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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COPA opens new cafe in EDGE District 

The owners of COPA, a cocktail, wine, and tapas bar that opened in fall 2019 at 1047 Central Avenue in the EDGE District, have opened a new cafe in the adjoining space.

Café COPA is located next door at 1045 Central Avenue, formerly home to Italy Bottega, an Italian restaurant. 

The tropical-themed cafe is now open for breakfast, lunch, and late night eats with a selection of in-house coffee and espresso, breakfast sandwiches, a full bar with curated cocktails, and a lunch menu.

There are also grab-n-go Caribbean-inspired sandwiches and pastries. 

The cafe is open Tuesday through Sunday. The cafe is open late to provide additional bar service and a lounge area for guests to enjoy cocktails, hookah, and live entertainment. 

The new space offers free WiFi, an expanded outdoor patio, and a collection of Caribbean and Latin-inspired artwork that is available for purchase. It also allows COPA to host private events and meetings.

New district courthouse tops out

Vertical construction has been completed for the Bernie McCabe Second District Court of Appeals Courthouse near Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete.

Former Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls first announced the decision to construct a new courthouse at 525 Mirror Lake Drive North in 2021.

The $50 million courthouse is located near the Pinellas County Clerk of Court, St. Petersburg City Hall, and the Mirror Lake Community Library. Sebring Building, which was built in 1968 and housed several state departments, was demolished to make way for the new courthouse.

The 2nd DCA is named after Bernie McCabe, the late State Attorney for Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit representing Pinellas and Pasco County.

The development team includes Skanska, Orlando-based DLR Group, and St. Petersburg-based Wannemacher Jensen Architects.

Construction started in 2023 and is expected to wrap up in 2025.

Waste management company buys nearly 12 acres in Pinellas

Waste Pro, a disposal and recycling services company, has purchased 11.83 acres in Pinellas Park for just over $12 million.

AAA Service Company sold the two neighboring parcels at 11880 34th Street North, which are largely vacant.

"This was one of the largest industrial land deals in Pinellas by price per acre for this property size," Jeff Clapacs, an industrial specialist with Commercial Partners Realty, said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

Clapacs represented the buyer. Cherie Tedesco-Gamble with KW Commercial represented the seller.

Clapacs said the buyer, which has a Clearwater facility, plans to expand their operations at the site with new outdoor storage for a fleet of containers and transfer materials.

The site is near the Gateway Expressway and across from the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex.

Pinellas apartments sell for over $61 million

A newly built 288-unit luxury apartment complex in Pinellas Park has sold for $61.26 million.

U.S. apartment developer Cortland, under the Forty Ninth FL Partners LLC, sold the Gateway at Pinellas Apartments at 9505 49th Street North to Philadelphia-based apartment investment firm Independent Realty Trust (IRT) Inc.

Gateway at Pinellas Apartments was initially known as Alta Gateway before it was sold in 2021 to the Atlanta-based Cortland group, which purchased the three-building complex for $78 million and rebranded it as Cortland Gateway.

The apartments range from 637 to 1,394 square feet with studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units.  

The luxury apartments feature keyless entry systems, soft-close cabinetry, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, washers and dryers, and private patios or balconies in select units.

Residential amenities include a resort-style swimming pool with poolside cabanas, a hammock garden, a two-story 24/7 fitness center with a spin studio, and an off-leash dog park and pet spa.

Developer breaks ground on second phase of Burlington Post

Real Estate Developer Green Mills Group has commenced construction for the next phase of Burlington Post, a new affordable housing community.

Burlington Post II, the $30 million second phase of Burlington Post, will be built at 3295 Burlington Avenue North on the surface parking lot of the existing 86-unit building. 

It will also be adjacent to Burlington Place, a 53-unit affordable apartment building which opened in 2017 and was also developed by the Green Mills Group.

The second phase of the mid-rise development will have 75 units serving seniors earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

“Amidst the housing shortage in St. Petersburg, it's crucial that we prioritize our most vulnerable residents—this includes our seniors—by ensuring they have access to quality, affordable housing. We're witnessing a wave of new and needed affordable housing projects across the city, and the Burlington Post II development couldn't be more timely,” Mayor Ken Welch said in a prepared statement.

“This marks a significant step in addressing our housing crisis, particularly for our senior community. My administration is steadfast in its commitment to expanding affordable housing, meeting the growing demand, and striving to achieve the goals in our Housing Opportunities for All plan.”

Green Mills Group received funding from the city, county, and state, in addition to federal and private sources for Burlington Post II. The developer, which contributed more than $1 million, was also allocated 4% tax credits, SAIL, ELI and NHTF subsidies from Florida Housing Finance Corporation in July 2023. 

Fifth Third Bank is the construction lender. Neighborhood Lending Partners of Florida is the long-term senior commercial lender for the project. 

The current residential amenities at Burlington Post include a fitness center, a laundry facility, and a clubhouse.

Construction on Burlington Post II is expected to complete in late 2025.

Snell Isle estate sells for over $9 million

A recently completed modern waterfront estate in the exclusive Snell Isle community has a new owner.

The home, constructed in 2023 at 1721 Brightwaters Boulevard NE, has sold for just over $9.65 million.

The property boasts 100 feet of water frontage on a 0.43-acre lot with panoramic views of Tampa Bay.

The 7,087-square-foot estate has six bedrooms, seven full bathrooms, and indoor and outdoor living space.

The home features a stone floor-to-ceiling fireplace, an elevator, and a grand floating staircase with glass railings leading to the second level, where there are five ensuite bedrooms plus a large glass wall bonus room.

The home also offers impact windows/doors and is elevated for flood risk reduction and optimal insurance premiums, according to the listing.

The outdoor living space has a covered entertainment area, a kitchen, an infinity-edge pool, a spa area with marble pavers, and a dock with a boat lift.

The property was listed for $11.5 million.

Jennifer Zales with Coldwell Banker Realty was the listing agent.