National construction and engineering firms have submitted letters of interest to work with ARK Ellison Horus on its $6.8B proposal to redevelop St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District.
Local housing and health organizations have also stepped forward to support the City of St. Petersburg’s evaluation of competing plans.
The redevelopment site spans 95.5 acres, which includes Tropicana Field.
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ARK Ellison Horus said companies, including Moss, Jacobs and Kimley-Horn, have formally expressed interest in collaborating on the project.
Public-sector and community organizations have also submitted letters.
Those groups include the Pinellas County Housing Authority, the St. Petersburg Housing Authority and Evara Health.
The letters are not binding agreements.
They signal intent to collaborate if the city selects ARK Ellison Horus’ proposal.
A locally led team with national reach
ARK Ellison Horus, LLC is a locally led development team formed by ARK Investment Management, Ellison Development and Horus Construction.
The group said it is assembling a mix of national firms and local organizations to deliver a project it describes as grounded in restorative justice, economic opportunity and long-term resilience.
“This level of interest reinforces the strength of the proposal and the seriousness of our commitment to getting this right,” said Casey Ellison, CEO of Ellison Development.
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“From day one, our focus has been on assembling the very best partners to help bring the full Gas Plant District vision to life.”
Cathie Wood, CEO and CIO of ARK Invest, framed the project as a long-term economic investment.
“The Gas Plant District is an opportunity to demonstrate how innovation-led investment can drive durable economic growth,” Wood said.
“When innovation is embedded into the fabric of a district, it doesn’t just transform a site. It can reshape a city’s economic trajectory for decades to come.”
Who has expressed interest
The development team highlighted a range of private firms and public agencies that have submitted letters.
Moss, a national construction firm, has agreed to serve as a general contractor for portions of the project if the proposal is selected.
Jacobs expressed interest in serving as a technical consultant.
The firm would bring experience in large-scale urban development, infrastructure planning and environmental remediation.
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Kimley-Horn has signaled interest in infrastructure planning, transportation, utilities and site engineering.
On the housing side, the Pinellas County Housing Authority signed a letter of intent to collaborate on affordable housing.
That commitment is contingent on ARK Ellison Horus being awarded the project.
The St. Petersburg Housing Authority submitted a letter of interest tied to affordable rental housing for seniors, veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Evara Health expressed interest in locating a medical facility within the district.
The organization focuses on serving uninsured, underinsured and Medicaid patients.
“Projects of this scale only succeed when they are built through true partnership,” said Jonathan Graham, president of Horus Construction.
“This collaboration allows us to deliver not just buildings, but long-term opportunity and shared prosperity for St. Petersburg.”
What the plan includes
The Gas Plant District proposal is structured as a multi-phase redevelopment.
The buildout would span roughly 17 years.
The plan includes thousands of housing units integrated throughout the district.
More than 1,900 units would be designated as affordable, workforce and senior housing.
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Other elements include an innovation ecosystem with research space, labs and conference facilities.
The proposal also calls for cultural anchors.
Those include the Woodson African American Museum of Florida and a new performance theater.
More than 30% of the site would be dedicated to parks and open space.
Projected economic impact
An independent analysis cited by the development team projects more than $1.2B in annual economic impact.
The estimate reaches nearly $28B over 30 years.
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The project is expected to create close to 20,000 jobs.
The proposal also includes workforce development and education initiatives.
Those programs are designed to prepare local residents for jobs created by the district.
What happens next
The City of St. Petersburg is reviewing redevelopment proposals for the Historic Gas Plant District.
ARK Ellison Horus said it will continue engaging with public leaders, community stakeholders and potential partners during the evaluation process.
“This is about more than assembling a project team,” Ellison said.
“It’s about building the right coalition to deliver on a vision that honors history, strengthens the community and positions St. Petersburg for long-term success.”
