After two years of construction, Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and New York-based Hospital for Special Surgery opened their joint $140-million, 100,000-sq.-ft. orthopedic complex next to NCH North Hospital. The team offers minimally invasive and specialized treatments for foot and ankle injuries, hip and knee replacements, and spine and sports medicine. The collaboration is projected to contribute $54 million to the local economy, thanks in part to a training, educational and equipment partnership with the nearby Arthrex campus for medical device manufacturing.
REAL ESTATE
- Tampa’s 106,000-sq.-ft. Grand Plaza, one of the largest unanchored retail strip centers in the southeastern U.S., sold for $36 million to an undisclosed private fund.
CONSTRUCTION
- The David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa kicked off the building’s $100-million expansion that includes adding an outdoor stage, a rooftop bar and a fine-dining restaurant.
RETAIL
- Outdoor apparel and gear retailer L.L. Bean is opening its first Florida location in Sarasota.
- As it prepares to shutter its St. Petersburg headquarters, HSN will lay off 730 employees by the end of the year.
HOUSING
- Houston-based real estate developer The Morgan Group broke ground on Anclote Harbor Apartments, a luxury residential community in Tarpon Springs that will feature 404 upscale rental units and amenities.
- Arizona-based homebuilder Taylor Morrison broke ground on Esplanade at Coasterra, a 960-home neighborhood within a master-planned community in north Manatee County.
- Months after announcing the end of its citrus operations, Fort Myers-based grower Alico announced plans to develop a 3,000-acre community with two mixed-use villages near the intersection of Collier, Lee and Hendry counties.
INSURANCE
- Geico — Florida’s second-largest auto insurer — is opening a 190,000-sq.-ft. campus near Tampa International Airport that will create more than 1,000 new jobs.
HEALTH CARE
- Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital broke ground on a 56-room facility focused on specialized pediatric care in Wesley Chapel.
- Lakeland Regional Health launched a health-at-home program, offering eligible patients 24/7 remote monitoring plus virtual and in-home visits.
- BayCare broke ground on a $563-million campus, including a hospital and a health care services hub, that will anchor a 288-acre residential-commercial development in north Manatee County.
MANUFACTURING
- St. Petersburg-based space startup Lonestar Data Holdings is partnering with Cape Canaveral-based satellite manufacturer Sidus Space to bring secure data storage to the moon with a $120-million deal.
- St. Petersburg is home to AI- and robotics-powered furniture manufacturer Haddy’s first microfactory, marking the world’s largest 3D printing factory at 32,000 square feet.
ENTERTAINMENT
- Businessperson Jeff Knight stepped down from his position with St. Petersburg’s Jannus Live venue days after authorities said a boat he was operating hit the Clearwater Ferry, resulting in one death and multiple injuries.
- Jeff Davis, the president of Busch Gardens and Adventure Island since February, announced a $35-million investment plan for the Tampa parks, much of which is dedicated toward the incoming Wild Oasis attraction.
EDUCATION
- Mittye P. Locke Early Learning Academy, the Pasco County school district’s first dedicated early learning center, is shuttering after two years of operation in New Port Richey.
- St. Peter Claver Catholic School, the state’s first historically Black grade school, will transition to a microschool model this upcoming school year.
- The University of South Florida and the city of St. Petersburg are partnering to bring an industrial-sized composter to the local campus to process 1,000 pounds of food waste per day and produce compost for the community.
10,744
- The number of fans at this year’s most-attended Florida Spring Training game, when the Philadelphia Phillies bested the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 at Clearwater’s BayCare Ballpark on March 17.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
“I found this very alarming for our institution, especially with our campuses situated in two of the fastest-growing counties in the state.” — Marilyn Pearson-Adams, chairperson of Pasco-Hernando State College’s board of trustees, in a letter to board members. She cited a Florida Department of Government Efficiency report that found nearly 60% of students enrolled last fall did not return this spring — almost double the state average. President Jesse Pisors resigned May 1. Some college faculty and staff questioned the validity of the DOGE report.
Babe’s Bungalow
- A renovated 1920s St. Petersburg home once owned by baseball legend Babe Ruth is on sale for $1.86 million.
Pink Palace
- Six months after Hurricane Helene damaged St. Pete Beach’s Don CeSar, the historic pink hotel opened back up for business in March.