Thrive
Mayor discusses Albert Whitted Airport’s future
Recent reports have noted that a new state grant would prevent St. Petersburg from redeveloping Albert Whitted Airport for at least 20 years. That is an annual occurrence.
The city accepted a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant in 2024 that also required the facility to remain an airport for 20 years. City council members unanimously approved accepting $134,800 Thursday from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to help fund a $1.7 million project that will storm-harden an electrical vault, elevate upgraded equipment and add an emergency generator.
Mayor Ken Welch previously wanted to explore the 119-acre property’s economic impact and non-aviation uses. However, he has “never supported” a high-density development.
“I’ve seen some mock-ups that basically have another downtown on Albert Whitted,” Welch told the Catalyst. “I don’t want anyone to think that’s what I support.”
A runway extension?
In October 2024, a city evaluation committee selected four companies to provide consultation and design services on several projects at the city-owned facility, including a potential runway extension. A firm’s success in securing grants was an oft-discussed topic at the meeting.
The committee also frequently considered the applicants’ ability to oversee a runway extension into Tampa Bay. Those plans are still on the table.
The University of South Florida St. Petersburg is adjacent to Albert Whitted. Like most former and current students, Welch expressed concern about how low planes must fly over the campus to land at the airport.
“One of the ways to get those flights higher would be a runway extension,” he added. “It’s ironic that I could perhaps end up supporting that, but it’s expensive.”
A longer runway would accommodate larger non-commercial aircraft. It would also allow for taller buildings around the airport. The USFSP campus continues expanding; the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub plans to build a sister facility and the city could redevelop Port St. Petersburg.
“So, yeah, you have to take an honest look at that,” Welch said.
An aerial view of Albert Whitted Airport, which suffered significant damage during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Community benefits
Since his first month in office, Welch has sought to increase the city-owned waterfront facility’s community impact. The nonprofit Friends of Albert Whitted Airport subsequently established a scholarship for youth interested in aviation careers.
In November 2023, city council members rejected allocating $300,000 to an economic impact study. They dedicated the money to an urban tree-planting initiative.
City officials later identified Albert Whitted as an ideal location for a vertiport, similar to a helipad, to accommodate electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) and other advanced air mobility efforts. Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated the area two months later.
“We had a lot of conversations with our emergency management folks in the city and county about what role Albert Whitted would play in disaster recovery if we were to lose two bridges, which is a scenario,” Welch said. “And then, providentially, after Milton, the President flew in on Marine One. We toured the county and were able to land at Albert Whitted – not just with his helicopter, but with several Ospreys (aircraft) that had staff and press on them.
“So, that was kind of a proof of concept of what it could be post-disaster.”
In January, Welch appointed former Councilmember Ed Montanari, a pilot and staunch airport supporter, to represent his administration on the city’s inaugural Advanced Air Mobility Task Force. He believes air taxis could increase accessibility throughout the region.
The city council approved a $1.2 million contract Jan. 9 to demolish and remove storm-damaged hangars. Officials must still rebuild those structures.
Welch declared April 5 Friends of Albert Whitted Scholarship Day after the organization distributed 29 scholarships totaling $184,000. He said administrators would still explore ways to increase the airport’s community impact, potentially through an apprenticeship program like the Mayor’s Future Ready Academy.
Welch noted that the city could repay grant funding and negate the 20-year restriction, which begins after acceptance. “That was never my priority coming in, and if we’re going to spend resources and time, it’s not going to be on something like that,” he said.
Hugh Hazeltine
May 6, 2025at9:01 pm
To Tom’s questions,
1) Can the city repay the grant? No, this is not possible under the Grant Assurance program with both the FAA and Florida DOT.
2) Did the council consider closing only one runway? This was tried during the Baker Administration. If you reference FAA Advisory Circular 150-5300-13B titled “Airport Design” It describes in great detail how to build and maintain an airport. Go the section on crosswinds. Looking at historical wind data the goal is to have 95% of the time acceptable crosswinds for the type of aircraft expected. With only one runway, the weather record shows Whitted would not meet the 95% of the time goal.
The “land” that Whitted is on is not a natural occurrence. But rather it is built on the dredged material from the south Marina Basin and Bayboro Harbor. Hurricane Helene confirmed it is in a Flood zone as seawater covered the entire airport.
John Burgess
May 6, 2025at4:18 pm
This is regarding a referendum in 2003…note the “in perpetuity” part.
“By an almost three-to-one margin, St. Petersburg voters chose to keep the bayfront airport open in perpetuity, ignoring a well-financed, highly orchestrated campaign to shut Albert Whitted down and turn half of it into a park.”
Welch is a career politician who has always had an abundance of schemes and opinions. Unfortunately, most provide little benefit for the city and the people of St. Petersburg.
The comments below from Mr. Peters and Mr. Todd are excellent suggestions for Welch. We have borne this burden for far too many years.
Mr. Hazeltine offers many relevant facts and considerations.
Martin Peters
May 5, 2025at5:24 pm
Ken Welch needs to complete his term as mayor and retire.
Ryan Todd
May 5, 2025at4:22 pm
Hands off of the airport, Welch.
Your incompetence and hubris and ruined every development the city has a stake in since you took office. Have some self-awareness and sit down. Ride out the remainder of your tenure paving our streets and making sure essential service delivery is world class.
Tom
May 5, 2025at3:55 pm
Questions:
Can the city repay this grant if it chooses to close or downsize the airport during the next 20 years?
Did the city ask airplane owners to pay the city share of this expense?
Can the Clearwater airport serve the city during a storm or flood event that closes our bridges?
Did the council consider closing only one runway? Did the Baker administration considered closing the East West runway?
How much in property taxes would be paid if this land were privately owned? Should those who benefit contribute to schools and other public services in lieu of paying taxes?
What is the cost to USF St.Petersburg from building height limits caused by the airport?
Does the city require adequate liability insurance for aircraft operators? One plane crash destroyed a home on 15th Avenue South. Thankfully that home was empty at the time.
Can the city reduce the noise particularly from late night airplanes?
Based on the market value of this property, what is the subsidy for aircraft owners?
How many subsidized airplane trips are provided to city council members? Do they report this by the value of a private charter flight or just the cost of fuel?
Hugh Hazeltine
May 4, 2025at9:15 am
Typical funding for an airport project is: 80% comes from the FAA. 10% from the Florida DOT, 10% comes from local government.
The end of the article has this statement: Welch noted that the city could repay grant funding and negate the 20-year restriction, which begins after acceptance.
The funding from the FAA comes via a Grant Assurance Agreement. You can read about this at: FAA.gov/airports/aip/grant_assurances. The FAA offers these grants but requires an assurance as how they are to be used. To receive the grant, a city representative must sign the assurance and this becomes a legal contract. This is now settled law. The FAA has stated, “We are not a Bank”. There is no mechanism for receiving money at the FAA in this way.
The money for FAA grants comes from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). You can read about AIP at Faa.gov. The AIP gets it’s funding via a tax on aviation gasoline and jet fuel. The FAA is tasked with developing a nation wide transportation system. Albert Whitted Airport is part of that system. If Whitted were not there it would drive more small aircraft traffic to TPA and PIE. That is problematic because of the difference in landing speeds of jets and propeller driven aircraft.
If the city were to not comply with the assurance provisions they would be sued by the FAA. The judge would ask, did you receive these funds and was the person who signed the assurance authorized to do so? In the past this person has been Development Coordination Managing Director Chris Ballestra. The Florida DOT requires a similar assurance signed document for their 10% of funding.
The state of Florida would also sue for non-compliance.
Both the FAA and Florida DOT will enforce their Grant Assurance programs to protect the transportation systems they are required to establish and maintain.
F. L. Olmsted
May 3, 2025at8:10 pm
120 acres of our downtown waterfront dedicated to a handful of people that own private planes. Who besides the airplane owners supports this, and why?
Stop accepting $150k de minimus federal grants that lock this nonsensical airport in place for another 20 years.
Keep some space for a vertiport or whatever and give the people their park land back.