St. Petersburg awarded $1.4 million to revitalize Historic Gas Plant District and reconnect communities”

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Florida Construction News staff writer

The City of St. Petersburg was awarded $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Reconnecting the Historic Gas Plant District Project to remediate the impacts of the construction of I-175 in the late 1970s that uprooted many families of the historic African American neighborhoods including the Gas Plant District.

Construction is expected to enhance access, safety, and connectivity for South St. Petersburg.

“Reconnecting South St. Pete neighborhoods and businesses to the Downtown corridor is critical to addressing transportation projects that negatively impacted hundreds of families living in the Historic Gas Plant District and adjacent neighborhoods,” said St. Pete Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. “I’m grateful to Congresswoman Castor and Senator Rubio for their support of St. Pete achieving progress in our Infrastructure, Equitable Development, and Neighborhood Health and Safety pillars – some of the highest priorities for my administration.”

Through a partnership with Pinellas County, the Tampa Bay Rays, and Hines Development and guided by principled and inclusive progress, the city plans to fulfill those unrealized promises and bring St. Petersburg new attainable housing, equitable business opportunities, office space, meeting space, open space, and overall impactful economic development that benefits all.

More than $6 billion will be invested in St. Petersburg over a 20-year period – and will be the largest development project in Tampa Bay history.

The development agreement focuses heavily on the equitable, intentional, and restorative delivery of community benefits and economic impacts, specifically to honor the legacy of the Historic Gas Plant neighborhood’s residents and businesses and serve today’s residents. This includes affordable housing funding, employment and business support, education programs, and Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprises hiring goals. This investment will provide opportunities and build capacity locally. Upcoming Milestones:

  • 2025: Construction to begin on infrastructure and phase one vertical development.
  • Late 2027/Early 2028: Phase one development opens alongside the proposed new Rays ballpark.
  • 2028: Proposed new ballpark opens.

“South St. Pete deserves to enjoy economic opportunity and growth as we repair neighborhoods divided by highways decades ago,” said U.S. Representative Kathy Castor. “The ‘Reconnecting Communities’ initiative aims to breathe new life into South St. Pete by reconnecting neighborhoods, growing small businesses and fostering a more vibrant and equitable community for all St. Pete residents. It’s gratifying to see the historic federal Infrastructure Law delivering for the Tampa Bay area.”

Reconnecting the Historic Gas Plant District Project activities include:

  • Planning and preliminary engineering, including concept design, to incorporate improved pedestrian and bike facilities, along with opportunities for creative place-making and green infrastructure; and
  • Conducting an equity assessment to evaluate how the two-way conversion and lane reallocation will address transportation-related disparities and ensure that the benefits of the project are equitably distributed across the community.

The Reconnecting the Historic Gas Plant District Project is a vital step toward overcoming historical barriers, improving transportation equity, and driving the redevelopment of South St. Petersburg through enhanced connectivity, safety, and community engagement. More about the Historic Gas Plant District Redevelopment can be found at www.stpete.org/GasPlant .

For more information about the U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, visit https://www.transportation.gov/reconnecting.

 

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