ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The next phase in the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District is underway.
For the last month, the city of St. Petersburg has been gathering input from locals on the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District, where Tropicana Field currently sits. On Thursday, the final community meeting was held at USF in St. Petersburg.
Through the community input sessions and online, St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch estimates that 1,000 people have shared their thoughts and ideas for the redevelopment.
Now, the city will review all of the feedback it received and outline a plan for the 86-acre project. In August, with the plan in place, the city will open the project up to bids from developers.
"I think redeveloping 86 acres in the most vibrant downtown in the Southeast, I think they'll generate a lot of interest," Welch said.
Before the process went back to the drawing board, Mayor Welch had been deciding between developers, Midtown and Sugar Hill, for the job.
Midtown has since suggested they will bow out, but Sugar Hill's Development Manager David Carlock was at the meeting on Thursday and confirmed their hat will be in the ring.
"To look back in 10 or 15 years and say that this is one of the best examples in the country of truly equitable development, that's the kind of thing that we get the most excited about," Carlock said.
Welch says he expects to pick a developer by the end of the year.
You can still share your thoughts and ideas on the project on the city's website. The city says it has no immediate plans to take down the form for public comment.