ST. PETERSBURG — Citing its proven success managing municipal water bills, the City of St. Petersburg announced Monday that it has taken over operation of the local power grid. Officials said the decision followed years of outstanding performance in utility billing and customer satisfaction. “Residents have consistently demonstrated their enthusiasm for city-managed utilities,” a spokesperson…

Shelbyville, Indiana Mayor Scott Furgeson sparked controversy this week after he was caught on video making disparaging remarks about residents who oppose a billion-dollar data center project. The comments were made while Furgeson discussed a local “No Data Center” campaign that has organized opposition to the development. Residents have expressed concerns about noise, utility costs,…

Within hours of Red Mesa Cantina announcing its closure, investors unveiled plans to bring Push Ultra Lounge back to downtown St. Petersburg. The project will reimagine the iconic downtown space with a Balkan-inspired restaurant on the ground floor and Push 2.0 occupying the space above. “We’re going from chips and salsa to kebaps and ajvar,”…

ST. PETERSBURG — Mayor Ken Welch says he enjoys keeping up with local news and community discussions online, but one page in particular has recently become increasingly influential among city leaders and developers: St. Pete Razing. Originally launched as a satire page focused on gentrification, affordability, and the rapid transformation of St. Petersburg, officials say…

ST. PETERSBURG — Developers say the new Gas Plant redevelopment project will serve as the foundation for what they are calling “15-Minute St. Pete,” a fully integrated 15-minute city designed to reduce residents’ dependence on autonomy. The multi-billion-dollar project, which will take over the current Tropicana Field site and I-175 corridor, will feature luxury towers,…

ST. PETERSBURG — City officials are encouraging downtown residents to familiarize themselves with their nearest crane impact zone. The city recently unveiled a new interactive “crane preparedness” map allowing residents to enter their address and determine whether they live within the potential drop zone of an active tower crane. Officials described the tool as a…

Urban planning experts agree: Old St. Pete wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. According to a new report released by the Community Vision Coalition, longtime residents have been suffering from “nostalgia-based psychosis,” causing them to falsely remember “Old St. Pete” as charming, affordable, and culturally vibrant. “The reality is that it was never safe…

TAMPA — Consultants working with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays believe a pink exterior for the team’s new stadium could improve public perception of a potential $1 billion funding agreement with the city. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the idea emerged after several redevelopment advisors pointed to “historically successful pink activation projects throughout…

Last week, city officials announced a new workforce program aimed at increasing community participation in St. Pete’s ongoing redevelopment efforts by hiring residents to help demolish their own neighborhoods. The initiative, titled “Bulldozers for Families,” is being promoted as a way to ensure longtime residents have “a seat at the table” as luxury housing projects…

ST. PETERSBURG — As rents continue to rise across St. Pete, developers say the solution is clear: build luxury condominiums as quickly as possible. While a small number of residents have expressed concern over the city’s ongoing wave of upscale development, planners say most people simply aren’t smart enough to understand how it works. “People…