The City of St. Pete is once again seeking a contractor to repair and redevelop the aging St. Petersburg Municipal Marina along the downtown waterfront.
Through a new Request for Qualifications (RFQ), the city is soliciting experienced design-build firms to oversee a modernization of the 640-slip facility.
The RFQ comes just months after the city terminated negotiations with Safe Harbor Marinas, which had been selected in late 2023 to lead the project.
The new plan represents a major shift in approach with the city will now retaining full ownership and control of the marina, rather than leasing the marina to a private operator.
Another major difference from the previous plan is the total project cost, which has risen to an estimated $148 million—nearly triple the $48 million cost previously estimated by Safe Harbor Marinas.
According to the RFQ, the selected group will manage the design and construction of a 100% floating dock system, as well as a new ship store, new bathhouses, administrative offices, dock houses, maintenance facilities, fueling facilities, seawalls, utilities, and a bridge connecting Demens Landing.