St. Pete-Clearwater Airport moves forward with redeveloping 128-acre Airco site

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St. Pete-Clearwater Airport moves forward with redeveloping 128-acre Airco site

A former golf course property spanning 128 acres next to the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is set to be redeveloped, beginning with the construction of a new taxiway that will lay the groundwork for a future aviation business park.

For the past two decades, PIE has been working toward redeveloping the county-owned property known as the Airco site. The site is the largest contiguous piece of developable land in Pinellas County. PIE is now moving forward with selecting a contractor for the first phase of the project, a new taxiway located off Ulmerton Road.

“The taxiway is the first step to redeveloping the property and providing the infrastructure for future businesses there, especially aviation companies, which we’ve seen a lot of demand for,” said PIE Public Relations Director Michelle Routh in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

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Construction begins on 86-unit affordable housing community at Palm Lake Christian Church in Disston Heights

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Construction begins on 86-unit affordable housing community at Palm Lake Christian Church in Disston Heights

Vacant land next to Palm Lake Christian Church in St. Pete’s Disston Heights neighborhood will be developed into an 86-unit affordable housing community restricted to low-income households.

Tampa-based Newstar Development recently announced the full execution of a land lease agreement between the church, the Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA), and Newstar itself.

Construction also recently commenced on the project, known as Palm Lake Urban Sanctuary, or PLUS, located at 5401 22nd Avenue North.

The development will include a four-story building with 86 units, all reserved for households earning up to 80% of the area median income (AMI).

Specifically, the breakdown includes 13 units reserved for households earning 30% AMI, 14 units for 50% AMI, 42 units for 60% AMI, and 17 units for 80% AMI.

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Developer buys St. Pete property in $16.5 million deal for 304-unit affordable housing complex

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Developer buys St. Pete property in $16.5 million deal for 304-unit affordable housing complex

Houston-based The Hanover Company, a private real estate developer, has purchased a retail plaza that is expected to be redeveloped into a 304-unit affordable housing community.

The group has acquired the 8.95-acre site at 3100 22nd Avenue North in North Kenwood for $16.5 million from ZSPR PROPCO of Tampa LLC, according to a deed recorded on August 4th. The existing 71,064-square-foot retail plaza previously housed JB Factory Flooring, Studio Physique, and a MetroPCS store.

The Hanover Company also took out a $46.92 million loan from Texas-based Comica Bank.

The company’s redevelopment plans, which were filed in 2024, represented the first Live Local Act application received by the City of St. Petersburg.

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40 new townhomes coming to Pinellas Park from D.R. Horton

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40 new townhomes coming to Pinellas Park from D.R. Horton

A vacant stretch of land in the heart of Pinellas Park is slated to become a 40-unit townhome development.

National homebuilder D.R. Horton, in partnership with St. Pete-based HP Capital Group, is moving forward with a new project called Townes at Island Lake, located at 4210 78th Avenue North.

The 2.76-acre property sits near the intersection of 78th Avenue North and US 19, close to Ashley Furniture and Walmart Supercenter.

HP Capital Group recently completed the horizontal development of the townhome lots and has handed them over to D.R. Horton to begin vertical construction.

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Dank Burrito to open first Pinellas location at former Boston Market in Largo

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Dank Burrito to open first Pinellas location at former Boston Market in Largo

A vacant Boston Market in Largo is getting a flavorful new lease on life.

Dank Burrito, a fast-casual restaurant known for its 90s hip-hop aesthetic and menu of tacos, burritos, and bowls, is set to open in a 3,100-square-foot space at 4001 East Bay Drive, at the corner of East Bay and Belcher Road.

Expected to open later this year, Dank Burrito is making its Pinellas County debut with graffiti-wrapped walls, colorful signage, and a menu that pushes the boundaries of traditional burrito joints.

Guests can expect menu items such as a Jerk Chicken Burrito with pineapple-mango salsa and a Pork Belly Bowl topped with kimchi or banh mi-style vegetables, sweet Thai chili sauce, cilantro, and lime.

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10-unit townhome community breaks ground in St. Pete's Central Oak Park neighborhood

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10-unit townhome community breaks ground in St. Pete's Central Oak Park neighborhood

A new 10-unit townhome development is coming to St. Pete’s Central Oak Park neighborhood, located just west of the Grand Central District.

Seattle-based development firm Heron Properties has broken ground on the project, called The Junction Townhomes, located at 3601 1st Avenue North. This marks the company’s first development outside of Seattle.

The community will include four buildings situated around a landscaped central courtyard.

Heron Properties purchased the 0.42-acre property in 2022 for $770,000.

“We’ve started site work and expect to begin vertical construction in August,” said Grace Johnson, Principal at Heron Properties, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

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Poblanos Mexican Grill and Bar to replace Village Inn in Largo

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Poblanos Mexican Grill and Bar to replace Village Inn in Largo

The family-owned and operated Poblanos Mexican Grill and Bar is expanding with a new location in Largo.

The restaurant recently secured a ten-year lease at 2659 Roosevelt Boulevard in the newly constructed, 11,500-square-foot Roosevelt Crossing retail strip, located at the southeast corner of Roosevelt Boulevard and US 19, nestled between Wawa and Walmart.

Poblanos, named after the Poblano pepper native to Puebla, Mexico, will occupy a 4,600-square-foot space previously home to the Village Inn breakfast chain, which closed earlier this year.

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St. Pete-Clearwater Airport to build 1,800-space parking garage amid record-breaking passenger activity

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St. Pete-Clearwater Airport to build 1,800-space parking garage amid record-breaking passenger activity

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE), now serving nearly 2.5 million passengers a year and offering nonstop flights to over 60 cities, is expanding its parking capacity to meet growing demand.

The airport, located at 14700 Terminal Boulevard in north St. Pete, recently began designing a terminal expansion project expected to exceed $110 million. As part of the plan, PIE will also build its first parking garage, adding to its current surface-level parking.

Last month was the busiest May in the airport’s history, with 242,162 passengers, 13% more than May of last year. Additionally, passenger activity is currently up 11% year over year.

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As hurricane season approaches, here’s how St. Pete and residents can prepare

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As hurricane season approaches, here’s how St. Pete and residents can prepare

It’s almost that time of year again to prepare for hurricane season, which runs from June 1st through November 30th.

The City of St. Petersburg, in partnership with Pinellas County, is taking precautionary measures ahead of the looming season by strengthening the region’s infrastructure.

The actions follow the release of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2025 Hurricane Outlook, which forecasts above-normal hurricane and tropical storm activity this season. The outlook predicts 13 to 19 named storms that could become hurricanes. Peak storm activity typically occurs between mid-August and mid-October, when tropical or subtropical cyclones are most likely to form in the North Atlantic Ocean.

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St. Pete Beach’s historic Beach Theatre set to reopen this July after 13 years

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St. Pete Beach’s historic Beach Theatre set to reopen this July after 13 years

The historic Beach Theatre on St. Pete Beach will reopen on Friday, July 18th for the first time in over a decade, bringing back the smell of fresh popcorn and the buzz of excited moviegoers.

The theatre, located at 315 Corey Avenue,firstopened in 1940 as the first venue in Pinellas County built exclusively for sound films.

The reopening follows a year of extensive renovations led by new owners and St. Pete Beach residents Ronald and Sissy Hockman and their daughter, Hannah. The family purchased the 85-year-old theatre in March 2024 for $1 million.

“I have dreamed of owning a theatre for as long as I can remember,” Hannah shared in a Facebook post.

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