\u201cIt’s really a way to get an awesome market in the center of where all of our locals like to congregate and have them protected from the rain and the sun,\u201d Barkett said.<\/p>\n
ALSO READ: Historic designation eyed for St. Petersburg’s Williams Park Bandshell<\/a><\/p>\n But the surface parking where Trails Crossing would be built during later phases of the project is currently subleased to rock-climbing gym Vertical Ventures.<\/p>\n One of the gym\u2019s owners, Hal Thureson, said his business wouldn\u2019t be affected until future phases are built.<\/p>\n The city renewed Vertical Ventures\u2019 parking lease when it was up last year, giving the business years to plan what it will do if Trails Crossing moves forward.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we lost all of our parking and we weren’t able to figure out a suitable replacement for it, I mean we probably wouldn’t stay in business,\u201d Thureson said.<\/p>\n But as a longtime resident of St. Petersburg, Thureson rides his bike along the Pinellas Trail daily, which is near the projected ground-breaking for phase one between First and Third Avenue South. That section would take about three years to complete and cost around $15 million.<\/p>\n Thureson admits his feelings on the project might be different if his business wasn\u2019t a factor.<\/p>\n \u201cI would probably say, \u2018Hey, that looks great, seems cool to me,\u2019\u201d Thureson said. \u201cI balance that with, well, it could have a negative impact on our business, but who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n \n 1 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n \n 2 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n \n 3 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n \n 4 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n \n 5 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n \n 6 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n \n 7 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n \n 8 of 8 The stretch will fall between Fifth Avenue South and Burlington Avenue North, which is a popular area for St. Pete residents.<\/p>\n Courtesy of John Barkett \/ Friends of Trails Crossing<\/p>\n Barkett says the planned park mirrors a statewide trend to transform unused land under highways into public parks \u2014 including Miami\u2019s Underline underneath the Metrotrail transit line, Jacksonville\u2019s Artist Walk Skatepark beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge and Orlando\u2019s The Canopy, which is a planned park under Interstate 4.<\/p>\n Trails Crossing has been in the works for a while. Barkett began discussing this idea during former Mayor Rick Kriseman\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n The project was first proposed to the St. Pete City Council about four years ago, and it would take quite a while before this could become a reality.<\/p>\n
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