The City of St. Petersburg shared video profiles of the 4 shortlisted developers and their proposals for the 86-acre Tropicana Field site.
Each developer has provided proposals with and without a ballpark, focusing on creating a walkable, community-oriented space. The four videos spotlight the primary aspects of each proposed design and how they fit into the growing St. Petersburg community.
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Midtown Developments aims to grow the St. Pete job market
Partnered with Pinellas County Urban League, Midtown Developments is dedicated to introducing innovative, mixed-use spaces that foster entrepreneurship, civic transformation and job growth.
Reminders of the city’s history will be infused into the design of the site, which will feature affordable housing, hybrid office space and performance stages. A rebuild of Booker Creek Park and construction of a greenway are also key components to the developer’s proposal.
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Known for its designs that helped to transform Miami’s influential art event scene, Midtown Developments will make a $185 million financial commitment to the City of St. Petersburg.
Portman Holdings/Third Lake Partners favors keeping a baseball field on site
Portman Holdings/Third Lake Partners devised a 10-to-15-year masterplan that centers around an urban grid platform, which will integrate into the city’s current grid system. While proposals include plans without a baseball stadium, the developers believe that the site “benefits more from a redevelopment of the stadium.”
“I think Tropicana presents the opportunity for us to create an in-field district to reconnect portions of St. Pete that were somewhat disconnected by the original construction of the Tropicana Field,” said Hunter Richardson, executive vice president of development at Portman Holdings.
The developers have no doubts about incorporating a thriving arts district, multi-family residences and opportunities for community outreach. Each phase of the redevelopment will be planned around the relocation of The Trop, starting with the construction of residential buildings with ground-floor retail space.
Sugar Hill Community Partners plans to create four distinct neighborhoods
Rooted in the hashtag #ThisIsStPete, Sugar Hill Community Partners’ proposal prioritizes reconnection, equity and history.
The site will be divided up into four neighborhoods with distinct features: a convention complex, residential village, innovation campus and an office center. Residents will be able to connect with the natural environment thanks to sloped park edges and pebble beaches along Booker Creek.
A history walk will connect the city’s Heritage Trails on Ninth Ave. S and in Methodist Town. The streets, sidewalks, parks and buildings will also be named after prominent leaders in the St. Petersburg community.
Unicorp hopes to turn The Trop into a functional St. Pete hub
Orlando-based Unicorp will redevelop the site into something that best suits everyone and feels like it’s always been a part of the community.
The developer’s approach is to create a flexible space with sidewalks designed for movement, a uniquely shaped central park, a Riverwalk and room for local businesses.
Chuck Whittall of Unicorp National Developments calls the current stadium “obsolete” and says “it needs to go away” to make room for a more functional community hub.
“Once the development is finished, call it 10 years, it will look like it was always planned to be part of the community,” Whittall said. “That’s really what our goal is. It’s not that we just dropped something there; it’s something that was planned to be a nucleus for the community all along.”
The city will make a final decision this summer
The project’s redevelopment timeline calls for Mayor Rick Kriseman to choose a proposal plan by May or June of this year.
Beginning April 12, immersive showrooms will be located throughout the city for St. Petersburg residents to view the developers’ detailed proposals and leave input on the future of the site:
North Library: 861 70th Ave. N.
Mirror Lake Library: 280 5th St. N.
JW Cate Rec Center: 5801 22nd Ave. N
Enoch Davis Rec Center: 1111 18th Ave. S.
You can also submit public comment on the proposals through the City’s virtual portal.
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