March 21, 2025

Sprouts Farmers Market is now open in Largo

March 21, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Niche grocer Sprouts Farmers Market has opened its new Largo store, offering farm-fresh natural and organic foods.

This morning, local management and city officials celebrated the grand opening at 2156 East Bay Drive in the Keene Plaza Shopping Center.

The new 23,266-square-foot Largo store is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

To celebrate the grand opening, from Friday, March 21st, through Sunday, a variety of activities will take place, including a “pop-up party” featuring seasonal produce at a tasting bar, a “guess the weight” contest with an oversized piece of produce, and more, according to the company's announcement.

The first 200 shoppers on Friday and Saturday will receive a free reusable goodie bag filled with special products and samples. Additionally, the first 400 guests on Friday will receive a free long-stem rose, courtesy of Falcon Farms Floral.

March 20, 2025

New coastal restaurant SouthSeas Tapas to open at SkyBeach Resort in St. Pete

March 20, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A tropical-themed restaurant and bar with French and Asian influences will debut inside St. Pete’s SkyBeach Marina and Resort.

Located at 6800 Sunshine Skyway Lane South, just beyond the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, SouthSeas Tapas will honor the property's history as the former Outrigger Inn—a beloved 1960s retreat known for its Polynesian dining, lush décor, exotic cocktails, and Hawaiian-inspired performances.

"While researching the former Outrigger Inn, we stumbled upon vintage advertisements and promotional materials for the hotel's restaurant, including a vintage cocktail menu. These served as our inspiration for SouthSeas Tapas, including how we decided to name the restaurant," said Executive Chef of SkyBeach Hotel and Marina Chef Tom Legg.

March 19, 2025

304-unit apartment complex in Largo to convert into affordable housing

March 19, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The Oasis at Bayside apartment complex in Largo will undergo an extensive renovation to convert the units to affordable housing and update the aging amenities.

Washington, DC-based multifamily investor Gravel Road Partners and Bridge Investment Group, an investment company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, purchased the 304-unit property at 305 Glades Circle on March 12th for $42.25 million.

Berkadia Senior Managing Director Jason Stanton represented the seller, Latitude Management Real Estate Investors of Beverly Hills, California, in the transaction.

The new owners are partnering with Pinellas County to renovate the 1974-built property and dedicate 258 units for tenants earning 50% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Currently the property has no affordability requirements.

March 14, 2025

St. Pete investor offers $260 million to buy 86-acre Tropicana Field site

March 14, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Prominent Tampa Bay investor Thompson Whitney Blake is offering the City of St. Petersburg $260 million in an all-cash deal to buy the Gas Plant District following the Tampa Bay Rays' abrupt announcement of abandoning the stadium agreement.

"We, along with all of the other residents in town, have listened to a decade of dialogues, debates, pundits, and prognosticators, lawyers, and talking heads... In our opinion, this project needs someone to do what my mom has always said, 'put your money where your mouth is.' So, here we go," Blake, CEO of private equity firm Blake Investment Partners, wrote in a letter to Mayor Ken Welch and the St. Petersburg City Council.

The offer letter was sent on Thursday, March 13, shortly after the Tampa Bay Rays announced on social media that they were withdrawing from the $1.37 billion deal to build a new stadium in downtown St. Petersburg. The team cited unforeseen challenges from back-to-back hurricanes and prolonged negotiations as reasons for their decision.

March 14, 2025

Tierra Verde Marina faces demolition for private boat club and expanded boat storage

March 14, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A retail plaza, home to several local businesses, and a boat yard located just beyond the Pinellas Bayway Bridge at the entrance to Tierra Verde may be demolished to make way for a private boat club and expanded boat storage.

On Monday, Michael Coffey, Executive Vice President of Greenleaf Capital, presented a preliminary redevelopment plan for the Tierra Verde Marina, located at 100 Pinellas Bayway South, during a Tierra Verde Community Association meeting.

Tampa-based Greenleaf Capital, the real estate division of HCI Group, Inc., purchased the seven-acre marina property for $5,000,100 in 2011.

Coffey outlined a phased plan to demolish the existing facilities and construct a larger boat storage facility, a modern boat club with a new restaurant, bar, and pool, as well as upgraded landscaping, security, and additional amenities.