Downtown Developments Milkshake Bar, Food Hall, & More

The Crane is coming soon to 575 Central Ave

Central Park Food Hall is coming soon to 551 Central Ave

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.

Gateway Subs is now open at 3112 3rd Avenue North in Historic Kenwood. The menu features eight hearty gourmet subs served on a freshly baked hoagie roll, such as “Funny You Should Ask” with salami, ham, hot capocollo, provolone, onion, lettuce, and tomato. Gateway Subs also offers salads, breakfast breads, vegan shakes, and freshly roasted coffee.

A mixed-use development is coming soon to 800 2nd Avenue South in downtown St. Pete. The project will be anchored by a state-of-the-art Moffitt Cancer Center and will also include a mixed-use modern multifamily residential tower with a workforce housing component, activated ground floor retail, a public-access parking garage, and an expansion site for United Insurance Holdings Corp. headquarters.

The Crane, a casual steak and seafood restaurant, is coming soon to the former Wig Villa space at 575 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. The centerpiece of the restaurant will be a white marble circular bar where handcrafted classic cocktails will be served. One of the signature seafood dishes will be a pan-seared snapper with a coconut curry drizzle over a bed of parmesan risotto. The Crane’s appetizer menu includes selections like the lobster and shrimp egg rolls served with a sweet mango and pineapple dipping sauce. The Crane is expected to open in early 2022.

The Yard Milkshake Bar is coming soon to 111 2nd Ave NE Suite 103 at the Plaza Tower & Courtyard Shops in downtown St. Pete. The Yard has a massive menu of desserts, offering everything from milkshakes, ice cream bowls, and edible cookie dough. The indulgent, over-the-top milkshakes include options like Peanut Butter Brownie Bliss, Cookies N’ Worms and seasonal offerings like Pumpkin Spiced Latte and Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake. The Yard Milkshake Bar will open in the first quarter of 2022.

Central Park Food Hall is coming soon to 551 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete. The project officially broke ground in November, bringing the one-of-a-kind three-story food hall one step closer to reality. In addition to three floors of culinary experiences, a basement will be excavated under the former Woolworth’s building for a high-end speakeasy bar. The rooftop at Central Park will be home to Kojo, a full-service Asian-inspired restaurant and bar complete with a small park and leisure area overlooking Central Avenue. The second floor will be occupied by Speaks Clam Bar, offering classic Italian entrees, seafood dishes, and cocktails. Central Park is targeting an end of 2022 debut.

Tuxedo Court, a 15-story apartment building, is coming soon to the northeast corner of 4th Avenue South and 8th Street in downtown St. Pete. The project will contain 260 apartments and 2,700 square feet of ground floor retail or restaurant space. The community amenities include an outdoor pool deck, outdoor kitchens, a fitness center, and a clubhouse / game room. Impressively, the building will also have 475 bicycle parking spaces including dedicated storage areas in each residential unit. No timeline for construction has been announced; however, the developer will likely close on the purchase of the site in early 2022.

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.