St. Pete's long-awaited Tangerine Plaza development gets another extension

Tangerine Plaza development gets another extension

Developers of Tangerine Plaza, aiming to revitalize the 22nd Street corridor in South St. Pete, received an extension from the St. Pete City Council.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The St. Petersburg City Council is moving forward with plans to revitalize a crucial area in South St. Pete. Residents have been waiting for a grocery store in their neighborhood for seven years. On Thursday, the council heard from both supporters and critics during a lengthy discussion.

The proposal to bring a grocery store to South St. Pete received a one-year extension from the council. This decision comes amid concerns from some city leaders that progress has been slow since the last extension.

The backstory:

Developers plan to invest $70 million in the 22nd Street Corridor, including affordable housing and a grocery store. Their proposal was initially selected in 2020, and they were granted an 18-month extension in July 2024, which expires in January. They are now seeking another year to restore the corridor to its former glory.

Local perspective:

Karen Rae, a representative from Positive Impact St. Pete, voiced concern for the neighborhood, "They don't have another one to five years to wait for a grocery store to come into Tangerine Plaza."

Positive Impact St. Pete has been feeding the community for six years, since it lost a grocery store. They proposed a community market, café, and culinary arts center as an alternative to the current plan.

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Rev. Louis Murphy from the Sugar Hill Group reminisced about the corridor's vibrant past: "There were grocery stores, markets, restaurants, and thriving businesses, along with doctors and lawyers. We're trying to bring back that type of economic engine to the community."

Some community members, like Ron Diner, expressed doubts about the current development team: "It seems to me that the city should not move forward with this group. It should move in another direction."

What they're saying:

While some council members felt progress had been insufficient, others reaffirmed their confidence in the current team. City Council Chair Copley Gerdes stated, "I don’t like delays, but starting over is worse. If we are willing to do six months, we should be willing to do 12."

The NAACP branch president and State Senator Darryl Rouson spoke in favor of the extension, which passed with a 6 to 2 vote.

What's next:

Oliver Gross from the Sugar Hill Group assured the community, "Hopefully, by this time next year, we'll be turning dirt and people can start looking toward that."

The city remains committed to helping Positive Impact Ministries find another location for their proposed community initiatives.