Jabil is building out a research and development lab to house engineers working on wearable technology. The lab, located at 10001 16th Street North near Jabil's headquarters, will employ seven or eight engineers when it first opens. The global market for wearable technology is expected to reach $60B in 2020, according to market analyst Gartner.

"I am excited for their new venture into wearable technologies, for the jobs they will create, and for their continued investment in our community," said Mayor Kriseman.

NAC Group, Inc. sold Jabil the 69,000 SF building for their new R&D lab for $9.1M and will move nearby to 1790 Commerce Avenue North where it will assume a lease from Jabil.

The 1926 Union Trust Co. building at 801 Central Avenue downtown could become part of a new apartment and retail building. The city's Community Planning and Preservation Commission approved a proposal to preserve the original 1926 building and demolish additions made in 1938 and 1967 to make way for the project.

The project proposed by Art Village I LLC would add a 4-story apartment building on top a portion of the bank building and tie that into a new 8-story building covering the rest of the block. Proposed plans include retail space and a parking garage.

Photo credit: TBO

The M/V Pearl Mist, a 325-foot cruise passenger vessel, is staying at Port of St. Petersburg for about 80 days, or until late-January. 

The ship, owned by Pearl Seas Cruise, can accommodate approximately 210 passengers and will be operating out of South Florida for cruises to Cuba starting in March 2016.  The cruise owners indicated that if Cuba opens up, they would consider St. Petersburg as a port for future cruises.

In October and November, members of the city's Bike Share Selection Committee met to review and receive presentations from the qualified vendors that submitted proposals to provide bike share services in St. Petersburg. Committee members included representatives from the the city's Transportation and Parking Management Department, the city's Sustainability Office, and from the Healthy St. Petersburg initiative to be sure that a holistic view of the program's capabilities would be explored.

Ultimately, the committee recommended that the city enter into negotiations with CycleHop, LLC , a vendor that provides services to the City of Tampa as Coast Bike Share. A Council workshop to discuss the program and potential funding sources is scheduled for the last Thursday in January. 

Pending approval from City Council, the city looks to launch the first phase of bike share with approximately 300 bicycles at 30 stations in the greater downtown area with an emphasis on connecting commercial corridors such as Central Avenue , 4th Street North , and 22nd Street South .

Photo credit: Coast Bike Share

The Mill  was awarded the Robert W. Tolf Award for Best New Restaurant  by Florida Trend magazine . The restaurant, which opened at 200 Central Avenue  on the ground floor of Priatek Plaza downtown in July, features New Southern cuisine.

"Very honored to be awarded this," said Mill co-owner and Executive Chef Ted Dorsey. "It speaks a lot to what we've done and what we've accomplished in a short amount of time."

Thanks to a $500,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation that was announced in early December, PSTA will soon be taking significant steps to move forward with the much-anticipated Central Avenue Bus Rapid Transit project in St. Petersburg.

The grant will help pay for final design of the route connecting downtown and the beaches. The route is intended to complement the existing Central Avenue Trolley and other local routes by supplying limited, expedited stops along First Avenues North and South from downtown St. Petersburg to the beaches 7 days a week.

The length of the route would be approximately 10 to 14 miles with 12 to 16 stops in each direction, with 5 to 7 buses serving passengers every 15 minutes along the route. With a total estimated price tag of $16.5M derived from a combination of local, State, and Federal sources, service is expected to begin in 2020 .

Photo credit: PSTA

In November, the city launched a 6-month pilot project to support its new mobility program, Park Once, in downtown. The project provides for a free shuttle service for those visiting downtown St. Petersburg on weekend evenings. 

Service is operational between 5 pm and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays , with stops conveniently located at the Sundial , 117 2nd Street North, or South Core , 101 First Avenue South, garages with additional stops located along the waterfront , Beach Drive and Central Arts District . The high-frequency shuttles run a continuous 7 to 10 minute route to encourage visitors to spend less time on parking and more time enjoying all of the wonderful things to do downtown.

The St. Pete Chamber recently celebrated the grand opening of the new St. Pete Store, attached to their Visitors Center at 100 2nd Avenue North across from Sundial. The store features locally made goods for visitors and residents, refreshed on a quarterly basis.

"The St. Pete Store houses some of the cool products that are made in the shade here in St. Pete," said St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce President  Chris Steinocher . "We are excited to partner with the City to offer St. Pete artists and makers a space to showcase their one-of-a-kind keepsakes to visitors and locals alike."

The Chamber is seeking local artists with goods priced under $50 to sell in the store. If you or someone you know may be interested, visit the Chamber's website for more information.

Photo credit: St. Petersburg Chamber

2016 Program: January 20, 22, and 23

FOCUS St. Pete is a program of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association for professionals who are eager to establish civic relationships and learn more about the inner workings of the community with a minimum expenditure of time. 

The program is limited to 35 participants and is open to professionals from both the private and public sectors who generally occupy key positions and are new to the area or have accepted new or expanded responsibilities. Register through the St. Petersburg Chamber.

Thursday, January 28, 2016, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Mahaffey Theater

400 1st Street South

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

The 117th Annual Meeting is a celebration of the accomplishments of the past year, recognition of community leaders and a discussion of the vision for the future of the Chamber and our community. With an expected attendance of 1,200+, this event will provide significant exposure. Tickets will be available soon through the Chamber.