May 13, 2026

Boho-chic women's boutique SaltLight Art expands in the Grand Central District

May 13, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

After three years in downtown St. Petersburg, SaltLight Art boutique has found a new home - just one door down from its original location.

SaltLight Art, a women’s boho-chic boutique offering apparel and handcrafted artisanal goods, is relocating from its 1,000-square-foot storefront to 1916 Central Avenue Suite B.

The new location, which is more than double the space of the current shop, previously housed the Chillum Mushroom and Hemp Dispensary before it closed in late April.

“When they closed, we saw this as a great opportunity to hop right over into this larger space and get a larger square footage without leaving our block and our neighborhood,” owner Mary Long, who co-owns SaltLight Art with her husband, William, said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

Long, who received the keys earlier this month, expects to open the shop by the end of May.

May 12, 2026

Buttermilk Eatery to replace Urban Brew & BBQ in the Grand Central District

May 12, 2026/ Brian Zucker

A popular local restaurant known for its oversized breakfast platters and robot food runners is heading to the Grand Central District this summer.

Buttermilk Eatery will open at 2601 Central Avenue, taking over the former Urban Brew & BBQ space, which closed last September after 12 years in business.

The new restaurant will feature approximately 1,400 square feet of indoor space alongside an expansive 3,000-square-foot covered patio on Central Avenue.

Locally owned and privately operated, Buttermilk Eatery currently has two other locations: one in north St. Pete that opened in early 2023 and another in Pinellas Park that followed in 2024.

“We’re excited to keep growing locally and bring Buttermilk to the Grand Central District,” said one of Buttermilk’s owners in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “This neighborhood has a lot of energy, and we think the concept fits really well here.”

May 11, 2026

14-story ClearView luxury apartment tower opens at Echelon City Center in north St. Pete

May 11, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

ClearView at Echelon City Center, a new 14-story luxury apartment tower in north St. Pete, has started welcoming its first residents.

The 363-unit development is located at 101 Main Street North at the southeast corner of Carillon Parkway and Main Street, in Echelon City Center at Carillon Business Park, less than 15 minutes from both downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa.

Developed by St. Pete-based Echelon and Tampa-based Third Lake Partners, and built by KAST Construction, ClearView is the latest mixed-use addition to Echelon City Center, a 20.5-acre master-planned development which at full build out is expected to include up to 2,300 residential units, 150,000 square feet of retail space, office space, and a hotel.

Carillon Business Park is one of the Tampa Bay area’s largest employment hubs, known for its concentration of corporate offices. Some of the largest employers include Raymond James Financial, Franklin Templeton Investments, Catalina Marketing, Transamerica, and several defense and aerospace companies such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris.

May 08, 2026

Nashville-inspired restaurant, bar and live music venue opens on North Redington Beach

May 08, 2026/ Kyla Fields

North Redington Beach has a new, Nashville-approved honky tonk.

Located at 16905 Gulf Boulevard on North Redington Beach, Music City Beach Bar & Bites soft opened on April 24th, and has been quietly serving customers since.

Sports bar Red's on the Boulevard previously occupied the space, which shares a plaza with The Frog Pond, a popular breakfast spot that’s been open since1982.

The roughly 2,000 square-foot hospitality concept functions as a bar, restaurant, and live music venue all under one roof.

There’s a stage for live performances adjacent to the entrance, and large windows that face the waterfront.

The space is a throwback with walls adorned with wood paneling and several TVs showing sports.

Its walls are covered with Nashville-themed artwork, framed vinyl records, guitars, music memorabilia, and beach-themed decor.

May 08, 2026

Inside The Dalí Museum’s planned $65 million expansion in downtown St. Pete

May 08, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

A new exhibit at The Dalí Museum is giving visitors a preview of the museum’s planned $65 million expansion in downtown St. Pete.

Now on display is a 3D model and video tour of the proposed addition, which would bring approximately 35,000 square feet of flexible gallery space designed for immersive exhibitions that blend art and technology.

Construction is expected to begin this fall on the south side of the museum between the existing building and Dali Boulevard, with the expansion anticipated to open in September 2028.

Funding for the expansion will come from a combination of private donations, corporate sponsorships, grants, and a portion of Pinellas County Government tourist development tax revenue, also known as hotel bed taxes.

May 07, 2026

Controversial Tierra Verde Marina redevelopment narrowly approved after heated debate

May 07, 2026/ Veronica Brezina

St. Petersburg’s Development Review Commission voted Wednesday night to approve a controversial redevelopment of the Tierra Verde Marina after hours of public comment and debate over traffic, hurricane safety, environmental impacts, and compatibility with the surrounding island community.

The approval narrowly passed with a 4-3 vote. Commissioners Charles Flynt, Sam Blatt, and Sarah Jane Vatelot voted against the project. Kevin Reali, Joseph Griner, Will Conroy, and David Hugglestone voted in favor.

Along with the approval, the DRC passed two conditions of approval. Commissioners unanimously voted to require a thorough noise study and limit noise levels to 60 decibels. They also approved operating hours for the marina and pool from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

Today, the marina features 64 wet slips, 314 high-and-dry racks within a 58,000-square-foot indoor storage complex, a 24,000-square-foot shopping center, and a gas station.

The approved proposal would demolish the existing shopping center and gas station and redevelop the seven-acre marina property at 100 Pinellas Bayway South with two additional 72-foot dry-storage rack buildings, a public restaurant and rooftop bar, retail space, marina offices, and a private pool area for marina members.

May 07, 2026

The Beachcomber hotel and Jimmy B’s Beach Bar on St. Pete Beach sell for $31.5 million

May 07, 2026/ Kyla Fields

An iconic waterfront hotel on St. Pete Beach, which has operated for more than 50 years, now has new owners.

The Beachcomber Hotel, located at 6200 Gulf Boulevard, has been purchased by South Carolina-based OTO Development for $31.5 million.

The seller, Miami-based Gencom, acquired the hotel in 2018 for $24 million.

The 102-room Beachcomber is one of the most recognizable hotels on St. Pete Beach, known for its laid-back “Old Florida” vibe and Jimmy B’s Beach Bar, a popular live music venue that has become a staple for both tourists and locals.

OTO Development, a hospitality company that develops, owns, renovates and manages hotels across the United States, has not publicly detailed its long-term plans for the property.

“This is an exciting addition to OTO’s growing portfolio in the Tampa-St. Pete market,” said CEO Rob Rain in a press release. “The Beachcomber complements our nearby properties, positioning us to meet continued demand from the millions of tourists who visit St. Pete Beach each year.”

May 06, 2026

12-story, 150-unit affordable housing tower proposed for former Playhouse Theater site in Grand Central District

May 06, 2026/ Brian Zucker

The former Playhouse Theater and Morph Nightclub properties in St. Pete’s Grand Central District could soon be demolished for a new affordable housing tower near downtown St. Pete.

Tampa-based affordable housing developer Blue Sky Communities has the 0.61-acre site at 1850 Central Avenue and 1833 1st Avenue South under contract for $6.25 million.

The deal is expected to close in March 2027.

Plans call for a 12-story, 150-unit affordable apartment tower, called JR Tower, with 3,000 square feet of commercial space.

“Getting affordable and workforce housing in downtown St. Pete is becoming increasingly difficult so this is an opportunity that doesn’t present itself often,” Blue Sky Communities Executive Vice President and CFO Scott Macdonald said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

“I hope it will alleviate a lot of the challenges this area is seeing for staffing businesses. Additionally, we are excited for the residents to be able to utilize the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as JR Tower will be a quarter of a mile from a BRT station,” Macdonald added.

Blue Sky Communities plans to utilize Chapter 17.5 of St. Pete’s municipal code, which allows affordable housing developments on certain commercially and industrially zoned properties in exchange for long-term affordability requirements.

May 06, 2026

Michelin-recommended Cousin Vinny’s bringing chicken cutlet sandwiches to St. Pete

May 06, 2026/ Kyla Fields

A Tampa sandwich shop known for its New York Italian-American chicken cutlet sandwiches is making its way to St. Pete’s Grand Central District.

Cousin Vinny’s Sandwich Co., recently recommended by the Michelin Guide, is preparing to open at 2063 Central Avenue, taking over the space formerly home to Little Philly, which closed in December.

The new sandwich shop is expected to debut by the end of 2026.

The menu features a variety of chicken cutlet sandwiches, such as the best-selling Thee Parmesan Don, a chicken parmesan sandwich with house-made red sauce, mozzarella, and grated parmesan.

A smaller lineup of Italian-American deli sandwiches and wraps are also available.

For partner AJ DeSimone, the move across the Bay has been a long time coming.

“Opening a second location in St. Pete seems like the natural progression of a restaurant that starts in Tampa…but we recognize that it’s a completely different market,” DeSimone said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “We’re not trying to ‘Tampa their St. Pete,’ but we want to be a part of their community and bring a type of cuisine that might not be available to them all of the time.”

May 05, 2026

Dave’s Hot Chicken bringing the heat to Pinellas Park

May 05, 2026/ Kyla Fields

A California-based franchise known for hot chicken is expanding its footprint in Pinellas County.

Dave’s Hot Chicken is headed to 4683 Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park, taking over a former Moe’s Southwest Grill, which closed earlier this year.

According to plans submitted to the city, Dave’s Hot Chicken is currently renovating the space—constructing new partition walls, ceilings, and bathrooms, revamping the plumbing and electrical systems, and installing a new kitchen exhaust hood and self-order kiosks.

The 2,300 square-foot, fast-casual restaurant will be able to seat 61 people.

Scott Strahm of King Chicken LLC, the local franchisee of this location, tells St. Pete Rising that the new Pinellas Park storefront will be open by July.

The fast-casual chain is known for its Nashville-style chicken tenders, which can be piled high on a slider or served on top of fries or mac and cheese.