“It feels more old school than the pier — more industrialized. Bring it more back to life,” said one local resident.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Just a few blocks south of the bustling St. Pete Pier lies Port St. Pete — a quieter, more industrial part of downtown that many residents feel has been left behind. Now, community voices are growing louder, calling for the city to give the area more attention.

Kullee Dimis, a lifelong Florida resident, remembers when St. Pete looked very different.

“Back in 2008, St. Pete was kind of rugged. It was older, not much money put into it,” Dimis said. “But now it’s beautiful. The St. Pete Pier is great.”

Still, he points out the stark contrast just a short drive away at Port St. Pete.

“It feels more old school than the pier — more industrialized. Bring it more back to life,” he said.

Many locals share that sentiment. They want to see the area made cleaner, safer and more family-friendly.

Jennifer Ziemak, a mother who frequents the pier with her daughter, said she would love to see similar investments at the port.

“If they could do more family-friendly things, just like this pier, and continue the development down there — include restaurants and activities for families — I think it would be wonderful,” she said.

One amenity she especially wants back? The ferry service.

“I would love to see where they could redevelop and have the ferry come back. I think it was vital to the area and missed by the public,” she said.

City leaders say they’re listening. St. Pete City Council member Corey Givens Jr. said he believes the time is now to reimagine the port.

“It’s an opportunity for us to do more shipping from this access point. The port master plan hasn’t really been updated in 25 years. I think the sky’s the limit when it comes to opportunities and possibilities,” he said.

Givens noted the port has significant untapped potential, highlighting its large footprint with a 1,200-foot wharf and about 400 acres adjacent to waterfront property. 

But while some push for progress, others — like Dimis — hope it’s done with balance.

“Don’t block everything with a bunch of high rises. We have the bay here — it’s beautiful,” he said

As conversations continue, the future of Port St. Pete may soon reflect the energy and growth seen across the rest of downtown, but only if it reflects the voices of the people who live there.