St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District has been at the center of the city’s conversation for decades.
Once home to generations of Black families, the neighborhood was demolished to build Tropicana Field, leaving behind questions about history, community and justice.
Nowadays, developers are vying for a chance to transform the 86-acre site with an eye to the past. But city leaders, residents and historians are watching closely to see what will rise — and what will be remembered.
If you're too young to know what it was like before baseball, a new documentary puts faces and voices to the history of the neighborhood.
That's where "Florida Matters Live & Local" comes in. We have some fascinating interviews on the proposed future and lost history of the downtown site.
Eight proposals, many questions
(0:00) Developers have offered their visions of a future without Tropicana Field in the Historic Gas Plant District. Concepts include parks, walkable neighborhoods and even an arena for an NBA team. There are already conflicts on how to proceed. Will this prime land become a community gem or a public relations nightmare?
GUESTS:
- Ashley Kritzer, Tampa Bay Business Journal reporter
- Colleen Wright, Tampa Bay Times reporter
Gone but not forgotten
(12:04) After looking ahead at the site, let’s look back. A new documentary, “Razed,” explores the Black community that once thrived where the Trop stands. The film highlights education, unity and the human cost of urban development. Screenings are scheduled this week at Eckerd College.
GUESTS:
- Andrew Lee, movie director, Roundhouse Creative
- Carlos Lovett, former resident of the Historic Gas Plant District
Classroom voices
(21:04) High schoolers are leading walkouts with a goal of educating peers and challenging societal injustice. School board members such as Hillsborough chair Jessica Vaughn support students’ rights while navigating school policy. Activists and educators alike are asking: How can schools empower expression without derailing learning?
GUESTS:
- Divya Kumar, Tampa Bay Times report
- Jessica Vaughn, Hillsborough County School Board chair
Cycling cross to coast
(36:10) Thirteen regional trails are coming together to create a seamless cross-state biking route. Riders will traverse forests, swamps and urban areas on this ambitious project. Advocates say the trail encourages fitness, tourism and community engagement.
GUEST:
- Daniel Paschall, manager at the Mid-Atlantic sector of East Coast Greenway Alliance
