The Union Trust Bank building in downtown St. Petersburg is getting a tenant. The Sourdough Co., a bakery and lunch spot, has signed a lease for the historic and nearly 11,000-square-foot structure at 895 Central Ave., the eatery announced on its Instagram account Tuesday.
The Union Trust Bank building was built in 1926 during St. Petersburg’s first large real estate boom. Malachi Leo Elliot was the architect on the project: He designed Old Tampa City Hall, Ybor City’s Centro Asturiano de Tampa and Sarasota High School.
The building contains beaux arts architecture, like the garland around the main entrance.
The space has three floors, including a mezzanine and a basement that contains a large vault. In 2022, All Trades Historical Restoration fabricated and installed Wausau windows and doors, cleaned and painted historic masonry, and restored steel lintel and iron windows. The clock at the corner in front of the building was restored in 2019.
But no business has been open in the building for nearly 30 years, according to The Sourdough Co.’s post.
J. Fiore’s Contemporary Steakhouse was the last concept to occupy the building in 2024. But it never opened.
St. Petersburg native Ariana Duksa started out as a cottage baker before opening The Sourdough Co. in 2023 at 1113 Central Ave. in the Edge District.
The Sourdough Co. operations will remain as normal at its Edge District location through the Union Trust Bank building’s renovations.
The bakery offers sandwiches, artisan loaves and coffee.
“We have the honor of bringing this building back to life while protecting what makes it so special,” The Sourdough Co. Instagram post said. “We’re preserving its beautiful windows, original brick and massive bank vault with deep respect for its history.”
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