St. Pete purchases land to expand its parks and create more neighborhood green space

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St. Pete purchases land to expand its parks and create more neighborhood green space

The Sunshine City is getting a little greener. St. Pete is stepping up its investment in public parks, reflecting an ongoing commitment to the beautification of neighborhood green spaces.

The city has recently spent around $3 million to acquire properties located next to three existing parks.

These purchases allow St. Pete to expand recreational areas, improve stormwater management, and preserve land for future community use.

Below is a summary of the latest purchases and the city’s plans for each site.

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St. Pete reaches preliminary deal to buy CSX rail line running through downtown St. Pete

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St. Pete reaches preliminary deal to buy CSX rail line running through downtown St. Pete

A years-long effort to bring a key stretch of the CSX rail corridor in downtown St. Pete into public ownership, including the segment that cuts directly through Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill, is finally moving forward.

According to an October 15th email from St. Pete Transportation and Parking Management Director Evan Mory, CSX Transportation has accepted a conditional offer from the City of St. Petersburg to acquire nearly a mile of rail right-of-way stretching from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street along 1st Avenue South to 5th Avenue North.

The city plans to create a trail linking the Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment and the Pinellas Trail up to 5th Avenue North, with the longer-term goal of extending it to Booker Creek Park in North Kenwood.

The purchase is expected to cost $7 million, with $1 million coming from the City of St. Pete, $4 million from Mark Ferguson of Ferg’s Sports Bar, and $2 million from Ellison Development.

The offer cannot move forward without City Council approval, which is expected within the next 30 days.

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Bouquet and Bordeaux to bring French-inspired floral boutique and wine bar to the EDGE District

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Bouquet and Bordeaux to bring French-inspired floral boutique and wine bar to the EDGE District

A wave of vivid street-side floral displays arranged in metal buckets and spilling onto the sidewalk is set to bring a touch of Parisian charm to downtown St. Pete, inspired by France’s open-air markets.

Named Bouquet and Bordeaux and described as “where Southern charm meets Parisian flair,” the new floral shop and wine bar will open at 9 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South in the EDGE District in spring 2026. The space previously housed The Annex Training Studio.

Spanning 2,700 square feet, the boutique is designed as a place to sip, socialize, and browse blooms.

Plans include a DIY flower bar and hands-on classes teaching balanced floral compositions for bridal showers, weddings, and holidays, in addition to kid-friendly workshops where children can make mini bouquets, flower crowns, or flower wands.

Capturing the feel of French culture and translating it into a brick-and-mortar concept in St. Pete has been a goal for founder Leigh Catoe Tillman for years.

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42-story Art House condo tower starts welcoming its first residents in downtown St. Pete

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42-story Art House condo tower starts welcoming its first residents in downtown St. Pete

One of the newest additions to the downtown St. Pete skyline has reached a major milestone.

The 42-story Art House condo tower received its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) last week for floors 10 through 32, allowing the first closings to begin today.

The building, located at 275 1st Avenue South, contains 244 luxury condos and is more than 85% sold. The remaining units are priced from $1.3 million to over $7 million.

The project was announced in early 2022 by Kolter Urban, the South Florida-based firm behind ONE St. Petersburg and Saltaire.

Coastal Construction broke ground on the tower in June 2022, and the tower topped out in November 2024.

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Winn-Dixie in Seminole may be redeveloped into 208-unit luxury apartment community

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Winn-Dixie in Seminole may be redeveloped into 208-unit luxury apartment community

A 208-unit apartment community has been proposed for the site of an existing Winn-Dixie in Seminole.

Birmingham-based LIV Development is seeking approval to demolish the 55,316 square foot grocery store at 8740 Park Boulevard and replace it with Livano Park and Park, a Class A apartment complex with one-, two-, and three-bedroom units.

At a November 10th Seminole City Council workshop, councilmembers reviewed the proposal, which is seeking two deviations from the city’s land development code, including a taller building than permitted and a reduction in required parking.

Councilmember Chris Burke noted the city has not approved a building above the maximum 50 feet in his 13 years on the council and emphasized that LIV faces “two very large hurdles, the parking and the height.”

As currently designed, the side of the building fronting Park Boulevard would rise to 62.6 feet, while the section along Park Street would step down to 53.5 feet.

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PNC Bank to open branch at 400 Central as tower nears completion in downtown St. Pete

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PNC Bank to open branch at 400 Central as tower nears completion in downtown St. Pete

Downtown St. Pete’s tallest tower has landed another major retail tenant.

PNC Bank has signed a lease for a roughly 3,000-square-foot branch at the 46-story Residences at 400 Central, which is slated to open later this year.

The branch be located along Central Avenue in the 301-unit condo tower being developed by New York–based Red Apple Group, which will include 60,000 square feet of high-end ground-floor retail and restaurant space.

Founder John Catsimatidis Sr. said PNC’s arrival underscores both the project’s momentum and its ties to the site’s past.

“Red Apple has a longstanding relationship with PNC across multiple business lines and we are thrilled to welcome them as a tenant at our iconic 400 Central project,” Catsimatidis said.

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Central Gyro to bring authentic Greek food to Central Avenue next year

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Central Gyro to bring authentic Greek food to Central Avenue next year

After seven years of serving New York–style pies and Italian comfort food on the 500 block of Central Avenue, Tony’s Pizza owner Vjollca Dervishi is preparing to launch a brand-new concept, one she says will bring an authentic taste of Greece to downtown St. Pete.

Set to open early next year at 653 Central Avenue, Central Gyro will move into the space currently occupied by DalMoros Fresh Pasta To Go, which is relocating to a larger space a few doors down at 683 Central Avenue.

For Dervishi, the new restaurant is the realization of an idea she’s carried with her since opening Tony’s in 2018.

“It’s the right time,” she told St. Pete Rising, explaining that she learned about the opportunity directly from the building owner.

“It’ll be a very authentic Greek experience, unlike anything around downtown St. Pete. You can expect to find the same foods that are sold in Greece.”

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Beloved downtown diner expands with new location on Pasadena Avenue

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Beloved downtown diner expands with new location on Pasadena Avenue

Central Diner, the downtown St. Pete staple known for its no-frills breakfasts, oversized portions, and loyal following, has quietly expanded west.

The longtime neighborhood favorite, at 530 Central Avenue, has opened a second location at 2525 Pasadena Avenue South in the Village Plaza in South Pasadena.

The expansion is a big step for a spot that has been part of St. Pete’s food scene for almost fifty years.

Central Diner began in 1975 as Central Coffee Shoppe, opened by John and Chris Mangels.

Over the years it became a go-to eatery for downtown workers, long-time residents, and anyone craving a dependable plate of pancakes or corned beef hash.

Their daughters, Michelle, Cassie, and Nicole, took over the restaurant in 2004 and continued running it until 2018.

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Revised plans advance for 13-story affordable housing tower in downtown St. Pete

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Revised plans advance for 13-story affordable housing tower in downtown St. Pete

A long-awaited residential redevelopment on the west side of Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete is finally making progress, more than two years after the project was first awarded.

Pinellas County Schools’ 1.36-acre property, located at 296 Mirror Lake Drive and home to the 101-year-old Tomlinson building, is now one step closer to being redeveloped as the development team has submitted plans to the city for site plan approval.

What was once planned as a mix of affordable and market-rate apartments will now be an entirely affordable community, with priority given to Pinellas County Schools faculty and staff.

All 202 units in the updated plan will be income-restricted, with some reserved for households earning up to 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) and the rest at 110% AMI.

The Tomlinson building was originally built in 1924 as St. Petersburg Junior High School. It later became the Edwin H. Tomlinson Vocational School before transitioning into the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center in 1978.

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Mayor Welch extends proposal deadline for 86-acre Historic Gas Plant redevelopment in downtown St. Pete

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Mayor Welch extends proposal deadline for 86-acre Historic Gas Plant redevelopment in downtown St. Pete

Starting in the new year, the City of St. Pete will officially restart the clock for developers to submit proposals to redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete, marking the third time the city has sought bids for the site since 2020.

Mayor Ken Welch had initially planned to open a 30-day submission window in mid-November, but after receiving pushback from major developers, including Kolter Urban and Red Apple Group, as well as concerns from City Council, Welch agreed to delay the start until January 4th, 2026.

Proposals will now be due February 3rd, giving developers a total of 105 days since the city’s October 21st announcement.

The latest bid solicitation was triggered when the city received an unsolicited $6.8 billion proposal from Casey Ellison of Ellison Companies, Cathie Wood of ARK Invest, and Jonathan Graham of Horus Construction.

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