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Welch: We need to talk about Albert Whitted Airport
The 100-acre waterfront Albert Whitted Airport site, home to flight schools and charter operations, may serve a different use for the booming city, according to St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch.
“I would like for us to have a discussion about what the value of that is, the economic benefit and what might be the use of it for the next 100 years,” Welch said Tuesday during the CREW Tampa Bay’s 14th Economic Summit at the Tampa Marriot Water Street hotel. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst joined him on stage.
Left to right: Moderator Schaible, anchor at WFLA TV, Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch at the 2023 CREW Economic Summit. Photo by Veronica Brezina.
Since his first year in office, Welch has floated the concept of re-evaluating the current and future use of the airport. The announcement caused uproar in the local aviation community, as the airport has operated for 100 years and serves as the Firestone Grand Prix’s final straightaway and finish line. Those who are pro-development, and may not directly utilize the airport, have commented that the prime real estate site should be redeveloped to better serve the city’s residents.
Former mayor Rick Baker previously proposed a redevelopment of the site and asked residents to vote on a charter amendment to determine whether they favored keeping the airport open indefinitely, or wished to close it and create a new waterfront park on at least half the property, dedicating the remaining half for mixed-use development. In 2003, the residents ultimately voted against the proposed redevelopment alternative.
“My daughter, when Mayor Baker tried to have this conversation, was a newborn. She’s turning 21 in a couple of weeks. She’s never set foot at the airport,” Welch said, stating it’s time to “re-look at it.”
City administration members recently discussed entering a contract with consultant HR&A to study future non-aviation uses at Albert Whitted.
The contract will go before the St. Petersburg City Council in late July or early August. Despite the potential study, the city is still bounded by a federal agreement stipulating that it must maintain the airport for at least 20 years.
During the CREW Economic Summit, Welch also commented about the city’s progression and how the administration will “stay focused on what will move our community forward and build a consensus, and not fall into cultural wars that we’ve seen in the state and federal [levels].”
He later gave a similar response to a different question, but stated they were “fake cultural wars.”
Highlights on the additional talking points: The responses are paraphrased and edited for clarity.
On developments
Aungst: We are really excited about our Imagine Clearwater project in Coachman Park. The Sound, a new music venue anchoring the project, and the redeveloped park will open June 28. I’ve traveled the world and I have never seen anything like it, especially on the waterfront. There are big grassy areas where you can watch the boats, it’s walkable and there will be bike trails and 900 trees within the 19 acres. It’s going to connect downtown to Clearwater Beach. It will be activated year-round and be a catalyst for downtown. On the Bluff properties near the park, the Gotham Group is building 400 luxury apartments (at the former City Hall site) and a boutique hotel right (at the Harborview property) with 15,000 square feet of retail. Gotham is talking with a well-known respected restaurateur.
Also, our U.S. 19 corridor is a hidden gem. We have 4,000 parcels over a seven-mile area that will be connected with the interstate. It could be used for multifamily, light manufacturing and other uses.
Castor: We have the West River redevelopment (a market-rate residential project along the Hillsborough River) and Rome Yard (a $500 million mixed-use project) that the Related Group is developing.
There’s also the Riverwalk expansion that will allow the Riverwalk to connect more neighborhoods, including Tampa Heights. We will have 12 miles of connected biking and pedestrian paths. All of it is just exploding. We need to make sure everyone is able to live in the neighborhoods they want.
Castor also highlighted landowner Daryl Shaw’s plans to develop a 60-acre destination in Ybor City. She noted the Tampa office market has a 90% occupancy rate, which is outpacing office occupancy rates of other metros.
Welch: I’m excited about the Historic Gas Plant. Tropicana Field today is surrounded by asphalt on 86 acres, which was the Gas Plant District. Residents and business owners had to forfeit that community in the name of progress. We are approaching this redevelopment from the lens of equity – that is my priority. Second to that is the baseball field. We are actively working with the Rays. I’ve always said they need to stay in St. Pete. If they don’t stay in St. Pete, Tampa is another option. This is our last swing. In the following months, we will have a term sheet for the stadium.
Welch also highlighted other projects such as Red Apple’s 46-story luxury condominium project at 400 Central Ave., which is undergoing construction.
On transit
Castor: We have plenty of parking in Water Street and at the Tampa Convention Center, but people are still circling the areas to find parking. We are looking at apps to reserve parking spaces. We have good ridership on the TECO Line Streetcar because it’s free. We are looking at creating an MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) to have one voice. Those with one voice receive more grant funding than those speaking individually. It’s critically important that we continue to work together as a region. We are probably the only area that doesn’t see our water as a viable source of transit. We need that Cross Bay Ferry system to connect South County, Tampa, the MacDill Air Force Base and St. Pete.
Welch: We’ve got the best airport – Tampa International Airport and the lowest funded bus organizations, HART (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority) and PSTA (Pinellas Suncoast Transportation Authority). We are doing great with air service, but when it comes to basic buses, they have the lowest funding and because of that, they run slow and late. We need to fund our basic bus service. The SunRunner is the first bus rapid transit service in Tampa Bay. It runs every 15 minutes and it’s free with federal, state and local partnerships in place. TBARTA (Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority) was working on plans to have a regional BRT system.
Rick Kaczmarek
August 3, 2023at10:03 am
The private aviation lobby is well represented in these comments. As are a number of other viewpoints. Let’s reorganize some of the argued points.
1. It is unquestionably a great idea to let voters periodically revisit questions about the future of the City. 20 to 25 years seems like a good interval. I understand the appeal of vested (wealthy) interests resisting letting today’s residents decide, unbound by the decisions of previous generations. I also understand the appeal and efficiency of not constantly changing big long-term plans. I think leaning towards democratic decision making is the better, more American approach.
2. I personally love aviation and the St Pete Grand Prix. I love the economic and cultural benefits generated by the relatively secluded 100 acre swath occupied by Albert Whited. The businesses, customers, hobbyists, and tourists who use SPG definitely add to our city. At the same time, it is perfectly reasonable to ask what is the highest and best use of the publicly owned waterfront land. Anyone saying this is a bad idea is unserious. “That’s the way we’ve been doing it” is rarely a reasonable justification. Ditto for “your grandparents decided this for you and you have no say.”
3. While I have no quarrel with the old cruiseport, our Coast Guard station, Albert Whited and Al Lang stadium, I cannot deny that there likely might be much better uses or configurations for their current real estate. Just as we’re engaged in a process of reimagining Tropicana Field as a dynamic, fully updated one-of-a-kind coordinated mixed-use project, probability is high that reimagining these areas will produce even better outcomes.
4. As innovation accelerates exponentially, it is difficult for most of us to envision how transportation, communication, manufacturing, shopping, entertainment, employment, education, health care, recreation, public services, emergency response, and residential communities will interact in future decades. Autonomous vehicles, flying cars, small air boats, increasing work-from-home, and more decentralized logistics systems will reshape aspects of current society in ways nearly none of us imagine. It might turn out that an airspace-based property use in the city but on the waterfront is exactly what the region needs most to best leverage technological advances.
For all these reasons, I will support those who wish to bring open minds to important discussions about the future, and oppose those who seek to prevent widespread participation in public decisions.
Harold
July 9, 2023at10:18 am
Mayor Welch rejects world class cancer hospital wants to destroy airport and Frescos. Do we have a procedure to recall a mayor?
Luigi Gualario
June 20, 2023at12:00 pm
With the pending redevelopment of Tropicana Field’s 86 acres, I would think the city would be saturated with new development. Additionally, another park / green space could be an additional mismanaged issue like Williams Park. Let’s concentrate on making existing Williams Park peaceful, safe and consistently usable before considering adding a new one. Plus, the airport is a great addition to our small city.
Jeff Herrmann
June 17, 2023at3:16 pm
Send all the takeoffs and landings over Snell Isle and see how long that airport lasts.
Hugh Hazeltine
June 16, 2023at8:32 am
There is a lot to unpack here.
As a 33 year full time resident of downtown and have witnessed its growth firsthand. A significant section of the dwellings in downtown now
are the second or third homes of persons who reside out of state. The idea that we must give up part of our infrastructure so that out of state visitors have a place to reside in the winter does not fly.
The city accepted funds and signed grant assurance agreements in 2021 with both the State of Florida and the Federal Aviation Administration. Those two agreements with both the state and federal government requires to the city to maintain the airport for 20 years after accepting the funds. The FAA has said in writing, “We are not a bank, you cannot give the money back to relieve the city of the 20 year obligation.” The FAA is in the business of maintaining a nation wide aviation transportation infrastructure of which Albert Whitted is part. Should the city try to repurpose the airport before 2041 the FAA will go to court and produce the signed document. This is contract law, who do you think will prevail?
In the past year, I have spent $5k in aircraft maintenance at AWA. That work was done by professionals who live and work here year round. Real commerce happens there everyday.
There is a fair chance that City Council will wisely vote not to approve funds for the study the Mayor has asked for as they realize this money will be wasted because of the contracts the city freely entered into. This pursuit by the Mayor is squandering staff time that could otherwise produce positive results.
I voted for Mayor Welch and wish he had voiced these plans while campaigning for office. He started down this path in the early months of his administration of 2022 when he told city staff not to accept an already approved FAA grant. Does our Mayor have a wide or narrow vision for our city?
Joan Wheeling
June 16, 2023at7:52 am
Airports like Albert Whitted with flight schools will be the future source of airline pilots.Prior to the establishment of the Airforce Academy most airline pilots came from the Airforce.Academy cadets spend 4 years at the academy and then 15months at flight training bases.With this investment most graduates make the Airforce a career.Airlines today rely on civilian flight schools for pilots.
Brad cohen
June 16, 2023at5:40 am
For what it’s worth, I forwarded this article to the AOPA airport advocacy group,
I was looking for a good $100 hamburger for me and my son this weekend, KSPG it is!
Brad Cohen
N969BC
John Bouchard
June 15, 2023at7:56 pm
Please
All vested interest at Albert WITTLESS Airport.
It is not a jewel but an agonizing ear splitting drone of flyovers 7 days a week 8am till 10pm
Who are being trained to fly? Go fly somewhere else. DTSP is being droned to deaf 🤫🤕
Velva Lee Heraty
June 15, 2023at4:10 pm
I have three points to make and an observation. First there are the common sense comments voiced by many preceding me, especially those of Jonathan Micocci and Edwin McGusty. The combined comments of all represent the resident/voters opinions of destroying Albert Whitted Airport. Secondly, There are official environmental studies projected to 2050 that make any development on airport land impractical and if planned, incredibly expensive. You can find the studies via a search on our state website. Finally I’d like to suggest to Mayor Welch that he get out of the isolated bubble he’s built around himself and let wiser voices in. Single tunnel vision and reverse prejudice will not serve our wonderful city.
Tom
June 15, 2023at3:32 pm
Mayor Welch = Vote Lost. Enough Said
I would suggest the mayors people study the statistics in the comment section. Looks like about 10 to 1. Go for it Mr. Mayor
Ted
June 15, 2023at3:29 pm
I’m sure his honor the Mayor would retract his statement about his daughter visiting a St Pete landmark as a criterion for a ‘re-look’and a reason for yet another expensive taxpayer-funded study. But his comment does provide insight as to the lens through which he judges his perceived lack of equity and inclusion in St Pete and the thoughts behind some of his decisions.
As commenter Dean noted above, the Mayor basically vetoed the Moffitt center which would have benefited the city enormously. (I wrote two letters to his office and one to Councilwoman Driscoll asking for clarifications, all of which went unanswered).
Clearly there is too much power vested in the Mayors office and with the lack of an interested and probing press (with only a few exceptions), it is up to us concerned citizens to keep the office in check.
Here’s hoping that the Mayors daughter has been to a Rays game!!
Jonathan A Ginsberg
June 15, 2023at3:22 pm
To the contrary – I applaud Mayor Welch’s study of this most unique municipally owned parcel. It is almost twice the size of the gas plant / Trop site. The Mayor is looking to study future land uses of this waterfront property – and it should be. It is hard for me to believe that a land use utilized by so very few, could possibly be the highest and best use of the Whitted land. There could be an entire neighborhood built there, housing choices at a variety of levels, incubator space, blockchain, who knows?
I understand the airport has tremendous political clout – and a long history.
But – the city should, at a minimum, support our Mayor’s initiative to study this waterfront treasure.
Edwin McGusty
June 15, 2023at2:05 pm
Dear Mr. Mayor, and others, I would suggest buying your child a scenic flight to see this beautiful city from the air. They will love it and appreciate it that much more. If done earlier in life, they might even get inspired to want to become a pilot and start training there. Or treat them to a delicious lunch at The Hangar restaurant and watch the planes come and go. Or take them to one of the events at the adjacent waterfront park that already exists.
Let’s try to make the city better, not just more crowded. If we get rid of the character of the city, such as the airport, we might as well backfill the marinas for development also. And then everyone could just move to Tampa 😉
Logix727
June 14, 2023at10:42 pm
Seriously I’ve never been to city hall and I’m 34 let’s get rid of it and this horrible mayor!!. How bout spend that money to hire more than one single community outreach officer and one single social worker for all of st Pete. They might be able to actually help the homeless in the parks.
HAL FREEDMAN
June 14, 2023at10:24 pm
There was an article today about the Mayor’s inaccessibility. The reason may be, in part, because he is spending unnecessary time on controversial, divisive issues like Albert Whitted Airport.
He has already turned down $360,000 in FAA grants for necessary work in 2023, because he doesn’t want to extend our current FAA commitment to keep the airport from 2041 to 2042. Stop wasting time, Mayor Welch, and get to work!
The City Council should turn down the request for consultant funding for the airport…and for the $360,000 of taxpayer money that has been pre-approved as an FAA grant.
A Moe
June 14, 2023at7:02 pm
How many times do we need to vote on keeping the airport forever?
Donna Kostreva
June 14, 2023at6:21 pm
With the mayor’s silly point of view regarding his daughter’s lack of visiting AW in 21 years, I’d posit that most of our citizens have never stepped foot in City Hall. Shall we find a new use for that? I’d suggest a new mayor! Leave the Albert Whitted Airport alone!
Harold Dean
June 14, 2023at5:40 pm
Part of what makes St Petersburg unique is its historic airport.
The mayor talks about the use of the property for the next hundred years. If he claims to be so concerned about the future of this city, then why did he reject Moffitts state of the art facility including hotel and 17 affordable housing units because he could not get 30?
What differs St. Petersburg from other waterfront cities is that the founders designed open parks on the entire waterfront and the airport contributes to the openness. Does the mayor envision high rises and affordable housing occupying the property?
Ryan Todd
June 14, 2023at5:17 pm
The culture wars are not fake and Welch is stoking the fire with his focus on equity instead of equality.
Jonathan MIcocci
June 14, 2023at4:50 pm
It is spectacularly short sighted to look at an asset you don’t use and so assume it has no value. Population density will explode in the next 100 years in Tampa Bay. TPA and PIE will become bloated behemoths and new larger airports will be needed in the center of the state.
None of that will serve the people of St Pete well for short range, regional transportation. But St Pete is incredibly lucky to have the jewel that is SPG, which should soon be offering travelers a speedy convenient alternative to the overcrowded interstates and hub-and-spoke jet service. Once destroyed, all the potential for convenient efficient air travel it offers are gone forever, so that a few developers can build a few hundred more luxury condos. Or maybe they’ll build affordable housing on the waterfront (LOL).
A drive to Orlando, which used to be an easy two hours or less, is almost always three hours or more of nerve-jangling stop and go traffic. And it’s going to get MUCH worse. The people of St Pete must defend Albert Whitted and their transportation future again, as they have before, from developers and politicians.
LAURA
June 14, 2023at3:55 pm
I commissioned an airport feasibility study years ago as the head of the Economic Development Commission in my hometown. What it revealed is that nations smaller airports are being redeveloped at an alarming rate. If they are needed for emergency reasons, to bring in food, medicines or during a war…they won’t be there. Once they are gone, they are gone forever. How short-sighted. Go ahead…make it hotels “mixed use” and retail.
Jack Tunstill
June 14, 2023at3:35 pm
“My daughter, when Mayor Baker tried to have this conversation, was a newborn. She’s turning 21 in a couple of weeks. She’s never set foot at the airport, Welch said.” Well, Mr Mayor that’s you and your daughter’s fault. The airport is not hidden on the waterfront. The airport is an economic engine that benefits all the area, not just St. Petersburg. We had a discussion about the future of Albert Whitted 20 years ago and the voting public said, Yes we want the airport in St. Petersburg Forever. Also did he forget that was a member of the Pinellas County Commission for 20+ years, he supported St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport, yet he mentions Tampa International Airport as the best airport.