Construction is progressing for The Nolen, a 23-story boutique residential tower at 146 4th Ave. Northeast, which will include 31 units, a three-story parking structure and 1,260 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The deep foundation work is complete, and the concrete foundation work, including concrete walls and columns, is now underway. A tower crane is expected to arrive at the site by mid-March, according to the latest update from Smith and Associates Real Estate.
Edelweiss Air is resuming its connection from Tampa International Airport to Zurich, Switzerland. The first flights will launch on March 2. The announcement comes nearly two years after Edelweiss Air paused servicing this route, according to a release from TPA.
Leader J.P. DuBuque who heads the St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation, tasked with bolstering the region's workforce and recruiting companies, is exiting his post effective April 28. The St. Pete EDC announced Friday that DuBuque will be leaving the organization he helped build from its founding in 2016 as he has accepted the role as the chief operating officer at the Tampa-based accounting firm Rivero, Gordimer and Company. “In my new role I look forward to using the experience I’ve had working with companies at different stages in their life cycles in various industries and focusing it on one company to help it excel over the long term," DuBuque said in the news release.
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) passengers can now tap their smartphones, credit or debit cards to pay bus fares. The program also launched in Hillsborough and Hernando Counties Wednesday, marking the state’s first contactless payment system. Riders can still pay with cash if they choose.
St. Petersburg-based Dynasty Financial Partners announced that the firm has entered into an exclusive non-binding letter of intent to acquire TruClarity Management Solutions, a wealth management firm that's also based in St. Pete. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. When the acquisition is completed, TruClarity President and CEO Pamela Stross will join Dynasty as a consultant, and Dynasty intends to acquire TruClarity’s intellectual property and add select team members to the Dynasty team, according to a press release.
This week, the City of St. Petersburg and Mayor Ken Welch held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Sanitation Department complex, which will be built at the same location as the existing Joseph E. Savage complex, at 2001 28th St. N. The new $14 million complex will be a 18,600-square-foot, two-story building and replace two 50-year-old buildings. The building will also be solar powered, helping the city achieve net zero energy for the first time.
Virginia-based Ridgeline International, a cybersecurity firm that works with the government, has expanded to Tampa with an office in the Westshore District. The company, which is leasing office space at 4010 W. Boy Scout Blvd., plans to create up to 30 jobs over the next couple of years in business development and technical training instruction roles. Ridgeline was attracted to Tampa due to the SOCOM presence and the area's large military and veteran population, according to a press release from the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council.
Officials with Keep Pinellas Beautiful (KPB) recently recognized County Commissioner Charlie Justice as their “Outstanding Environmental Civil Servant” at the organization’s annual luncheon. Pat DePlasco, executive director for KPB, credited Justice for helping enact policies that protect the Tampa Bay estuary system. He has also served three consecutive terms as chairman of the board for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
The 2023 Clearwater Invitation kicked off in Clearwater Thursday with 16 teams from 13 states taking over the Eddie C. Moore Complex. The tournament will feature 40 games over four days, and participating teams include three teams ranked in top-five: UCLA, Oklahoma State and Florida State. ESPN will broadcast all 40 games on its networks.
The Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland is launching two new bachelor’s degrees for students this fall: civil engineering and industrial engineering. The new degrees were approved by the university’s board of trustees Thursday. “We are pleased to continue our strategic growth of academic offerings, aligning our degrees with the needs of students and of industry,” Dr. Terry Parker, Florida Poly’s provost, said in an announcement. “As our campus and enrollment continue to grow, so too will our curriculum.”
St. Petersburg's lively Saturday Morning Market will relocate to the intersection of 2nd Avenue and 5th Street N on Feb. 25, to allow Firestone Grand Prix crews to use its regular location - the Al Lang Stadium parking lot - as a staging area. There will be no market March 4 - during race weekend - and things will return to normal (at the Al Lang site) March 11.
The 2023 Collard Green Festival will take over St. Petersburg’s Deuces corridor Saturday, Feb. 18, from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. It will feature live music, a block party, cooking demonstrations and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Deuces Corner Park pavilion at 11 a.m. For more information, visit the website here.
