Greater Pinellas Point Civic assocation

NEWS FROM AROUND THE POINT AND THE CITY

  • 04/29/2021 3:42 PM | Anonymous

    The GPPCA Board of Directors are up for elections/reelections. Voting will take place at the Tuesday, May 25, 2021, General Meeting via Zoom. View the slate of candidates by term limits in these documents.  

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  • 03/25/2021 4:52 PM | Anonymous

    From the City of Saint Petersburg, Florida as of March 22, 2021

    From the diverse mix of experienced local and national developers who responded, the City has created a shortlist of prospective partners who have been invited to submit further details and participate in a robust public engagement phase of application, with final selection of a partner to be made later this year.

    The four respondents on the shortlist are:
    •     JMA Ventures/Sugar Hill Community Partners
    •     Midtown Development
    •     Portman-Third Lake
    •     Unicorp National Development
    There are three ways for residents to provide input regarding the proposals leading up to the final development partner being selected:
    1. Attend a public meeting. Registration is encouraged but not required. Social distancing guidelines will be in place and masks will be required for in-person meetings.
      – Meeting #1: Mon., April 5 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. (Virtual) | Register
      – Meeting #2: Wed., April 7 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. N. (In-Person) | Register
      – Meeting #3: Thurs., April 8 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. N. (In-Person) | Register
    2. Visit a showroom. Starting April 12, there will be immersive showrooms located throughout the city that are equipped with executive summaries of the proposals, renderings, and the ability to leave your input.
      – North Library: 861 70th Ave. N.
      – Mirror Lake Library: 280 5th St. N.
      – JW Cate Rec Center: 5801 22nd Ave. N.
      – Enoch Davis Rec Center: 1111 18th Ave. S.
    3. Submit a comment online. The below form is available for those who would like to submit their thoughts to the Economic Development team.

    Community feedback will be collected until the final ribbon is cut on the Tropicana Field redevelopment. Input collected during this shortlist period will be provided to Mayor Rick Kriseman to inform a final development partner selection later this year.

    Read the full press release HERE.

    For public meeting dates and project updates, visit stpete.org/trop.


  • 03/16/2021 4:55 PM | Anonymous

    The Tampa Bay Rowdies season tickets for the 2021 season, presented by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, are on sale beginning Monday, March 15 at 9:00 a.m. Join the Rowdies family to watch your Eastern Conference Champions defend their title!

    The team is anxious to return to the championship and take home another trophy. They need you, the fans, to bring energy and excitement back to Al Lang Stadium! While specific dates and times are not yet finalized, the Rowdies will be facing many old rivals as well as hungry, new opponents! 

    All 2021 season tickets are located in pods of two or four in order to maintain social distancing. The full, regular-season schedule will be announced by the USL in the coming weeks. Due to limited capacity, we encourage you to purchase season tickets to guarantee your desired seating section and attendance to all the matches.

    Season ticket deposits can be placed online for $100. A Rowdies representative will contact you within 48 hours of placing your deposit. Please keep in mind that deposits are nonrefundable.

    We continue to work with local public health officials to provide our fans with a safe experience at Al Lang Stadium. A health and safety protocol, which includes additional  information regarding socially-distant seating, mandatory face mask requirements and enhanced cleaning procedures taken by staff, will be announced prior to the start of the season.

    For more information on 2021 season tickets, visit rowdiessoccer.com/seasontickets or contact a season ticket representative at 727.222.2000 or tickets@rowdiessoccer.com. Tickets subject to availability. Transaction fees may apply.

    COYR!


  • 01/03/2021 1:21 PM | Anonymous

    As major roadway  infrastructure projects unfold in the Tampa Bay Area, motorists can expect detours, lane shifting and closures and increased travel times in more heavily traveled corridors through 2026. Stay informed about these two major projects via the links below. 

    But First, a Trivia Break: The original Howard Frankland Bridge (current day northbound span) was opened to traffic in April 1960, consisting of two northbound and two southbound lanes. Accidents were common on the bridge due primarily to the insufficient cement barrier separating northbound and southbound traffic. The design flaw was even noted in a 1960s ‘60 Minutes’ segment. In 1992, a new southbound span was opened to traffic; the older span was closed and rehabilitated, reopening in 1992. 

    Visit these two official FDOT resources for more details about what the future holds to improve traffic flow within Pinellas County and the 1-275/Howard Frankland Bridge corridor. 

    GATEWAY EXPRESS PROJECT

    https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/235/433880-1-52-01

    HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE PROJECT

    http://www.tampabaynext.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Howard-Frankland-Bridge-TBN-presentation-2018-09-17_without-Animations.pdf

  • 01/01/2021 6:24 PM | Anonymous

    Green thumb? Want to sell produce? Check out this innovation from the City of Saint Petersburg City Council. Ord448-H LDR 2020-05 Memo January 21.pdf

  • 01/01/2021 5:44 PM | Anonymous

    Report internet fraud to the Florida Attorney General at: Florida Attorney General - Internet Fraud (myfloridalegal.com)


  • 01/01/2021 11:49 AM | Anonymous

    December 30, 2020: A pet food manufacturer in Missouri has recalled certain lots of pet food. For specific details, go here: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-alert-certain-lots-sportmix-pet-food-recalled-potentially-fatal-levels-aflatoxin 

  • 12/14/2020 2:56 PM | Anonymous

    Saint Petersburg has opted to extend an additional HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION to seniors 65 or better. Read all about it here: 

    https://www.pcpao.org/Exemptions.html#longterm

  • 12/06/2020 6:19 PM | Anonymous


    Skyway Plaza: GPPCA, along with the collaborative neighborhood associations called Communities of Pinellas Point (COPP), have historically been highly engaged with then property owner Brixmor Property Group and the Florida Housing Coalition (FHC) [www.flhousing.org] as plans for redevelopment and repurposing of the plaza were set into motion. This engagement included two food truck rallies on the property, City Hall support, and executive on-site tours, all with the intent of attracting investor interest in the beleaguered yet prime real estate. 

    In July 2017, the City of St. Petersburg in cooperation with Brixmor, shared the cost of enlisting Urban Land Institute (ULI) to conduct an extensive study of the plaza and the area. ULI was tasked to present redevelopment and rebranding ideas for the essentially empty plaza and the Greater Pinellas Point area overall. At that time, the Sweetbay market had been closed some four years (February 2013), yet Brixmor continued to collect on the lease into 2020. 

    The ULI report can be found here: https://tampabay.uli.org/uli-resources/uli-recommendations-for-st-petersburgs-skyway-plaza/

    In late 2018, GPPCA became aware of the Florida Housing Coalition's opportunity to explore reimagining the Skyway Plaza. Their project was in direct alignment with the 2017 ULI recommendations for 'adaptive reuse' of vacated big box retail spaces.  FHC presented a promising redevelopment concept specifically for the former Sweetbay Supermarket which included repurposing that area with incubator spaces for aspiring entrepreneurs, building a second story to affordably house those entrepreneurs and other income-qualified renters, plus extensive landscaping upgrades.

    FHC's comprehensive concepts were shared at a February 12, 2019, public meeting with GPPCA and neighboring communities (see photo above) held at Lake Vista Center. At that meeting, citizens were given the opportunity to take an up close look at FHC's vision. Using multiple artists renderings, meeting attendees were given sticky-notes to write their impressions and post them to the renderings. FHC used those notes to compile feedback to be considered as the project moved forward. 

    The timeline to launch such a novel project was understood to be at least one year. Funding, however, was contingent upon FHC successfully meeting national ‘Innovation Challenge’ grant requirements as set by Fannie Mae (read more here:  https://capmrkt.fanniemae.com/thechallenge/florida-housing-coalition.html ). 

    The one year timeline would unfortunately collide with the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020. FHC’s ‘adaptive reuse’ initiative is still alive (see their website) and COPP plans to stay in touch with them to understand where they stand with the Fannie Mae challenge grant project. Find FHC's exploratory presentation here: https://flhousingconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Adaptive-Reuse-and-Affordable-Housing-1.pdf

    GPPCA and COPP were briefed in October 2019, that the plaza would gain a public healthcare/office expansion facility sponsored by Advantage Village Academy. The facility was to occupy the former Sweetbay liquor store space and was not expected to conflict with the FHC reimagining project. The AVA project did not manifest. Read their news release here: https://advantagevillageacademy.com/

    COPP learned in mid-May 2020 that Skyway Plaza had been sold to a local private investor and day-to-day management of the property had been assumed by Bruce Strumpf, Inc. What plans the new owners have for the property remain unknown; however, COPP and GPPCA remain committed to staying as informed as possible and sharing that information with the communities represented by the collaborative neighborhood associations. 

    Because the plaza is private property, insight about exactly what contractual decisions are in motion is limited to the negotiating private parties. Therefore, the associations, notwithstanding ongoing engagement, can only share information about the future of the plaza as it is factually revealed. 

    To that end, the association has learned that the Tax Collector/Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) field office will close in the near future. COPP first learned in December 2019, that the DMV services would be assumed by what is today a new consolidated Pinellas Tax Collector and Property Appraiser service center at 2500 34th St N, Saint Petersburg. The most recent tenant and GPPCA business partner is ‘Toriano’s Best Daiquiris, Pizza and Much More‘ that opened in September, 2020, which also includes an event space. 


    Food Truck Festival, July 2019

    Coquina Key Shopping Plaza: According to City Codes, the ACE Hardware contractors have not submitted requests for essential permits to move forward with the buildout. On-site observations indicate the buildout has come to a complete halt.  There have been numerous complaints about unsightly abandoned building materials that became wind-blown, obstructing drive paths. The plaza has been the subject of multiple complaints from residents for lack of upkeep, noise pollution and reckless drivers in the parking lot. 

    GPPCA and the collaborative neighborhood associations called Communities of Pinellas Point (COPP) have had several meetings with police, concerned residents and shopkeepers to seek remediation of the multiple problems that have manifest over the past year or so, most notably the dangerous stunt driving (also called ‘toe tagging’) and racing in the parking lot that inevitably spills onto public roadways.

    Saint Petersburg Police (SPD) has a 'no chase' policy, meaning a fleeing stunt driver will not be pursued at high speed for the sake of public safety. This policy is reasonable, yet offenders seem to be fully aware of it and continue to exploit it, unabated. The toe tagging trouble is further exacerbated by the juvenile justice system that often treats offenders with leniency, leading to a revolving door of repeat offenders who play the system until they are subject to being handled as an adult where the consequences become more severe. SPD has also attempted to proactively monitor social media platforms where planners publicize toe tagging events in an effort to deploy officers before the activity begins. 

    As it is with the Skyway Plaza, the Coquina Key Shopping  Plaza is private property; therefore, insight about exactly what contractual decisions are in motion is limited to the negotiating private parties. The associations, notwithstanding ongoing engagement, can only share information about the future of the plaza as it is factually revealed. COPP is committed to keeping citizens informed and engaged in thoughtful, respectful and productive conversations, free of rumor, speculation and conjuncture. 

    After attempting for over a year to bring remedy to the multiple concerns involving the plaza property by engaging the owner, police and tenants, the COPP on December 4, 2020, had a virtual meeting with Mayor Kriseman, SPD Assistant Chief Mike Kovacsev along with District 1 Commander Major Frank Williams. Also attending were Chief of Staff Kevin King and Neighborhood Affairs Administrator Robert Gerdes.  

    COPP Association Presidents from Bahama Shores (Walter Borden) Bayou Highlands (Norm Scott), GPPCA (Barbara Ellis) and Lakewood Terrace (Ken Conklin) and concerned citizens from Coquina Key were able to present a host of questions about how the City could intervene with decisive and effective nuisance mitigation actions. Managing crowd gatherings and reckless driving on  privately owned property presents a unique set of challenges which tends to limit the scope of the City's authority. The City does have authority to address businesses who violate COVID-19 mitigation ordinances, and will do so at the plaza as violations are observed. The City executive team intends to continue outreach efforts with the property owner to strike a more responsive and amicable alliance, including attempting to learn the owner’s future plans for the entire property. 

    As a result of the collective efforts of COPP, SPD and tenants, the plaza owner has made some physical changes to the lot like cement parking space bump stops and defining more restrictive ‘no parking’ zones. Still, there continued to be racing activity and parking lot gatherings with loud music blaring past midnight, typically on Fridays and Saturdays and more so on Sundays.

    On a brighter note, over the past two weeks, Chief Kovacsec has assigned 12 police officers to patrol the property for observed illegal activity, Friday to Sunday. Chief Kovacsec himself has completed shift assignments at the plaza. The property owner has a blanket no trespassing policy daily, 3am to 7am. Chief Kovacsev reported that this recent police presence tactic has significantly reduced the number of calls for service due to noise and stunt driving. SPD plans to remain visible on the property and will evaluate the impact of their presence into the new year and adjust accordingly. 

    The City executives reiterated to attendees the legal challenges faced by Codes and law enforcement when the concerns occur on private property. They also acknowledged where they could have acted more demonstrably in the past. Going forward, each entity expressed commitment to exploring options that would gain the best outcomes for improved public safety and the business health of the plaza. COPP will remain engaged. 

    Danny E. White, Author

    GPPCA Board of Directors



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