September 18, 2025

50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences sales gallery opens in downtown St. Pete

September 18, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The team behind what is expected to become St. Pete’s tallest tower marked a major milestone Wednesday evening with the grand opening of the Waldorf Astoria Residences sales gallery.

Located at 100 2nd Avenue South in the City Center office tower, the gallery features a full model unit that cost more than $1 million to build, giving prospective buyers and the public an early look at what the 50-story project will offer.

Rising 539 feet at 150 2nd Avenue South, the 163-unit Waldorf Astoria Residences will be St. Pete’s first hotel-branded luxury condominium tower.

The $500 million project is being co-developed by Miami-based Property Markets Group and St. Petersburg-based Feldman Equities, in partnership with Vancouver-based City Office REIT and Orlando-based Tower Realty Partners. Hilton will manage the residences, while Smith & Associates Real Estate is leading sales.

September 15, 2025

A 76 million year old dinosaur will sit atop a parking garage in downtown St. Pete's EDGE District

September 15, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Imagine stepping out of your car and finding yourself face-to-face with a creature that roamed the planet 76 million years ago.

Tampa-based developer Ellison Development has unveiled plans for a high-rise rooftop garden atop a newly opened 540-space parking garage in the EDGE District, where the glass-encased skeleton of a Gorgosaurus will be the centerpiece.

By our account, it will be the first dinosaur ever displayed on top of a parking garage anywhere in the world.

The one-acre rooftop attraction is part of The Central, a $200 million mixed-use project currently in development at 1301 Central Avenue.

September 10, 2025

The Moon Under Water finds new home in Gulfport after decades on Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete

September 10, 2025/ Brian Zucker

Four years after closing its iconic Beach Drive location, The Moon Under Water is preparing for a comeback. This time in Gulfport.

The authentic British Colonial pub, known for its creamy stouts and spicy curries, will reopen by the end of the year at 2832 Beach Boulevard South. The space was most recently occupied by The Drunken Taco, which posted a “Closed Forever” sign on its door on Monday, September 1st.

Earlier this year, Kevin and Jeanne Milkey, owners of Grand Central Brewhouse, revealed that they were working with Mike Crippin, who served as The Moon Under Water’s Executive Chef for more than two decades, and his wife Alison, who was the restaurant’s HR and office manager for 20 years, to bring the restaurant back to downtown St. Pete, just steps from its former Beach Drive home.

However, those plans ultimately fell through, opening the door to the Gulfport opportunity.

September 09, 2025

FS8, a Pilates-Yoga hybrid, set to open in the Grand Central District this fall

September 09, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new kind of fitness experience is headed to downtown St. Petersburg.

Later this fall, FS8, a fast-growing brand created by the team behind F45 Training, will open its first Tampa Bay location at 2541 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

Behind the project are St. Pete locals Kate Dworsky and Heather Avery, two fitness professionals passionate about helping people reach their goals while building community along the way.

The pair signed their lease in January and have spent the past several months navigating the permitting process.

With approvals in hand, construction is now underway inside the former Lion’s Paw Antiques & Collectables building.

FS8 blends reformer and mat Pilates, yoga, and strength training into 50-minute classes designed to be approachable yet challenging.

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.