St. Petersburg nonprofit seeks $55M for Trails Crossing park under I-275

The St. Petersburg City Council approved the master plan for the $55 million Trails Crossing mixed-use park, but did not commit to funding its construction, according to WUSF.

The nonprofit Friends of Trails Crossing, led by president John Barkett, has raised $180,000 so far, mainly for planning and rendering work. They plan to fund the project in phases through federal and state grants, private donations, and corporate sponsorships.

While the city of St. Petersburg is not directly financing construction, it is partnering as the lead applicant for some grants, a role required by certain funding programs, WUSF reported.

The city and nonprofit have collaborated on a $1.38 million federal Reconnecting Communities planning grant, which is currently being used for traffic studies to assess changes to nearby streets.

The first phase will focus on enhancing the Pinellas Trail corridor to create a more inviting space for trail users. The timeline is roughly two and a half years, tied to the current city agreement with the Rays baseball team, but changes to that agreement could accelerate the project.