Massive expansion of Sirata Beach Resort approved, will bring two new hotels to St. Pete Beach
/After months of deliberation and testimony from the public and parties involved, the St. Pete Beach commissioners approved the plans for the controversial Sirata Beach Resort expansion.
In a 3-2 vote Tuesday evening, February 27th, commissioners greenlighted the conditional use permit (CUP) for the construction of a 290-key luxury JW Marriott hotel, a limited-service 130-key Hampton Inn, and a massive revamp of the existing 382-key resort at 5300 Gulf Boulevard.
The narrowly passed vote is a continuation of the nearly 11-hour public hearing last week when the newly appointed commissioners made a motion to defer the decision.
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At St. Pete Rising, we are constantly providing comprehensive coverage on everything new and coming soon to the Sunshine City, but we think it’s also important to take a look back at our city's rich history.
Historically St. Pete, a monthly column on St. Pete Rising written by Executive Director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History Rui Farias, covers everything from the legend of underground mobster tunnels to the buildings and people that created the Sunshine City.
Follow us each month as we explore how these projects shaped St. Pete into the city we know and love today.
This month, we explore the history of First United Methodist Church, a nearly 140-year-old congregation whose 100-year-old Gothic Revival sanctuary at 212 3rd Street North remains one of downtown St. Petersburg’s most recognizable landmarks.