Welch Engages Rooted in Progress on Gas Plant District Redevelopment

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch recently engaged in discussions with the organization Rooted in Progress regarding the historic Gas Plant District Redevelopment Project, focusing on reviewing the initiative's ongoing progress and new developments, as reported by wfla.com.

The historic Gas Plant District, an approximately 86-acre public redevelopment site, represents a significant urban renewal effort in St. Petersburg. Historical accounts and city records detail the area's past as a vibrant, predominantly Black community that was largely demolished in the late 1970s and 1980s for the construction of Interstate 175/I-275 and Tropicana Field. The displacement occurred with promises of future housing and economic opportunity that largely went unfulfilled for decades. Mayor Welch, who grew up in the district, has publicly highlighted this history and emphasized honoring the legacy of the displaced community as a central focus of the current redevelopment efforts.

The current push for redevelopment follows a period of renewed focus on the district. A previous redevelopment agreement involving the Tampa Bay Rays and Hines collapsed in early 2025. Subsequently, an unsolicited proposal in late 2025 by ARK Ellison Horus LLC led the City of St. Petersburg to initiate a new competitive bidding process for the site, according to city documents.

In July 2026, Mayor Welch selected two proposals for the district's future: 'The Burg Bid' team, led by Blake Investment Partners, for the majority of the site, and the Pinellas County Housing Authority for a separate affordable senior housing complex. The Burg Bid proposal, chosen for 58 acres of city-owned land, envisions an estimated $8.1 billion mixed-use redevelopment. This plan includes commitments for over 3,600 affordable and workforce housing units, with approximately 1,800 planned within the Gas Plant District itself and another 1,800 at other St. Petersburg locations, as outlined in project proposals.

These ongoing discussions with Rooted in Progress are part of the current negotiation phase for the ambitious project. Any final agreements reached will require approval from the St. Petersburg City Council before proceeding.