Rreal Tacos acquires former Red Mesa Cantina building in downtown St. Pete

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Rreal Tacos acquires former Red Mesa Cantina building in downtown St. Pete

One of downtown St. Pete's most recognizable restaurant properties has a new owner.

Atlanta-based Rreal Tacos has purchased the former Red Mesa Cantina building at 128 3rd Street South, where it plans to open three restaurant and bar concepts under the Rreal Tacos brand.

The ground-floor restaurant is expected to open in early 2027, with the remaining concepts opening in phases.

Founded in Atlanta in 2015, Rreal Tacos is known for Mexican street food inspired by Mexico City, with a menu centered around tacos served on handmade tortillas pressed to order.

Guests can also expect burritos, quesabirria tacos, tortas, enchiladas, fajitas, ceviche, street corn, loaded fries, and house-made salsas, along with an extensive selection of tequila, mezcal, and craft margaritas.

The more than century-old building was originally constructed as St. Petersburg's first fire station and most recently housed Red Mesa Cantina for 16 years before the restaurant closed in June.

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Owners of Malio’s Prime Steakhouse to open coastal seafood restaurant Moon by Malio’s in Pass-a-Grille

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Owners of Malio’s Prime Steakhouse to open coastal seafood restaurant Moon by Malio’s in Pass-a-Grille

A fine dining restaurant focused on wild-caught seafood will take over a prized location in St. Pete Beach's Pass-a-Grille.

Moon by Malio's will open at 109 8th Avenue on the ground floor of the boutique Berkeley Beach Club hotel.

The space was formerly home to The Dewey, which suffered damage from the back-to-back hurricanes in 2024 and never reopened.

Moon by Malio's owners Derek and Jen Iavarone describe their newest concept as the "playful little sister" of their other two restaurants, Malio's Prime Steakhouse in downtown Tampa and Malio's Beach House on St. Pete Beach.

Their newest restaurant is expected to open in September.

Moon by Malio's will occupy roughly 4,000 square feet of the Berkeley Beach Club across its dining room, patio, and rooftop, seating about 200 guests total.

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Demolition permit filed for future site of 50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences St. Petersburg

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Demolition permit filed for future site of 50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences St. Petersburg

A demolition permit has been filed for the City Center office tower parking garage in downtown St. Pete, the future site of the 50-story Waldorf Astoria Residences St. Petersburg.

The garage, located at 150 2nd Avenue South, will be removed as part of the redevelopment. The office tower itself is not included in the permit and will remain.

The project, announced in June 2024, was approved by the St. Petersburg City Council later that year.

The 50-story tower, expected to become the tallest building in the city, is being co-developed by Miami-based Property Markets Group (PMG) and St. Petersburg-based Feldman Equities.

In addition to 163 luxury condominiums, the approximately $500 million development will include 73,000 square feet of Class A office space, ground-floor retail, and an extensive collection of resort-style amenities.

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Seven visions emerge for three-acre Commerce Park site in south St. Pete

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Seven visions emerge for three-acre Commerce Park site in south St. Pete

The City of St. Pete is one step closer to deciding the future of a three-acre property at Commerce Park in south St. Pete.

In April, the City issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a collection of 19 city-owned parcels along 22nd Street South in the Deuces corridor.

The site, which sits directly across from the Manhattan Casino, is within a historically significant area that once served as a hub for Black-owned businesses, restaurants, and entertainment venues before decades of disinvestment and the construction of I-275 reshaped the corridor.

The property has been the subject of multiple redevelopment plans over the past two decades, none of which have fully panned out.

The city began assembling the land in 2007 under Mayor Rick Baker with plans for a manufacturing and industrial employment center, but those plans stalled during the Great Recession.

A second push under Mayor Rick Kriseman brought plans for a manufacturing facility and a Euro Cycles dealership, and construction even began in 2018.

But the project ultimately fell apart, forcing the city to unwind parts of the deal.

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Cheesesteak Company to open brick and mortar restaurant on 4th Street in St. Pete this fall

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Cheesesteak Company to open brick and mortar restaurant on 4th Street in St. Pete this fall

North St. Pete is getting a taste of Philadelphia this fall, courtesy of a local food truck couple who have spent years perfecting the cheesesteak.

Cheesesteak Company will open this fall at 6835 4th Street North, around the corner from the new Detroit-style pizzeria SoDough Square.

Originally from South Jersey, owners Lori and Tom Bradley moved to Pinellas County in 1988 and launched their first business, The Cheesesteak Truck, in 2012.

After successfully operating the food truck for several years, they started serving cheesesteaks out of a small kitchen in Brewers Tasting Room from 2017 until the beer bar's closure in 2023.

Following that closure, the Bradleys decided it was time to open a brick-and-mortar of their own and spent about two years finding their ideal location.

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24-story, 373-unit apartment tower prepares to break ground in downtown St. Pete

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24-story, 373-unit apartment tower prepares to break ground in downtown St. Pete

A Chicago development team is preparing to begin construction on a 24-story apartment tower in downtown St. Pete, bringing 373 apartments, ground-floor retail, and a rooftop lounge to a site just steps from Central Avenue.

Focus is actively conducting early groundwork testing at 275 5th Street South as it moves toward construction of its first project in the local market.

The project has been years in the making.

While Focus purchased the 0.92-acre property from Tampa-based investment firm EquiAlt in a $20.25 million transaction in 2023, rising interest rates and a challenging capital environment slowed multifamily development projects across the country.

Finally, the project is moving ahead.

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Terraces at 87th could expand with 20 additional townhomes in north St. Pete

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Terraces at 87th could expand with 20 additional townhomes in north St. Pete

A townhome development in north St. Pete is seeking approval to add 20 more residences as the project advances to the next phase of construction.

Belleair Development Group has submitted an application to expand Terraces at 87th from 112 to 132 townhomes through Florida's Graywater Density Bonus program, which took effect in 2021.

The request is scheduled to be reviewed by the Development Review Commission on August 5th.

Terraces at 87th occupies the former Lamplight Village mobile home park near the corner of 4th Street North and 87th Avenue North.

Belleair bought the property in January 2018 for $3.4 million.

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Construction begins on Naked Farmer's second St. Pete location

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Construction begins on Naked Farmer's second St. Pete location

Farm-to-table restaurant Naked Farmer has begun renovations on a second St. Pete location.

The fast-casual restaurant is slated to open in November at 2631 4th Street North, the former home of EVOS, a health-conscious fast-food chain that operated at the site for 22 years before closing last spring.

Renovations to the existing 1,920-square-foot building are being led by general contractor Fox Building Group.

"This is the first standalone restaurant we've built entirely as our own, from the ground up," CEO Jordan Johnson told St. Pete Rising. "Every detail — the space, the light, the way the kitchen flows — is designed to honor the food and the farmers behind it. We want guests to walk in and feel the care that goes into every plate."

Founded in 2020, Naked Farmer is known for serving scratch-made meals featuring ingredients sourced from small and medium-sized farms across the southeastern United States.

All menu items are prepared without seed oils, using avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil instead.

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September Sewing Co. brings fabrics, classes, and creativity to Seminole this fall

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September Sewing Co. brings fabrics, classes, and creativity to Seminole this fall

When Joann Fabrics closed its stores last year, many local hobbyists lost a familiar place to browse fabrics, pick up supplies, and find inspiration for their next project.

This fall, one local entrepreneur hopes to help fill that void.

September Sewing Co. will open at 11000 70th Avenue North in Seminole, offering ethically sourced fabrics, sewing classes, and a creative space designed for both experienced makers and beginners.

Owner Diana Andreyko says the business is rooted in a desire to make sewing more accessible while encouraging a greater appreciation for craftsmanship and sustainable fashion.

“I remember growing up going to Joann Fabrics with my grandma as a child. I loved going there and just touching the fabric and feeling inspired,” Andreyko said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “I want to create that kind of space in my own way, bringing my knowledge and expertise to help foster the next generation of sewers, makers, and entrepreneurs.”

“I'm a huge proponent of sustainable fashion and all of the practices within that,” she continued. “In the world of fast fashion, I want to teach people how sewing teaches patience, craftsmanship, and appreciation for something made by hand.”

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New $7.5M veterans center planned at USF St. Petersburg, construction to begin this summer

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New $7.5M veterans center planned at USF St. Petersburg, construction to begin this summer

The University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP) is moving forward with a new 7,500-square-foot veterans center on its downtown waterfront campus, replacing a temporary office with a permanent home for one of Florida’s largest student veteran populations.

Construction is expected to begin this summer, with the building scheduled to open in September 2027.

The $7.5 million project will rise at 100 5th Avenue South, the former site of USF's Family Studies Center, which was destroyed during the 2024 hurricanes.

The center will include private offices for staff, a student lounge, private study rooms, a training room, meeting spaces, and a dedicated veterans coffee area designed to give student vets a place to gather between classes.

"We call it wrap-around services," said Todd Post, Assistant Director of Veterans Success at USFSP, who is overseeing the project.

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