Our League’s Social Justice Action Team has been involved in the Historic Gas Plant Redevelopment project for the past three years. We have studied history, held community listening sessions, conducted polls of voters, joined allies like the Suncoast Sierra Club and Home Runs Matter and published op-ed articles. Why? because this 80 acre property is owned by us, the residents of St. Petersburg. How it is developed, whether it is sold or leased, who benefits from the development, how much public money is invested are decisions which must be made by residents and business leaders in our City.
Why is this important now?
Our city needs housing for teachers, firefighters, nurses, healthcare professionals, daycare providers, and other essential workers. A thriving city depends on the people who serve it every day.
Small business owners cannot compete when rents are too high, and businesses cannot succeed without workers who can afford to live nearby.
Our city is now making decisions about developing the 80-acre Historic Gas Plant site and other public properties. These decisions will shape our future for generations. The time to ensure housing for essential workers is now—because once these opportunities pass, they may not come again.
What is your League doing?
We listened carefully to community leaders and elected officials who asked our League to research successful financing and development tools. In response, we are working to bring proven ideas and expertise to our community.
As part of this effort, the League is hosting a roundtable in March 2026 with state experts on community land trusts. We are also co-sponsoring a series of “Lunch and Learn” sessions with the Suncoast Sierra Club to help inform and engage the public on practical solutions.
Why is this the wrong approach?
Other cities have very successfully completed large projects with the Plan First approach. Those Cities hired experienced, award winning, master planners to develop a Master Plan with guidance from community leaders. The next step is the adoption of zoning ordinances. Lastly, qualified developers may purchase/lease the property or parcels.
Why should the City’s residents sell this valuable land when it can lease it?
The fact is that leasing the land means that the City’s residents benefit from the increasing land value over time instead of the developers, the City keeps control over who benefits from development, the City keeps control over what is built, how it is built. Once the land is sold, the purchasing developer benefits from increasing land value. Considering that these development projects can take 30 years to complete, that is billions of dollars in the pockets of developers. Other Cities have kept that money to help improve their City.
Call or write to your City Councilperson today.
Our City can learn from successful projects in other cities. Please write to the Mayor and City Council today and tell them to stop evaluating unsolicited proposals and begin a Plan First effort. You can write to all City Councilpersons by sending an email to council@stpete.org and ask that it be sent to all City Council members. You must include your name and St. Petersburg address.
