopment of the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete, the same site where the Tampa Bay Rays’ future stadium and a new mixed-use district have long been envisioned.

This morning, the City announced plans to publish a notice in mid-November inviting private developers and other interested parties to submit proposals within 30 days for the site’s redevelopment.

The move follows an unsolicited proposal submitted earlier this month by a development team led by Casey Ellison, CEO of Ellison Companies; Cathie Wood, founder of global investment firm ARK Invest; and Jonathan Graham, president of Horus Construction.

Their 98-page, $6.8 billion proposal outlines a sweeping vision for a new mixed-use district anchored by innovation, housing, cultural institutions, and world-class event venues spanning 95.5 acres of downtown St. Petersburg, including the Historic Gas Plant District.

October 21, 2025

St. Pete florists plant roots together in new floral shop with a garden and drive-thru

October 21, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A colorful new floral shop has taken root in St. Petersburg’s Euclid Heights neighborhood, blending creativity, community, and craftsmanship under one roof.

Located at 1506 54th Avenue North, the freshly opened space brings together two local floral powerhouses, Arms of Persephone and The Roaming Petal, offering everything from handcrafted bouquets to immersive floral workshops.

The collaboration marks the first time the two longtime florists, Regan Smith of Arms of Persephone and Erica Holland of The Roaming Petal, have shared a physical space.

Though they’ve referred clients to one another for years, their new studio merges retail, workshops, and events into a single destination for flower lovers across Tampa Bay.

October 20, 2025

Habitat for Humanity to build 100 affordable homes on former church site in Largo

October 20, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

An eight-acre property in Largo once home to the American Collegiate Academy will soon be redeveloped into an affordable housing community.

Earlier this month, Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Gulfside purchased the site at 833 Wyatt Street for $4.75 million, with plans to construct 100 affordable townhomes.

The seller, American Collegiate Academy, purchased the site from the First Assembly of God of Clearwater for $2 million in 2019.

The property, which currently features 17 classrooms and a 900-seat auditorium, will be demolished to make way for the project.

October 20, 2025

St. Pete explores permanent ferry dock at St. Pete Pier for service to downtown Tampa

October 20, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The passenger ferry linking downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa may soon have a new home on the St. Pete Pier.

As the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) prepares to relaunch the Tampa Bay Ferry, formerly known as the Cross Bay Ferry, the city is evaluating plans to construct a permanent dock near the St. Petersburg Museum of History, according to documents obtained by St. Pete Rising.

When the ferry service began in 2016, it carried passengers on a roughly 50-minute ride from North Straub Park in downtown St. Pete to the Tampa Convention Center in downtown Tampa.

In 2023, when the permit for the St. Pete dock expired, the St. Pete terminus was relocated to the Port of St. Petersburg, south of Albert Whitted Airport.

While the Port location kept the service operational, it’s been criticized by riders and city officials for being out of sight and inconvenient compared to the original downtown stop.

October 17, 2025

Luma, a waterfront Mediterranean restaurant, is set to debut in December at SkyBeach Resort in St. Pete

October 17, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

SkyBeach Resort, a newly renovated resort on the southern tip of St. Petersburg, is introducing new waterfront restaurant in December for locals and guests alike.

The newest concept, Luma, will be an elevated Mediterranean restaurant on the 18-acre property at 6800 Sunshine Skyway Lane South.

Located just off the resort’s main lobby, Luma draws its name from lumen, Latin for "light,” a nod to the radiant St. Petersburg sun and the luminous flavors of the Mediterranean.

The concept blends regional soul with global sophistication, offering a menu rooted in fresh, locally inspired ingredients and coastal influences.

Designed by SkyBeach Resort owner Ben Willner, Luma’s aesthetic is a marriage of coastal elegance and vintage charm - think art deco garden party meets a refined 1950s seaside lounge. The space overlooks the resort’s newly renovated marina.

October 16, 2025

Three-story waterfront restaurant and bar proposed for downtown Gulfport

October 16, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A vacant quarter-acre lot along Gulfport’s downtown waterfront is slated to be redeveloped into a new restaurant.

Clearwater-based Prometheus Partners has proposed to construct a three-story, 5,700-square-foot restaurant and bar called Surf Shack at 5427 Shore Boulevard South, just steps from popular spots like O’Maddy’s Bar & Grille and Stormrunners Tavern.

Designed by St. Pete-based Fraze Design renderings show a fresh, modern coastal aesthetic with white siding with blue accents and striped awnings.

Plans call for multiple bars, a covered balcony, and ample seating designed to take advantage of Gulfport’s waterfront views.

While Prometheus has not yet released details about the menu, the concept is expected to feature casual coastal fare and drinks in line with its beach-inspired theme.