Done Deals: St. Pete restaurants close, Historic Bahama Shores home lists, School founder buys office
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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Three local restaurants close
Several St. Pete eateries have closed their doors in recent weeks.
Tropez: The upscale Tropez restaurant and bar, located at 437 Central Avenue, closed "due to the constant rise in supply cost, competitive wages, the loss of foot traffic on Central Ave, the construction, while paired with minimal parking," according to the owners. The business opened in 2019.
Business partners Sean Ford and Renaud Cowez recently opened Little Philly, a new Philly cheesesteak restaurant concept in the Grand Central District.
Bacon Bitch: The South Florida-based breakfast and brunch restaurant abruptly closed its doors at 1122 Central Avenue in St. Pete's EDGE District. The owners did not publicly announce a reason for the sudden closure of the St. Pete restaurant that debuted in 2020. Bacon Bitch has existing locations in Miami and Orlando.
Rollboto Sushi: The Japanese restaurant, a fast-casual create-your-own sushi bar, has suddenly closed its doors at 221 1st Street North after 12 years in business. In 2023, NLC Food Service acquired the restaurant. The owner did not publicly announce a reason for the closure.
Historic St. Pete home lists
A 99-year-old historic Mediterranean Revival home in St. Pete's Bahama Shores is on the market.
The home at 6230 3rd Street South, built in 1924 by developer Burnette F. Stevenson, is listed for $1.6 million.
The five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom estate was designed by prestigious St. Pete architect Edgar Ferdon, who also worked on the Crislip Arcade on Central Avenue and other local landmarks.
"The current owners have done an amazing job of preserving the historic qualities of this home while incorporating modern efficiencies," according to the listing.
The property is one of the first two homes constructed in Alta Marina, now known as Bahama Shores.
The 4,317-square-foot estate was once owned by New York attorney Robert W. Lyons, who acquired the residential neighborhood and later renamed it.
The home sits on nearly an acre and features an artesian well that feeds the 55,000-gallon swimming pool.
The outdoor area features a shaded courtyard and pergola, an orchid greenhouse, and lush landscaping.
The home last sold in 1995 for $275,000.
Kent Rodahaver of NextHome South Pointe is the listing agent.
St. Pete school founder buys office property
Christine Laurenzi, the founder of St. Pete private school Indi-ED, has purchased an office property on 16th Street.
The INDI ED Foundation Inc. entity purchased the office building at 1100 16th Street North for $1.1 million.
The 3,618-square-foot building, constructed in 1973, is currently occupied by real estate appraisal group Entreken Associates Inc.
The zoning allows a mix of office, retail, medical, and residential uses.
The Indi-ED school, located at 1847 1st Avenue North, serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
The school is known for breaking traditional educational standards by assessing and measuring students' academic levels, forming specific curriculums, and focusing on project-based learning through cohorts.
Large storage facility planned for Pinellas Park
A new 131,592-square-foot self-storage facility will rise at the southeast intersection of U.S. Highway 19 and Gateway Center Boulevard in Pinellas Park.
The proposed four-story storage facility at 8501 U.S. Highway 19 North will add new sidewalks, landscaping, and stormwater infrastructure to the property, according to a stormwater permit application filed by Minneapolis-based investment management group Olympus Ventures.
Olympus Ventures CEO Michael Elliott is listed as one of the landowners of the vacant parcel through the OVSS Gateway LLC, which purchased the property in February for $2.35 million.
Olympus Ventures is working with Tampa-based Campo Engineering Inc. on the project.
Pinellas Park retail strip sells
A Pinellas Park retail strip has sold in a $2.53 million deal.
Shineco Inc. sold the 6,573-square-foot building at 6950 Park Boulevard to an LLC connected to Anh Nguyen.
The property is across from Sam's Club. The active tenants include Little Caesar's Pizza, medical marijuana dispensary Trulieve, On the Mat Martial Arts, and Vy's Nails.
The building, constructed in 2008, has 30 surface parking spaces on a nearly one-acre lot.