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How to help a ‘legacy’ business receive city recognition, support

By
Mark Parker
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0

Uniquely Original Art Studio has operated from 915 24th St. S. for nearly 35 years. Photo: Facebook. 

​Time is running out to help preserve and celebrate local business legacies in St. Petersburg.

​The city opened the first round of applications for its burgeoning Legacy Business Program in February. Stakeholders have until 5 p.m. on Monday, March 16, to submit nominations for the inaugural cohort.

​Officials will then select eight small businesses – one from each city council district – that have helped shape the city’s identity, economy, and culture for over two decades. The program’s website notes that legacy businesses are “the barbershop that greets you by name, the family-run restaurant that spans generations, the storefront that has quietly witnessed the city’s evolution.”

​“Their longevity is no accident – it is earned through commitment, consistency, and deep community connection,” the city said of its longstanding establishments. “The Legacy Business Program exists to recognize that staying power and help ensure it continues.”

​Selected businesses will receive a public-facing seal to display; a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the establishment’s enduring impact; signage at the event; and a professionally produced video or photo spread, which the city will then share through its BurgBiz: Legacy Edition publication, website, and social media channels.

​Officials previously said that an interactive map on the city’s website would also highlight participants. In addition, awardees can attend events, training sessions, and panel discussions tailored to meet legacy business needs, such as retirement and succession planning, social media marketing and storytelling, access to legal consultation, and lease negotiation support.

​In August 2025, economic development specialist Brittany Cagle told city council members that the program was about more than recognition. “It’s about safeguarding our roots – the cultural and economic backbone to our city,” she said.

​“Legacy businesses aren’t just our storefronts,” Cagle added. “They are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods.”

​Eligibility requires at least 20 years of continuous operation, a primary physical location in St. Petersburg, and an independent owner with no regulatory, financial, or unaddressed code violation issues. Home-based and multi-level marketing businesses do not qualify.

​Cagle said comparable legacy business programs found success by focusing on non-monetary, high-value technical support that fostered longevity. She also noted the focus on quality over quantity, as selecting smaller cohorts “ensures deeper community impact.”

​City Development Administrator James Corbett will select eight businesses on April 17, according to program documents. The nomination portal will reopen in the fall.

​St. Petersburg is home to 4,218 establishments that qualify for the program after surviving economic downturns, soaring living costs, and exponential growth for over two decades.

This unassuming building at 1940 22nd Ave. S. houses a neighborhood market beloved by generations of St. Petersburg residents. Photo: Google Street View. 

Here are some African American-owned businesses that could meet the city’s criteria:

  • ​Green’s Bakery and Sandwich Shop: The business opened on the historic 22nd Street South (Deuces) corridor in 1965 and thrived for 37 years until redevelopment forced owner Bernice Green to move to 3065 18th Ave. S.
  • Lorene’s Fish House: The takeout restaurant has served fresh seafood in the Deuces Live District for over 30 years. American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation awarded owner Lorene Office a $50,000 “Backing Historic Small Restaurants” last year to help preserve history at 927 22nd St. S.
  • Uniquely Original Art Studio: Catherine Weaver has operated Uniquely Original Art Studio at 915 24th St. S. for nearly 35 years. Her grandfather built the building, which initially housed the Original Art Studio, in 1947.
  • Lakeview Market: The neighborhood grocer and general store has remained in business for nearly 50 years. Daisy Swinton relocated the market to 1940 22nd Ave. S. after it was displaced from the Historic Gas Plant District.  
  • Happy Workers: Founded in 1929 at 920 19th St. S., Happy Workers is one of, if not the oldest, childcare organizations in Pinellas County. ‘R Club Child Care, a nonprofit, now operates the center, and it may not qualify. 

For more information on program guidelines, visit the website here. 

Lorene Office’s (left) fresh seafood restaurant has been a staple in the historic Deuces Live District for over 30 years. Photo: Facebook. 

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To share news with the Power Broker, email us at reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokermagazine.com; and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube. 

Tampa mayor faces removal over ‘sanctuary policies’ that protect victims

By
Mark Parker
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0

The governor could remove Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, the city’s first female police chief, from office for not disclosing the immigration status of crime victims and witnesses, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. Photo: City of Tampa. 

​Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has threatened to remove Tampa Mayor Jane Castor from office for failing to fully comply with immigration enforcement efforts.

​In a letter addressed to Castor and posted to X on Wednesday, Uthmeir claimed that the Tampa Police Department is violating “several Florida laws” by not disclosing the immigration status of crime victims or witnesses.

​“Mayor Castor is forcing sanctuary policies on the Tampa Police Department (TPD),” Uthmeir captioned the post. “These policies must be reversed immediately, or there will be consequences.”

​Florida’s “anti-sanctuary” law, which Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri helped shape in 2019, prohibits any action that “impedes local law enforcement agencies from cooperating or communicating with a federal immigration agency.”  The statute was updated in 2025, and Uthmeier noted that local jurisdictions must now “use best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law.”

​However, a court has yet to define “best efforts.” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently highlighted the law’s broad reach.

​Local organizations have also warned of the law’s paralyzing effect on crime victims and witnesses.  Isaret Jeffers, founder of the Tree Collective, which supports Tampa area farmworkers, told NBC News that several undocumented women are enduring rather than reporting abuse from their partners due to deportation fears.

​Uthmeier’s letter acknowledges Tampa’s alleged policy benefits crime victims and witnesses – not the perpetrators. “TPD ostensibly supports these policies because they do not want illegal aliens to be concerned with immigration consequences by cooperating with law enforcement,” he wrote.

​“But we want illegal immigrants to fear immigration consequences to the extent that they are here unlawfully.”

​TPD’s policies also prohibit officers from participating in “broad-based immigration enforcement actions,” Uthmeier claimed. He said the agency’s ambiguous restrictions are “precisely the sort of conduct that Florida law prohibits and plainly fails the ‘best efforts’ test. You must do better.”

​Uthmeier gave Castor until March 31 to reverse “unlawful” immigration policies. “Failure to do so will risk the enforcement of all applicable civil penalties, including removal from office by the governor,” he concluded.

​Gov. Ron DeSantis removed Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren from office in 2022 due to an alleged dereliction of duty to enforce state laws regarding abortion, gender-affirming care, and a pledge not to prosecute low-level crimes, including trespassing at business locations and disorderly conduct.

​Tampa and St. Petersburg participate in the 287(g) program, which enables limited cooperation between local officers and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Castor, currently serving a second term that ends in May 2027, said in a prepared statement that she is reviewing Uthmeier’s concerns and evaluating policies and procedures” to ensure that we use best efforts to support” federal immigration law.

​“Tampa is one of the safest cities of our size in the nation because we built trust with our community through collaboration,” Castor said. “The Tampa Police Department signed the 287(g) and developed its immigration enforcement policy in consultation with partner agencies and law enforcement associations to ensure all immigration-related actions are carried out according to state and federal law.”

​The Florida Statute guiding the 287(g) program seemingly provides a provision that supports the TPD’s alleged policy. “This section does not authorize a law enforcement agency to detain an alien unlawfully present in the United States pursuant to an immigration detainer solely because the alien witnessed or reported a crime or was a victim of a criminal offense,” it states.

​Castor discussed local and national immigration enforcement efforts at a Suncoast Tiger Bay forum with St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector in January. She believes that Americans can agree on deporting people who enter the country illegally and subsequently commit crimes.

​However, Castor also noted that “over 70% of the people who have been deported have no criminal record.” The former police chief said those people “want to come to our country for the same reason our ancestors came to this country; in most cases, to make a better life for them and their families.”

​“We have got, as a nation, come to an agreement on what is acceptable and what isn’t,” Castor added.  

Share Your News With Us 

To share news with the Power Broker, email us at reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokermagazine.com; and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube. 

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Tribute to Rev. Jesse Jackson: His Impact ft. Rev. Wayne G. Thompson & Kamara Garrett-Cooper

By
YouTube
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0

Rev. Jesse Jackson was the voice that shaped generations, challenged power and reminded us that justice requires both courage and consistency. Rev. Jackson’s life’s work pushed conversations forward on civil rights, economic equity and human dignity and his impact continues to ripple through our communities today.

Pulse Pod host Adrienne Reddick welcomes Rev. Wayne G. Thompson, Pastor of First Baptist Institutional Church and Mrs. Kamara Garrett-Cooper, whose father, Rev. Wilkins Garrett, former pastor of Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, knew and worked with the late Rev. Jackson, to reflect on their memories of Rev. Jackson and how he impacted their lives, supported them behind the cameras and challenged them to do the work for social justice.

Watch full episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKqahcayJBo.

Sailing into success, Maranda Douglas makes “her-story” in Tampa Bay’s marine industry

By
Isis Climes
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0

Pinellas County native Maranda Douglas made a historic first this month when she became 1st Klass Enterprise LLC’s first Black Woman Mariner Captain.


Maranda Douglas made a historic first this month when she became 1st Klass Enterprise LLC’s first Black Woman Mariner Captain.

In a majorly white male-dominated field, Douglas has carved out a space for herself as the First Black Woman Mariner Captain under Floyd Balentine’s luxury rental business. There are over 11,000 captains employed in the country, 6.7% is made up of Blacks/African Americans; a statistic Douglas now proudly contributes to.

Under her title, Douglas will captain charters, mentor aspiring women mariners, support women-focused boating experiences, represent the brand at maritime events, and help expand the visibility of women in leadership roles within the marine industry. She will also help lead and represent the organization’s Sisters of the Seas initiative, a platform that highlights and empowers women in boating and maritime careers.

“Captain Douglas is not only an exceptional captain—she is a trailblazer who will help shape the future of our company and inspire more women to take the helm,” said Balentine, who is himself a professional pilot and boat captain.

Balentine is the founder and owner of the Tampa Bay–based luxury boating business. His company offers private charter experiences, curated on-water events, and premium maritime hospitality. Guests cruise through Tampa Bay waters on their flagship vessel, the 2022 Crownline 260XSS MY ACE.

Floyd Balentine, a professional pilot and boat captain, is founder and owner of Tampa Bay’s 1st Klass Enterprise luxury boating business. Image courtesy of 1st Klass Enterprise LLC.

“Bringing Captain Maranda Douglas aboard…represents an important step in expanding visibility, mentorship, and professional opportunities for women navigating careers on the water. Her presence as a professional mariner captain brings visibility and representation to an industry where women — especially Black women — are still underrepresented,” said Balentine.

Douglas is no stranger to the marine industry. While she studied at the University of South Florida, she worked as a marketing associate for a yacht charter startup. In 2022, she ran for Clearwater’s city council, where she served on the City’s Marine Advisory Board and completed a water conservation art project in Lake Belleview. Fast forward a few years, and Douglas became the founder and owner of Top Nauts, an exclusive seaside experience that features boat rentals and yacht charters. 

Douglas is no stranger to the marine industry, as the founder and owner of Top Nauts, an exclusive seaside experience that featuresboat rentals and yacht charters.

“My career journey starts with my upbringing in community service, growing as a servant leader, and the results of curiously following my passion for the marine industry. I was honored to be asked to serve as a voice for those directly and indirectly impacted by the various plans for Clearwater’s future,” Douglas acknowledged.

Together, Balentine and Douglas set out to create a space for women interested in the marine industry through their immersive programs, including women’s empowerment cruises, mentorship days for interested young ladies, and leadership experiences on the water. Their mission is to create a visible pathway for women to enter the boating world.

Together, Balentine and Douglas set out to create a space for women interested in the marine industry, with a mission to create a visible pathway for women to enter the boating world. Image courtesy of Floyd Balentine.

“To have a partner with the same mindset is energizing and makes for a great collaboration. I am truly honored for this opportunity to share my passion with 1st Klass Enterprise,” shared Douglas.

Douglas is considering enrolling at the Fred K. Marchman Technical College (FKMTC) to become a certified marine mechanic. Until her future enrollment, the newly appointed captain looks forward to a season of fun on the Tampa Bay waters.

In 2022, Douglas ran for Clearwater’s city council, where she served on the City’s Marine Advisory Board and completed a water conservation art project in Lake Belleview.

Share Your News with Us

To share news with the Power Broker, connect with reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokermagazine.com; and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube.

Charting a new course: St. Pete selects municipal marina proposal

By
Mark Parker
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0

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. 

Share Your News With Us 

To share news with the Power Broker, email us at reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokermagazine.com; and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube. 

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City updates South St. Pete neighborhood plan after 34 years

By
Mark Parker
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0

An aerial view of Palmetto Park, which, according to a new neighborhood plan, is “experiencing gentrification.” All images: City of St. Petersburg. 

An evolving South St. Petersburg neighborhood along the 22nd Street South (Deuces) corridor, near the Historic Gas Plant District, has a new guiding vision for the first time since 1992.

​City council members unanimously approved the updated Palmetto Park Neighborhood Plan at their March 5 meeting. The 69-page document begins by noting that the area has “attracted renewed interest from investors” and is “experiencing gentrification.”

​Palmetto Park encompasses 407 acres, is home to 1,492 residents, and sits within the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). The area “stands on the brink of a transformative era,” states the plan, a strategic framework for growth.

​“The current Palmetto Park Neighborhood Plan is older than I am,” Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. told Power Broker Magazine. “It is outdated and does not reflect the true character or needs of today’s Palmetto Park.

​“This new community-driven plan – crafted by residents and stakeholders over a series of workshops, conversations, and surveys – will help guide future development in Palmetto Park, and also at the neighboring Gas Plant.”

A graphic highlighting Palmetto Park (black outline), the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area (green outline), the Historic Gas Plant District (blue stripes), and the 22nd Street South Business District (purple stripes). 

​The area now known as Palmetto Park was once subjected to redlining, which prevented prospective homebuyers from obtaining mortgages in predominantly Black neighborhoods during segregation. However, 22nd Street South was a thriving commercial corridor during the city’s Jim Crow era.

​Post-segregation urban renewal efforts, combined with the construction of I-275, “greatly impacted” neighborhood culture and resources, notes the plan. Mayor Ken Welch’s administration launched the Neighborhood Planning Program in 2022 to help CRA communities reduce blight, improve infrastructure, preserve heritage, and balance growth with long-term stability.

​Neighborhood relations manager Kayleigh Sagonowsky said the program includes three pots of much-needed funding. The city hired Orlando-based Inspire Placemaking Collective, Inc. to facilitate neighborhood engagement, which began in December 2023, and to write the plan.

​Palmetto Park, bordered by 34th Street to the west and 22nd Street to the east, sits between the Grand Central and Warehouse Arts Districts. “So, this site is really primed for opportunity,” Sagonowsky said.

​Inspire Placemaking collaborated with community members and city staff to evaluate Palmetto Park’s streets, homes, and destinations across five key attributes: Connectivity, inclusivity, well-being, resiliency, and empowerment.

​Approximately 88% of neighborhood residents rely on private vehicles, with just 6% utilizing public transportation or bicycles. Sagonowsky said one of the plan’s “biggest takeaways” was that the community wants “more complete streets improvements” to help increase the number of pedestrians and bicyclists.

​Potential projects include repairing or installing sidewalks and bike lanes, adding signalized crosswalks, and intersection improvements, which could include new signage, lighting, and shade trees. Residents would like to see additional benches, pavilions, outdoor fitness stations, picnic areas, dog amenities, and increased connectivity along the Pinellas Trail.

The plan highlights “large homes built to maximize use of the lot (left) that are not consistent in scale to adjacent homes.”

The plan’s implementation ideas also include wayfinding signage, enhanced recreational amenities, and new mixed-use developments to infill vacant or underutilized lots. Sagonowsky said increasing food access “could be through something smaller, like identifying a site for a pop-up farmer’s market on the weekend, or something larger, like increasing grocery options throughout the neighborhood.”

​Stakeholders want the city to address illegal dumping and believe that additional pedestrian lighting and properly maintained landscaping will increase safety. “When people know that a neighborhood is well taken care of, they’re less likely to commit crimes in the area,” Sagonowsky said.

​Projects within the approved plan are now eligible for city and CRA funding. Councilmember Gina Driscoll called Palmetto Park an “active neighborhood that really knows how to use their voice to get things done.”

​Sagonowsky said residents have already provided a list of implementation priorities, and city officials are now ensuring that “all those things are feasible.” 

Driscoll noted that the CRA is “huge,” and people often fail to see progress due to “spread out” projects. “If we can concentrate the funding on some of these items, I think that we could really show the strength of the South St. Pete CRA, and what it does for its residents,” she said.

A community garden in Palmetto Park. 

Share Your News with Us

To share news with the Power Broker, connect with reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokermagazine.com; and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube.

Tampa Bay’s #1 Hospital is Hiring for Rolls Across Our Entire System!

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Staff Editor
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0

Tampa General Hospital—recognized among Forbes’ America’s Best Large Employers—is currently hiring for a wide range of roles across its expanding academic health system. Opportunities are available in clinical care, administration, research, operations, and support services at multiple hospitals, physician practices, and outpatient locations throughout the region. As one of Florida’s leading healthcare systems, TGH offers competitive benefits, career growth, and the chance to make a meaningful impact in the Tampa Bay community.

Click Here to apply and for more information!

Auto Draft

By
Staff Editor
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0

Moffitt Speros Outpatient Center and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Proton Center is a 120,000-square-foot facility within the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Speros campus, offering comprehensive outpatient services with cutting-edge technology to support cancer patients and advance innovative cancer care and research. The Moffitt at Speros location, which opened in January 2026, provides comprehensive cancer care services, including screenings, diagnostic imaging, clinical lab services and medical oncology clinics.

Positions open include:

  • -RNs
  • -Certified Medical Assistants
  • -Radiation Therapists
  • -Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
  • -Radiologic Technologists (CT, MRI, Mammography, Ultrasound)
  • -Patient Scheduling Coordinators
  • Environmental Services Technicians
  • -Facilities and Security
  • -And more!

Click Here for more information and to apply!

Summer Sould Music Festival

By
Staff Editor
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0

It’s the The 5th Annual Summer Soul Music Festival & Labor Wayne Weekend

This Year We are Celebrating 50-Years of Go-Go

Featuring Live

Rare Essence

Junkyard

Backyard

Northeast Groovers

Hosted by SiriusVybe aka Derrick and Scooby DaGodSon plus Billy Da Kid

Music by DJ Frisco & DJ Rico

The Event is Rain or Shine. No Outside Alcohol permitted. No Outside Tents Allowed. No outside Cameras permitted. No Selfie Sticks or devices to hold phones or camera’s still to record.

Tents include 5 tickets when you purchase them. The drop down menu will require to select 5 when you purchase the tent. This ensures that you receive 5 tickets with your order. Premium tents are $800 and include on free VIP parking space and Standard tents are $650.  

Click Here for more information!

Pinellas County Annual Reverse Tradeshow

By
Staff Editor
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0

Join Us! at the Pinellas County Annual Reverse Tradeshow, where small businesses converge with buyers and contract administrators to gain valuable insights on doing business with government agencies.

This event provides a unique opportunity for businesses to engage directly with procurement professionals, learn about the procurement process, and understand the intricacies of securing government contracts. Don’t miss this chance to navigate the procurement landscape, forge essential connections, and position your business for success in government contracting at this highly anticipated annual event in Pinellas County.

Click Here for more information and to register!

Career Exploration Summer Camp

By
Staff Editor
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0

Transform your middle schooler’s summer with an immersive week of entrepreneurial discovery at SailFuture’s Career Exploration Summer Camp this July! Students will build their own business from concept to creation while enjoying screen-printing workshops, product design, financial literacy lessons, and exciting boating adventures.

Click Here for more information!

Tampa taps affordable housing developer for north downtown project

By
Mark Parker
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0

Developers have long eyed the former Army-Navy Surplus Market site in downtown Tampa. The city plans for it to now house a mixed-used development with over 1,100 residential units. All images: City of Tampa.

Underutilized land on the northern fringes of downtown Tampa is slated for a drastic transformation, featuring hundreds of affordable housing units, commercial space, and significantly improved connectivity.

​The city announced on Monday that it selected PMG Affordable, a subsidiary of Miami-based Property Markets Group, to redevelop four parcels between North Tampa Street and East Ashley Drive. Plans include 1,150 apartments, a 30% increase over the minimum threshold of 800 in a request for proposals.

​PMG will dedicate 70% of that total – 805 units – to affordable and workforce housing. Stakeholders, including the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), celebrated a win for those who struggle to afford the cost of living downtown.

​”This is a milestone for downtown Tampa and our affordable housing goals,” said CRA Chairman Luis Viera in a prepared statement. “As the first affordable housing development in Tampa’s Central Business District, we are opening countless opportunities for the individuals and families that need it most.

​“We want to ensure everyone has a chance to live in our flourishing downtown and enjoy a lifestyle that keeps them close to jobs and the places they enjoy most.”

A project rendering highlighting street-level retail space. 

​Long-eyed for redevelopment, the site just south of I-275 is less than a mile away from Tampa Riverwalk, Glazer Children’s Museum, Curtis Hixon Park, and several other downtown amenities. The CRA purchased the land, which includes the sought-after, shuttered Army Navy Surplus Market property, for $4.5 million in 2020.

​The assemblage also includes the adjacent Royal Street Regional Parking Lot. Project details, including income limits and the amount of commercial space, remain scarce.

​“We are still early in the development process, but it is incredibly exciting to move this vision for north downtown Tampa forward,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “We can’t overstate the importance of workforce housing in our community.”

​Workforce housing typically serves households earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI), which is approximately $100,000 for two people in Tampa. Developers typically cap affordable units at 80% of the AMI, or roughly $67,000 for two people.

​Castor’s administration began soliciting redevelopment feedback on the site in 2022. Officials issued and subsequently cancelled an RFP last year before selecting PMG in the latest procurement round.

​The announcement notes that the properties are directly adjacent to I-275’s Ashley Drive on-ramp, which, with the city council’s project approval, “would be redesigned to drastically improve connectivity and pedestrian safety between the new development and surrounding neighborhoods.”

​“Not only will existing neighborhoods benefit from the improved connectivity, but this project will create hundreds of affordable, downtown homes for teachers, first responders, technicians, service employees, and others who make our city great,” Castor said.

​The development team includes the Tampa Housing Authority, Bank of America Community Development Company, and minority-owned DuCon.

​PMG is a national real estate development firm that is leading the Waldorf Astoria Residences St. Petersburg project across the bay. Its affordable housing subsidiary is also overseeing the redevelopment of Tampa’s Robles Park Village, which encompasses 30 acres and will feature 1,200 affordable units, 600 market-rate apartments, and a 30,000-square-foot community center.

​”PMG Affordable is honored to have been selected alongside our partners by the City of Tampa to revitalize the historic Army-Navy site,” said principal Dan Coakley. “Our goal is to deliver a transformative mixed-income, mixed-use community that enhances quality of life through affordable and attainably priced housing, activated retail, and public open spaces. 

“As planning progresses, we are committed to collaborating closely with residents and local stakeholders to ensure the project reflects the needs and priorities of north downtown.”

The development will provide over 800 affordable and workforce housing units in downtown Tampa. 

​Share Your News with Us

To share news with the Power Broker, connect with reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokermagazine.com; and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube.

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