Downtown St Petersburg
There are neighborhoods beyond these boundaries that are within walking distance of downtown, but here I’m defining “downtown” St Petersburg as the area between 5th Avenue North and 5th Avenue South, and from 4th Street to Tampa Bay. Unlike the city officials, I’m including both sides of the boundary streets – how can you really say that one side of the street is downtown and the other isn’t? Regardless of where you live in the Tampa Bay area, you can claim Downtown St Pete as yours, if you like – and this is the place to find out about the area and what’s going on there.
Birchwood Inn in downtown St Petersburg
April 23rd, 2013 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Birchwood Inn, the newest old hotel in downtown St Petersburg is getting close to opening. Articles have said it will open in May – when I drove by last week and saw mattresses outside for the rooms, I knew it was close.
Chuck and Kathy Prather have been “renovating” the hotel since they bought it in 2011. They gutted it to its shell, have been rebuilding it to historic dimensions and then adding 2 stories. The boutique hotel will have 18 rooms, a restaurant and a rooftop lounge. I can’t wait to see the views from there.
The hotel was built in1924 as Lantern Lane apartment hotel. In the 1960s the Grayls purchased it and changed the name to Grayl’s Hotel. Grayl’s was given a historic designation by the city of St Pete.
We look forward to welcoming our new neighbor, Birchwood Inn.
Birchwood Inn progressing in downtown St Petersburg 11/13/12
Hotels find rooftop bars are very popular – Birchwood Inn in St Petersburg 7/16/12
From Grayl’s to Birchwood Inn 5/14/12
Downtown
Posted with Blogsy
| Currently No Comments »
Cranes reappearing in downtown St Pete
February 8th, 2013 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Construction Cranes are Back
Cranes are reappearing in downtown St Petersburg as hundreds of rental apartments are planned for downtown St Pete. After a few years of stopped high-rise condo projects, it’s refreshing to see activity on some of the cleared, empty lots. It’s a sign of spring and birds as we watch the construction.
This crane is at the corner of 6th St S and 4th Ave S where Campbell Landings are going up. Plans are for this to be a 4 story building with 96 units of senior housing. The 1 and 2 bedroom units will be for those 55 and older. You can expect 1 and 2 bedroom units, from 708 sq ft to 915 sq ft. One uncommon amenity planned is a vegetable garden for the residents. Speculation is that units will rent for $280 – $678/month. It’s nearly impossible to find anything new in downtown St Pete for those rental prices!
Construction equipment and a crane are also at work on Bayway Apartments, which are being built across from the Hotel Indigo, in the 200 block of 3rd Avenue N. 324 units are planned, with 8 stories. Plans call for 233 1-bedroom units, 74-2 bedroom units and 17 studio units. They are adjacent to the Huntington Townhomes.
Land clearing and preparation is going on for Urban Edge, a 5 story development with 125 units planned. It’s on the south side of 4th Avenue S between 3rd and 4th Streets S – just west of The Madison. 40 units are planned to be at market rate, from $1,600/mo to $2,000/mo and 8t will be affordable units for seniors.
Planned, but not yet out of the ground are another 300 units at Sol, at 4th St S and 4th Ave S. Plans are to build a 4 story block with 1 to 3 bedroom units, 600-1,200 sq ft, with rents possibly in the $800 – $1,800/month range.
Rentals are scarce right now in downtown St Pete condo buildings – there are only 6 condo rentals currently active in the MLS (in the area from 4th St to the bay, 5th Ave N to 5th Ave S). Some of our clients are buying downtown condos as an investment and renting them out – we often have found tenants even before the property has closed.
Only caution – if too many units come on the rental market at the same time, it could be a temporary glut. The pendulum never stops in the middle.
| Currently 1 Comment »
Birchwood Inn progressing in downtown St Petersburg
November 13th, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Birchwood Inn progress
Construction is continuing on the Birchwood Inn in downtown St. Petersburg. No, it won’t be done by November 15th, or even by Christmas. Predictions now are for a 2013 completion.
See previous posts for more information and earlier photos:
From Grayl’s to The Birchwood Inn 5-14-12
Rooftop bars – Birchwood Inn in St Petersburg 7-16-12
| Currently No Comments »
Savory Spice Shop now delivers in downtown St Petersburg
September 11th, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Paul Bailey - the Spice Pedaler
The Savory Spice Shop now delivers in downtown St Petersburg. Have you seen Paul Bailey delivering spices on his new tricycle? Perhaps you’ve seen it in front of the Savory Spice Shop just Off Beach at 400 Beach Drive NE. Paul and his wife, Joan, own the Savory Spice Shop which is a great place to shop for spices, recipes and advice. Yelp has several Savory Spice reviews from people who’ve been there. You can also check out the Savory Spice facebook page.
Sometimes Paul is delivering spices to some of his restaurant clients, like Tryst, Crowleys and Z-Grille. Other times he’s delivering to guests at the Vinoy who shopped but didn’t want to carry their purchases back. So – if you live or work downtown, consider using Savory’s unique and complimentary delivery service.
Looking for the perfect gift? Savory has several gift sets already prepared or can customize one for you. Just think – you don’t even have to go out to get your gifts – have Paul deliver them for you. Now that’s easy and personalized gift giving. And for easy and personalized house hunting – contact The Simms Team at ALVA International, 237 Beach Drive NE.
Search Downtown St Petersburg Condos for Sale
| Currently No Comments »
Beach Drive restaurants in downtown St Petersburg
August 9th, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Cassis American Brasserie
It’s time to update my post 2 years ago on Beach Drive restaurants in downtown St Petersburg, Florida. In addition to Parkshore Grill, Moon Under Water, Cassis, Hooker Tea, Marketplace Express, Paciugo Gelato and 400 Beach, all of which offer “sidewalk cafes” as well as inside dining, we now have Tryst and Bella Brava, also offering dining inside or out. What a great selection of places to sit and enjoy something to eat or drink. Bookmark this post and you’ll have a handy guide to the Beach Drive restaurant sites: get the phone numbers, the hours and menus for you to look over.
Gatsby’s Restaurant is gone: Grayl’s Hotel is being renovated and will reopen as Birchwood Inn with a rooftop lounge on the 4th floor. NOLA at Parkshore Plaza is now AnnaStella Cajun Bistro.
Come enjoy Beach Drive in downtown St Petersburg. Enjoy a stroll along the park and waterfront, enjoy the shops, restaurants and museums. And, yes, dogs are welcome. Downtown St Pete is definitely dog friendly with water bowls along the way – Cassis even has a doggie menu!
And if you have real estate needs, stop in to see The Simms Team at ALVA International, at 238 Beach Drive NE – look for the red awning that says REAL ESTATE.
| Currently No Comments »
Downtown St Pete Sunrise Sale 2012
July 19th, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg, Events
Christy from Sweet Divas visiting the Gift Box
Beach Drive welcomes you to the Sunrise Sale in downtown St Petersburg
6:43 am Downtown St Petersburg Florida. Today was the 39th annual Sunrise Sale in downtown St Pete. Super sales awaited the early birds, with extra discounts if you were wearing pajamas! Plan your first stop for your favorite shop and get the best bargains there. For me, Stop #1 was The Gift Box. Next door was new Cerulean Blue on one side and Savory spice shop on the other. Then I stopped at Sweet Divas for a Black and White Coffee (coffee with both dark chocolate and white chocolate). Umm. Yumm.
Then I stopped at the Museum of Fine Arts store that had a variety of interesting things on sale – and free mimosas to drink while shopping. There was lots to see and do, from a $4 breakfast at 400 Beach to big sales at Bruce Watters, Jewelers.
There are usually about 30 shops open, with bargains up to 80% off! Before too long, I just sat outside of ALVA International and watched the passers-by. Ladies in pajamas, men in pajamas, even dogs in pajamas. And of course, some preferring “street” clothes, even though it meant a bit less of a bargain.
Some of us remember the old days. You’d mark the Sunrise Sale on your calendar months in advance, always a weekday morning in July. Some stores would have crowds outside the door, waiting … Remember the Straw Goat? B. Chandler’s? John Baldwin’s?
Even if you’re not a normal Early Riser – have some fun and join the Sunrise Sale in downtown St Petersburg!
| Currently No Comments »
Hotels find rooftop bars are very popular – Birchwood Inn in St Petersburg
July 16th, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Grayl's/Birchwood will have rooftop lounge
Chuck Prather is right on target with his renovation of Grayl’s Hotel on Beach Drive in downtown St Petersburg. When the hotel opens as Birchwood Inn – scheduled for around Christmas 2012 – one of the features will be a 4th floor rooftop bar. USA Today recently published an article: Hotels from NYC to L.A. open fancy, profitable rooftop bars mentioning hotels across the country that are opening rooftop bars, taking advantage of prime real estate.
People like to eat and drink outside and like to enjoy nice views, whether it’s a city skyline, a waterfront or parks. The outside areas along Beach Drive are very popular: think Cassis, Bella Brava, Tryst, Parkshore Grill, Moon Under Water. All of these are along the sidewalk at street level. When Birchwood Inn opens at 340 Beach Drive NE in downtown St Petersburg with its 4th floor rooftop lounge it should offer nice views and breezes.
And remember – just a block away is The Simms Team at ALVA International, Inc real estate – across from the Museum of Fine Arts, with the red awning. We’re at 238 Beach Drive NE in downtown St Petersburg, serving your real estate needs for St Petersburg and Beyond.
| Currently No Comments »
Tryst Gastro Lounge recognized by UrbanSpoon for great fine dining in Tampa Bay
May 22nd, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg, Lifestyle
Tryst Gastro Lounge on Beach Drive
Congratulations to Tryst, our next door neighbor on Beach Drive in downtown St Petersburg, and one of our favorite places to eat and drink. UrbanSpoon recently named Tryst as one of America’s 250 most popular high-end restaurants and was one of only four named in Tampa Bay – in the company of long-time favorites Bern’s Steak House and Mise-en-Place, both in Tampa. It’s especially significant since Tryst is the only selected restaurant in St Petersburg and it’s been open less than a year! Here’s another Tryst review with food photos. Open Table reviews that rate it 4-5 stars mark it great for outdoor dining, fit for foodies and a vibrant bar scene.
Inside or out it’s a great setting. Tryst’s inside/outside bar is a popular place to meet and greet, to see and be seen. Each of us on the Simms Team has our own list of favorite dishes at Tryst. Our only regret is that Tryst is no longer open for lunch on weekdays – since they do more business between midnight and 3 am. We understand, but miss our daily lunches there.
Enjoy drinks at Tryst Gastro Lounge on Beach Drive
When you’re in downtown St Pete, stop at Tryst across from the Museum of Fine Arts. It’s located at 240 Beach Drive NE, right next to ALVA International, Inc., the real estate agents under the Red Awning. Be sure to call The Simms Teamfor all your real estate needs.
Renaud greets Beach Drive walkers
Outside bar at Tryst
| Currently No Comments »
St Pete takes America’s #1 Arts Destination again
May 21st, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Botero visits Museum of Fine Arts St Petersburg
St Petersburg has been named America’s #1 Arts Destination for mid-sized cities for the third year in a row by AmericanStyle magazine. The magazine refers to St Pete’s “world famous arts institutions and top ranked galleries” as well as a “lively public and performing arts scene” and even makes reference to our great white sand beaches.
Mid-sized cities refers to those with a population of under 500,000 (so includes cities twice the size of St Pete). Tampa placed #3 and Miami #7. Atlanta ranked #8.
Two of our neighboring cities took top positions in the small city category: Sarasota ranked #1, Bradenton #2 and Key West #4. They edged out previous top small cities of Sante Fe and Asheville.
It’s wonderful to live in a place with so many art choices surrounding us in the St Pete area. If you’d like to explore relocating to St Petersburg, contact the Simms Team at ALVA International, Inc on Beach Drive in downtown St Petersburg.
City of St Pete talks about the arts 6/18/12
St Petersburg named #1 Arts Destination for second time. 6/10/11
Botero bronzes at Museum of Fine Arts. 12/21/09
Chihuly in downtown St Petersburg 5/7/11
| Currently No Comments »
Agora is featured business in downtown St Petersburg
May 18th, 2012 Categories: Downtown St Petersburg
Agora on Beach Drive
Agora, our neighbor at 232 Beach Drive in downtown St Petersburg had a starring role yesterday. It was bustling in early morning as a video crew was filming Agora as a Featured Business for GROW Financial.
Agora features a variety of home decor and accessories, primarily from Asia. There’s also furniture, artwork, candles, jewelry, linens and lots of gift items. And if you need a house or condo for your Agora purchases, stop at the red awning in the same building at ALVA International, Inc real estate and have the Simms Team real estate agents help you find your St Petersburg area home. It’s fun to be downtown!
| Currently No Comments »
; ?>/images/MatoChiclet.gif)
