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St. Petersburg City Council voted unanimously Thursday to support selling city land to allow a private group to revitalize and reopen the long-shuttered St. Petersburg Science Center, which the city currently owns.
St. Pete for STEAM, the group working to reactivate the Center, had already entered into an agreement with the city to pay $1.6 million for the Science Center site.
The vote came after passionate comments from Council members who took issue with Mayor Ken Welch’s administration’s assertion that a land sale is not feasible due to possible future waste water resource needs.
At issue is a feasibility study the city commissioned in which the Science Center was identified as the most feasible site for a new water reclamation facility — which is not currently planned or funded. Welch said last month he is no longer considering selling the property based on feasibility report results.
City Council members agreed the city should be proactive in identifying feasible space for future waste and storm water capacity, but they disagreed that it had to be at the Science Center site.
“The most prudent thing to do is to not build this and save that land for future tanks,” City Council member Mike Harting said. But, he added, “prudent is not necessarily a consideration.”
He said the city can find a way to set land aside for future water resources use, while still moving forward with the Science Center project, which is being undertaken entirely by private interests, with both public and private dollars that have largely already been raised.
And that’s what the motion Council members unanimously approved said. City Council member Gina Driscoll, who called for Thursday’s discussion, moved to have the city move forward with its agreement to sell land for the Science Center’s use, while also continuing to identify a location for future water resources needs.
Council members were clear the project is important to the community.
“We need a win and, selfishly, I’d love for that win to be on the West side of St. Petersburg,” said Council member Copley Gerdes, who represents District 1 on the West side. “I do think, if there’s a way to get an ‘and’ rather than an ‘or,’ I’d certainly love to get there.”
Even Deborah Figgs-Sanders, one of Welch’s top allies, said the city should “figure out how we can do both.”
And Richie Floyd, a self-described Democratic socialist who is often skeptical of economic development projects, reminded that the city has an obligation to provide certainty to those looking to do business with the city.
“We let them get a long way down the road before we pulled the rug,” he lamented of Welch’s change of heart on selling the city-owned Science Center land to the group seeking revitalization.
The feasibility report at issue in Thursday’s discussion examined nine sites within the Northwest St. Pete geographic area to build new water storage tanks, including the Science Center.
The Science Center and an existing brush site were ranked the most feasible locations for a future water project.
Both sites ranked similarly, with the brush site ranking better for ease of construction.
The difference came down to demolition costs. Because the brush site amounts to basically cleared land, except for some brush and debris piles that would need to be cleared, the Science Center’s demolition costs would be about four times as expensive.
The city’s feasibility center further looked at land acquisition costs. Because it already owns the Science Center property, no cost would be associated with acquiring that property. However, if the brush site were to be used, the city would have to acquire new land to establish a new brush site. It estimated that cost at $2.9 million, far more than the $1.6 million the St. Pete STEAM has agreed on to purchase the Science Center site.
But there are potential flaws in determining those costs. The study used a specific address — 2401 72nd St. North — as a comparison for property value. That property includes a well-maintained warehouse that includes 7,000 square feet of office space.
A presentation Florida Politics previously obtained offered an alternative cost at just $1.3 million, factoring a price of $650,000 per acre for land and highest and best use, for two acres to accommodate the brush site.
One of the project’s biggest proponents is former St. Pete City Council member Robert Blackmon. Blackmon ran unsuccessfully against Welch in the 2021 Mayor’s race.
He was on hand Thursday for the conversation.
“Today shows that there is universal public and political support for this project. Hopefully Mayor Welch hears the message and reverses course without delay. Our citizens demand it, and our children deserve it,” he told Florida Politics.
The project also has broad community support. Letters of support have been received from various professors at the University of South Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays, Orlando Health, state Rep. Michele Rayner, Pinellas County School Board member Caprice Edmond, and more.
And local officials have worked diligently to draw down public dollars in support of the project, including former U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, state Sen. Darryl Rouson and state Reps. Linda Chaney and Berny Jacques.
Joe Hamilton, a community advocate who is the publisher of the St. Pete Catalyst, which shares content with Florida Politics, said the outcome of Thursday’s City Council vote is promising.
“8-0 is a strong show of support from the City Council, and I appreciate their thoughtful consideration. I am thankful to the public, and our incredible partners at the St. Petersburg Group, Pathfinder Outdoor Education, Water Warrior Alliance and the neighborhood heads of West St. Pete,” wrote, adding thanks to Crist, Rouson, Chaney and Jacques.
“I look forward to working with City Administration toward an expedited closing on the property, and expect to break ground as soon at the sale is complete,” he added.
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