World’s largest 3D-printing facility opens in St. Pete, powered by AI and robots

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World’s largest 3D-printing facility opens in St. Pete, powered by AI and robots

Inside a 32,000-square-foot industrial facility north of St. Pete’s EDGE District, towering crane-like robots are 3D printing everything from chairs to cold plunge tubs—all using sustainable, recyclable materials.

Haddy, a 3D-printed furniture company powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, has officially opened its new micro-factory at 251 10th Street North. It is now the largest 3D-printing facility in the world.

"We will have micro-facilities all over the world," said CEO Jay Rogers during the April 10th grand opening, joined by partners from Siemens AG and CEAD, a Netherlands-based tech company revolutionizing large-scale composite manufacturing.

Rogers, a Marine Corps veteran, co-founded Haddy in 2022 with CTO Kyle Rowe. Before relocating, the company operated out of a 20,000-square-foot space in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District.

The new facility, formerly home to Mayflower Transit moving company, is owned by Rick Leonard—President of Bradenton-based Sunz Insurance—and Eastman Equity, run by prominent investor Jonathan Daou.

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The Book Lounge to bring blind date books and board games to the 600 block this summer

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The Book Lounge to bring blind date books and board games to the 600 block this summer

In an era dominated by screens and digital content, the surprising resurgence of brick-and-mortar bookstores is resonating with readers everywhere.

Big names like Barnes & Noble opened over 60 new locations in 2024 alone, but it’s the smaller, independent shops that are telling the most compelling story. Across the country, new bookstores are opening with unique identities—many centered around genre, community, and cause.

Some indie shops focus on specific genres like horror, mystery, or the ever-popular romance, while others take a stand on social issues like diversity or resisting book bans.

Now, St. Pete is getting its own new chapter in the indie bookstore movement: The Book Lounge, opening June 15th at 631 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete.

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Professional bodybuilder opens high-end training gym in north St. Pete

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Professional bodybuilder opens high-end training gym in north St. Pete

A new gym is coming to St. Petersburg’s Gateway area this summer. Champs Elysium Gym is a semi-private facility created by professional bodybuilder Derek Lunsford and his wife, Jhelsin. It will open at 3051 Tech Drive in a 15,000-square-foot industrial space.

The gym will cater to elite athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts. Membership will be limited to maintain a focused training environment. “We aren’t trying to compete with other gyms,” said Lunsford. “Each one offers something different. Ours will be capped so it never feels overcrowded.”

The name Champs Elysium comes from Greek mythology. It refers to a paradise reserved for heroes and the righteous.

Inside, the gym will feature over 150 pieces of strength and cardio equipment. Most machines are from Newtech, a South Korea-based company that designs gear specifically for bodybuilders. The brand is also a title sponsor of the Olympia World Championship.

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

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St. Pete's decaying historic Euclid Methodist Church to reopen as place of worship after denial of event space request

Religious sermons and wedding bells may once again echo through the sanctuary of a 100-year-old historic brick church at the edge of St. Petersburg’s Euclid-St. Paul neighborhood.

The 100-year-old Euclid Methodist Church, located at 919 10th Avenue North, has sat vacant for years. Inside, it’s plagued with black mold, collapsed ceilings, and crumbling walls.

Yet despite the daunting repairs ahead, owners Noam and Irene Krasniansky are determined to breathe new life into the deteriorating building, which was added to the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places in 2004.

The couple purchased the church in 2023 for $1.1 million using profits from the sale of their Los Angeles home. Their original vision was ambitious: transform the church into a 180-person event venue with a seven-unit bed and breakfast called The Treehouse.

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Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort to be demolished and rebuilt

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Treasure Island’s iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort to be demolished and rebuilt

The iconic Thunderbird Beach Resort, a Treasure Island landmark for the past 68 years, is set to be completely demolished and rebuilt after sustaining catastrophic damage caused by last year’s back-to-back hurricanes.

The courtyard-style resort, located at 10700 Gulf Boulevard, was among many properties hit hard by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which left behind piles of debris and extensive structural damage, forcing the immediate closure of the beloved beachfront destination.

In a social media post on December 9th, the Thunderbird wrote, “We are deeply touched by the outpouring of love from our guests and the community. It means the world to us—and we want to make one thing clear: The Thunderbird Beach Resort is NOT going anywhere.”

Originally built in 1957 as the 64-unit Thunderbird Motel at a cost of $750,000, the resort has long been a staple of the area.

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