St. Petersburg is launching a new request for proposals to redevelop the Trop site, cancelling the previous request and selection issued by former Mayor Rick Kriseman in 2020.
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch announced the decision Wednesday outside the Trop site, saying he made the choice after careful consideration and communication with city staff regarding city needs, current economic trends and changing workforce needs.
"As a County Commissioner, I was fully engaged in this process — attending meetings and presentations, speaking with the Kriseman administration and prospective development groups in my role as the County Commissioner whose district was based in St. Petersburg. I am impressed with the efforts from the two finalists in the current RFP process — Midtown Development and Sugar Hill Community Partners," Welch said.
While Welch lauded the vision proposed by Midtown Development, which was ultimately chosen by Kriseman to take on the development of the 86 acre site, he emphasized the need for an update to fit new conditions.
"They have listened to our community and have responded with their vision of the development of these 86 acres in accordance with our community needs in terms of housing, office space, meeting space, green space and impactful economic development, including inclusive opportunities for local and minority businesses. There has also been robust community engagement in developing a vision for this generational project," he continued. "However, our environment has changed in many ways since the initial RFP was issued in July of 2020, and we must ensure the RFP meets our current environment and realities and incorporates the most up-to-date information."
Among the new conditions that must be considered, Welch listed the impact of the pandemic, which has reduced the potential need for office space. He also pointed to the cost of rental housing and home ownership, which has skyrocketed since 2020, making affordable and workforce housing a higher priority.
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