How could you not smile when your latte comes with a heart on top? This morning I stopped at Kahwa Coffee Shop in downtown St Petersburg for a coffee to go - no time today to enjoy the ambiance of this French coffee spot with tables inside and out. The French owners roast their own coffee at their warehouse plant in another part of St Petersburg. They offer 4 blends, named after winds of the world: SSirocco, Mistral, Boreas and Zonda, and sell it by the cup or by the pound - they also supply not only local restaurants but Paul Bocuse! 

Kahwa has welcoming smiles and places to chat, read or check your e-mail. I wrote more here and here.

$750 Million may be the record home "sale" but the 27 story home that Mukesh Ambani is building in Mumbai is costing over 1 Billion dollars - and some say the cost is nearing $2 billion. 4 years under construction, the Ambani residence will be 550 feet high and have 400,000 of interior space. The home is called Antilla and no two floors will be alike in either plan or materials. Read more and see photos here.

The Ambani home was designed by architects Perkins & Will, the architect for Signature Place, the new condo tower under construction here in downtown St. Petersburg. Contact The Simms Team for more information on Signature Place.

Richard Kessler, developer of the Grand Bohemian Hotel & Residences in downtown St Petersburg, Florida, has asked the city of St Petersburg for a modification and extension on his contract with the city to buy the land at the northwest corner of 1st Ave N and 2nd St N. The request eliminates the luxury condos from the project and wants to delay construction commencement to April 30, 2009. Based on that, completion of the hotel would be  Fall 2011.

Originally designed as 82 luxury condos and 166 hotel rooms, the latest redesign had 22 luxury condominiums and 292 hotel rooms. There have not been enough presales of the condos fo close on the construction loan.

The St Petersburg City Council is scheduled to vote on the request today.

Hopefully the council will allow the extension as having the Grand Bohemian Hotel in downtown St Pete would be a wonderful addition to a beautiful downtown.

Ovation, the newest luxury condominium in downtown St Petersburg, Florida, is rising every week. It’s currently at the 19th floor, heading toward its total of 27 stories. These large, luxurious residences are just two to a floor, so you get sunrise and sunset views. The top four floors are "penthouse" units, one per floor.

Completion is expected in 2009, and Ovation will be THE place to live. Located at the southwest corner of Beach Drive and 2nd Ave N (which continues out into Tampa Bay to The Pier), there’s city on one side and parks and waterfront on the other.

Just across the park is the St Petersburg Yacht Club and the St Petersburg City Marina, so you have options for keeping your boat only "a walk in the park" away.

Most of the residences are already contracted, but it’s not too late - for more information and buyer representation, contact The Simms Team of RE/MAX Metro at (727-896-1800 x 112)