Three years after being announced, a mixed-use project proposed for the heart of the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg is finally moving forward and expected to break ground by the end of the year.

Situated at 2250 Central Avenue, the eclectic, design-centric Art District Lofts, better known as Ad Lofts, was put on hold while the developer, Modern Tampa Bay Homes, built a similar project five blocks west at 2700 Central Avenue.

“In building 2700 Central, we found several small adjustments that will make Ad Lofts that much better,” said Lance Moore, Director of Design at Modern Tampa Bay Homes. “These adjustments were partition locations, door locations, size of skylight, lighting placements, etc.”

The Grand Central District is really heating up. On the eastern edge of the neighborhood, at the corner of 16th Street and Central Avenue, four large developments are about to wrap up construction and bring an additional 132 hotel rooms and 700 rental units to market — Tru by Hilton, Artistry St. Pete, 1701 Central, and Vantage.

On the western end of The Grand Central District, around 30th Street and Central Avneue, two apartment communities have been recently proposed — Gallery 3100 and a project tentatively titled “2800 Central Ave”. Those developments would add 200 apartments to the neighborhood.

Other major developments under construction in the district include the Grand Central Brewhouse at 2324 Central Avenue and Six Point Row, a 19-unit townhome community currently rising at 2611 1st Avenue North.