Intimate stand-up venue Sunshine Comedy Cafe to open in downtown St. Pete this summer

/
Intimate stand-up venue Sunshine Comedy Cafe to open in downtown St. Pete this summer

The growing stand-up comedy scene in St. Pete is getting another addition, this time with a much smaller, more intimate format.

Sunshine Comedy Café will open this summer at 443 1st Avenue North, on the ground floor of the Princess Martha building in downtown St. Pete, bringing a 35- to 45-seat venue focused on up-close, interactive stand-up.

The 996-square-foot space will be located next to Bar Chinchilla, billed as the city’s smallest bar, and just steps from Central Avenue.

Owner Kenny Garcia says the goal is to create a laid-back, speakeasy-style setting that feels more personal than a traditional comedy club.

Garcia, who also operates Sunshine City Comedy Club on St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Comedy Club, said the smaller setup is intentional.

“I like the intimate model a lot more,” Garcia said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “Everyone is part of the show. It creates a different energy.”

Read More

Farm-to-table restaurant Casa Origen coming to the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete

/
Farm-to-table restaurant Casa Origen coming to the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete

A farm-to-table restaurant is coming to the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete.

Casa Origen will open this summer at 937 Central Avenue, the former home of No Vacancy, a retro Florida-themed bar that closed last year after a six-year run.

The restaurant will use organic, nutrient-dense ingredients sourced from local farms across Tampa Bay, with a menu built around minimally processed foods and clean cooking methods that avoid preservatives and seed oils.

Dishes will be prepared using grass-fed tallow or finished with extra virgin olive oil, with no use of processed sugars and a strong commitment to fully traceable sourcing.

Casa Origen is expected to open first for breakfast and lunch, with a counter-service format where customers order at the register before taking a seat.

Read More

New hotel, bank, and retail coming to Shoppes at Park Place in Pinellas Park

/
New hotel, bank, and retail coming to Shoppes at Park Place in Pinellas Park

The Shoppes at Park Place, one of the most popular shopping centers in Pinellas Park, is set to expand.

Located at 7200 U.S. Highway 19 North, the 495,000-square-foot open-air shopping center, which is anchored by Target and the Regal Park Place movie theater, is slated to add a 120-room hotel, a drive-thru bank, and approximately 28,000 square feet of new retail space.

On March 5th, the Pinellas Park Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved an amendment to the site’s Commercial Planned Unit Development plan to allow the new uses.

The commission also approved a conditional use for a drive-thru bank within the General Commercial (B-1) zoning district.

The proposal, submitted by landowner Belleair Development Group, is scheduled to go before the City Council on April 7th for a first reading, followed by a second reading and public hearing on April 23rd.

Read More

St. Pete denies plans for 12-story condo tower at Marina Bay in southwest St. Pete

/
St. Pete denies plans for 12-story condo tower at Marina Bay in southwest St. Pete

Plans for a new residential tower within the gated waterfront community of Marina Bay in southwest St. Pete were unanimously rejected last week.

St. Petersburg’s Development Review Commission voted to deny both a height variance and a site plan modification for a proposed 12-story, 96-unit condo building on a five-acre vacant parcel on Harbor Way South near Eckerd College.

Since acquiring the 67-acre property from Eckerd College in 2003, developer Reza Yazdani has developed it into a coastal residential community with a deep-water marina and 187 homes, including single-family residences, villas, and condominiums along nearly 2,000 feet of the Intracoastal Waterway.

On Wednesday, Yazdani sought approval for a new 150-foot-tall building, exceeding both current zoning limits and a previously approved plan for the site.

The site was approved in 2005 for a 96-unit residential building with a maximum height of 85 feet. A 2007 citywide rezoning later reduced the allowable height on the site to 36 feet.

Read More

New bar and club Jay Que’s opens on 22nd Street South, replacing Catalyst in south St. Pete

/
New bar and club Jay Que’s opens on 22nd Street South, replacing Catalyst in south St. Pete

A new bar and club has opened on 22nd Street South, taking over the former Catalyst on the Deuces space at 903 22nd Street South.

Jay Que’s quietly opened in late March next to Sid’s Caribbean Grill and near Heavy’s Restaurant.

The Catalyst on the Deuces closed in February after opening in 2023 in the former Chief’s Creole Cafe space.

Longtime Chief’s owners Elihu and Carolyn Brayboy still own the building.

22nd Street South, known locally as “the Deuces”, has been one of St. Petersburg’s most significant cultural corridors.

During segregation, it served as a thriving Black business district, home to restaurants, clubs, hotels, and entertainment venues that anchored the city’s African American community.

Read More

11-unit apartment building approved for Bartlett Park in south St. Pete

/
11-unit apartment building approved for Bartlett Park in south St. Pete

Eleven aging bungalow-style apartments dating back to 1925 will be demolished and replaced with a new apartment community in the Bartlett Park neighborhood of south St. Pete.

On Wednesday, the St. Petersburg Development Review Commission approved a redevelopment plan and setback variances for the property at 421 15th Avenue South.

Designed by Storyn Studio for Architecture, the project will consist of two buildings arranged around a shared courtyard with a central water feature. Units will range from studios to two-bedroom apartments, starting at 308 square feet and going up to 734 square feet, with balconies facing the street.

The eastern portion of the site will include a three-story building with a parking garage and eight units on the upper floors. The western portion will feature a two-story building with three units, garage parking, a bicycle storage room, private storage spaces, and a maintenance area.

The approximately $2 million project is being developed by Shaun Burroughs of Coral Development.

Read More

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series bringing 88-foot dives to the St. Pete Pier this June

/
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series bringing 88-foot dives to the St. Pete Pier this June

Red Bull’s Cliff Diving World Series is coming to Florida for the first time ever, and St. Petersburg will be its debut host. 

The global high diving series will take place June 4th through June 6th at the St. Pete Pier, where professional divers from around the world will compete for prize money and the coveted King Kahekili trophy.

Competition unfolds over three days, beginning with practice dives and preliminary rounds on Thursday, June 4th and Friday, June 5th. Those sessions will not be open to the public.

The main event, featuring additional practice dives, semifinals, and finals, will take place on Saturday, June 6th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is expected to draw roughly 20,000 spectators throughout the day.

The custom dive tower will be installed in the parking lot of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, rising 21 meters (68.8 feet) for female competitors and 27 meters (88.5 feet) for male divers.

Read More

$250 million St. Pete Pier expansion revealed with underwater manatee viewing pods, amphitheater

/
$250 million St. Pete Pier expansion revealed with underwater manatee viewing pods, amphitheater

A new unsolicited proposal is making waves in downtown St. Petersburg—literally.

According to documents recently submitted to the city and obtained by St. Pete Rising, California-based Blue Current Development Group, is pitching a “Phase 2” expansion of the St. Pete Pier, building on the waterfront destination that opened in 2020.

The concept is positioned as a complementary addition rather than a replacement, extending beyond the existing pier while preserving its current layout.

The focus, according to the proposal, is on immersive experiences that bring visitors closer to Tampa Bay—most notably, underwater manatee viewing pods.

The centerpiece of the plan features a series of submerged, glass-enclosed observation rooms anchored below the water’s surface.

Accessible via a gently sloping walkway and elevator, the pods would allow visitors to sit several feet beneath the bay and observe marine life in real time.

Renderings show circular rooms with panoramic glass walls and low lighting designed to avoid disturbing wildlife.

Read More

The Blue Urban Project to open purpose-driven thrift shop on Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

/
The Blue Urban Project to open purpose-driven thrift shop on Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

A new thrift shop is set to open, offering vintage clothes, local art, and a chance to support a good cause.

The Blue Urban Project, a St. Pete-based, veteran-founded nonprofit, is preparing to open a thrift store at 1620 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

The Blue Urban Project Thrift expands the organization’s mission to support marine environmental conservation and uplift military veterans, while creating a steady funding source and a stronger presence in the local community.

Since its founding in 2022, the nonprofit has focused on hands-on work like underwater cleanups, sustainability initiatives, and coastal resilience efforts to improve local waterways, while also providing job opportunities and community programs for veterans.

The roughly 900-square-foot space is located next to Zaytoon Grill and was previously occupied by Bohemian Reves, a local skin care and beauty shop that closed in 2024.

The second-hand store is expected to open in early May and will provide affordable clothing (sorted by color), furniture, kitchenware, oddities, and books.

Read More

One of St. Pete’s oldest restaurants Harvey’s 4th Street Grill celebrates 42 years this week

/
One of St. Pete’s oldest restaurants Harvey’s 4th Street Grill celebrates 42 years this week

Few bars and restaurants in St. Pete have a legacy quite like Harvey’s 4th Street Grill. The neighborhood gem has operated at 3121 4th Street North since 1984 and has remained under the same family ownership since day one.

Harvey’s will celebrate its 42nd anniversary this Wednesday, April 1st with a full moon party featuring live music from local musicians Lee Farber, Bernie Williams, Sarasota Slim, and Amy Lynn Dixon.

Shortly after opening in April 1984, owner Dan Harvey Jr. hosted the first full moon party, a monthly event with live music and fresh Maine lobsters.

The gatherings quickly became a tradition and remain a defining part of the restaurant’s history. This week’s celebration will echo the hundreds of full moon parties held over the years.

“Nothing has changed here in the past 40 years…St. Pete was dying for a place like this when we opened,” Harvey Jr. said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “When we talk about places like The Vinoy, The Don CeSar, and Sunset Country Club, I think we’re one little part of that historic fabric of St. Pete.”

Read More