ULI Tampa Bay recently completed a Technical Assistance Panel to address a critical neighborhood need for the transformational South St. Petersburg community.

The panel was sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg and the property owner, Brixmor Property Group to explore current and future opportunities for Skyway Plaza, an underutilized neighborhood retail center located in the southernmost portion of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida.

A group of ULI experts was assembled with expertise in development, market analysis, neighborhood planning and design for an intensive two-day workshop to address reuse and redevelopment opportunities for the 10-acre site and surrounding community. Panelists included:

• Stuart Rogel, ProspEquity Partners (TAP Chair)
• Leonard Burke, Tampa Housing Authority
• Dawn Gunter, Gensler
• Geri Lopez, Manatee County
• Lyle Fogarty, Clover Investment Properties
• Phillip Smith, Framework Group
• Laura Smith, GAI Consultants
• Terry McLaughlin, Baycare Health System

Questions the sponsors asked the TAP panel included:

• What is the highest and best use for the property? What does the market dictate? Is retail viable and if so, what kinds?
• What are the future redevelopment opportunities for the site, particularly in relation to the surrounding neighborhoods?
• What steps need to be taken to successfully revitalize the site?

The panel identified three thematic use categories for Skyway Plaza that can spur future development, evolve over time and promote gradual growth at a pace the market can support.

• Food
• Health
• Innovation

To bring these themes to reality, the panel provided development scenarios for short term, temporary uses to create immediate place making, mid term reuses for stage setting and long term redevelopment to fully realize the vision for the center and surrounding community.

The panel also prepared tangible next steps to assist the property owner, city and community to successfully revitalize and redevelop the site. These recommendations included renaming, branding and marketing the property as well as infrastructure investments, design guidelines and a detailed action plan.

The final recommendations were presented to the community at a public presentation on May 5^th. A detailed written report and action plan was delivered to the city and property owner on July 18, 2017.