One Liners Pinellas: IQ Fiber, BayCare and more

News announcements from Pinellas County.


Chef Ted Dorsey opened Sunshine City Tavern, a neighborhood restaurant and bar celebrating St. Petersburg’s history with coastal cuisine and craft cocktails, at 4351 4th Street North. (Photos above ⬆️)

South Florida-based Ideal Nutrition is expanding into the Tampa Bay market with a new downtown St. Petersburg store, at 360 2nd Avenue S., expected to open in late 2025.

Ted Schremp, founder and CEO of IQ Fiber

St. Petersburg College has named Dr. Jean Lee as dean of its College of Nursing.

Jacksonville-based IQ Fiber announced a $50 million expansion to bring its 100% fiber-optic internet service to St. Petersburg and Pinellas County, with construction beginning in May and customer service expected by late 2025. ➡️

Dr. Robert Kopec has been named vice president and chief medical officer of Morton Plant Hospital, in Clearwater, succeeding Dr. Jeffery Jensen as he prepares to retire from BayCare, in May.

St. Petersburg City Council approved $23 million for Tropicana Field roof repairs following damage from Hurricane Milton, with the project expected to be completed by December 2025, ahead of full stadium repairs by April 2026.

Gibson’s on Central, a new furniture and home accessories store owned by interior designer Tara Gibson, has opened, at 2646 Central Avenue, in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District.

St. Petersburg-based DPI Laboratory has launched Catalyst Printers, a new UV printing platform designed to deliver high-efficiency, cost-effective solutions for commercial and industrial applications.

University of South Florida researchers in St. Petersburg identified viruses in Karenia brevis red tide blooms for the first time, a discovery that could improve forecasting and potential biocontrol efforts.

Clearwater-based BayCare ranked No. 30 on the 2025 Top Workplaces USA list by USA Today and Energage, recognized for its strong workplace culture based on employee feedback.

SouthSeas Tapas, a restaurant and bar with French and Asian influences, will open at St. Petersburg’s SkyBeach Resort, honoring the site’s history as the former Outrigger Inn.

Sip, a coastal-casual wine bar and shop, will relocate from St. Pete Beach to downtown St. Petersburg this spring, opening a new location, at 442 2nd Street North, in the former Must Wine Loft space.

BJ Daniels

⬅️ Evara Health has named former NFL quarterback and USF alumnus BJ Daniels as manager of strategic growth and partnerships, supporting the organization’s mission to expand community health initiatives.

Sean Thongsiri, owner of several local Asian fusion restaurants, will open Plate Sushi Grill and Lounge, this summer, in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District, featuring a menu of Laos-style tacos, octopus ceviche and yakitori.

St. Petersburg-based Velera appointed Chris Watkins, as senior vice president of client service delivery, to lead innovative service initiatives for its credit union clients.



You May Also Like
Demolition to begin for $125M mixed-use project in downtown St. Pete

Demolition will start soon for Gallery Haus, a $125M mixed use tower planned for downtown St. Pete.

Read More
Three image collage showing the Gallery Haus tower, a rooftop lounge and the pool deck.
New platform links Tampa Bay donors to nonprofits losing funding

Nonprofits across Tampa Bay are facing a squeeze. Federal programs are cutting grants. State budgets are tightening. Hillsborough County is preparing to phase out many recurring local grants. At the

Read More
Charity Bridge Fund logo featuring three stylized bridge arches in blue, orange and light blue above the organization’s name.
400 Central clears inspections, begins move-ins in downtown St. Pete

400 Central has cleared city inspections and is ready to welcome its first residents to downtown St. Pete.

Read More
A nighttime aerial view of downtown St. Petersburg with the 400 Central tower lit up at the center of the skyline.
Port Tampa Bay adds 2 new cranes from Ireland as Vision 2030 expands

Port Tampa Bay is adding two new cranes built in Ireland to support its Vision 2030 terminal expansion.

Read More
A container ship loaded with stacked refrigerated containers is berthed under green Liebherr ship-to-shore cranes at a modern cargo terminal.
Other Posts
New Chicken Salad Chick opening in Parrish on Dec. 16

Chicken Salad Chick opens in Parrish on Dec. 16 with giveaways and continued growth across Manatee County.

Read More
Three containers of Chicken Salad Chick’s signature chicken salad flavors arranged on a kitchen counter with crackers.
37,000 surcharge-free ATMs will be available nationwide after rollout

More than 2,500 new Speedway ATMs will expand the surcharge-free Co-op ATM Network to over 37,000 locations nationwide.

Read More
Speedway gas station canopy and fuel pumps at a retail location.
A closer look at Sarasota’s new St. Regis Longboat Key

The St. Regis Longboat Key brings a new level of coastal luxury to Sarasota with refined design, quiet service and an 18-acre Gulf-front setting.

Read More
Aerial view of the St. Regis Longboat Key pools and lagoon with the Gulf of Mexico in the background.
Fully leased Sarasota industrial park sold

A fully leased Sarasota industrial park has been sold as demand for small bay space grows across the region.

Read More
A view of Airport Commerce Center in Sarasota showing its single story industrial buildings, palm trees and the property’s main entrance sign on Tallevast Road.