City Council approved the highly anticipated Trails Crossing project in a 7-to-1 vote on Thursday, March 6. The project will activate underutilized areas underneath I-175, transforming the four blocks between them into vibrant event spaces, shopping corridors, dog parks, bier gardens, and public art hubs—all connected by walkable pedestrian and cyclist paths.
In the meeting, City Council members announced a $150,000 commitment to hire LandDesign, Inc. for the master planning process. LandDesign will develop the Trails Crossing project in phases, initially focusing on the section between 1st Ave S and 3rd Ave S. Subsequent phases will eventually encompass everything between 5th Ave N and 5th Ave S.
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Once completed, the Trails Crossing project will serve as the connective tissue between St. Pete’s major districts and stakeholders, complementing the nearby Grand Central District, EDGE District, Warehouse Arts District, and Historic Gas Plant redevelopment.
A cultural landmark in the making
Trails Crossing was first announced in 2021 as a public-private partnership, spearheaded by John Barkett of Friends of Trails Crossing—a non-profit dedicated to reimagining underutilized spaces with connectivity at its heart. Barkett and his leadership team recently activated land under the I-375 Park, and his experience and conceptual planning have helped engage the community and city leaders in shaping the vision of Trails Crossing.
“[Trails Crossing is] a transformational project that represents an opportunity for our city to bridge its history, culture, and future,” says John Barkett. “For too long, our community has been divided physically, socially, and economically by infrastructure that was never designed with connectivity in mind.”
Barkett adds, “This is more than a park; it’s a cultural landmark in the making.”
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