St. Pete officially ends Rays redevelopment deal, approve Tropicana Field repairs

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St. Pete officially ends Rays redevelopment deal, approve Tropicana Field repairs

One year after entering into a $6.5 billion redevelopment deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and national developer Hines, St. Pete City Council unanimously voted on Thursday to terminate the agreement.

The deal would have allowed the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District be to redeveloped into a new mixed-use neighborhood with nearly 8 million square feet of space, including a $1.3 billion baseball stadium.

City Council’s vote was largely procedural, as the Rays and Hines had announced in March that they were withdrawing from the deal after missing key project milestones.

Mayor Ken Welch, who was a strong supporter of the project, addressed the termination in a statement following the vote.

“While the Rays’ decision is terribly disappointing, our mission was to adapt and refocus on our primary objective – the progress of our city,” said Welch. “And part of that mission is accomplished by today’s City Council vote.”

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Cathie Wood's ARK Invest to move headquarters to EDGE District in downtown St. Pete

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Cathie Wood's ARK Invest to move headquarters to EDGE District in downtown St. Pete

ARK Invest, a leading global investment firm known for its focus on disruptive innovation, will relocate its downtown St. Pete headquarters to the EDGE District.

Tampa-based Ellison Development announced Wednesday that ARK Invest, which is currently headquartered at 200 Central Avenue, will occupy 13,000 square feet on the 11th floor of Halcyon, a new office building expected to break ground later this year at 1301 Central Avenue.

Halcyon represents the first Class A office building constructed in downtown St. Pete since the 1980s.

The 11-story, 130,000-square-foot office building is one of the main components of The Central, a 2.1-acre mixed-use development that will also contain a 168-room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, 14,000 square feet of retail space, a 42-unit affordable housing community, and a newly opened 540-space parking garage.

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$27 million penthouse sale at Waldorf Astoria Residences in downtown St. Pete shatters Tampa Bay condo record

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$27 million penthouse sale at Waldorf Astoria Residences in downtown St. Pete shatters Tampa Bay condo record

A local business leader has purchased a two-story penthouse atop the planned 50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences tower in downtown St. Petersburg for $27 million.

Planned for 150 2nd Avenue South, the Waldorf Astoria Residences will be the city’s tallest building and the first five-star branded condo tower in St. Petersburg. The project will include 163 condominiums, 73,000 square feet of Class A office space, 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a wide range of luxury amenities.

The sale of the 11,000-square-foot rooftop unit has shattered the record for the most expensive condominium ever sold in the Tampa Bay area.

The previous high in St. Pete was an $8.25 million penthouse at Saltaire, located next to the proposed Waldorf Astoria tower in downtown St. Pete, which sold in 2024. In Tampa, the record is an $11.6 million penthouse at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, sold in 2021.

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A Rosie the Riveter-themed restaurant and bar to replace The Avenue in downtown St. Pete

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A Rosie the Riveter-themed restaurant and bar to replace The Avenue in downtown St. Pete

A new restaurant and bar inspired by the cultural icon Rosie the Riveter is coming to downtown St. Pete, replacing The Avenue, which closed in February after 13 years in business.

Tampa’s Riveters, a concept celebrating female empowerment and the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, will bring its historical theme and made-from-scratch menu to 330 1st Avenue South later this year.

The 3,925-square-foot space will be transformed into a sports bar featuring World War II memorabilia, including Rosie the Riveter posters, veteran patches, and wings from crashed bomber jets mounted on the walls.

The female staff, called “Rosies,” wear red bandanas and denim tops inspired by the iconic poster, while the male staff wear military and tactical-style uniforms.

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Mayor Welch unveils $1.1 billion budget focused on housing, public works, and safer neighborhoods

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Mayor Welch unveils $1.1 billion budget focused on housing, public works, and safer neighborhoods

Mayor Ken Welch has released his recommended Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget for the City of St. Petersburg, a $967 million spending plan focused on affordable housing, infrastructure resilience, equitable development, and neighborhood health and safety.

The Capital Improvement Plan, which is funded through the city’s budget, includes an additional $202 million in funding for projects ranging from road resurfacing and wastewater treatment upgrades to municipal facility improvements.

The city’s total operating budget plus the proposed Capital Improvement Plan totals over $1.1 billion in spending for FY26.

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Castille Urbana nearing sellout as some buyers opt for mid-rise living over high-rises

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Castille Urbana nearing sellout as some buyers opt for mid-rise living over high-rises

As downtown St. Pete continues to grow skyward, one boutique condo building is nearly sold out by offering something refreshingly different.

Castille Urbana, a 40-unit mid-rise located at 600 3rd Avenue South, just three blocks south of Central Avenue, is down to its final six three-bedroom residences.

Developed by NJR Castille Urbana, LLC, a member of the NJR Companies Group, the five-story building brings a more laid-back feel to downtown living.

While some projects flaunt rooftop pools and other resort-style amenities, Castille Urbana emphasizes thoughtful design, practical features, and a walkable location.

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Wine bar and specialty grocer announced as first retail tenant for 46-story 400 Central in downtown St. Pete

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Wine bar and specialty grocer announced as first retail tenant for 46-story 400 Central in downtown St. Pete

Downtown St. Pete’s tallest tower just landed its first retail tenant, marking a major milestone for the 46-story Residences at 400 Central set to open later this year.

Volta Wine + Market, an independent wine shop, specialty grocer, and boutique wine bar, is set to open in 2026 on the ground floor of the 301-unit condo tower being developed by New York-based Red Apple Group.

Wendy Giffin of Cushman & Wakefield represented Volta in the lease transaction.

The 2,000-square-foot storefront will be located mid-block on Central Avenue and marks the first announced retail tenant in the tower.

Volta is the creation of local residents Zach Pace and Rachelle Tomushev, who are bringing a curated but approachable food and wine experience to the downtown St. Pete.

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20-story, $134 million apartment tower proposed for 5th Avenue North in downtown St. Pete

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20-story, $134 million apartment tower proposed for 5th Avenue North in downtown St. Pete

Seven small apartment buildings in downtown St. Pete could soon be demolished to make way for a 20-story luxury apartment tower.

St. Pete-based Stadler Development, led by John Stadler and his son Chris, has submitted plans for a $134 million tower with 370 apartments, 3,819 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a 485-space parking garage.

The 1.3-acre site is bordered by 4th Street North, 5th Avenue North, 5th Street North, and an alley. It shares a block with the Hollander Hotel and Trinity Lutheran Church, which sit on the opposite side of the alley.

Stadler is under contract to purchase the property from local investor Michael Andoniades, who owns the Hollander Hotel and several other nearby buildings.

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Lake Maggiore Apartments to remove community garden, downsize dog park for more parking

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Lake Maggiore Apartments to remove community garden, downsize dog park for more parking

When the Lake Maggiore Apartments opened last year, the south St. Pete community promoted itself as a luxury, eco-conscious development with the city’s first edible urban garden.

Now, the lush garden and much of the adjacent dog park will be demolished to make way for additional parking on the western side of the 330-unit community at 825 32nd Avenue South.

St. Pete-based development firm Stoneweg U.S. has filed plans to add nearly 100 new parking spaces in response to ongoing parking issues since the property's opening.

The development currently offers 358 parking spaces, which exceeds the City of St. Pete’s required 293 spaces.

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384-unit apartment community proposed near U.S. 19 in Pinellas Park

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384-unit apartment community proposed near U.S. 19 in Pinellas Park

Houston-based real estate developer The Hanover Company has submitted plans for a new 384-unit apartment community with affordable housing in Pinellas Park.

The project would be built on a vacant 24.31-acre site near the intersection of Gateway Centre Boulevard and US 19, within the Gateway Centre Business Park.

Because the property is zoned Light Industrial, The Hanover Company plans to move forward under the Live Local Act, which overrides certain local zoning restrictions and permits residential development on land zoned for commercial or industrial use.

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