St. Petersburg Mayor Welch to announce Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment selection
Selected gas plant developer to be announced
St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch is expected to announce Thursday morning which proposal has been selected to guide the future redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District. FOX 13's Kellie Cowan reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch is expected to announce Thursday morning which proposal has been selected to guide the future redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District.
The announcement comes months after the city narrowed the field to four finalists and gathered public input on competing visions for the 86-acre site surrounding Tropicana Field.
Mayor Welch will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. Thursday at Campbell Park, located at 601 14th St. S.
The mayor is expected to announce his proposal selection before taking questions from the media.
Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment
What we know:
The announcement follows months of public engagement after the city invited residents to review presentations from the four shortlisted redevelopment teams during a town hall this spring.
The finalists include:
- ARK Ellison Horus
- Foundation Vision Partners
- Pinellas County Housing Authority
- The Burg Bid
Each team proposed a different vision for transforming the Historic Gas Plant District through a mix of housing, commercial development, public spaces, infrastructure improvements and community benefits.
St. Pete development history
Dig deeper:
The redevelopment effort began after plans for a new stadium and mixed-use district involving the Tampa Bay Rays fell apart, prompting city leaders to reopen the redevelopment process.
The Historic Gas Plant District has long been viewed as one of the city's most valuable redevelopment opportunities. The area was once a thriving Black neighborhood before residents were displaced decades ago during urban renewal and construction of what became Tropicana Field. City leaders have said any future redevelopment should balance economic growth with affordable housing, historical preservation and community benefits.
FOX 13 will stream Mayor Welch's announcement live and provide updates throughout the day as more information becomes available on the selected proposal and what comes next for the Historic Gas Plant District.
Selected proposal details
What we don't know:
City officials have not yet disclosed which of the four development teams was selected by the mayor.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the city of St. Petersburg and previous FOX 13 News reporting.