St. Petersburg has taken another major step toward redeveloping the Historic Gas Plant District after Mayor Kenneth Welch announced the selection of two development teams to move forward with separate projects on the historic site surrounding Tropicana Field.
The city selected The Burg Bid, led by Blake Investment Partners, to redevelop the main portion of the district, while the Pinellas County Housing Authority was chosen to develop an affordable senior housing project on a nearby city-owned parcel. The selections follow months of proposal reviews, public engagement, and evaluations focused on housing, jobs, economic opportunity and commitments to the community that once occupied the neighborhood before construction of Tropicana Field.
The announcement marks the latest chapter in the decades-long effort to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District, a project that gained renewed attention after the collapse of the previous redevelopment agreement involving the Tampa Bay Rays and a new ballpark proposal.
Affordable housing takes center stage
The Pinellas County Housing Authority plans to construct an affordable senior housing community on approximately one-half acre at 1659 3rd Avenue South.
According to the city, the proposal includes a multi-story development dedicated to affordable housing for lower-income seniors, with priority given to seniors who formerly lived in the Historic Gas Plant District before residents were displaced decades ago.
City officials said the project aligns with long-standing promises to expand affordable housing while acknowledging the neighborhood’s historical significance.
Mixed-use redevelopment planned
The larger redevelopment proposal, known as The Burg Bid, envisions a mixed-use district featuring:
- More than 3,600 affordable and workforce housing units
- New streets and public infrastructure
- Parks and open space
- Cultural and museum facilities
- Workforce training and small business development space
- Retail, office and hospitality development
The proposal represents a long-term redevelopment expected to occur over multiple phases during the coming years.
Community review continues
Although the mayor has selected the preferred proposals, neither project is final.
City officials will now negotiate development agreements before presenting them to the St. Petersburg City Council for approval. Construction cannot begin until final agreements receive council approval.
The Burg Bid proposal will also undergo the city’s Community Benefits Agreement process, allowing additional public input regarding neighborhood impacts and community commitments before any final vote.
Officials said the affordable senior housing proposal will not require that additional review because it consists entirely of affordable and workforce housing, though it still requires City Council approval.
A project decades in the making
The Historic Gas Plant District has remained one of Florida’s most closely watched redevelopment projects due to its history and its prominent location surrounding Tropicana Field.
Mayor Welch said community input played a central role throughout the selection process and emphasized that the chosen proposals reflect priorities centered on housing, economic opportunity, and honoring commitments made to families displaced from the original neighborhood.
If approved, negotiations over the coming months will determine how quickly redevelopment moves forward and what final community benefits become part of the project.
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