August 22, 2025

St. Pete pushes forward on $59 million Tropicana Field repairs as roof installation begins

August 22, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Blue netting now surrounds the steel framework of what’s left of Tropicana Field’s roof in downtown St. Petersburg as crews prepare to install the first set of roof panels.

Last October, winds of up to 110 miles per hour from Hurricane Milton shredded the stadium’s fabric roof, causing extensive interior damage.

Now, the City of St. Pete is on the hook for the repairs.

General contractors Hennessy Construction Services and AECOM Hunt are leading the $59 million repair project, with the new roof accounting for more than $23 million of that total.

“Repair progress is well underway at Tropicana Field,” Mayor Ken Welch wrote in a Facebook post Friday, sharing photos of the work.

August 14, 2025

Southern Grounds to open cafe and restaurant on Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

August 14, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Southern Grounds and Co., a Jacksonville-based coffeehouse franchise focused on building community around high-quality food and drinks, is expanding to downtown St. Petersburg.

The bright, modern coffee shop will open Monday, August 18th next to The Melting Pot inside the newly built two-story building at 695 Central Avenue.

St. Pete’s coffee scene continues to grow, with each shop offering a unique experience. Southern Grounds aims to be more than just a coffeehouse, blending elements of a tapas bar and restaurant to create a co-working-style community gathering space.

The new 2,430-square-foot location features a clean white aesthetic accented by colorful, Florida-inspired murals painted by local artist Matt Kress. The open floor plan offers a mix of couch and table seating designed to encourage connection and conversation.

July 31, 2025

Retro Florida motel-themed bar No Vacancy closes after six years in the EDGE District

July 31, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

After more than six years serving up tropical drinks and Florida-themed fare, No Vacancy has permanently closed in downtown St. Pete.

The Old Florida motel-inspired bar and restaurant at 937 Central Avenue announced its closure in a heartfelt social media post, marking the end of an era for one of the EDGE District’s most recognizable hangouts.

“After 6.5 unforgettable years, our everyday vacay comes to an end,” wrote owner Stephen Schrutt. “From the bottom of our hearts, Thank You, St. Pete! You stayed with us through it all. From the challenges of Covid, and the growth of our city. Thank you for being part of it, none of this was possible without our flock.”

No Vacancy opened in January 2019 in the former home of Kings Street Food Counter, another concept from Schrutt’s Hunger + Thirst Restaurant Group.

July 25, 2025

St. Pete officially ends Rays redevelopment deal, approve Tropicana Field repairs

July 25, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

One year after entering into a $6.5 billion redevelopment deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and national developer Hines, St. Pete City Council unanimously voted on Thursday to terminate the agreement.

The deal would have allowed the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District be to redeveloped into a new mixed-use neighborhood with nearly 8 million square feet of space, including a $1.3 billion baseball stadium.

City Council’s vote was largely procedural, as the Rays and Hines had announced in March that they were withdrawing from the deal after missing key project milestones.

Mayor Ken Welch, who was a strong supporter of the project, addressed the termination in a statement following the vote.

“While the Rays’ decision is terribly disappointing, our mission was to adapt and refocus on our primary objective – the progress of our city,” said Welch. “And part of that mission is accomplished by today’s City Council vote.”

July 23, 2025

The Nolen, a 23-story condo tower in downtown St. Pete, opens to residents

July 23, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

After nearly three years of construction, residents have started moving into the Nolen, a 31-unit luxury condominium tower in downtown St. Pete.

Located at 126 4th Avenue Northeast, the community has sold 30 of its residences, with just one home still available. Closings began last week, and 80% of homeowners are expected to move in over the next few weeks.

The Nolen was developed by DDA Development and Backstreets Capital, the same team behind The Salvador, which opened in 2017. They are also currently developing The Central, a 2.1-acre mixed-use project in St. Pete’s EDGE District.

July 22, 2025

$27 million penthouse sale at Waldorf Astoria Residences in downtown St. Pete shatters Tampa Bay condo record

July 22, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A local business leader has purchased a two-story penthouse atop the planned 50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences tower in downtown St. Petersburg for $27 million.

Planned for 150 2nd Avenue South, the Waldorf Astoria Residences will be the city’s tallest building and the first five-star branded condo tower in St. Petersburg. The project will include 163 condominiums, 73,000 square feet of Class A office space, 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a wide range of luxury amenities.

The sale of the 11,000-square-foot rooftop unit has shattered the record for the most expensive condominium ever sold in the Tampa Bay area.

The previous high in St. Pete was an $8.25 million penthouse at Saltaire, located next to the proposed Waldorf Astoria tower in downtown St. Pete, which sold in 2024. In Tampa, the record is an $11.6 million penthouse at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, sold in 2021.

July 22, 2025

A Rosie the Riveter-themed restaurant and bar to replace The Avenue in downtown St. Pete

July 22, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new restaurant and bar inspired by the cultural icon Rosie the Riveter is coming to downtown St. Pete, replacing The Avenue, which closed in February after 13 years in business.

Tampa’s Riveters, a concept celebrating female empowerment and the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, will bring its historical theme and made-from-scratch menu to 330 1st Avenue South later this year.

The 3,925-square-foot space will be transformed into a sports bar featuring World War II memorabilia, including Rosie the Riveter posters, veteran patches, and wings from crashed bomber jets mounted on the walls.

The female staff, called “Rosies,” wear red bandanas and denim tops inspired by the iconic poster, while the male staff wear military and tactical-style uniforms.

July 15, 2025

Two local businesses expand to Bayfront Tower in downtown St. Pete

July 15, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new storefront combining a modern barbershop and tattoo-inspired streetwear has opened in downtown St. Pete.

Broken Compass Barber Co. and Iron and Ink Clothing Co., which previously shared a space at 6160 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater, have relocated their joint shop to the ground floor of the 29-story Bayfront Tower at 1 Beach Drive SE, Suite 106, which previously housed the pet grooming salon PetWorks.

Blakemore Kearney of Vector Commercial Real Estate Services represented the landlord, while Alex Kamm of Axxos Commercial represented the tenants.

July 10, 2025

20-story, $134 million apartment tower proposed for 5th Avenue North in downtown St. Pete

July 10, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Seven small apartment buildings in downtown St. Pete could soon be demolished to make way for a 20-story luxury apartment tower.

St. Pete-based Stadler Development, led by John Stadler and his son Chris, has submitted plans for a $134 million tower with 370 apartments, 3,819 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a 485-space parking garage.

The 1.3-acre site is bordered by 4th Street North, 5th Avenue North, 5th Street North, and an alley. It shares a block with the Hollander Hotel and Trinity Lutheran Church, which sit on the opposite side of the alley.

Stadler is under contract to purchase the property from local investor Michael Andoniades, who owns the Hollander Hotel and several other nearby buildings.

June 24, 2025

Dynasty Financial Partners to move headquarters to 400 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

June 24, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The 46-story 400 Central condo tower under construction in downtown St. Petersburg has landed a major tenant to anchor its office space.

Financial services firm Dynasty Financial Partners will move from the 15th floor of 200 Central Avenue to 400 Central, which is the tallest building in St. Petersburg.

Dynasty has signed a 15-year lease to occupy all of 400 Central’s 45,000 square feet of Class A office space, according to a joint announcement from developer Red Apple Group and Dynasty.

The new headquarters will include a private entrance and lobby, a 15,000-square-foot rooftop terrace for special events, and several other custom amenities. Construction is underway, with Dynasty's move slated for November 2026.