Exclusive underground social club coming to the historic Snell Arcade in downtown St. Pete

Exclusive underground social club coming to the historic Snell Arcade in downtown St. Pete

The basement of the historic 99-year-old Snell Arcade in downtown St. Petersburg, once a bustling hub during the Prohibition era, will be reborn as an exclusive business and social club catering to the city’s movers and shakers.

Former Major League Baseball player turned entrepreneur Robin Jennings will lease and transform the 9,240-square-foot space at 405 Central Avenue into a new private club called The Medina, which is scheduled to open in 2026.

According to Pinellas County property records, the basement of the eight-story building was purchased last month by 405 Central LLC for $3.2 million from Miami-based Tricera Capital. Tricera acquired the space in 2022 for $1.88 million.

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St. Pete Beach’s historic Beach Theatre set to reopen this July after 13 years

St. Pete Beach’s historic Beach Theatre set to reopen this July after 13 years

The historic Beach Theatre on St. Pete Beach will reopen on Friday, July 18th for the first time in over a decade, bringing back the smell of fresh popcorn and the buzz of excited moviegoers.

The theatre, located at 315 Corey Avenue,firstopened in 1940 as the first venue in Pinellas County built exclusively for sound films.

The reopening follows a year of extensive renovations led by new owners and St. Pete Beach residents Ronald and Sissy Hockman and their daughter, Hannah. The family purchased the 85-year-old theatre in March 2024 for $1 million.

“I have dreamed of owning a theatre for as long as I can remember,” Hannah shared in a Facebook post.

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

Religious sermons and wedding bells may once again echo through the sanctuary of a 100-year-old historic brick church at the edge of St. Petersburg’s Euclid-St. Paul neighborhood.

The 100-year-old Euclid Methodist Church, located at 919 10th Avenue North, has sat vacant for years. Inside, it’s plagued with black mold, collapsed ceilings, and crumbling walls.

Yet despite the daunting repairs ahead, owners Noam and Irene Krasniansky are determined to breathe new life into the deteriorating building, which was added to the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places in 2004.

The couple purchased the church in 2023 for $1.1 million using profits from the sale of their Los Angeles home. Their original vision was ambitious: transform the church into a 180-person event venue with a seven-unit bed and breakfast called The Treehouse.

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St. Pete City Council rejects plan to convert historic church to event venue

St. Pete City Council rejects plan to convert historic church to event venue

A 100-year-old historic church in St. Pete's Euclid-St. Paul community continues to face an ominous future after City Council voted last week to deny an appeal that would have allowed the property to operate as an event venue.

Over the years, the Euclid Methodist Church property at 919 10th Avenue North, which was added to the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places in 2004, has been eyed for potential renovation; however, time and time again, the proposals have been challenged by surrounding residents fearing additional traffic and amplified noise would change the character of their quaint neighborhood.

This time was no different.

During a City Council meeting on Thursday, councilmembers cast a split 4-4 vote, rejecting an appeal that would have permitted the new property owners to transform the church into a 180-person event venue with a seven-unit bed & breakfast operation dubbed The Treehouse.  

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