Done Deals is a new weekly column by St. Pete Rising spotlighting recent real estate market insight and significant deals happening in the Sunshine City and beyond. The following information is sourced from public records and trusted intel.

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New retail tenants coming to Central Avenue

Several new tenants have leased space on the ground floor of 1701 Central Avenue, a 243-unit apartment building that opened in 2020. 

Plastic surgery and beauty services business GoldFinger Aesthetics and Clean Your Dirty Face, a facial spa, will join earlier announced tenants Under Grounds Coffee & Juice Bar and Journey into Fitness. 

Clean Your Dirty Face, which provides facials, will open at 1759 Central Avenue this fall. 

GoldFinger Aesthetics has a spa in Tampa and Clearwater, offering Botox, lip fillers, and other treatments. The company expects to open in April at 1739 Central Avenue. 

Meanwhile, neighboring retailer Under Grounds plans to serve espresso-based beverages, such as americanos, lattes, and cappuccinos, in addition to fresh-squeezed juices. The coffee shop will also contain patio seating fronting Central Avenue.

Journey into Fitness, located behind the coffee shop, will offer group fitness classes and personal training. 

Downtown Partnership proposes plan to revitalize Williams Park

Jason Mathis, CEO of the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, is spearheading an effort to revitalize Williams Park, at 350 2nd Avenue North, and the First Block of downtown St. Pete through a new foundation. First Block, recognized as the first block developed in St. Pete in 1888, is bound by Central Avenue, 1st Avenue North, 2nd Street North, and 3rd Street North.

Initially, the idea was to create a business improvement or special assessment district that would impose an additional tax from property owners to fund projects, such as cleaning and graffiti removal, within the district. 

The proposed boundary would stretch from the waterfront east to 5th Street, between 5th Avenue North and South. 

"It's particularly challenging for the condominium community right now. People said it was a great idea, St. Pete can use this - but it's not the right time to start charging additional money," Mathis said during a Tuesday, January 23rd Developer’s Council meeting. 

The Partnership is now proposing to create a foundation backed by private donations, much like the existing Waterfront Parks Foundation, to fund improvements to Williams Park and the First Block. 

Mathis said the Partnership hopes to raise $300,000 to $400,000 a year for the next two to three years to do a pilot project to “show what a special services district or business improvement district could look like.” 

Mathis said the plan also aligns with the city's plan to better utilize the park and has allocated $1.5 million to renovate the bandshell. The Partnership requested an $800,000 state appropriation towards the bandshell project. 

"Once the bandshell is complete, we'd like to see the park activated every single day and maintained at the same level as the Pier and have security on a regular basis. We'd like to see the grass be actually fertilized and mowed," Mathis said. 

"Over the next year [we plan to] raise the funds, get a commitment from surrounding property owners, and roll this out." 

Redington Beach hotel lists 

A 32-key Island House Resort at North Redington Beach is on the market. 

The resort, located at 17103 Gulf Boulevard, has an asking price of $9.75 million.

The property, constructed in 1970, has undergone renovations and upgrades over the last few years. 

The pool deck and surrounding lounge have new tile work, pool lighting, and external property/landscaping lighting. 

There is a solar heater for the pool as the hotel is one of the few approved for evening swimming, according to a listing from Verdad Commercial Real Estate Services. 

The property also offers three laundry rooms on site. 

Bear Creek Commons tops out

Affordable housing developer Blue Sky Communities and Park & Eleazer Construction hav topped out a new 85-unit development in west St. Petersburg. 

The affordable senior housing complex, dubbed Bear Creek Commons, is located on a 4.66-acre site at 635 64th Street South adjacent to Bear Creek, a 2.7-mile stream that flows to Boca Ciega Bay. 

The property was previously home to Grace Connection Church. 

Bear Creek Commons will feature a four-story building with 46 one-bedroom, one-bathroom units and 39 two-bedroom, two-bathroom units. 

Nine apartments will be reserved for senior households earning 30% or less of the area median income (AMI). The remaining apartments will cater to those earning 60% or less of the AMI.

Amenities will include a game room, an art hall, and a gazebo.

Blue Sky Communities, which also developed the 65-unit affordable housing Skyway Lofts complex, expects to complete the project this year. 

Bear Creek Commons was the first development funded by the Penny for Pinellas Affordable Housing Program, an $80 million initiative funded by the Penny for Pinellas sales tax.

Investor buys hotel in St. Pete’s Union Central District

A dilapidated property known as Kenwood Inn on 34th Street in St. Petersburg has sold in a $4 million deal. 

Raja Management Corp. sold the two-story hotel/apartment building at 451 34th Street North to The Highest Seas LLC, an entity controlled by Sami Anani.

The 50-unit property was constructed in 1960 on the 1-acre lot in St. Petersburg’s Union Central District.