Beloved Japanese-inspired Shiso Crispy food truck coming to the Jannus Block in downtown St. Pete
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Known in the Sunshine City for its handmade dumplings and Asian-fusion bowls, the popular food truck Shiso Crispy is opening a restaurant on one of downtown St. Pete’s most vibrant blocks.
Founded by award-winning chef Ronicca Whaley, a six-time contestant on Guy's Grocery Games, Shiso Crispy will debut this June on the Jannus Block at 226 1st Avenue North. The space was most recently home to T’s and Tacos, and before that, Cap's Steamer Bar & Grille and MacDinton's Irish Pub.
Shiso Crispy, named after the Japanese word shiso—which means “mint”—launched its first food truck in late 2019 to rave reviews. It went on to earn a Tampa Bay Times “Best of the Best” award in both 2020 and 2021.
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Construction crews have completed demolition of the former UPC Insurance headquarters in downtown St. Pete, clearing the three-acre site for two 31-story apartment towers with 824 apartments and more than 30,000 square feet of retail space.
The 40,000-square-foot office building at 800 2nd Avenue South most recently served as a temporary office for the Tampa Bay Rays after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field.
UPC Insurance, which once occupied the building as its corporate headquarters, was placed into liquidation in 2023.
St. Pete-based Echelon, in partnership with Third Lake Partners, will develop the $225 million project, which will span more than 1.7 million square feet.
While shorter than the 46-story Residences at 400 Central, the two-tower development will contain more total floor area. At 343 feet, the towers will become the tallest buildings west of 5th Street and rank among downtown St. Pete’s 10 tallest structures.