July 03, 2025

170-unit Convivial St. Petersburg hits sales milestone as demand surges for waterfront senior living

July 03, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Convivial St. Petersburg, a new continuing care retirement community (CCRC) rising along the waterfront in the Skyway Marina District, has reached a major sales milestone.

The $172.5 million project has now pre-sold nearly 40% of its planned residences, following a record-setting pace in June.

The nine-story development, located at 4595 34th Street South along Boca Ciega Bay, is being led by Convivial Life, a Florida-based not-for-profit that owns and operates senior living communities.

“This pace confirms what we’ve believed all along—there’s a powerful appetite for a boutique-style retirement community that blends purpose, connection, and vibrancy,” said Jessica Kraft, Chief Marketing Officer for Convivial Life.

July 03, 2025

Dank Burrito to open first Pinellas location at former Boston Market in Largo

July 03, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A vacant Boston Market in Largo is getting a flavorful new lease on life.

Dank Burrito, a fast-casual restaurant known for its 90s hip-hop aesthetic and menu of tacos, burritos, and bowls, is set to open in a 3,100-square-foot space at 4001 East Bay Drive, at the corner of East Bay and Belcher Road.

Expected to open later this year, Dank Burrito is making its Pinellas County debut with graffiti-wrapped walls, colorful signage, and a menu that pushes the boundaries of traditional burrito joints.

Guests can expect menu items such as a Jerk Chicken Burrito with pineapple-mango salsa and a Pork Belly Bowl topped with kimchi or banh mi-style vegetables, sweet Thai chili sauce, cilantro, and lime.

July 02, 2025

St. Pete’s office market is shrinking — here’s why that matters

July 02, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

As residential and mixed-use towers continue to reshape downtown St. Petersburg, a quieter yet equally significant transformation is underway: a sharp contraction in the city’s office market.

While St. Pete is performing better than the national average on paper, the amount of available office space is shrinking, a trend that could complicate efforts to attract new businesses and corporate relocations.

Nationally, office space is disappearing at a record pace. According to a recent CBRE report, the United States will see a net loss of approximately 10.6 million square feet of office space by the end of 2025, representing the first year of true nationwide office space contraction in over a generation.

While many cities are grappling with declining demand, St. Petersburg faces a unique dilemma: its office market isn’t struggling due to oversupply. It’s struggling because viable office space is being demolished or repurposed in favor of housing and retail development.

June 30, 2025

10-unit townhome community breaks ground in St. Pete's Central Oak Park neighborhood

June 30, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new 10-unit townhome development is coming to St. Pete’s Central Oak Park neighborhood, located just west of the Grand Central District.

Seattle-based development firm Heron Properties has broken ground on the project, called The Junction Townhomes, located at 3601 1st Avenue North. This marks the company’s first development outside of Seattle.

The community will include four buildings situated around a landscaped central courtyard.

Heron Properties purchased the 0.42-acre property in 2022 for $770,000.

“We’ve started site work and expect to begin vertical construction in August,” said Grace Johnson, Principal at Heron Properties, in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

June 27, 2025

Churned Ice Cream opens new St. Pete shop with grab-and-go treats

June 27, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Churned Ice Cream, the small-batch ice cream company known for serving handcrafted frozen treats out of a retro 1970s Volkswagen van, now has a permanent home in St. Pete.

The local favorite has quietly opened a production facility and grab-and-go storefront at 5504 Haines Road North in a space previously occupied by The Shop & Coffee House.

The 1,200-square-foot location houses Churned’s main production operations and a freezer-stocked retail section where customers can pick up pre-packaged goodies Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“This isn't your traditional ice cream shop where you can order at the counter and dine in,” said managing partner Steve Tishman in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “But we do plan to add counter service with over 20 flavors later this year.”

June 25, 2025

Multi-tenant retail building planned for the west end of Grand Central District

June 25, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A 6,079-square-foot retail building has been proposed for the west end of the Grand Central District.

The property is located at 2730 Central Avenue, just steps from the corner of Central Avenue and 27th Street, an area known for popular neighborhood restaurants like Wild Child, Baba, Casita Taqueria, and Bandit Coffee.

The site, which is owned by local real estate investor Rossi Bonugli, was previously occupied by two single-family homes that had been converted for retail use. They were demolished a few months ago to make way for the new development.

Bonugli had rented out the spaces for years but envisioned a greater use for the property.

June 25, 2025

Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort could be rebuilt bigger than before

June 25, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

After suffering major hurricane damage last year, Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort will be completely demolished and rebuilt, potentially larger than before, while preserving its nostalgic charm.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved a site plan last Thursday for a new four-story resort that will replace the 68-year-old property at 10700 Gulf Boulevard.

As first reported by St. Pete Rising, the rebuild calls for one single U-shaped building to house all 106 hotel rooms—the same number as before—on three levels above a 124-space surface parking lot beneath the structure, along with a 1,750-square-foot lobby and office space.

The resort’s appearance is expected to change significantly, but the Thunderbird name and its historic neon sign will remain.

June 24, 2025

Dynasty Financial Partners to move headquarters to 400 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete

June 24, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The 46-story 400 Central condo tower under construction in downtown St. Petersburg has landed a major tenant to anchor its office space.

Financial services firm Dynasty Financial Partners will move from the 15th floor of 200 Central Avenue to 400 Central, which is the tallest building in St. Petersburg.

Dynasty has signed a 15-year lease to occupy all of 400 Central’s 45,000 square feet of Class A office space, according to a joint announcement from developer Red Apple Group and Dynasty.

The new headquarters will include a private entrance and lobby, a 15,000-square-foot rooftop terrace for special events, and several other custom amenities. Construction is underway, with Dynasty's move slated for November 2026.

June 23, 2025

24-unit townhome community begins vertical construction in Grand Central District

June 23, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

A new townhome community is set to rise on the edge of St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District and Historic Kenwood, bringing a neighborhood feel to one of the city’s most vibrant urban corridors.

Indianapolis-based developer Onyx+East has officially launched sales for Blanc, a 24-unit luxury townhome project at 3001 1st Avenue North. The phased development will span seven buildings across a one-acre site.

The property, formerly home to a gas station, a single-family home, and an apartment building, was cleared prior to Onyx+East purchasing the site for $4 million in 2024. The parcel was previously owned by Salt Palm Development who planned to build The Bismarck, an 18-unit townhome community.

June 20, 2025

Local coffee shop Sugar Baby quietly opens inside concrete design studio in Warehouse Arts District

June 20, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Coffee and concrete may seem like an unlikely match, but two local businesses are making it work.

After opening to rave reviews in Seminole two years ago, local coffee shop and café Sugar Baby has quietly debuted a new location inside a concrete design studio in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District.

Every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors can stop by Form43, located at 2621 Fairfield Avenue South, to grab a drink from Sugar Baby’s new coffee bar and wander through the 2,880-square-foot space filled with modern art installations, concrete furniture, and tropical greenery in concrete planters.

The new setup is more than just a pop-up. It’s a true collaboration between two local businesses with a shared vision of blending art, design, and community.