Thrive
Blue tech boom: Resilience center appears headed for ballots
“I think knowing that you have corporations that are willing to invest in St. Pete and provide those jobs and opportunities – that’s amazing.”
Voters will likely decide the future of St. Petersburg’s marine-based economy as much-anticipated plans to expand on the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub’s success have cleared an initial hurdle.
Four city council members expressed support for building a 50,000-square-foot sister facility, dubbed the Center for Coastal Resilience, at a committee meeting Thursday. What was previously known as Hub 2.0 would replace Port St. Petersburg’s surface parking lot.
The building would provide critical waterfront space for resiliency, research and technology-focused government agencies, academic institutions and startups in St. Petersburg’s Innovation District. However, the project requires a ballot referendum and faces a tight timeline.
“Most people know what the Research Triangle is in North Carolina,” said Councilmember Gina Driscoll. “I want people to know what this is, the way that people know what the Research Triangle is, because we’ve got it. It’s just the marine science version.”
An aerial view of partner agencies within the Innovation District.
The Innovation District is already home to 1,900 marine science employees and annually contributes $540 million to the local economy. USF’s College of Marine Science anchors an industry cluster with over 30 private companies, research organizations, academic entities, and state and federal government agencies.
Dean Thomas Frazer said the .88-square-mile area has “arguably one of the most densely concentrated constellations of marine-oriented programs in the nation.” He also noted that waterfront space “is a premium, and we could use more.”
Driscoll said the city-owned Hub was an “instant success” after it opened in January 2022. The 32,000-square-foot, at-capacity facility houses 20 tenants and supports 87 full-time and 132 secondary jobs.
The Innovation District and six partners secured a $14 million Ocean Enterprise Accelerator grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in December 2024. “That is partially because we have the Hub,” said CEO Alison Barlow.
In addition to attracting new businesses and organizations, the Center for Coastal Resilience would provide room for current tenants, including Saildrone and the state-sponsored Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation, to expand operations. The Innovation District operates the Hub and would oversee its sister facility.
Renting rooftop space for events could generate additional revenue.
Driscoll explained that the city’s charter only allows the mayoral administration to grant five-year leases on waterfront properties. She said that “holds us back a little bit” from capitalizing on an opportunity to “expand on something that’s working.”
“We want people to have that confidence to know that they can make a long-term investment and get that long-term return,” Driscoll said of building a new facility. “In order to allow for longer leases, we would have to do a referendum.”
Time is of the essence. Assistant City Attorney Brett Pettigrew said officials have until the end of April to draft an ordinance that would allow for a longer lease.
The ordinance would then go to the city council for approval in July, following a public notification period. Administrators must then submit ballot language to the election office by early August.
“In short, there’s about three months for the committee to decide on a course of action and to prepare an ordinance,” Pettigrew said.
The St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, a founding member of the Innovation District, has already commissioned a feasibility study, a requirement for receiving $18 million in federal construction funding. A representative from HR&A Advisors said that “overwhelmingly, what we saw was continued growth forecasted in the ocean and marine economy sector.”
The two organizations are also requesting between $8 million and $10 million from the Florida Ports Council and $2 million from Pinellas County’s Employment Sites program. Jason Mathis, CEO of the downtown partnership, is “confident that there will be some additional private sector financing available.”
Renderings of interior spaces designed to foster collaboration.
While the group is not seeking funding from the City, Mathis said they are “looking for a very inexpensive lease on the city-owned land for a period of at least 50 years.”
He explained that it is “very difficult” to raise private capital for “something that only has a five-year shelf life.” A 50-year term would “ensure the economic viability of this project,” Mathis said.
Councilmember Copley Gerdes compared the deal to a referendum regarding the Dali Museum’s expansion, which voters resoundingly approved in 2022. That lease was for 99 years.
“This area is meant for economic development, and this is just bolstering it,” Gerdes added. “So, I’m certainly supportive.”
Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders also offered her support but asked if the administration had any concerns. “We understand that this type of deal requires a longer-term lease,” replied James Corbett, city development administrator.
If voters approve the lease and the project is financially sound, “generally, yes, we would be supportive,” Corbett concluded.
Pettigrew will begin drafting an ordinance that would allow residents to determine the Center for Coastal Resilience’s fate. The Economic and Workforce Development Committee will review it before a city council vote.
“Our blue economy is important,” said Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. “And I think knowing that you have corporations that are willing to invest in St. Pete and provide those jobs and opportunities – that’s amazing.”
Waterfront space is critical for testing new marine-based technologies. Photo by Mark Parker.
