February 05, 2026

Madeira Beach looks to public input in planning redevelopment of prime waterfront site

February 05, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

A 4.6-acre vacant waterfront property at the entrance to Madeira Beach could become a new public asset. The city is beginning to gather ideas from the community on how the land should be used.

An expanded marina, a parking garage, restaurants, and a public park were among the ideas residents suggested during a town hall meeting on Tuesday night regarding the future of the property at 555 150th Avenue in Madeira Beach, located just off the Tom Stuart Causeway.

The site has remained vacant for nearly a decade following the demolition of the Leverock’s restaurant, which closed in 2000.

A previously approved mixed-use proposal by The DeNunzio Group included a 130-room Hilton hotel, 31 residential units, a restaurant, and a 100-slip marina. However, plans ultimately never materialized.

In October 2025, the city acquired the property for $18 million, a price well below independent appraisals that valued the site upwards of $25 million. Using cash reserves, City Commissioner Eddie McGeehen described the strategic purchase as “a great investment for the city.”

February 04, 2026

Construction begins on 264-unit affordable housing “unicorn” near St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District

February 04, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

Construction is officially underway on one of St. Petersburg’s largest workforce and affordable housing developments.

On Wednesday morning, St. Pete-based HP Capital Group joined city and county officials, community partners, and stakeholders to celebrate the groundbreaking of Fairfield Avenue Apartments, a 264-unit apartment community at 3300 Fairfield Avenue South.

The development will serve individuals and families earning between 50% and 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), a range that developers and officials say is increasingly difficult to accommodate in today’s housing market.

February 04, 2026

The iconic 87-year-old Seahorse Restaurant reopens in Pass-a-Grille after year-long closure

February 04, 2026/ Kyla Fields

Seahorse Restaurant, an 87-year-old Pass-a-Grille institution, welcomed its first customers in more than a year this week, after a long period of post-hurricane reconstruction.

The waterfront breakfast spot closed in late 2024 after sustaining several feet of flood damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Located at 800 Pass a Grille Way, Seahorse has been serving the community since 1938, dishing out classic breakfasts and hearty lunch plates.

The restaurant is currently in a soft opening phase, with owner Anayeri Gomez telling St. Pete Rising that a ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for Friday, February 6th at 11 a.m.

“We had mostly locals coming in, residents from the area,” Gomez said of restaurant’s first day back. “We hired a few new staff members and updated the POS system, but overall it was a really nice training day.”

February 03, 2026

Inside the nine proposals vying to redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete

February 03, 2026/ Brian Zucker

The City of St. Pete has received eight additional submissions in response to its Request for Alternate Proposals for the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete, expanding the field to a total of nine submissions when combined with the original unsolicited proposal from Ark Ellison Horus.

The alternate proposals were submitted by a wide-ranging mix of private developers, nonprofit organizations, housing-focused entities, and community-led groups.

The nine proposals were submitted by the following teams, listed in alphabetical order:

Ark Ellison Horus
Foundation Vision Partners
Freedom Communities Company
Logical Sites Inc
Pinellas County Housing Authority
Reparations Land Trust and Development Authority
Tempo Novus
The Burg Bid LLC
The Tampa Bay Boom Inc.

City staff are expected to conduct a review of the submissions, a process which could take months, according to Mayor Ken Welch.

February 03, 2026

Locally led team pitches master plan first approach for Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete

February 03, 2026/ Brian Zucker

A new proposal has entered the mix for the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete, with a locally led team asking the City to consider a fundamentally different approach to redevelopment.

The current review process was triggered by a January 4 public notice issued after an unsolicited submission from ARK Ellison Horus. In response, the City invited alternative redevelopment concepts for the site, with submissions due this morning.

Among those submissions is a plan from Foundation Vision Partners, led by Will Conroy of Backstreets Capital, Alex Schapira, formerly with Hines, and Anddrikk Frazier of Best Source Consulting, in partnership with global master planning firm Gensler and civil engineering firm Stantec.

Conroy’s firm has developed several condominium projects in St. Pete, including The Nolen, The Salvador, and most recently The Cade, a seven-story mid-rise overlooking Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete. Schapira and Frazier were part of the team behind the previous Rays/Hines proposal.

February 02, 2026

Dads’ Kitchen & Co., a classic-style diner, to replace 2D Cafe in the Grand Central District

February 02, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

A new breakfast and lunch spot is preparing to open this month on Central Avenue, bringing a classic diner feel and a family-centered mission to the Grand Central District.

Dads’ Kitchen and Co. will debut at 2105 Central Avenue, next to the Speakeasy Central Kava Bar, replacing the former 2D Cafe, which closed in early 2025 after three years in business.

“We are two proud dads raising four incredible kids, building a life rooted in love, family, and community,” owners Nick Ellis and Joseph Christianson wrote on Facebook.

Ellis, a social worker, and Christianson, an experienced cook, are parents of adopted children who are both intellectually and physically disabled.

“Our journey into opening this restaurant wasn’t just about food—it was about creating something meaningful for our children and for the neighborhood we call home,” the post continued.

“As parents, we wanted to build a place that reflects the values we teach at our kitchen table every day: kindness, respect, hard work, and showing up for one another. This restaurant is an extension of our family—a space filled with laughter, connection, and meals made with care.”

February 02, 2026

Six-story resort with waterpark and rooftop bar denied again on St. Pete Beach

February 02, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

After nearly two years of plan revisions, public hearings, and formal dispute resolution, the St. Pete Beach City Commission has again rejected a proposed waterfront resort that would have brought a waterpark, rooftop bar, and 100-room hotel to a vacant stretch of Gulf Boulevard along McPherson Bayou.

At its January 27th meeting, commissioners voted to deny a settlement recommendation stemming from a Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act proceeding, effectively reaffirming the city’s earlier denial of three requests tied to the proposed Windward Pass Resort.

The project was first announced in March 2024 as a six-story, 104-key hotel planned for a 2.53-acre assemblage at 3815, 3856, 3859 and 3861 Gulf Boulevard, an irregularly shaped site bookended by the Sand Cove Apartments and Sun Harbor Condos.

January 30, 2026

St. Pete asks residents to weigh in on future seawall and shoreline improvements

January 30, 2026/ Kyla Fields

After several years of planning, the City of St. Pete is now entering the public outreach phase of its Citywide Seawall Master Plan, a long-term effort focused on addressing coastal flooding, erosion, and shoreline resilience.

The Seawall Master Plan is designed to evaluate the condition of City-owned seawalls and create a strategy for future repairs, replacements, and shoreline improvements.

A seawall is a hardened shoreline structure, typically constructed of concrete or steel, designed to protect land from erosion, storm surge, and tidal flooding.

In St. Pete, seawalls protect neighborhoods, parks, roadways, utilities, and other critical infrastructure from rising water levels.

Pinellas County has nearly 588 miles of coastline, almost half of which is hardened with seawalls.

Within St. Petersburg alone, there are roughly 80,000 linear feet, or about 15 miles, of City-owned seawalls, in addition to an estimated 500,000 linear feet of privately owned seawalls.

January 29, 2026

After Postcard Inn closure, The Luce Hotel sets opening date on St. Pete Beach

January 29, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

After months of renovations, one of St. Pete Beach’s most popular waterfront hotels is preparing to welcome guests back under a new brand.

The Luce (pronounced “loose”), located at 6300 Gulf Boulevard, is set to open March 15th and is now accepting reservations.

The property is the former home of the Postcard Inn, a longtime beach destination that closed in 2024 after sustaining damage from back-to-back hurricanes.

Originally built in 1957, the nine-acre beachfront property has been fully renovated by The LCP Group, which purchased the site in 2022 for $83 million alongside investment partner Safanad.

Hotel management is being handled by Crescent Hotels & Resorts, and the project now operates under Marriott Tribute Portfolio.

January 29, 2026

Paloma House opens in north St. Pete as a women-centered hub for fitness, co-working, and community

January 29, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

A new women-centered community space has debuted in north St. Pete with a mission rooted in connection, support, and the realities of modern motherhood.

Paloma House is now open at 10787 Oak Street NE, bringing together co-working, wellness programming, play-care, and onsite providers in a Mediterranean-inspired setting designed to feel more like a home than a traditional workspace.

Founder Sophie Moenter, a St. Pete native and professional wedding and family photographer, said the idea for Paloma House emerged after becoming a first-time mom to her son, Remy, and realizing how difficult it can be to find genuine community during that stage of life.

“When I became a mom, I realized how essential community is—and how hard it is to find one that feels real, welcoming, and inspiring,” Moenter told St. Pete Rising during a tour of the property. “I wanted to create a space where women could show up fully, without feeling like they had to choose between who they are and how they live.”