August 06, 2025

29-story condo tower approved for 4th Street South in downtown St. Pete

August 06, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A Clearwater-based developer has received approval to build a new 29-story residential tower in downtown St. Petersburg.

Valor Capital plans to construct a $70 million, 165-unit condominium tower on the northeast corner of 4th Street South and 4th Avenue South, just two blocks from the Publix-anchored University Village retail plaza.

At a Development Review Commission meeting on Wednesday, commissioners unanimously approved a floor area ratio (FAR) bonus and a building height bonus for the project, known as the Roche Bobois Residences. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

The approval follows a prior site plan approval for the project by the St. Petersburg City Council, acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, in July.

August 01, 2025

South Pasadena Winn-Dixie to be converted into Aldi

August 01, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

After more than a decade serving the South Pasadena community, the Winn-Dixie at 6851 Gulfport Boulevard is set for a major transformation.

The store will be converted into an Aldi, joining a wave of former Winn-Dixie locations being rebranded under the German discount grocery chain following its acquisition of Southeastern Grocers in March 2024.

Plans for the 55,720-square-foot supermarket include a renovation that will subdivide the existing space, with Aldi occupying a portion of the building.

Located directly across from a Publix and Walmart Neighborhood Market, the site has long been a hotspot for grocery competition.

July 29, 2025

Fire Flow St. Pete to bring infrared-heated hot yoga and sculpt classes to downtown St. Pete

July 29, 2025/ Brian Zucker

A modern, locally owned hot yoga and sculpt studio is preparing to open next month in St. Pete.

FireFlow will officially debut to the public on Saturday, August 2nd at 290 9th Street North.

Behind this exciting new venture is Selin Arsezen, a well-known figure in St. Pete’s yoga community who holds a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher certification (RYT-500).

Selin taught power yoga and sculpt classes locally in St. Pete for several years before deciding to create her own space.

The new 2,500-square-foot boutique studio will feature premium shock-absorbing floors for enhanced comfort and safety, along with high-quality infrared heating panels.

July 28, 2025

Mazzaro’s is expanding with Zagara, an authentic Sicilian gelato and granita shop in St. Pete

July 28, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The family behind St. Petersburg’s iconic Mazzaro’s Italian Market is about to sweeten the city once again.

This August, they’ll debut a new Sicilian-style gelato and granita shop called Zagara, located just steps away from their beloved market on 22nd Avenue North.

Named after the Italian word for “orange blossom,” Zagara will be housed across the street from Mazzaro’s at 3001 22nd Avenue North, inside the same building as Casa di Mazzaro, a specialty kitchenware store and tea shop.

“We visited Sicily last year and were inspired by the old-world markets, their style of gelato, and wanted to introduce it to St. Pete,” said Cindy Richmond, owner of Casa di Mazzaro and sister of Mazzaro’s owner, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We discontinued our cooking classes at Casa di Mazzaro in October to replace the kitchen space with this new concept.”

July 23, 2025

The Nolen, a 23-story condo tower in downtown St. Pete, opens to residents

July 23, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

After nearly three years of construction, residents have started moving into the Nolen, a 31-unit luxury condominium tower in downtown St. Pete.

Located at 126 4th Avenue Northeast, the community has sold 30 of its residences, with just one home still available. Closings began last week, and 80% of homeowners are expected to move in over the next few weeks.

The Nolen was developed by DDA Development and Backstreets Capital, the same team behind The Salvador, which opened in 2017. They are also currently developing The Central, a 2.1-acre mixed-use project in St. Pete’s EDGE District.

July 23, 2025

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

July 23, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

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.

July 22, 2025

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

July 22, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

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.

July 21, 2025

New concierge primary care office opens in Historic Kenwood offering preventive care, easy access, and longer visits

July 21, 2025/ Brian Zucker

A new kind of doctor’s office has opened its doors in Historic Kenwood, offering a more personalized, relationship-based approach to primary care.

The practice brings concierge medicine, a model focused on prevention, accessibility, and longer visits, to a freshly renovated space at 2552 1st Avenue North in St. Pete.

The 3,700-square-foot clinic is the second location for Griffin Concierge Medical, a membership-based primary care practice founded by Dr. Radley Griffin in South Tampa in 2008.

Dr. Griffin founded his practice after working in emergency medicine and at a large primary care group in Manhattan, where he became frustrated by the rushed, transactional nature of traditional healthcare. He envisioned a slower, more thoughtful model where doctors could truly connect with their patients.

July 16, 2025

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

July 16, 2025/ Brian Zucker

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.

July 15, 2025

Two local businesses expand to Bayfront Tower in downtown St. Pete

July 15, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new storefront combining a modern barbershop and tattoo-inspired streetwear has opened in downtown St. Pete.

Broken Compass Barber Co. and Iron and Ink Clothing Co., which previously shared a space at 6160 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater, have relocated their joint shop to the ground floor of the 29-story Bayfront Tower at 1 Beach Drive SE, Suite 106, which previously housed the pet grooming salon PetWorks.

Blakemore Kearney of Vector Commercial Real Estate Services represented the landlord, while Alex Kamm of Axxos Commercial represented the tenants.