Four developers compete to build affordable townhomes on former SPC site in west St. Pete
/
Four development teams have responded to the city’s request for proposals (RFP) to build affordable housing on a city-owned property in west St. Pete.
The city has released the four proposals it received in response to a reissued RFP to redevelop a 5.24-acre property at 7045 Burlington Avenue North.
The City purchased the site from St. Petersburg College in 2024 for $4.2 million. It currently features a two-story building on the south end that formerly housed the college’s Gibbs Wellness Center, while the north end remains vacant.
The respondents include local developer HP Capital Group in partnership with national homebuilder D.R. Horton; joint venture partners Habitat for Humanity Gulfside and homebuilder Namasté Homes; Tampa-based homebuilder Ramos Development LLC in partnership with Land Advisors Organization and technology-forward homebuilder ONX Homes; and affordable housing homebuilder McDowell Housing Partners LLC.
Read More
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.