City council members must still approve a contract with the recommended design-build team, which includes six local certified small, minority, and women-owned business enterprises. Photo by Mark Parker.
An evaluation committee has selected a global firm with local expertise to breathe new life into the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina – now a $162 million project.
New York-based Skanska USA’s proposal emerged from a competitive process on Feb. 20. The prominent development and construction company’s selection represents the latest chapter in an ongoing saga to revitalize a critical facility that is functionally obsolete.
Skanska’s 92-page proposal, obtained through a records request, outlines an extensive design-build partnership that will “meet the city’s goals for quality, schedule, and cost.” The joint venture, which includes six local certified small, minority, and women-owned business enterprises, still requires approval from the city council.
In the proposal’s opening letter, Chuck Jablon, senior vice president of Skanska, and Jannek Cederberg, president of Coral Gables-based marine engineering firm Cummins Cederberg, state that the project provides “an opportunity to elevate the marina to its potential as the crown jewel of the St. Petersburg waterfront.”
“We understand the importance of stakeholder coordination, community engagement, maintaining public access, and ensuring the long-term resilience of the marina infrastructure,” wrote the two partners. “Our team is local, invested, and ready to work side-by-side with the city to deliver your vision with optimal economic and operational outcomes.”
A graphic highlighting significantly taller living seawalls that Skanska Cummin Cederberg would install throughout the downtown waterfront. Image: Skanska USA.
A rocky history
A master plan called for modernization efforts and improvements to docks that reached “the end of their service lives” in 2017. Time and recent hurricanes have exacerbated those issues.
Former Mayor Rick Kriseman selected Safe Harbor Development to reimagine and operate the marina in 2021. The company wanted a 25-year lease, a nonstarter for city council members. Current Mayor Ken Welch reissued a request for proposals in April 2023.
Welch’s administration subsequently selected Safe Harbor Marinas. The company planned to invest $48 million into new docks, a welcome center, and a two-story amenity facility with a lounge.
However, those delayed plans hit a snag in April 2025 after Blackstone, a trillion-dollar investment firm, acquired Safe Harbor Marinas. The city’s agreement was dead in the water by June.
Welch then decided to hire a design-build team and retain control of the marina rather than lease it to a private operator. Self-funding the project remains a source of contention.
Anchors aweigh?
The antiquated 640-slip marina is home to approximately 100 residents and several businesses. Responses to the latest request for qualifications were due Dec. 2.
Welch’s administration significantly expanded the project’s scope and construction requirements. Prioritizing environmental resiliency, including implementing a floating dock system, replacing the Demens Landing bridge and area seawalls, and numerous other infrastructure and utility upgrades, has exponentially increased the project’s cost.
St. Petersburg’s Municipal Marina currently provides affordable space for residents and businesses. Photo by Mark Parker.
The recommended redevelopment team, Skanska Cummins Cederberg, wrote that the area’s environmental vulnerability “calls for visionary design and proven expertise in marine structures and coastal hydrodynamics to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions that achieve the City’s 75-year design life goal.”
“Our team will model wind and wave scenarios – from everyday conditions to extreme storms – to create resilient marine and upland infrastructure that safeguards the waterfront for generations to come,” states the proposal.
RFQ documents noted a $148 million budget. Welch’s administration recently told the city council that Intown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) coffers would cover the $62 million first phase of a $165 million project.
“I just find this, quite frankly, to be fiscally irresponsible,” said Councilmember Brandi Gabbard. “I’m afraid it’s going to be a boondoggle.”
Here is a sample of what Skanska Cummins Cederberg pledged to provide:
• A forward-looking strategic master plan, anchored by in-depth financial analysis that enables the city to unlock maximum long-term value.
• Deep technical expertise in marine and coastal engineering, permitting, and environmental services, including a proven track record supporting the city through its Citywide Seawall Strategic Capital Improvement Plan.
• Extensive experience building along the downtown waterfront, including the St. Pete Pier and its approach.
• Maximized opportunity for local and diverse businesses, through both inclusion in our design-build team and the construction subcontracting process.
“Skanska is committed to fostering inclusion and diversity throughout all phases of the project, with a strong focus on engaging diverse business entities and uplifting the St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, and greater Tampa Bay communities,” states the proposal.
Skanska operates a Tampa office, and Cummins Cederberg has an outpost in St. Petersburg. The proposal notes that both Jablon and Cederberg are local residents who “appreciate the vibrancy of St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront and understand the complexity of building here.”
The city anticipates construction commencing in 2028 and completing in 2031, according to an update on the marina’s website.
A graphic highlighting the condition of seawalls throughout the subject area. Image: Skanska USA.
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