Two new food concepts are taking over the former Caddy’s on Central space located at 217 Central Avenue. A restaurant tentatively namely The Brickyard will soon occupy the 8,000 square foot indoor and patio space and Pizza N’ Brew will operate out of the smaller, adjacent parcel.

The dual concept is being brought to the Sunshine City by Sarasota-based Segreti Hospitality Group. CEO Frank Segreti is a 4th generation restauranteur who has been in the restaurant and bar business for 22 years. Joe Esposito of KW Commercial represented the landlord in the deal.

St. Pete has been on the restaurant group’s radar for a while, having been impressed by the city’s meteoric growth over the past decade. “If you want to go out and have some fun, you don’t go to Tampa, you go to St. Pete,” says Owner Relations Director Dana Speer. “In fact, we intend on moving our business office to St. Petersburg as well.”

The building that The Brickyard and Pizza N’ Brew will occupy is one of St. Petersburg’s most significant and oldest structures. The Detroit Hotel was constructed in 1888 by Peter Demens after allegedly winning a coin toss. The hotel was built simultaneously with the Orange Belt Railroad, whose arrival marked the establishment of St. Petersburg.

The hotel was shuttered in 1993 and converted into condos in 2002. Eight years later in 2010 the property was designated as a historic local landmark in the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places.

The extensive floor-to-ceiling remodel of the restaurant and bar space will include renovating and retaining many of the original historic elements, as well as building out an entirely new kitchen and upgrading the courtyard area. The total renovation is estimated to cost $1.5 million.

“Frank is a huge history buff,” says Speer. “And the more he dug into the historic significance of this space, the more excited he got. He cannot wait to bring the original history back.”

Earlier this week during renovations, an original elevator from the 1888 Detroit Hotel was uncovered behind a sealed wall in the former lobby. The elevator will be saved and put on display in the new restaurant.

Additionally, the hotel’s original telephone switchboard was uncovered and will be encased in glass. Other findings include historic wallpaper and newspaper clippings referring to the current president at the time, President Truman. A memorabilia wall will be built to showcase these smaller historic items.

The Brickyard will be a full-service restaurant featuring traditional American cuisine with a focus on shared plates and small bites. Expect to see items such as wings with homemade sauces, quesadillas, ribs, a pulled pork sandwich, Mahi fish tacos, and crab cakes. A Beyond burger will also be available as a vegetarian option. Entrees will cost around $13-14.

The 2,000 square foot patio will be the beating heart of The Brickyard and Segreti intends on bringing great music to an already musical block. “We will be hosting some very exciting artists on our patio thanks to our friends at Rock Brothers Brewing in Ybor,” says Speer.

At Pizza N’ Brew, you’ll be able to dine on a slice (or entire pie!) of 4th generation NY-style pizza while sipping on a crisp, freshly brewed beer. Segreti’s great grandfather, grandfather, and father each owned pizza restaurants in Italy, New York City, and Sarasota, respectively.

Segreti was initially hoping to open Pizza N’ Brew and a concept similar to The Brickyard in downtown Sarasota first, but COVID-19 caused delays in construction. However, the St. Pete location is coming along even quicker than anticipated.

In fact, the previous tenant, Caddy’s on Central, had plans to renovate the space 18 months ago, but ultimately decided to abandon the plan once COVID-19 surfaced. Most of the design work and city approvals were handed over to the Segreti Hospitality Group, allowing The Brickyard and Pizza N’ Brew to begin construction immediately.

“The owners of Caddy’s are excellent operators,” says Speer. “They really know how to make a space welcoming and fun. Every single one of their concepts is packed all the time.”

In St. Petersburg, we like to keep it local. With The Brickyard and Pizza N’ Brew, not only are we getting a pair of restaurants from just over the Sunshine Skyway, but one of our city’s most significant landmarks will receive a considerable renovation ensuring it’ll stay standing for decades to come.

The Brickyard and Pizza N’ Brew are expected to open in December. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on construction progress and grand opening plans.

Photos of the uncovered historic elevator and switchboard from the 1888 Detroit Hotel are courtesy of Joey Vars