264-unit affordable housing community to break ground next month near the Warehouse Arts District

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264-unit affordable housing community to break ground next month near the Warehouse Arts District

After nearly four years of planning, a long-delayed affordable housing development near St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District is officially moving forward.

Fairfield Avenue Apartments LLC, which is tied to St. Petersburg-based HP Capital Group and former Florida Senator Jeff Brandes, has purchased the 6.9-acre property at 3300 Fairfield Avenue South for approximately $6.2 million.

The property will be leased through a trust administered by the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County, securing a 99-year affordability commitment.

The group will develop the site into the Fairfield Avenue Apartments, which will contain 264 affordable and workforce apartments making it one of the city’s largest housing communities in decades.

The property was formerly home to the Tibbetts Lumber Company, which was founded by Brandes’ grandfather, Linton Tibbetts, in the 1970s.

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Treehouse BBQ to open first brick-and-mortar restaurant next month in north St. Pete

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Treehouse BBQ to open first brick-and-mortar restaurant next month in north St. Pete

For a city this food-obsessed, St. Pete has always had a shortage of great barbecue. But that may be about to change.

After building a strong following as a mobile catering company, Treehouse BBQ will open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant next month at 229 62nd Avenue North in the Edgemoor neighborhood of north St. Pete.

The 1,200-square-foot space was previously home to Pasghetti, Tasty Thai, and Green Light Sushi Bar.

A regular vendor at the weekly Kenwood Sunday Market at St. Pete High, Treehouse BBQ will operate mainly as a carry-out spot, with limited indoor seating for approximately 20 guests.

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St. Pete becomes Florida’s first city to allow affordable housing on religious property

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St. Pete becomes Florida’s first city to allow affordable housing on religious property

The City of St. Pete has become the first municipality in Florida to adopt a provision into its City Code allowing affordable housing to be built on land owned by religious institutions regardless of underlying zoning, following the passage of a new state law earlier this year.

While the Florida Senate Bill 1730, often referred to as “Yes In God’s Backyard” or YIGBY, gives cities the option to allow affordable housing on faith-owned land, it does not require them to do so.

St. Pete’s new provision turns the state statute into a clear and usable local process.

Many congregations own property that is no longer fully used for worship or parking but was historically difficult to redevelop because it is zoned institutional or public use rather than residential.

Before SB 1730, affordable housing could be built on church land only if a city approved a rezoning, conditional use, or comprehensive plan amendment.

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M&M Video Games opens first St. Pete location in the EDGE District

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M&M Video Games opens first St. Pete location in the EDGE District

M&M Video Games, a retailer that has built a loyal following of competitive gamers and collectors since launching in 2012, has opened a new store in the EDGE District of downtown St. Pete.

The shop is located at 1211 1st Avenue North, in the same building as Zubrick Magic Theatre and 1st Avenue Liquors, and held its grand opening on Friday.

The St. Pete outpost is M&M Video Games’ fifth location, joining existing stores in Tampa, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Largo.

Store Manager Bradley Gilmore said the team is still stocking shelves inside the 2,475 square foot space, which will carry thousands of retro and current generation video games, consoles, and trading card games.

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Love Food Central reopens as FireWater with a broader, still plant-forward menu in the Grand Central District

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Love Food Central reopens as FireWater with a broader, still plant-forward menu in the Grand Central District

After nearly a decade, a longtime spot for vegan and gluten-free dining in the Grand Central District has entered a new chapter.

Love Food Central, located at 2057 Central Avenue, recently rebranded as FireWater Cuisine & Wellness and rolled out a new menu about a week ago.

The biggest change is that FireWater, unlike its predecessor, is not strictly vegan.

The updated menu now includes vegetarian and pescatarian options, while still offering a solid lineup of vegan and gluten-free dishes.

In many ways, the shift mirrors what’s been happening recently across St. Pete’s food scene.

Over the past several years, a number of vegan restaurants have closed, including Golden Dinosaurs, Rawk Star Café, Cider Press Café, Freya’s Diner, Black Radish Grocery, Meze 119, Leafy Greens Café, and The Works by Squeeze Juice Works.

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Visioning begins for new 28-acre walkable mixed-use development near Warehouse Arts District in St. Pete

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Visioning begins for new 28-acre walkable mixed-use development near Warehouse Arts District in St. Pete

What would you create with 28 acres of land in St Pete? A park? An amphitheater? Attainable housing? Artist studios?

Those questions were at the center of a recent four-day community charrette that began to shape the future of a large industrial property along the Pinellas Trail, home to St. Petersburg Distillery and several vacant buildings.

The 28-acre site at 800 31st Street South, located west of the Warehouse Arts District and across from Gibbs High School, is owned by the Iafrate family and is envisioned as a new Creators District.

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Michael Saunders & Company to open new downtown St. Pete office inside 46-story 400 Central tower

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Michael Saunders & Company to open new downtown St. Pete office inside 46-story 400 Central tower

Sarasota-based real estate firm Michael Saunders & Company is expanding into downtown St. Petersburg with a new office on the ground floor of the 46-story Residences at 400 Central luxury condo tower, which is set to welcome its first residents later this month.

The company, which has served as the exclusive sales agent for Red Apple Group’s 400 Central project, has leased 3,000 square feet fronting Central Avenue. The new office slated to open in spring 2026.

In the meantime, Michael Saunders & Company will operate from a temporary office across the street at 449 Central Avenue while continuing to run the 400 Central sales gallery at 465 Central Avenue.

The expansion strengthens the firm’s presence in the Tampa Bay market at a time when it has added several well-known local agents, including the Jennifer Thayer Group, Julie Larsen, Rodger Kooser, Ashley Nuccio, Dale Guivas, Rick Scherer, and the Dynasty Group.

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Miracle at Bar Mezzo returns as St. Pete’s favorite over-the-top holiday pop-up

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Miracle at Bar Mezzo returns as St. Pete’s favorite over-the-top holiday pop-up

St. Pete’s most over-the-top holiday tradition is back. And it’s brighter, louder, and merrier than ever.

Miracle at Bar Mezzo has officially returned for its seventh season in St. Pete, reimagining the vintage-style cocktail bar at 1049 Central Avenue into a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling Christmas fever dream.

Miracle began in New York City in 2014 and has since grown into an international holiday phenomenon known for its kitschy decor, seasonal cocktails, and collectible glassware.

What began years ago as a small, cheerful setup inside Intermezzo has evolved into a full holiday takeover of Bar Mezzo.

This season’s decorations push the transformation even further with dense layers of garland and sparkle, deep saturated reds and greens, brass accents shining from every corner, and oversized ornaments that make the room feel like a spirited, grown-up version of the North Pole.

It’s immersive, it’s nostalgic, and it’s intentionally a little over the top.

“Seven years in, Miracle is still a full reset for the bar,” said owner Jarrett Sabatini. “We’re not just hanging lights and calling it a day. We rebuild the room, we rebuild the prep, and we push to make this feel bigger and better than the year before. Our goal is simple: if you only go to one Christmas pop-up bar in St. Pete, it should be this one.”

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Inside Tropicana Field as city progresses on $60 million stadium renovation

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Inside Tropicana Field as city progresses on $60 million stadium renovation

A newly completed white dome now crowns Tropicana Field, gleaming in the sun.

Inside, more than 200 workers are stretching the fabric roof, sealing seams, and moving into the next phase of repairs.

“The roof is back on. They are still doing some of the seaming and the final sealing, but in essence, the building is dried in,” said Beth Herendeen, Managing Director of City Development for St. Petersburg, during a media tour on Wednesday. “We have no concern about being open or ready for Opening Day on April 6th, 2026.”

Above the concrete field and thousands of empty seats, the roof’s PTFE fabric alternates between white and orange-tan panels. City Architect Raul Quintana noted the color variation will fade out by spring.

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Three retail buildings on Central Avenue sell in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

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Three retail buildings on Central Avenue sell in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE District

Three mixed-use retail properties along the 1100 block of Central Avenue in the EDGE District are now under new ownership.

Dallas, Texas-based investment firm 90Ten has acquired properties directly adjacent to the Moxy Hotel, including the three-story building at 1110 Central Avenue, the two-story building at 1122–1128 Central Avenue, and 1114 Central Avenue, which is currently leased to Sweetgreen.

90Ten purchased the properties for $10 million.

CBRE’s James Garner and Jim Shiebler represented the seller, PTM Partners, in the transaction.

The Central Avenue block acquisition is part of the EDGE Collective, a multi-phased walkable mixed-use that includes the Moxy Hotel, the office and retail building, and a second phase that includes a 20-story luxury apartment building and additional retail.

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