Places This Week: Changes on Central; $6M estate

A weekly roundup of local real estate deals.

Vacant Central Avenue storefronts sell

Hollander Hotel owner Michael Andoniades has purchased the vacant retail storefronts at 2620-2626 Central Ave.  

The Sabal Trust Company Trustee sold the buildings, which Acme Air Conditioning operated, to Andoniades’ Casdsd I and II LLC entity for $1.9 million. 

The vacant storefronts on 2620-2626 Central Ave.  GoogleMaps.

Andoniades said there isn’t currently a plan in place, but the buildings could likely be developed into bars or restaurants. 

Ned Willis with Vector Commercial Real Estate Services represented the Acme Air Conditioning family, which has served St. Petersburg for decades since 1950. 

He said the property, built in 1935, would be an ideal location for restaurants/retail given the tenant mix on Central Avenue. 

Central Laundry St. Pete building sells 

The upscale laundromat at 3501 Central Ave. has sold for $1.25 million.

The 3,116-square-foot laundromat/dry cleaner built in 1970 is located in the 34th Street and Central Avenue corridor. 

Central Laundry St. Pete. GoogleMaps.

Brodie Inc. sold the building to GKBAJ LLC, an entity connected to two local doctors, which took out a $1 million mortgage loan from Bayfirst National Bank. 

Central Laundry St. Pete is described as the only family-owned full-service commercial and residential laundry company providing wash, dry and fold services in the St. Petersburg area. 

The commercial clients it serves includes range from companies in the nail salon industry to the hotel and health care sectors. 

All of its machines are computer operated and require a plastic card to activate both washers and dryers.

Frank Bozikovich with Commercial Partners Realty said the buyers plan to move their office to the acquired site. 

New restaurant concept to open in Ceviche’s spot 

An elevated pan-Asian restaurant is set to take over the downtown St. Petersburg space that Ceviche formerly occupied. 

Ceviche, which has operated in the historic Ponce de Leon Hotel since 1997, announced last year it was planning to move into the former Moon Under Water spot at 332 Beach Drive.

A rendering of Fortu. Instagram.

The new restaurant, dubbed Fortu, will open at the 95 Central Ave. space in the spring of 2023, according to its Instagram account. 

The Fortu concept was created by Shan Bakrac, who owns Top Slice Pizzeria and the planned Black Cattle Burger Co. restaurant. 

A $6.4 million St. Petersburg mansion goes under contract 

A 5,000-square-foot, $6.29 million estate in the exclusive Bayway Isles community is under contract to be sold. 

Vonda Golub with Keller Williams St. Pete Realty, who is representing the sellers, said the buyer(s) is expected to close on property at 6101 51st St. S. by Sept. 7. 

Estate at 6101 51st St. S., St. Petersburg. Realtor.com.

The five-bedroom home was built in 2015 and features arched solid wood interior doors, 10-foot ceilings, hand-made Mexican tiles and handcrafted wood floors throughout, according to the listing. 

Estate at 6101 51st St. S., St. Petersburg. Realtor.com.

It has both indoor and outdoor kitchens with Wolf, Sub-Zero and Bosch appliances along with custom solid wood cabinetry, Calacatta marble countertops and backsplash. 

Estate at 6101 51st St. S., St. Petersburg. Realtor.com.

The waterfront home is also outfitted with windows and doors designed to withstand hurricanes. Outside, there’s an oversized heated saltwater pool and spa, and a dock with a 13,000-pound boat lift. 

The home is currently owned by Ben Franklin Cagle III and Amber Brandon Cagle. 

The estate last sold for $3.2 million in 2021. 

Golub was also the listing agent for the estate at 200 Cordova Blvd NE. in St. Petersburg. 

The Snell Isle property sold on Aug. 12 for $3.85 million. 

Ben Mallah’s properties sell

Starwood Capital, the largest apartment owner in the U.S., has acquired several properties in a $90 million deal, which were owned by an entity controlled by local business mogul Ben Mallah. 

Starwood Capital expanded its portfolio of affordable housing communities with four acquisitions: Overlook at Monroe Apartments in Sanford, the 150-unit age-restricted St. Luke’s Life Apartments in Lakeland, 240-unit Sunrise Villas in Fellsmere, and the 94-unit Villas at Cove Crossing Apartments in Lantana. 

Starwood purchased the properties from Mallah’s Equity Management group. 

Smashburger to open in Pinellas County 

The fast-casual burger restaurant Smashburger will add 15 new locations, including more locally, under a recently signed development agreement with one of its franchisees.

The agreement with Jiandong “Peter” Xu of TLC Gourmet Food International, who currently operates two Smashburger locations in Tampa, plans to open the new locations in Charlotte, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. 

Smashburger, founded in 2007 in Denver, Colorado, has 236 corporate and franchise restaurants operating in 36 states and eight countries.