Done Deals is a weekly column by St. Pete Rising spotlighting recent real estate market insight and significant deals happening in the Sunshine City and beyond. The following information is sourced from public records and trusted intel.

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Construction work starts on Sundial 

This week, a construction fence was erected, wrapping around the perimeter of the Sundial shopping center’s open-air courtyard. 

Located at 153 2nd Avenue North, Sundial will undergo a massive renovation, transforming the struggling center into a modern mixed-use urban destination.

The most significant change will be a complete overhaul and activation of the plaza’s courtyard, bringing plenty of communal green space for engaging programming and for guests to sit and enjoy food and drink.

To make way for the upgrade, the courtyard’s nearly two-story sundial sculpture itself will be removed, as will the six life-size, bronze dolphins.

The plans were conceptualized and designed by local architect Behar and Peteranecz.

St. Pete-based Paradise Ventures and Tampa-based Ally Capital Group, which acquired the property in early 2022 for $21.13 million, signed a contract in January with Create Building Company, a full-service construction company based in St. Pete, to construct the renovation.

In addition to the extensive renovations, new tenants are also on the horizon for Sundial. 

Forbici, a well-known South Tampa Italian restaurant, will open a location spanning 7,000 square feet on the ground floor of Sundial. The long-vacant space formerly housed Locale Market. 

Serotonin Centers, an anti-aging clinic, will also join the plaza, taking over a 3,000-square-foot space previously occupied by the Marilyn Monroe Glamour Room.

Paradise Ventures is currently negotiating a number of leases for the remaining retail spaces at Sundial.

New affordable housing complex welcomes residents 

On Wednesday, February 14th, residents were handed the keys to their new homes at the Innovare Apartments, a new community serving low-income individuals. 

Innovare, located at 850 5th Avenue South, is a 50-unit multi-family development for residents earning less than 60% of the area’s median income (AMI). 

The nearly $17 million project was developed by Volunteers of America of Florida, a faith-based, human services organization. 

The project broke ground in 2021 in the Innovation District just south of downtown St. Pete. The city provided $1 million in land acquisition costs for Innovare through the Penny for Pinellas Affordable Housing Program. 

Days before residents moved in, retailer Kane's Furniture delivered six truckloads of furniture, contributing over $38,000 in discounts. 

Innovare represents one of the first projects that was funded by the current round of the voter-approved Penny for Pinellas sales tax, which will support around $80 million in affordable housing projects over the next decade. 

New pub to take over former Pesky Pelican space in west St. Pete

A new restaurant is opening at the former Pesky Pelican Brew Pub, which closed last year in west St. Petersburg's Azalea neighborhood.  

Tiki Tim's, a new concept described as offering "the best of Philly meets the Eastern Shore," will open at 923 72nd Street North. 

Tiki Tim's will serve crab cakes, cheesesteaks, Italian hoagies, sausage and peppers, porkette with aged provolone, and other items, according to the company's Facebook page. 

The group is currently renovating the space and expects to open its doors in April. 

Follow Tiki Tim's on Facebook for updates. 

Affordable housing projects move forward

On Thursday, February 15th, the St. Petersburg City Council approved several amendments paving the way for new affordable housing developments. 

The council unanimously approved an amendment to modify the future land use and existing zoning of St. Petersburg College's property at 7045 Burlington Avenue North, formerly known as the Gibbs Wellness Center property. 

The city, which is under contract to purchase the 5.24-acre site for $4.2 million, plans to build 105 affordable workforce townhomes with 30% of the units reserved for students, teachers, and faculty. The eligible students and faculty will have the right of first refusal to purchase the homes.

The property, which had an Institutional (I) land use, is now designated as Residential Medium (RM) with a Neighborhood Suburban Multifamily (NSM) zoning. 

The council also approved rezoning for a 1.35-acre parcel at the southeast corner of 32nd Avenue North and Hartford Street North in north St. Pete. 

St. Petersburg-based developer Blue Sky Communities, which has built numerous workforce housing developments around Tampa Bay, plans to redevelop the vacant site into an affordable residential community. 

St. Petersburg Housing Authority has owned the property since 2016. It’s adjacent to the Tiffany Gardens Apartments.

According to a previously filed design plan from St. Pete-based Wannemacher Jensen Architects, the development will consist of a two-story building and a three-story building. 

The project will bring 47 affordable units for seniors and families whose incomes are below the 60% AMI threshold.

Developer plans to build 225 apartments in Pinellas Park

A portion of a Pinellas Park property is slated to be developed into a residential community. 

SP Pinellas III LLC, an entity controlled by Tampa-based multifamily housing developer Southport Financial Services, has submitted a stormwater application for a project that will bring 225 apartments to 8900 U.S. Highway 19 North. 

The apartment complex, which includes clubhouse amenities, would be built across five buildings on 9.9 acres.

The group purchased the land from St. Pete-based Belleair Development Group for $6.75 million in December 2021.

The project first surfaced in 2020, when Belleair proposed a 239-unit project with 44 units of workforce housing for the site.

Residents at neighboring mobile home parks petitioned against the development, citing increased traffic and density as their primary concerns.

The stormwater application didn't specify whether any of the proposed 225 apartment units would be reserved for affordable or workforce housing. 

A construction timeline has not been announced.