23-story Gallery Haus apartment tower set to break ground near Tropicana Field in downtown St. Pete

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23-story Gallery Haus apartment tower set to break ground near Tropicana Field in downtown St. Pete

A team of Miami-based developers is preparing to bring a new wave of residential living to downtown St. Pete.

LD&D, in partnership with IGEQ and Black Salmon, has finalized plans for Gallery Haus, a 23-story, $115 million apartment tower that will rise at 155 17th Street South, directly across from Tropicana Field and along the Pinellas Trail.

The development will contain 254 apartments, more than 10,000 square feet of amenities, and 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

LD&D purchased the 0.77-acre site from Apogee Real Estate Partners in late 2023 for just over $9 million. Apogee had previously secured site plan approval for a similar tower with 204 units in 2022.

Gallery Haus is an expansion of LD&D’s “Haus” portfolio, which includes Wynwood Haus in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District and Williamsburg Haus in Brooklyn.

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FS8, a Pilates-Yoga hybrid, set to open in the Grand Central District this fall

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FS8, a Pilates-Yoga hybrid, set to open in the Grand Central District this fall

A new kind of fitness experience is headed to downtown St. Petersburg.

Later this fall, FS8, a fast-growing brand created by the team behind F45 Training, will open its first Tampa Bay location at 2541 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.

Behind the project are St. Pete locals Kate Dworsky and Heather Avery, two fitness professionals passionate about helping people reach their goals while building community along the way.

The pair signed their lease in January and have spent the past several months navigating the permitting process.

With approvals in hand, construction is now underway inside the former Lion’s Paw Antiques & Collectables building.

FS8 blends reformer and mat Pilates, yoga, and strength training into 50-minute classes designed to be approachable yet challenging.

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St. Pete Pier celebrates five years with month-long festival featuring drone show, fireworks, live music, ice cream festival, and more

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St. Pete Pier celebrates five years with month-long festival featuring drone show, fireworks, live music, ice cream festival, and more

Five years ago, the City of St. Petersburg unveiled the long-anticipated St. Pete Pier and its sprawling 26-acre district, reconnecting downtown to the waterfront. Today, it has become a signature landmark, drawing millions of tourists and residents each year.

To celebrate the Pier's five-year milestone, the City of St. Petersburg is hosting PierFest—a month-long series of family-friendly events every weekend in July. Festivities will include live performances by local bands, sand sculptures, a drone show, fireworks, and more at the St. Pete Pier District, located at 600 2nd Avenue NE.

The celebration kicks off on July 4th with the annual St. Pete Pier Run, a 4-mile course that begins near Spa Beach, winds along the scenic waterfront, and finishes at the Pier.

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Fitness retailer Fit2Run to launch new lifestyle concept 6Laps, debut new Central Avenue stores in May

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Fitness retailer Fit2Run to launch new lifestyle concept 6Laps, debut new Central Avenue stores in May

Fit2Run, the beloved Florida-based running retailer, is taking a major step forward in downtown St. Pete. This May, the brand will open two side-by-side retail stores at 801 Central Avenue—an upgraded Fit2Run store and the launch of a brand-new lifestyle concept, 6Laps.

The dual-storefront, spanning a combined 6,643 square feet, represents a new era for the company, which has been serving runners since 2006. Fit2Run will occupy the majority of the space with a 5,143-square-foot location, while 6Laps will take over a smaller, 1,500-square-foot footprint next door.

Though connected by a revolving door, the two stores will operate independently with distinct identities, aesthetics, and product lines.

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Professional bodybuilder opens high-end training gym in north St. Pete

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Professional bodybuilder opens high-end training gym in north St. Pete

A new gym is coming to St. Petersburg’s Gateway area this summer. Champs Elysium Gym is a semi-private facility created by professional bodybuilder Derek Lunsford and his wife, Jhelsin. It will open at 3051 Tech Drive in a 15,000-square-foot industrial space.

The gym will cater to elite athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts. Membership will be limited to maintain a focused training environment. “We aren’t trying to compete with other gyms,” said Lunsford. “Each one offers something different. Ours will be capped so it never feels overcrowded.”

The name Champs Elysium comes from Greek mythology. It refers to a paradise reserved for heroes and the righteous.

Inside, the gym will feature over 150 pieces of strength and cardio equipment. Most machines are from Newtech, a South Korea-based company that designs gear specifically for bodybuilders. The brand is also a title sponsor of the Olympia World Championship.

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