Renderings reveal what the Woodson African American Museum could become in St. Pete
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The Woodson African American Museum of Florida, currently located at 2240 9th Avenue South, has unveiled a bold vision for a new home designed to honor the past, inspire the future, and serve as a cultural anchor for St. Pete.
The new 40,000-square-foot museum concept, designed by Everald Colas of St. Pete-based Storyn Studio for Architecture, is envisioned for the corner of 15th Street and 1st Avenue South, currently Lot 5 of Tropicana Field and across from Fusion 1560.
As striking as the renderings are, the proposed design faces major hurdles, including securing a site for the new museum and reaching ambitious fundraising goals.
The property was previously part of the Rays/Hines redevelopment plans for the Historic Gas Plant District, which was officially scrapped in July.
When the Rays walked away, they relinquished their development rights to the land, enabling the city to redevelop portions of the site before the end of the team’s use agreement.
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More than five years after it was first announced, modern Asian restaurant Kojo is finally ready to welcome diners to downtown St. Pete.
Kojo will soft open Friday, November 13th, at 5 p.m. on the third floor of Central Park, the five-story food hall at 551 Central Avenue.
Reservations for the restaurant are available through Resy.
Unlike the fast-casual food hall downstairs, Kojo will offer a full-service dining experience, seating about 115 guests in its dining room and at the kitchen counter. The restaurant specializes in modern Asian cuisine, drawing on flavors from Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan.
“Full-service restaurants are really what we have been doing as a company,” Robert Castellon, Director of Operations at Hi Hospitality Group, said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “The food hall is our first step in a different direction. We created a format where guests can build their own experience. So it feels awesome to step back into our comfort zone.”
The menu at Kojo offers plenty of options for sharing, including shrimp and pork gyoza, truffled chicken wontons, and crispy chicken wings tossed in a Sichuan soy glaze.