In 2011, Bill Edwards, local businessman and CEO of The Edwards Group, bought the struggling BayWalk shopping center for $5.2 million with a grand vision to turn it into Downtown St. Petersburg’s premier destination to shop, dine and unwind; an oasis in the heart of the city’s bustling downtown center. 

In May 2014, after pouring over $40 million into the renovation, Sundial arrived to much fanfare, bringing with it a slew of tenants such as Ruth's Chris Steak House, Sea Salt, Marilyn Monroe Spa, Tracy Negoshian, Diamonds Direct, Chico's and White House Black Market.

Five years after its initial debut, the shopping plaza will undergo a major renovation. BE-1 Concepts, the visionaries behind Armature Works in Tampa, announced today their plans to renovate over 25,000 square feet of Sundial’s 85,357 square foot center.

“We are very excited to extend our brand across the bay and into downtown St. Petersburg,” commented Bruck. “While we have an ambitious timeline for completion, we look forward to launching this unique food hall experience for the entire community to enjoy.”

Tampa’s Armature Works is a 73,000 square foot mixed-use commercial space consisting of the Heights Public Market, multiple event spaces, a co-shared workspace as well as multiple restaurants and bars. Since opening 20 months ago inside an old maintenance bay for Tampa Electric trolley cars, Armature Works has been a destination for all locals and visitors to the Tampa Bay region.

As for Sundial, most of the businesses on the property’s west side will be replaced except for Tommy Bahama and Sea Salt. Locale Market, FarmTable Cucina, Wellness Center at Sundial, and D-Gallerie Fine Arts will close their doors. Those parcels and a few additional vacant spaces will be part of the BE-1 Concepts’ new food hall. Jackie Z will be relocating to the east side of the shopping plaza.

Buildout is expected to begin in early 2020 and will look to be completed late 2020. The entire center will remain open throughout the holidays. More details about the project will be released in the future.

Although unconfirmed, we’ve also heard that BE-1 Concepts may have an option to buy the entire shopping center in the future. But take that with a grain of salt.

“When I first developed Sundial, I intended it to be a catalyst for growth in downtown St. Pete. Chas and his team created Armature Works to do the same thing for Tampa. I know that in joining forces we will create an incredible gathering place for residents and visitors alike,” commented Bill Edwards, CEO for The Edwards Group. 

Edwards continued, “We are confident this will further elevate Sundial as a destination beyond St. Petersburg. We are also excited to welcome two new tenants, The Man Cave men’s grooming salon and Italian Idea, an Italian leather goods retailer to Sundial. Other wonderful, exciting tenants will be named in the near future.”