$33 million Tierra Verde Marina redevelopment revised, residents remain opposed

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$33 million Tierra Verde Marina redevelopment revised, residents remain opposed

A developer has revised its plans to redevelop a prominent seven-acre property on Tierra Verde, but many residents believe the project is still not in the city’s best interest.

Tampa-based Greenleaf Capital, the real estate division of HCI Group Inc., is seeking approval from the City of St. Petersburg to transform the Tierra Verde Marina at 100 Pinellas Bayway South into a modern boat club with expanded amenities.

The goal, according to the developer, is to revitalize the island’s waterfront entryway.

The marina currently has 64 wet slips, 314 high-and-dry racks within a 58,000-square-foot storage complex, a 24,000-square-foot shopping center, and a gas station.

The $32.7 million redevelopment calls for demolishing the retail plaza and marina facilities to make way for a larger storage facility and private boat club with a restaurant, bar, and pool.

Greenleaf Capital acquired the site in 2011 for $5 million, three years after 28 acres of Tierra Verde, including the marina, were annexed by St. Petersburg.

The company is also seeking a 15-foot height bonus to build a nine-story, 90-foot-tall storage facility.

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New affordable apartment community opens near the Skyway Marina District in south St. Pete

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New affordable apartment community opens near the Skyway Marina District in south St. Pete

Just before Labor Day weekend, local government officials and community leaders gathered in south St. Pete to cut the ribbon on the city’s newest affordable housing development.

Founders Point, a 15-unit apartment community at 2901 31st Street South near the Skyway Marina District, was developed by Pinellas Affordable Living Inc. (PAL), a Community Housing Development Organization formed by the Boley Centers.

The community, designed to provide safe and affordable housing for people with special needs, is located next to Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and just south of The Shores Apartments, a 50-unit affordable housing community developed by The Richman Group.

All 15 one-bedroom apartments are reserved for residents earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), specifically for households with special needs.

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St. Pete–Tampa ferry prepares for relaunch with new operator search

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St. Pete–Tampa ferry prepares for relaunch with new operator search

After a three-month pause, daily ferry service across Tampa Bay is now one step closer to returning.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has begun a competitive procurement process to select a private operator to relaunch and manage a year-round, more frequent ferry connection between downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa.

On August 5th, PSTA issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit interested operators, with submissions due by Thursday, August 28th.

The new RFP follows Hillsborough County’s recent decision to terminate its contract with the previous Cross Bay Ferry operator, HMS Ferries, after the company proposed replacing the current vessel with a slower one that would extend the one-way trip from 50 minutes to more than two hours.

When the county canceled its contract with HMS, ending the Cross Bay Ferry operations on April 30th, it left $4,863,280 of unspent Federal Transit Authority (FTA) dollars on the table, which can be used towards the purchase of two new ferry boats for the Tampa-to-St. Pete service.

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Sandalwood Beach Resort in North Redington Beach to be redeveloped into six-story condo-hotel

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Sandalwood Beach Resort in North Redington Beach to be redeveloped into six-story condo-hotel

The Sandalwood Beach Resort in North Redington Beach will be redeveloped into a six-story “condo-hotel” with larger waterfront rooms and amenities open to the public.

Earlier this year, Nored Beach Development, led by local real estate developer and hotelier Bill Karns in partnership with Century 21 broker Jeffery Beggins, purchased the resort at 17100 Gulf Boulevard for $6 million. The seller is a partner in the new development. 

“The Sandalwood was built in 1959 and was rundown. The foundation sank seven inches during last year’s hurricanes. The previous owners spent a lot of time and money to raise the structure and redo the guest rooms,” said Karns, noting the impacts of Hurricane Helene and Milton on the property. “Because of damage from the storms, the cost of renovating the existing structure doesn’t make sense.”

The three-story resort, closed since the hurricane, has 47 fully furnished units, a pool, and private beach access. Karns said the new plan calls for demolishing the building and replacing it with the same number units, although they will be larger units designed so each has a view of the beach.

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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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