March 07, 2025

City of St. Pete awarded $159.8 million, launches initiative to support recovery efforts from recent hurricanes

March 07, 2025/ Brian Zucker

Today, the City of St. Pete launched a new initiative, called Sunrise St. Pete, to determine how to spend $159.8 million the city was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support long-term recovery efforts from Hurricane Idalia (August 2023) and Hurricane Helene (September 2024).

On January 7th, HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman announced the allocation of nearly $12 billion in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds for communities across 24 states and territories.

St. Petersburg was the only city in Tampa Bay to receive funding. However, Pinellas County received $813,783,000 and the State of Florida received $925,394,000.

March 07, 2025

Trails Crossing, a new linear park under I-275 in downtown St. Pete, moves forward after City Council vote

March 07, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Four blocks of underutilized space beneath Interstate 275 in downtown St. Pete could be transformed into a new linear park featuring public art and event spaces, creating a destination for pedestrians and cyclists.

In a 7-to-1 vote, City Council approved an agreement on Thursday to contribute $150,000 toward hiring Colorado-based LandDesign, Inc. to kick off the master planning process for Trails Crossing, a walkable, activated park under I-275 that will embrace micro-transit and connect urban neighborhoods—an idea that has been in discussion for years.

“For too long, our community has been physically, socially, and economically divided by infrastructure that was never designed with connectivity in mind,” said John Barkett, a local developer and co-founder of the nonprofit group Friends of Trails Crossing, during Thursday’s meeting.

March 06, 2025

Seymour’s is now open, serving up scratch-made NY-style eats in downtown St. Pete

March 06, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

The team behind Pete’s Bagels has opened their latest venture—a warm and welcoming Jewish-inspired cafe and coffee shop in downtown St. Pete.

Seymour’s quietly debuted last week at 407 Central Avenue, inside the historic 99-year-old Snell Arcade and directly across from the Residences at 400 Central, which will be the largest residential tower on Florida’s Gulf Coast once complete. The space was previously home to Samurai Cat Japanese Café and Bakery, and before that Beans and Barlour .

Seymour’s—named in honor of owner Steven Peterman’s grandfather—offers a menu of New York deli-style cuisine for breakfast and lunch and coffee courtesy of local roaster Look Alive Coffee.

“My grandfather was a typical guy from New Jersey with an upbeat attitude,” Peterman said in a recent interview with St. Pete Rising. “He was born in 1928 in Newark, NJ. He liked his bagels scooped, ate his pickles on the side, and loved a good rye bread sandwich.”

March 05, 2025

Glamper, a camping-themed bar, opens this week in downtown St. Pete

March 05, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Burgers sizzling on the grill, beers chilling in coolers, and friends gathered to watch the big game—this is the endless summer vibe that the new Glamper bar and restaurant wants to bring to downtown St. Pete.

Inspired by backyard cookouts, Fourth of July celebrations, and other summertime traditions, Glamper is set to open this Thursday, March 6th, at 217 Central Avenue, starting at 9 p.m.

The space was formerly home to Caddy’s on Central, which closed in 2020 after COVID-19 shuttered restaurants and bars across Florida. It was later slated to become Nauti Duchess, a nautical-themed bar and seafood restaurant, but those plans never materialized.

The new establishment is being brought to St. Pete by Ohio-based Forward Hospitality Group—known for ’70s-themed club Good Night John Boy, country bar Welcome to the Farm, and retro martini bar My Rich Uncle.

March 05, 2025

Irish party bar Dublin Drop debuts in downtown St. Pete

March 05, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Get ready to raise a pint of Guinness, St. Pete—there’s a new Irish party bar in town.

Dublin Drop opens today at 6 p.m. at 129 1st Avenue North in downtown St. Pete.

The new bar is from Michael Jennings of The Drink St. Pete Group, the team behind other popular downtown bars, such as One Night Stand, Tequila Daisy, Whiskey Exchange, and Pour Judgement.

Although the 3,000-square-foot bar will feature Irish beers and whiskies, Jennings doesn’t consider it a traditional Irish pub.

“It’s a party bar,” said Jennings. “We won’t serve Irish food or play Irish music. Think more along the lines of Irish Kevin’s in Key West.”