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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Final roof panel installed at Tropicana Field as St. Pete races toward 2026 reopening

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Final roof panel installed at Tropicana Field as St. Pete races toward 2026 reopening

Workers have officially installed the final roof panel at Tropicana Field in downtown St. Pete, marking a major milestone as the City of St. Petersburg prepares to welcome the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2026.

The new roof, built with a stronger and more weather resistant fiberglass membrane, is part of a more than $60 million renovation effort to restore the ballpark after 110 mile per hour winds from Hurricane Milton shredded the original roof late last year.

Although the Rays are only contracted to play at Tropicana Field through the end of the 2028 season, the City is required to provide the team with a suitable stadium for the full term of the agreement, prompting the need for repairs.

The city is working with Hennessy Construction Services and AECOM Hunt as general contractors for the project.

Roof installation began in August and accounts for more than $23 million of the total renovation cost.

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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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Shopapalooza one of Florida’s biggest holiday markets returns to the St. Pete waterfront next weekend

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Shopapalooza one of Florida’s biggest holiday markets returns to the St. Pete waterfront next weekend

One of St. Pete’s largest outdoor markets returns to the downtown waterfront next weekend.

More than 350 craft makers, artists, and nonprofits will fill Vinoy Park at 701 Bayshore Drive NE on November 29th and 30th for this year’s free, two-day Shopapalooza Festival, billed as one of the biggest holiday shopping events in the Southeast.

Now in its 15th year, the festival brings together a huge mix of local boutiques and makers.

Shoppers can browse clothing from Pieces of a Dream, Dark Cycle Clothing, and Ashe Couture Boutique, or discover unique gifts from Sans Market, Fox & Crow, Curated Phases, Banyan Books, and The Muddy Walrus Pottery.

Four food areas will feature 40 chefs, restaurants, and food trucks, including Slider Guys, Two Grandma’s Soul Food, Dr. BBQ, Hot Off the Press, The Dude and His Food, and Churned Ice Cream.

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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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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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$18.3 million approved for new storm-resilient operations building at Southwest Water Reclamation Facility

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$18.3 million approved for new storm-resilient operations building at Southwest Water Reclamation Facility

The City of St. Pete is moving forward with more than $19 million in major infrastructure upgrades that will strengthen the city’s resilience to hurricanes and improve the reliability of core public works systems.

City Council approved the investment during its November 6th meeting, advancing two projects that target stormwater improvements and long-needed updates at the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility at 3800 54th Avenue South next to Eckerd College.

“These projects support improvements to some of our most critical public works systems and facilities that impact residents’ day-to-day lives,” said Mayor Ken Welch in a prepared statement.

The largest portion of the investment is an $18.3 million Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) proposal for Ajax Building Company.

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City revives $148 million plan to modernize downtown St. Pete marina

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City revives $148 million plan to modernize downtown St. Pete marina

The City of St. Pete is once again seeking a contractor to repair and redevelop the aging St. Petersburg Municipal Marina along the downtown waterfront.

Through a new Request for Qualifications (RFQ), the city is soliciting experienced design-build firms to oversee a modernization of the 640-slip facility.

The RFQ comes just months after the city terminated negotiations with Safe Harbor Marinas, which had been selected in late 2023 to lead the project.

The new plan represents a major shift in approach with the city will now retaining full ownership and control of the marina, rather than leasing the marina to a private operator.

The City has established a $148 million construction budget for planning and delivering the project.

According to the RFQ, the selected group will manage the design and construction of a 100% floating dock system, as well as a new ship store, new bathhouses, administrative offices, dock houses, maintenance facilities, fueling facilities, seawalls, utilities, and a bridge connecting Demens Landing.

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