Who Should Create the Vision for the Gas Plant

One of the biggest questions facing St. Petersburg isn’t simply who should redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District.

It’s who should create the vision.

Should the City decide where parks belong, how neighborhoods connect, whether I-175 should be evaluated, and how this extraordinary public asset should shape St. Petersburg over the next 50 to 100 years?

Or should those decisions largely emerge from a developer’s proposal?

After studying successful redevelopment projects across the country, I’ve become convinced that great cities begin with their vision.

They create a comprehensive master plan before selecting the developers who will help bring that vision to life.

My latest article begins a new series exploring Vision, Control, and Value—three principles I believe should guide one of the most important public policy decisions in St. Petersburg’s history.

The first article examines why the future of Interstate 175 deserves to be part of that broader planning conversation—not because it must be removed, but because great cities ask these kinds of questions before making irreversible decisions.

👉 Read the full article on HomeRunsMatter.