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New pumping stations coming to Shore Acres
FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - For years, flooding has become a harsh reality for homeowners in Shore Acres, from hurricanes and heavy storms to even high tide events. Now, city leaders say help is on the way.
What we know:
The city is rolling out a $32 million resiliency infrastructure project aimed at reducing flooding from sea level rise in the Shore Acres neighborhood, home to roughly 2,700 residents.
The project includes:
- Construction of a pump station on Connecticut Avenue, between Overlook and Bayshore, an area known as "the bowl," the neighborhood’s lowest point.
- The potential for a second pump station on Delaware Avenue NE, which would be funded by the state.
- Stormwater gravity mains.
Currently, Shore Acres has 56 backflow preventers for 146 outflows, meaning 90 outflows have no mechanism to stop water from flowing back into the neighborhood during high tide events.
The goal of the pump stations would be to push water out of the streets when tides rise. It would not prevent surge flooding.
The backstory:
Flooding has repeatedly devastated Shore Acres over the years, leaving personal belongings drenched, damaged and piled at the curb.
Kevin Batdorf, the immediate past president of the Shore Acres Civic Association, said the repeated damage has taken an emotional toll on residents.
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"This neighborhood has suffered so much over the past several years," Batdorf said.
Vice President Barry Rubin, who has lived in the neighborhood for 28 years, said even areas that had never flooded before were impacted after Hurricane Helene.
"Even parts that had never seen flooding before experienced it this time," Rubin said.
The other side:
While many residents see the project as a long-overdue step in the right direction, some question whether it will be enough to protect the community in the long-term.
"They replace the 56 [backflow preventers] that we have. Now, they're installing this pump station to help alleviate some of the pressure on the system, and then they're going to determine from there," he explained.
Batdorf, who is now running for mayor, argues infrastructure improvements have not been properly maintained over the decades.
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He points to historic flooding in 1979, saying fixes were implemented then but not sustained.
Batdorf has proposed using revenue tied to the city’s gas plant redevelopment to help fund broader infrastructure improvements, saying the city needs hundreds of millions of dollars to address long-standing needs.
What's next:
Residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on the project during a public meeting on Wednesday, March 4, from 6-8 p.m. at the Shore Acres Recreation Center. City leaders are expected to outline the project timeline and gather community feedback.
Construction would begin in Spring 2027 and will be completed in 20 months.
The Source: This story is based on on-the-ground reporting in Shore Acres, interviews with Shore Acres Civic Association leaders, and information provided by city officials about the resiliency infrastructure project.