New 540-space parking garage brings relief to EDGE District drivers

New 540-space parking garage brings relief to EDGE District drivers

It’s official—parking in St. Pete’s EDGE District just got easier with the opening of a new public garage on Central Avenue.

A new 540-space parking garage has debuted at 1301 Central Avenue, directly across from Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, as part of the long-awaited mixed-use development The Central, currently under construction in the heart of the EDGE District.

On Tuesday morning, representatives from Ellison Development and the City of St. Pete gathered to celebrate the opening, marking a major milestone as the first completed component of The Central. The garage addresses one of the district’s greatest needs: accessibility and parking.

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

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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Beloved St. Pete bar The Wayward Goose to close after nearly a decade

Beloved St. Pete bar The Wayward Goose to close after nearly a decade

After nearly 10 years as a neighborhood staple, a well-loved St. Pete bar has announced it will close its doors for good.

The owners of The Wayward Goose, located at 48 Dr M.L.K. Jr Street North, announced the upcoming closure on social media, stating that their last day in business will be Sunday, April 20th.

“It has certainly been a journey. This city was a different place when we began. It’s lost a bit of its soul with all the out-of-state developers putting up condos—but that’s progress,” the owners wrote, sharing a photo of towering construction cranes behind the building.

They also expressed gratitude to their dedicated staff and loyal patrons, who came for the chill vibes, full liquor bar, pool tables, dartboards, and art shows.

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Trails Crossing, a new linear park under I-275 in downtown St. Pete, moves forward after City Council vote

Trails Crossing, a new linear park under I-275 in downtown St. Pete, moves forward after City Council vote

Four blocks of underutilized space beneath Interstate 275 in downtown St. Pete could be transformed into a new linear park featuring public art and event spaces, creating a destination for pedestrians and cyclists.

In a 7-to-1 vote, City Council approved an agreement on Thursday to contribute $150,000 toward hiring Colorado-based LandDesign, Inc. to kick off the master planning process for Trails Crossing, a walkable, activated park under I-275 that will embrace micro-transit and connect urban neighborhoods—an idea that has been in discussion for years.

“For too long, our community has been physically, socially, and economically divided by infrastructure that was never designed with connectivity in mind,” said John Barkett, a local developer and co-founder of the nonprofit group Friends of Trails Crossing, during Thursday’s meeting.

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Amorino and its flower-shaped gelato is coming to the EDGE District

Amorino and its flower-shaped gelato is coming to the EDGE District

The first Florida brick-and-mortar location of French chain Amorino Gelato is headed for downtown St. Pete.

Opening at 1246 Central Avenue in the EDGE District, Amorino serves its gelato via spatula, famously shaped into a flower — with the option to add a macaron to the center.

The 1,800-square-foot shop will front 1st Avenue South, directly across from Tropicana Field, inside a 110-year-old building that will also house Bosphorus Turkish Cuisine.

The newly renovated building is part of the EDGE Collective, a mixed use development that will also include a 20-story tower with 360 apartments and 24,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.

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