April 24, 2024

Construction begins on 60-unit affordable housing project in south St. Pete

April 24, 2024/ Anthony Close

Construction has begun on the Bayou Court Apartments, a new affordable housing development in south St. Pete.

Situated near the southeast corner of Lake Maggiore at 4201 6th Street South, this new three-story affordable housing community is poised to address the housing needs of low- and moderate-income households in south St. Pete.

Gravel Road Partners, a Washington D.C.-based workforce and affordable housing developer, acquired the two-acre property in 2022 for $1.7 million.

April 23, 2024

Texas iced tea franchise HTeaO brews plans for first drive-thru in Pinellas County

April 23, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

Iced teas with bold fruity flavors from Sweet Georgia Peach to Mango Tango will be served at HTeaO's new planned Largo store.

Texas-founded franchise HTeaO, an indoor and drive-thru iced tea restaurant chain, plans to expand its Florida footprint with a new storefront at 3460 East Bay Drive.

HTeaO has over 100 drive-thru stores throughout the U.S., offering 26 flavors of unsweetened and sweetened tea, as well as iced coffees and chai lattes, which are available for purchase by the gallon.

April 23, 2024

304-unit apartment development filed under Florida's Live Local Act proposed for 22nd Avenue North in St. Pete

April 23, 2024/ Anthony Close

The City of St. Petersburg has received its first development application filed under Florida’s Live Local Act. The proposed development is located at 3100 22nd Avenue North and currently consists of a retail plaza that houses JB Factory Flooring and Studio Physique, a fitness studio.

The 7.27-acre site is owned by ZSPR PROPCO of Tampa, LLC and is under contract for purchase and development by Houston-based The Hanover Company, a private real estate developer.

A purchase price was not disclosed.

The proposed Hanover development will include 304 apartments which consist of 196 one-bedroom apartments and 108 two-bedroom apartments. All the units will rent to households earning at or below 120% of the area median income (AMI).

April 22, 2024

Flower shop and wine bar Pistil House coming to St. Pete's Grand Central District

April 22, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

A local couple is flipping a 1926 bungalow in St. Pete’s Grand Central District into a combined florist shop and wine bar.

Drawing from his experiences working in Oregon’s wine country and at St. Pete floral shops and breweries, Anthony Diaz and his fiancée Carly Dauscher aspire to bring the same flare through a new venture.

The couple has leased a 1,300-square-foot home at 2533 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District.

Pistil House will focus on single stem cut flowers and offer imported wines, coffee, and small plates. The word ‘pistil’ refers to the female reproductive part of a flower.

April 22, 2024

Owners behind Lolita’s Wine Market to debut new concept in downtown St. Pete

April 22, 2024/ Veronica Brezina

The owners of Lolita's Wine Market are reopening their former Grand Central District storefront with a new concept.

Owners Alex and Kelly Rodriguez, who relocated Lolita’s from the 1700 block of Central Avenue last year to a space inside the Morean Center for Clay, will debut their new concept - Chef's Table by Lolita's - at 16 18th Street South, according to a recent business filing.

The original Lolita's, which debuted in 2017, is known for its create-your-own charcuterie boards and small plates. The couple named the business after their rescue dog, Lola.

In addition to the new concept, Lolita's will continue to have a presence in the Warehouse Arts District at 420 22nd Street South.