January 21, 2026

Famous Twitch streamer Tfue buys Woody’s Waterfront restaurant on St. Pete Beach

January 21, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Woody’s Waterfront, the restaurant and bar that served St. Pete Beach for 35 years before closing in 2024, now belongs to a social media star.

The 28-year-old Twitch streamer and Florida native Turner Tenney, better known as Tfue, one of the world’s top esports gamers, has purchased the property at 7308 Sunset Way for $2.4 million.

Like many businesses on St. Pete Beach, Woody’s Waterfront sustained severe damage from Hurricane Helene in 2024 and was forced to close.

The laid-back, old-school Florida beach bar was owned by Roxene Riles and Marlo George, whose parents purchased the parcels in 1989 for $526,100.

"We have spent many hours reviewing options and have decided it is time for someone else to build their vision," the owners wrote on social media in January 2025, when they initially listed the property and two adjacent lots overlooking Blind Pass.

January 21, 2026

Health-focused Karma Juice Bar & Eatery coming to north St. Pete

January 21, 2026/ Kyla Fields

Fresh off announcing a new Grand Central District location, Karma Juice Bar and Eatery is planning yet another café—this time in north St. Pete.

Owner Josie Barber tells St. Pete Rising that plans are underway for Karma’s newest outpost, a 2,485-square-foot space at 201 Main Street North on the ground floor of the 17-story Park & Main apartment building within Echelon City Center at Carillon.

“I’ve never really taken on a project this big before; it’s quite a large space and we’re completely building it out,” Barber says. “It’s going to be a good place for us because the demographic of people that live there is very similar to our customer base.”

Barber plans to open Park and Main’s Karma later this year.

Karma has two existing locations, including one on 4th Street North in St. Pete and another in Clearwater.

January 20, 2026

204-unit affordable housing development in west St. Pete revived by Gravel Road Partners with county funding support

January 20, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Washington, D.C.-based affordable housing developer Gravel Road Partners is resurrecting a long-stalled project that will bring 204 apartments and ground-floor retail to west St. Pete.

On Tuesday, Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved $6.71 million in Penny for Pinellas funding for a four-story apartment building planned at 6090 Central Avenue.

The new community, known as Sixty90, will reserve 60% of its units for households earning 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and below, with the remaining 40% offered at market rates.

Gravel Road Partners is taking over the project from local real estate firms DDA Development and Backstreets Capital, which purchased the three-acre site in December 2020 for $5.6 million from local businessman Bill Edwards.

The city approved plans for the four-story complex in 2021, and County commissioners also approved $3.5 million in Penny for Pinellas funding that year. That funding was later returned after the original development team paused the project amid shifting market conditions.

“We are incredibly proud to launch our third project in Pinellas County, a milestone that reflects our deep-seated commitment to this community. This project is a powerful testament to our partnership with Pinellas County and the City of St. Petersburg,” said Tyler Herbert, a partner with Gravel Road Partners, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

January 19, 2026

Gas Plant District redevelopment teams bolster partnerships ahead of proposal deadline

January 19, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Prominent local developers competing to lead the redevelopment of the Gas Plant District in St. Pete are expanding their teams.

On January 4th, Mayor Ken Welch opened a 30-day window inviting developers and interested parties to submit proposals, following the receipt of an unsolicited proposal in October 2025 from ARK Ellison Horus.

Since then, investor Thompson Whitney Blake of Blake Investment Partners has announced he is also submitting a proposal.

ARK Ellison Horus and Blake are currently the only developers to publicly signal their intent to submit bids for the site, although additional proposals could still be submitted before the February 3rd deadline.

January 16, 2026

Texas-based coworking company Urban Office to open first Florida location in the Warehouse Arts District

January 16, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

An industrial building in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District is set to be converted into a modern coworking hub with more than 100 offices and retail space.

The nearly 24,000-square-foot property at 2301 3rd Avenue South was purchased on January 16th for $3.535 million by Lapin Development, led by developer Alec Lapin.

Alex Kamm, Joe Esposito, and Jon LaBudde of Axxos Commercial Group represented the buyer in the transaction, while Doug Waechter of JLL represented the seller.

The 61-year-old building was previously owned by the Louise Graham Regeneration Center, which operated a paper shredding business on site that employed adults with intellectual disabilities. The organization closed its operations in late 2025, leaving the property vacant.

Lapin plans to invest around $4 million to redevelop the building into Florida’s first Urban Office location, a coworking concept created by Houston-based developer Braun Enterprises.

January 16, 2026

St. Pete Innovation District unveils new master plan shaping future waterfront growth

January 16, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

The Innovation District, a 560-acre neighborhood on the southeastern edge of downtown St. Pete, is putting the final touches on a new master plan outlining a long-term vision for growth, including possible zoning updates that could lead to larger mixed-use developments.

The plan, which was presented during an open house on Wednesday night, is meant to be a flexible, long-term framework rather than a rigid set of instructions.

Developed in partnership with the City of St. Pete and Kimley-Horn, the plan emphasizes expanded waterfront access, climate resilience, mixed-use development, and stronger connections to downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

First established in 2016, the Innovation District has become a hub for marine science, healthcare, research, and technology anchored by major institutions including the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, Port St. Pete, and Albert Whitted Airport.

January 15, 2026

Dead Bob’s Waterfront Kitchen will soon open inside of the Elks Lodge in Madeira Beach

January 15, 2026/ Kyla Fields

Dead Bob’s is expanding once again – this time to the waterfront.

The popular St. Petersburg bar and restaurant will soon open Dead Bob’s Waterfront Kitchen inside the Holiday Isle Elks Lodge #1912 at 14111 East Parsley Drive in Madeira Beach, which reopened last year after Hurricane Helene.

For owner Ben Scherlis, the partnership offers a rare mix of scenic views, built-in community, and something a little different from the typical restaurant experience.

“We’re really trying to be open on February 1st; it might be a few weeks later, but that’s what we’re shooting for,” Dead Bob’s owner Ben Scherlis tells St. Pete Rising.

Dead Bob’s Waterfront Kitchen will operate as a members-only restaurant, meaning guests must be affiliated with the Elks Lodge to dine there.

However, non-members won’t be turned away. Visitors can apply for membership on the spot, pay a $50 application fee, and enjoy Dead Bob’s famed fare right away.

January 14, 2026

SkyWay Lofts completes 66 new affordable apartments in the Skyway Marina District

January 14, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

As the Skyway Marina District continues to grow, a local developer is bringing more affordable housing to the neighborhood.

Tampa-based affordable housing developer Blue Sky Communities has completed the second phase of SkyWay Lofts, adding 66 new apartments to the 1.19-acre property at 3800 34th Street South.

The new, four-story building is reserved for residents earning between 22% and 80% of the area median income (AMI), or roughly $16,000 to $58,000 per year for a one-person household. Notably, the monthly rent starts at $305 for a one-bedroom and one-bathroom unit.

The building is already at full occupancy with a waitlist available for applicants.

“Thanks to the City of St. Petersburg, the Skyway Marina District has been transformed into one of the premier neighborhoods of our city,” Scott Macdonald, Executive Vice President and Partner of Blue Sky Communities, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday.

January 14, 2026

SoDough Square to open Detroit-style square pizza shop in north St. Pete

January 14, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Orlando-based SoDough Square, known for its Detroit-style square pizza, is expanding into the Tampa Bay area with the debut of a new slice shop in north St. Pete.

Detroit native Robert Bair, who is also the founder of Gringos Locos and Tin & Taco, has been quietly baking pies and fine-tuning recipes ahead of the soft opening of SoDough Square at 6925 4th Street North, formerly home to The Bread Artisans bakery.

The new pizza shop will host a soft opening celebration on Friday, January 23rd.

While dozens of pizzerias and Italian eateries serve thin, New York-style or brick-oven pies, only a handful of local shops offer Detroit-style pizzas, known for its thick, yet crispy crust.

Bair, who years ago traded the hustle and bustle of Motor City to move to “where you vacation,” opened his Orlando flagship shop in 2022. He followed that with two additional locations in the greater Orlando area a year later.

The rise of Detroit-style pizza is widely credited to Gus Guerra, the late owner of Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizzeria on Detroit’s east side. He famously baked his pies in forged blue steel pans sourced from local automotive plants, giving them their signature square shape and crispy caramelized edge known as “frico.”

January 14, 2026

Dr. Kiran Patel sells Indian Rocks Beach waterfront site for $16M after condo plans stall

January 14, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Clearwater-based real estate firm Prometheus Partners, which has been steadily scooping up sites along St. Pete’s Salt Creek, has made another land purchase — this time in Indian Rocks Beach.

Prometheus purchased the vacant parcels at 400, 404, and 408 Gulf Boulevard for $16 million from prominent Florida physician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Dr. Kiran Patel, according to a deed recorded on Tuesday.

The 0.97-acre property, which is located across from the original Crabby Bill’s, was formerly home to the 45-key Gulf Towers Motel, which was demolished in early 2023.

Dr. Patel purchased the site in 2005 for $9 million, with plans to redevelop it into an eight-unit condo community called Sai Ocean Front Residences.

Pre-construction sales kicked off in 2024 with pricing starting at $6 million per unit.

However, Patel opted to list the property in September 2024 to focus on other endeavors, listing agent David Grieco told St. Pete Rising.