Seven-story Frontier building set for major transformation in downtown St. Pete

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Seven-story Frontier building set for major transformation in downtown St. Pete

After sitting underutilized for years, the windowless Frontier building at 821 1st Avenue North is finally set to see new life.

Plans have been filed with the City of St. Petersburg to redevelop the seven-story, 233,590-square-foot office and data center, which is partially leased by Frontier Communications. The proposed redevelopment includes 41,333 square feet of ground-floor retail space, 137,663 square feet of self-storage, and 54,594 square feet of office space.

Originally constructed in 1928 by the General Telephone Company of Florida, the building was expanded in 1967 and 1970. It remains a key part of St. Petersburg's internet infrastructure, housing extensive fiber optic cable, switch rooms, frame rooms, and generators as large as jet engines.

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50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences in downtown St. Pete launch sales starting at $2.5 million

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50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences in downtown St. Pete launch sales starting at $2.5 million

Sales have launched for the Waldorf Astoria Residences in downtown St. Petersburg, a project that will become the city’s tallest tower and its first hotel-branded luxury condominium.

The 50-story, 539-foot-tall tower planned for 150 2nd Avenue South will include 163 condominiums, 73,000 square feet of Class A office space, 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and an extensive collection of high-end residential amenities.

Pricing for the luxury condominiums start at $2.5 million.

The $500 million tower, which will be managed by Hilton, is being co-developed by Miami-based Property Markets Group and St. Petersburg-based Feldman Equities, who own the adjacent City Center office building. Vancouver-based City Office REIT and Orlando-based Tower Realty Partners are also involved. Smith & Associates Real Estate is overseeing the sales.

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Cheeky’s seafood restaurant and raw bar reveals opening date for Grand Central District spot

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Cheeky’s seafood restaurant and raw bar reveals opening date for Grand Central District spot

Tampa native Nate Siegel, the co-founder behind Tampa’s award-winning Willa’s and Willa’s Provisions, has announced an opening date for his new neighborhood seafood restaurant and raw bar in St. Pete.

Cheeky's, Siegel's latest concept inspired by New England oyster bars and Southern fish shacks, will open on Wednesday, May 7th at 2823 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

First announced in 2023, the restaurant will occupy a portion of the building previously home to China Finders, a specialty china shop that closed in 2023 after more than 30 years in business.

“Coming to St. Pete is a dream come true, and opening a new place like Cheeky’s along Central Avenue is so exciting,” Siegel said in a prepared statement. “This is already such a special community, and I’m honored to become a part of it alongside my friends and neighbors at Bandit, Baba, Wild Child, and more.”

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City considers demolishing Rowdies' Al Lang Stadium for envisioned waterfront redevelopment

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City considers demolishing Rowdies' Al Lang Stadium for envisioned waterfront redevelopment

The City of St. Petersburg is exploring the possibility of demolishing Al Lang Stadium—home of the professional soccer team Tampa Bay Rowdies—and replacing it with an amphitheater and a highly activated waterfront park.

On Thursday morning, the St. Petersburg Economic and Workforce Development Committee reviewed initial plans and conceptual renderings for the proposed Center for the Arts District.

The district, located just south of the St. Pete Pier, would stretch from 1st Avenue South to 5th Avenue South and include the Mahaffey Theater, Salvador Dalí Museum, Al Lang Stadium, and the site of the Saturday Morning Market.

Architecture firm ASD | SKY presented the conceptual designs, which reflect a long-term vision for the area. Key components include expanded green space near the Dalí Museum and Mahaffey Theater, a new parking garage with at least 1,100 spaces, a 60,000-square-foot conference center, and 35,000 square feet of new retail space, among other features.

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Qargo Coffee to open next month, bringing Italian coffee and pastries to the EDGE District

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Qargo Coffee to open next month, bringing Italian coffee and pastries to the EDGE District

Qargo Coffee, a small but rapidly growing coffee company headquartered in Miami, is bringing its Italian coffee and pastries to downtown St. Pete.

The company will open a new 1,200-square-foot café at 924 Central Avenue, located at the base of the 930 Central Flats apartment building. The space was previously home to Indian restaurant Spice Culture Express.

While no opening date has been set, the interior buildout of the café is complete, and employee training has begun.

The concept was first announced on St. Pete Rising in September 2023.

This will be Qargo’s second location in the Tampa Bay region. The company currently operates a kiosk-style café in Tampa's International Plaza and Bay Street mall.

Qargo Coffee uses beans from Lavazza, Italy’s most popular coffee roaster, for its drip coffee, cold brew, and espresso-based drinks.

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