ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Sugar Hill Group, which was selected by the city of St. Petersburg to redevelop the nearly vacant Tangerine Plaza on the city’s south side, plans to reveal major project updates on Tuesday.

A press conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday and will include members of the Sugar Hill Group as well as their community partners. A bulletin advertising the press conference states, “this momentous occasion will provide the public with invaluable insights into the progress of negotiations with the City of St. Petersburg, marking a significant stride towards realizing the shared vision for a vibrant and thriving community hub.”

The large commercial space that anchors Tangerine Plaza has been vacant since 2017 when first Sweetbay and then a Walmart Neighborhood Market closed their doors. Since then, the area of South St. Pete has become a designated food desert.

Just before the pandemic, the city of St. Petersburg entered into an agreement with the Sugar Hill Group to redevelop the plaza, but there’s been little movement at the site.

During an economic and workforce development and committee meeting in late March, St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch stated his support for the Sugar Hill Group. Other council members voiced concerns over the proposed redevelopment timeline and plans, which include affordable housing and a small grocery store.

Some council members pointed out that because the 40,000 square foot space hasn’t attracted a grocer, there’s even less of a likelihood that the proposed 10,000 square foot space will be able to get a reputable grocery store as a long-term tenant.

“When we’ve been looking for an answer to this property for seven years already, its hard for me get on board with something that could take seven more years before we see something real happening here,” St. Pete City Council member Gina Driscoll stated to board members.

Karen Rae, Executive Director of Positive Impact Ministries, hosts a free drive-through grocery pick up in the parking lot of Tangerine Plaza each Saturday morning. With the help of nearly 50 volunteers, the group distributes boxes of food to 700 families who either drive, walk or bike to the plaza.

She says it’s critical these families have access to fresh food within a reasonable distance. She says she hopes the city realizes how much people in the area need access to fresh food, and that the final plans for the plaza include a viable option for that.

“Their options would be either to go to the convenience store or maybe the dollar store to get their groceries,” she said. “There’s a lot of children in this neighborhood that need to have fresh fruits and vegetables.”

In 2024, both Positive Impact Ministries and St. Pete developer Stoneweg have put in offers to buy the plaza. The Sugar Hill Group still remains in negotiations with city leadership.

Positive Impact Ministries hopes to use the existing space for a no-cost neighborhood market and culinary arts center, while Stoneweg wishes to include affordable housing in their site plans.