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St. Petersburg is leading the way with its transformation. Aer years of being overshadowed by its big sister city across the Bay, the downtown area is showing off its fresh new identity. Younger and hipper, this cosmopolitan city is drawing thousands of art lovers, families, and entrepreneurs with a bustling array of entertaining and dining options as well as a surge of new luxury high-rise condominiums. e metamorphosis from a dilapidated downtown to a vibrant city has been so transformative that credit card promoter NerdWallet ranked St. Petersburg as the top city in Florida for job seeking millennials, with Tampa ranking number three. Progress is everywhere! e Central Arts District has seen a rise in new independent businesses and art galleries, while the Grand Central District has added an array of unique shops. e Bayfront area, a vibrant stretch along Beach Drive, enjoys several world-class museums, high-end boutiques and eateries. e popular Sundial located on 2nd Avenue is a must-visit destination, anchored by the gourmet Locale Market and several restaurants, mixed with local boutique owners and high-end stores. Several sophisticated and opulent condominium projects are punctuating the St. Petersburg skyline, complementing the city's new energy and enhanced walkability to the downtown area. Bliss, a high-rise condominium development projected to open in 2016, boasts an entirely exclusive, no neighbor building said to "feel like you're floating on air over Beach Drive." ONE St. Petersburg, touted as the tallest building in the downtown area, will combine a 41-story condominium with a 13-story hotel and mixed-use project. In the Arts and Innovation District, the Salvador is poised to make a landmark architectural statement. Located across from the Dali Museum, the 13-story boutique tower is infused with elements of the artist's most famous works and amenities designed to impress and entertain residents. Tampa is in the midst of its own revitalization to aract new businesses and growth. e biggest plan, a combination of public and private partnerships, hopes to have ripple effects across the downtown area, luring more corporate headquarters to the city. Financier Jeff Vinik has unveiled a multi-phase plan to transform Tampa's Channel District into an energetic mixed-use district. His ambitious, $1 billion vision to redevelop 40 acres along the city's waterfront is anchored by the new campus of University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. e area will also include luxury condominiums, hotels, an entertainment complex and retail space. Coined as a "18/7" community by Vinik, the living community will be active 18 hours a day, seven days a week. Vinik, a former mutual fund guru who amassed a real estate empire in Tampa and the current owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, envisions this project will change the community for generations to come. Vinik's firm, Strategic Property Partners, LLC, who oversees the project and is backed by a primary " " FloridaHomesMag.com | 29 Tampa is in the midst of its own revitalization to attract new businesses and growth. The Downtown Revitalizations heartbeat of

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