St. Pete leaders make last push for changes to Gas Plant and Rays stadium redevelopment
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Rendering: Courtesy of Hines/Tampa Bay Rays
New details in the Historic Gas Plant redevelopment plan emerged on Tuesday as it heads for likely approval from the St. Petersburg City Council.
Why it matters: The meeting was the council members' last chance to voice concerns and hash out issues with the Tampa Bay Rays and their developer before voting on the plan on Thursday.
Catch up quick: The agreement was tentatively approved last month, gaining five necessary yeses in a preliminary vote. Council members Richie Floyd, John Muhammad and Lisset Hanewicz voted no.
Friction points: Floyd reiterated his disappointment in the deal's sacrifice of affordable housing commitments. "It's wholly unacceptable and I'll continue to push for that even after [the plan] goes into effect," he told Axios after the meeting.
- His request to remove language that would give elected officials free game tickets was seemingly ignored on Tuesday. Floyd called the policy a conflict of interest.
- "We're going to vote right now to basically give ourselves free suite tickets to MLB games and that just doesn't feel right to me," he said afterward.
Zoom in: Hanewicz hammered on legal language she said puts the city at risk if Rays owner Stu Sternberg sells the team.
- As the agreement stands, the city has no way to vet new parties including a new developer.
What she's saying: "You have to be able to hold people's feet to the fire when all is said and done," Hanewicz told Axios post-meeting. "The question is whether or not there's enough there to hold whoever's feet to the fire later on."
New drafts of the plan include more community amenities as well as specifics on green energy, resiliency and sustainability initiatives.
- A child care facility built to a minimum of 2,500 gross square feet is expected by 2033.
- A grocery store of at least 10,000 gross square feet will be built by 2045.
The new stadium will be designed to withstand a Category 4 hurricane, representatives for developer Hines said.
Hines must now make "good faith efforts" to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified with the United States Green Building Council.
- The stadium is planned to generate the most solar energy of all MLB ballparks, said Mohit Mehta, the design team's head of sustainability.
- It will also include a 1.2 million-gallon cistern for stormwater to use in cooling towers and landscaping, Mehta said.
- A minimum 20% of the parking garage spots will be dedicated to electric vehicles and 2% will have Level 2 chargers, according to the agreement.
What we're watching: The developers are required to track their carbon and footprints for construction and operations and make reports to the American Institute of Architects, which Mehta said could be shared with the city.
Plus: A report from the city is expected this fall on radar scans of Oaklawn Cemetery, a Black cemetery paved over for Tropicana Field and its surrounding parking lots.
What's ahead: Residents can speak during public comments before Thursday's City Council vote. The county's vote on the agreement is tentatively scheduled for July 30.