Seven years after a development team was selected for St. Petersburg’s former Police Headquarters site, the only completed structure is a parking garage. What lessons should the City learn before …
Across the country, several high-profile redevelopment projects began with developer proposals before a comprehensive public plan was in place. Many resulted in delays, cost overruns, lawsuits, and scaled-back promises. These …
New appraisals of the St. Petersburg Gas Plant redevelopment site raise major questions about public value, city planning, leadership, and whether the process should now be paused before irreversible decisions …
An elderly couple asks their attorney to sell valuable land for the benefit of charity while also respecting the surrounding community. But did he truly determine what the property was …
Former Mayor Rick Baker shares his perspective on planning, parks, public space, and the future redevelopment of St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District.
St. Petersburg’s public meeting on the Historic Gas Plant site was supposed to provide clarity. Instead, major questions about affordable housing, infrastructure costs, appraisals, and whether the city should lead …
The city is proposing to borrow $600 million for stormwater and resiliency—while also considering plans that could give away up to $1 billion in public value at the Gas Plant …
The City of St. Petersburg is preparing to select a developer for the Gas Plant site—potentially at a steep discount. A city-led approach could preserve long-term value, control, and better …
City Council voted 6–2 to pause and plan first. So why is the Mayor moving forward anyway—and what questions still need answers?
A growing disconnect is emerging over the future of St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant site. While City Council has called for a planning-first approach, the administration continues to advance a …
St. Petersburg has narrowed the Gas Plant site to four proposals—but they point in fundamentally different directions. That’s not progress. It’s a signal that the city has not yet decided …
St. Petersburg’s leaders face complex decisions, but they are not expected to be experts in everything. A formal advisory council can provide the structure and independent perspective needed to make …
How Decisions Are Made Matters – St. Petersburg Skyline What Good Leadership Should Look Like: The Role of City Council In a recent post, I wrote about the role of …
As the St. Petersburg mayoral race begins, voters should remember they are choosing the leader of a billion-dollar organization. The question isn’t just who is running—but what kind of leadership …
As St. Petersburg considers the future of the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant site, recent litigation underscores why structure, sequencing, and meaningful competition matter before entering into a long-term master development …
The Historic Gas Plant District before Tropicana Field. The next decision will shape generations. What Was Actually SubmittedNine proposals were submitted in response to the City’s notice regarding redevelopment of …
Yesterday, I wrote about what the seven development proposals tell us about the sequencing question facing the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant site.Today, the Tampa Bay Times published my op-ed, “Order …
Spectrum News / Bay News 9 reports today that Ken Welch is defending his approach to redeveloping the Historic Gas Plant District — a proposal-first approach that would sell the …
A proposal-first approach for the Gas Plant locks in low value, concentrates risk, and excludes the public. City Council must pause the rush and insist on planning first.
Mayor Welch wants to get going on a museumSt. Pete Rising reports that the Woodson African American Museum of Florida has revealed renderings for a new museum. It is an …
This Is Our Moment: A Vision Worth Exploring, A Plan Worth Getting Right In the heart of St. Pete, we have a chance to create something great. The Gas Plant …
A chance of a lifetime Let’s Get the Gas Plant Right With the Tampa Bay Rays moving on after their lease ends, the city of St. Petersburg regains full control of …
