The Violet Stone’s new, larger location is officially open in St. Pete
/St. Pete’s favorite Philly-style pizza joint, The Violet Stone, has officially opened in a much larger, more prominent location. So say goodbye to long lines, sold-out signs by noon, and eating pizza on the hood of your car.
The new restaurant, located at 2609 Dr. MLK Jr. Street North, debuted on Wednesday, and brings with it an expanded menu, upgraded kitchen, and seating for up to 100 guests, both indoors and out.
The Violet Stone has come a long way since it launched as a food truck in 2022. After outgrowing the truck, owner Daniel Fekete set up shop in a small 800-square-foot space in Kenwood.
That original space had no air conditioning and just a few chairs and tables. Now, the team is settling into a 2,100-square-foot spot that finally matches Fekete’s vision for the restaurant.
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A St. Pete developer is planning a 60-unit apartment building in the Grand Central District that could demonstrate a quicker, potentially less expensive way to add housing to the city.
Blake Investment Partners plans to build a five-story apartment building at 3200 First Avenue South, at the corner of 31st Street South and First Avenue South, using a factory-built system from New York-based Vessel Technologies.
The building will be Vessel’s first Florida project and part of Whitney Village, a larger mixed-use development being constructed on the YMCA’s former athletic fields. The project also includes a 325-unit apartment community by Greystar, currently under construction, a future retail village, and 860 parking spaces.
The Vessel building is not being constructed through the traditional, site-built process used for most apartment projects.
Instead, Vessel will manufacture large steel-framed panels and other components in the Northeast, transport them to St. Petersburg, and assemble the completed building on-site.