Inside Tropicana Field as city progresses on $60 million stadium renovation

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Inside Tropicana Field as city progresses on $60 million stadium renovation

A newly completed white dome now crowns Tropicana Field, gleaming in the sun.

Inside, more than 200 workers are stretching the fabric roof, sealing seams, and moving into the next phase of repairs.

“The roof is back on. They are still doing some of the seaming and the final sealing, but in essence, the building is dried in,” said Beth Herendeen, Managing Director of City Development for St. Petersburg, during a media tour on Wednesday. “We have no concern about being open or ready for Opening Day on April 6th, 2026.”

Above the concrete field and thousands of empty seats, the roof’s PTFE fabric alternates between white and orange-tan panels. City Architect Raul Quintana noted the color variation will fade out by spring.

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Three retail buildings on Central Avenue sell in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

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Three retail buildings on Central Avenue sell in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

Three mixed-use retail properties along the 1100 block of Central Avenue in the EDGE District are now under new ownership.

Dallas, Texas-based investment firm 90Ten has acquired properties directly adjacent to the Moxy Hotel, including the three-story building at 1110 Central Avenue, the two-story building at 1122–1128 Central Avenue, and 1114 Central Avenue, which is currently leased to Sweetgreen.

CBRE’s James Garner and Jim Shiebler represented the seller, PTM Partners, in the transaction. A sale price has not yet been published.

The Central Avenue block acquisition is part of the EDGE Collective, a multi-phased walkable mixed-use that includes the Moxy Hotel, the office and retail building, and a second phase that includes a 20-story luxury apartment building and additional retail.

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46-story luxury condo tower 400 Central set to begin move-ins this month in downtown St. Pete

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46-story luxury condo tower 400 Central set to begin move-ins this month in downtown St. Pete

Rising 515 feet above downtown St. Petersburg, the Residences at 400 Central is preparing to welcome its first wave of residents.

The City of St. Petersburg has issued a temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) for the first 25 floors of the 46-story, 301-unit luxury condo tower, allowing buyers on the lower levels to begin closing on their units and moving in.

General contractor Suffolk Construction will continue building out floors 26 through 45, as well as the rooftop deck.

Developed by New York-based Red Apple Real Estate, 400 Central is the tallest residential building on Florida’s Gulf Coast and the tallest building in St. Pete.

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Hubbard’s Marina approved to run ferry between downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa

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Hubbard’s Marina approved to run ferry between downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa

The Cross Bay Ferry is getting a new name, a new operator, a new boat, and a new long-term vision for water transit in Tampa Bay.

On Wednesday, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to name Madeira Beach-based Hubbard’s Marina as the new operator for the ferry service, now called the Tampa Bay Ferry, which has connected downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa since 2016.

The decision authorizes PSTA to enter into a five-year agreement with Hubbard’s Marina, with an option to extend the contract for an additional five years.

The approval follows months of evaluation by St. Petersburg, Tampa, and local transportation agencies excited to build a ferry service that is more reliable and sustainable than the prior model, which was operated by Boston-based HMS Ferries.

Hillsborough County ended its contract with HMS Ferries earlier this year after the company proposed replacing the existing vessel with a slower boat that would have extended the one-way crossing from about 50 minutes to more than two hours.

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Neptune Flood to anchor new Class A office building in St. Pete's Warehouse Arts District

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Neptune Flood to anchor new Class A office building in St. Pete's Warehouse Arts District

A new three-story office building is under construction in the Warehouse Arts District, marking the first ground-up office project in the neighborhood since the city approved the Target Employment Center (TEC) zoning overlay in 2024.

The 25,000-square-foot building at 2133 2nd Avenue South will become the new home of St. Pete-based Neptune Flood, along with several other ventures led by St. Petersburg entrepreneur and investor Trevor Burgess.

Burgess is a familiar name in St. Petersburg’s business community. He is the Chairman and CEO of Neptune Flood, the nation’s largest private flood insurance provider, and previously served as CEO of C1 Bank.

Over the past decade, he has played a visible role in the city’s economic growth, backing local projects in finance, real estate, technology, and even professional sports.

Burgess and his husband, Gary Hess, are also active philanthropists, supporting organizations such as the Dali Museum, Equality Florida, Metro Wellness, St. Pete Free Clinic, and Tampa Bay Watch, among several others.

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St. Pete purchases land to expand its parks and create more neighborhood green space

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St. Pete purchases land to expand its parks and create more neighborhood green space

The Sunshine City is getting a little greener. St. Pete is stepping up its investment in public parks, reflecting an ongoing commitment to the beautification of neighborhood green spaces.

The city has recently spent around $3 million to acquire properties located next to three existing parks.

These purchases allow St. Pete to expand recreational areas, improve stormwater management, and preserve land for future community use.

Below is a summary of the latest purchases and the city’s plans for each site.

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St. Pete reaches preliminary deal to buy CSX rail line running through downtown St. Pete

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St. Pete reaches preliminary deal to buy CSX rail line running through downtown St. Pete

A years-long effort to bring a key stretch of the CSX rail corridor in downtown St. Pete into public ownership, including the segment that cuts directly through Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill, is finally moving forward.

According to an October 15th email from St. Pete Transportation and Parking Management Director Evan Mory, CSX Transportation has accepted a conditional offer from the City of St. Petersburg to acquire nearly a mile of rail right-of-way stretching from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street along 1st Avenue South to 5th Avenue North.

The city plans to create a trail linking the Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment and the Pinellas Trail up to 5th Avenue North, with the longer-term goal of extending it to Booker Creek Park in North Kenwood.

The purchase is expected to cost $7 million, with $1 million coming from the City of St. Pete, $4 million from Mark Ferguson of Ferg’s Sports Bar, and $2 million from Ellison Development.

The offer cannot move forward without City Council approval, which is expected within the next 30 days.

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Bouquet and Bordeaux to bring French-inspired floral boutique and wine bar to the EDGE District

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Bouquet and Bordeaux to bring French-inspired floral boutique and wine bar to the EDGE District

A wave of vivid street-side floral displays arranged in metal buckets and spilling onto the sidewalk is set to bring a touch of Parisian charm to downtown St. Pete, inspired by France’s open-air markets.

Named Bouquet and Bordeaux and described as “where Southern charm meets Parisian flair,” the new floral shop and wine bar will open at 9 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South in the EDGE District in spring 2026. The space previously housed The Annex Training Studio.

Spanning 2,700 square feet, the boutique is designed as a place to sip, socialize, and browse blooms.

Plans include a DIY flower bar and hands-on classes teaching balanced floral compositions for bridal showers, weddings, and holidays, in addition to kid-friendly workshops where children can make mini bouquets, flower crowns, or flower wands.

Capturing the feel of French culture and translating it into a brick-and-mortar concept in St. Pete has been a goal for founder Leigh Catoe Tillman for years.

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42-story Art House condo tower starts welcoming its first residents in downtown St. Pete

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42-story Art House condo tower starts welcoming its first residents in downtown St. Pete

One of the newest additions to the downtown St. Pete skyline has reached a major milestone.

The 42-story Art House condo tower received its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) last week for floors 10 through 32, allowing the first closings to begin today.

The building, located at 275 1st Avenue South, contains 244 luxury condos and is more than 85% sold. The remaining units are priced from $1.3 million to over $7 million.

The project was announced in early 2022 by Kolter Urban, the South Florida-based firm behind ONE St. Petersburg and Saltaire.

Coastal Construction broke ground on the tower in June 2022, and the tower topped out in November 2024.

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Final roof panel installed at Tropicana Field as St. Pete races toward 2026 reopening

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Final roof panel installed at Tropicana Field as St. Pete races toward 2026 reopening

Workers have officially installed the final roof panel at Tropicana Field in downtown St. Pete, marking a major milestone as the City of St. Petersburg prepares to welcome the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2026.

The new roof, built with a stronger and more weather resistant fiberglass membrane, is part of a more than $60 million renovation effort to restore the ballpark after 110 mile per hour winds from Hurricane Milton shredded the original roof late last year.

Although the Rays are only contracted to play at Tropicana Field through the end of the 2028 season, the City is required to provide the team with a suitable stadium for the full term of the agreement, prompting the need for repairs.

The city is working with Hennessy Construction Services and AECOM Hunt as general contractors for the project.

Roof installation began in August and accounts for more than $23 million of the total renovation cost.

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