Two-story retail building planned for former gas station site in the Grand Central District
/
A Citgo gas station on the corner of Central Avenue and 28th Street is set to be redeveloped into a new retail destination.
Clearwater-based general contractor Build America Luxury Homes has submitted plans to demolish the 1957-built station and replace it with a two-story, 13,500-square-foot retail building at 2801 Central Avenue, next to Cheeky’s Fish & Raw Bar.
“We are experienced in taking old, rundown, or neglected places and turning them into community assets,” said Qemal Hasanbelli, owner of Build America Luxury Homes and BA Construction, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.
Hasanbelli purchased the 0.22-acre lot in December 2023 for $1.75 million.
Designed by Oldsmar-based ArchEvoke Studio LLC, the building would accommodate multiple retailers and restaurants, bringing new business opportunities to this stretch of the Grand Central District.
Read More
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.