Historic Gas Plant District would require fresh food grocer, day care

New documents released ahead of critical St. Petersburg City Council votes on a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays and surrounding redevelopment plan show some changes requested by its members.

The council meets July 18 to vote on a cache of documents that, if approved, would keep the Rays in St. Petersburg and reimagine the stadium’s 86 acres. A new ballpark, now projected to cost nearly $1.4 billion, would be the focal point of the Historic Gas Plant District. The redevelopment project would surround the stadium with housing and hotels, a new African-American history museum, shops, restaurants and office space.

The documents include 12 agreements related to the Rays stadium and the Historic Gas Plant District. The council will also be asked to approve a series of bond sales — totaling $291.5 million for the stadium and $140 million for roads, sewers and other infrastructure. They would cover the city’s up-front contributions.

Additionally, the council will conduct second readings on proposed zoning changes and overall development plans.

The newest versions of those agreements would require the Rays and partner Hines to build a 10,000-square-foot grocery store as a minimum requirement for the Historic Gas Plant District’s development. Council member Brandi Gabbard said in a May meeting that she was concerned that a previous version of the agreement, which included a grocer as a target development goal, would leave open the possibility of the community lacking access to fresh food. Under the latest agreements, the new grocery store wouldn’t have to be built until 2045.

The drafts also now require the development team to build a day care, child care, preschool or similar facility of at least 2,500 square feet by 2035. Gabbard and council member Lisset Hanewicz asked for more clarity on that.

The City Council now has more control over changes made after the ink is dry on agreements. Developers and the city can’t make changes to a plan for 600 on-site affordable housing units without City Council approval.

Those requirements are part of the minimum development required by contracts. The Rays and their development partner Hines have a target development plan that is reflected in renderings that have been shared by the team and city officials.

A workshop to go over changes to the agreements is scheduled for July 16, two days before the vote. City spokesperson Alizza Punzalan Randle said those workshop materials will be made public Monday.

The City Council voted 5-3 in a first round of votes on the stadium and redevelopment plan June 13. The deal is still subject to approval from the Pinellas County Commission, which would contribute $312.5 million toward the new stadium, paid for with tourist tax dollars from hotel and short-term rental stays.