11-Story Apartment Tower To Rise Near St. Pete’s EDGE District
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A well-respected developer from Michigan has unveiled plans to build an 11-story apartment tower just outside of Downtown St. Pete’s trendy EDGE District. DevMar Development is in the process of assembling 1.9 acres of land located at the corner of 16th Street and 1st Avenue North. With the exception of a small car wash, a majority of the land has been sitting vacant for over a decade.
The mixed-use building, dubbed First North Lofts, is a collaboration between Mark DeMaria, CEO of DevMar Development, Jonathan Daou, a local real estate investor, the project’s architects, and local consultants. DeMaria brings over 20 years of multi-family development expertise and Daou contributes his retail experience into this collaborative tailor-made project specifically designed for St. Pete.
The development will be perfectly flanked by two of St. Pete’s most desirable neighborhoods — the EDGE District and the Grand Central District. In either direction, residents will be steps away from hundreds of restaurants, bars, art galleries, and coffee shops.
However, if residents are so inclined, they wouldn’t really have to leave the property. First North Lofts, which DeMaria describes as “an urban resort at an affordable cost”, will provide a wealth of attractive amenities.
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As The Chattaway’s final afternoon tea reservations filled up, pieces of its English tea room were already being packed away.
Pictures of Queen Elizabeth II came off the walls. Cups and saucers were wrapped for the move. Customers came for one last tea service before the restaurant changed hands, and many had the same question for Amanda Kitto: Where would she serve tea next?
At the time, she didn’t have an answer. Now she does.
Violet’s Cuppa Tea plans to open Sunday, November 15th at 5325 Gulfport Boulevard, offering traditional English afternoon tea in a pink building next to The Boulevard Shoppe and across from Habana Cafe.
Owner Amanda Kitto is the youngest daughter of Jillian Frers, whose family operated The Chattaway for decades before selling the south St. Pete restaurant and property in September.
The sale preserved one of the most historic and longest-running restaurants in St. Pete. But while the burgers and garden remained, the new owners converted the English-inspired tea room into additional restaurant seating and discontinued afternoon tea.
Kitto, who began working at The Chattaway at age 14, decided to continue it herself.