A $12 million City subsidy for 24 townhomes raises a bigger question: Should St. Petersburg bring more independent financial and professional expertise into major decisions before they are made?
Charlie Crist’s comments on the Gas Plant point toward a different approach: let the City set the vision, maintain control and preserve the value of this extraordinary public property.
Mayor Ken Welch says the Gas Plant generates interest around the world. So why move forward after only two local bids and an offer far below the City’s own appraisals?
Cities create value by creating great neighborhoods. Why should the value the City creates benefit a single developer rather than the citizens who already own the land? Vision. Control. Value.This …
The Historic Gas Plant redevelopment will unfold over decades. Markets will change, priorities will evolve, and unexpected challenges will arise. That is why St. Petersburg should retain control of the …
The Historic Gas Plant is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a signature public park. But before deciding its size, design, or location, St. Petersburg should first answer a more fundamental …
Before deciding what should be built on the Historic Gas Plant District, St. Petersburg should decide what kind of city it wants to become. That means asking whether I-175—and every …
Who Should Lead the Redevelopment?St. Petersburg is about to make one of the most important public policy decisions in its history.Who should lead the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant …
The debate isn’t whether one developer or two developers should redevelop the Historic Gas Plant. The real question is who should create the master plan. Drawing on lessons from successful …
Should one developer, two developers, or the City determine the future of the Historic Gas Plant? The real question isn’t who builds it—it’s who creates the plan. Lessons from successful …
As reported by St. Pete Rising, two downtown St. Petersburg properties totaling just 1.8 acres sold for $32.5 million—about $18 million per acre.That price didn’t happen by accident. It reflects …
St. Petersburg is evaluating three proposals for the future of the Historic Gas Plant site. But before choosing a proposal, should the city first decide what it wants for this …
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 …
The Historic Gas Plant District represents one of the largest public redevelopment opportunities in St. Petersburg’s history. This guide examines the planning, governance, housing, infrastructure, and public value questions that …
What do St. Petersburg, New York, Chicago, Denver, Austin, and other successful cities have in common? They planned first. Eleven examples show how cities shaped their future before development began.
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 …
A recent Florida stadium land proposal raises a larger civic question: Should government independently determine the value of public assets before committing them to private development? This is Part 2 …
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 …
What happens when a city leads its own development? Denver’s Stapleton shows how planning first, setting the rules, and then bringing in developers creates stronger, long-term results.
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 …
Mayor Welch recently suggested that Home Runs Matter is advocating for “million-dollar condos” and delaying progress at the Gas Plant site. That’s not accurate. Here’s what has actually been proposed—and …
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 …
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 …
The Gas Plant, Part Two: Why Selling the Entire Site at Once Is Too Risky — and Could Cost the City More Than $1 BillionA quick clarification up frontWhen I …
Earlier today, I spoke at City Hall about the future of the Gas Plant site.This decision is not about whether the site should be developed.It is about whether St. Petersburg …
Before You BeginThis post explains exactly what must happen, what you need to do today, and why the timing matters.SUMMARY OF KEY FACTSWhat’s happening right nowThe Tropicana Field site covers …
St. Petersburg’s identity is rooted in the arts. As the city plans the future of the 86-acre Gas Plant site, integrating our cultural strengths isn’t optional—it’s essential to creating a …
The City’s decision to open a 30-day window for new Gas Plant proposals makes little sense. The 86-acre site deserves planning, not a race. Before entertaining more offers, St. Petersburg …
Why Stadium Subsidies Fail Communities Every Time I don’t get it – when will cities ever learn to follow the facts, not the hype, and win in the long run? …
Mayor Welch says he wants the facts about a new convention center. Here they are: if there’s real demand, private developers will step up—without a taxpayer-funded study. Let’s let the …
The Last Thing St. Pete Needs Is a Trop Extension What do very hot weather, hurricanes, Tropicana Field, the Rays, John Romano and $5 billion have to do with each …
