St. Petersburg’s rapidly evolving Skyway Marina District is on track for another major redevelopment.
City Council members unanimously approved a critical land use change Oct. 16 that allows the Kolter Group to reimagine the former St. Petersburg College (SPC) Allstate Campus. The Delray Beach-based developer can now close on the 17.25-acre property at 3200 34th St. S.
Kolter has been under contract to purchase the prime redevelopment site since December 2024, but needed a comprehensive plan amendment to begin a mixed-use project. Council members approved the change from Institutional to Planned Redevelopment – Commercial, without discussion.
An SPC student spoke in support of the new designation. Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. said she “stole all of my comments,” and he could “only repeat what you said.”
“It’s all about the future of economic development, and I think that’s what this does,” Givens continued. “It opens the door for future jobs; future economic development that will help small business owners. And I think that’s what this site was created to do.”
Kolter, which has yet to disclose plans for the site, can now build up 776 housing units. City documents state that the firm will create a mixed-use development consistent with current retail center zoning and the district’s activity center overlay.
“What we’re proposing is exactly in line with the rest of the Marina District in that area,” said attorney Kevin Reali, who is representing Kolter.
SPC officials hired Dallas-based CBRE, a global real estate services and investment firm, to facilitate the land sale in February 2024. Senior vice president Lee Ann Korts told the Catalyst that the college hoped to “monetize underutilized assets to fund mission-critical educational priorities.”
The property received a $19.7 million valuation earlier this year. Pinellas County property records do not reflect the pending sale.
Former Councilmember John Muhammad, who represented the area before Givens, previously noted that the two parcels presented a rare opportunity to significantly impact the community. He hoped the redevelopment would feature “much-needed” affordable housing, and that the buyer would prioritize “people over profits.”
Muhammad said collaboration between SPC, developers and surrounding stakeholders would “ensure the project truly enhances educational opportunities, promotes economic growth and contributes positively to our vibrant community.”
Misty Bottorf, executive director of the Skyway Marina District, said the area needs more commercial offerings. “Now is the time to bring the community the retail, restaurants and entertainment it desires,” she added.
“We hope the developer will become a partner with the Skyway Marina District and further the vision of the area.”
The property sits directly across the street from the Sky Town Apartments project. Local leaders celebrated construction commencing on the multi-phased $800 million mixed-use and mixed-income redevelopment Oct. 15.
Volante Senior Living of St. Petersburg and the Sur Club apartment complex border the former Allstate Campus to its south and north, respectively. City documents state that the new land use designation would allow a “full range of commercial and mixed-uses, including retail, office, service and high-density residential.”
The site’s current Retail Center zoning protects the “suburban character of the surrounding neighborhoods while improving the appearance of retailers, restaurants and other uses, accommodating both vehicles and pedestrians, improving connections between the individual developments and minimizing automobile dependency.”
SPC also listed its former Health Education Center in Pinellas Park for sale in early 2024. CBRE marketed both properties.
The city agreed to buy SPC’s former Gibbs Wellness Center site for $4.2 million in November 2023. Officials received four mixed-income housing proposals in May but have yet to select a developer.
Kolter has completed several projects throughout Tampa Bay. The firm’s Art House condo tower in downtown St. Petersburg will open this year.