Mixed-use retail building approved for downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District
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A mixed-use retail building has been administratively approved for a prominent parcel in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District.
Central Ave Corner Holdings, LLC, an entity which is controlled by local developer Jonathan Daou and Eastman Equities has submitted plans to build a two-story building at 1053 Central Avenue. The lot sits directly on the roundabout in the EDGE District at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and 11th Street next to Independent Bar.
The approved building features 1,472 square feet of ground floor retail and two second floor residential units.
The retail space will feature large storefront windows with a black façade resembling a neighborhood pub. White brick veneer will adorn the second floor.
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A St. Pete native and former USF basketball star is preparing to open what he calls a love letter to his hometown.
Love Language 727 Restaurant & Lounge will open in October at 3063 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.
The space was previously home to 31 Grand, a sports bar that closed in late 2024 following back-to-back hurricanes. Before that, it housed Punky’s Bar and Grill, an LGBTQ-friendly establishment that closed in 2022 after nearly seven years in business.
Owner Jimmy Devon Baxter is returning to St. Pete after nearly two decades in Atlanta, where he said he was inspired by the city’s experience-driven restaurant and lounge scene.
After graduating from Boca Ciega High School, he played basketball for the University of South Florida from 2000 to 2004.
During his senior year, Baxter received the NCAA Award of Valor for helping rescue two men trapped inside a vehicle following a violent crash. The City of Tampa also presented him with a key to the city for his efforts.