Downtown Developments by St. Pete Rising

Chiki Churros Dessert Bar is coming soon to 685 Central Avenue

Downtown Developments

By Brian Zucker, Owner of St. Pete Rising

It seems like each time we take a stroll through downtown there are new restaurants and galleries opening and more apartment complexes and condo towers being built. We realize it’s difficult to keep track of everything. Luckily, we’ve done the research, so you don’t have to. Each month we will feature a few of the most exciting new downtown developments that are on the horizon for the Sunshine City.

Chiki Churros Dessert Bar is coming soon to 685 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete (previously home to The Lure Ono). Chiki Churros will offer a wide selection of fresh hand-made churros, ice cream, milkshakes, slushes, coffee, and homemade sodas. In addition to offering tradition-style churros, Chiki Churros will also serve the dessert in a few new ways, such as churro poutine and churro corndogs. The dessert bar is expected to debut in August.

Mayor Ken Welch will restart the process of selecting a master developer for the 86-acre Tropicana Field site Cava, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant, is coming soon to 1320 4th Street North

Cava, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant, is coming soon to 1320 4th Street North in St. Pete. Cava features a food assembly line, similar to Chipotle, that lets diners customize their meal using an assortment of bases, spreads, proteins, toppings, and dressings. The menu offers buildyour-own salads, rice bowls, grain bowls, and pitas. Protein options include spicy lamb meatballs, harissa honey chicken, grilled chicken, grilled meatballs, braised lamb, and vegetarian options like falafel and roasted vegetables. An opening date has not been announced.

Last month, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch announced that he will restart the process of selecting a master developer for the 86-acre Tropicana Field site in downtown St. Pete. Former Mayor Kriseman had released a Request for Proposal (RFP) in 2020 and selected Midtown Development before leaving office at the end of 2021, however City Council never approved the selection. A new RFP is expected to be released in August and a development agreement submitted to City Council for approval in the fall. As for the Tampa Bay Rays, they still have not decided where to build a new stadium.

YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg has begun exploring the potential for the redevelopment of the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA, which is their flagship location at the intersection of 1st Avenue South and 31st Street. After meeting with ten developers, the YMCA has narrowed the

After two successful years at the St Pete Pier Marketplace, Lily Rose Jewelry Co is coming soon to 209 1st Street North

Lake House is coming soon to 200 Mirror Lake Drive

list down to five semi-finalists. Although the 11-acre property may be developed in the future, the YMCA expects to continue operating on site in some capacity. Discussions with developers are ongoing and expected to continue throughout 2022.

Lily Rose Jewelry Co is coming soon to 209 1st Street North in downtown St. Pete. After two successful years at the St Pete Pier Marketplace, the owners are opening a new shop that will sell a wide variety of crystals as well as a selection of jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, and 108-bead malas. Lily Rose sources crystals from 40 different countries. The owners are hoping to have the new shop open by this summer.

Lake House, an 18-story 77-unit condo tower, is coming soon to 200 Mirror Lake Drive in downtown St. Pete. With the downtown skyline as a backdrop, Lake House will have unobstructed views of Mirror Lake. A 6th floor amenity deck will feature a swimming pool, a sizable event space, and a full-service gym. Lastly, a small cafe will occupy the ground-level retail space. Pricing for the condo units will start in the $700,000s. An expected groundbreaking date has not yet been established.

St. Pete Rising is an urban development blog covering future retail, restaurants, and real estate in Downtown St. Petersburg, FL. Stay up-todate, visit StPeteRising.com.