St. Pete developers, in talks with Detwiler's Farm Market, win redevelopment approval for embattled Tangerine Plaza
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jun 7, 2024

St. Petersburg City Council has approved a plan to redevelop Tangerine Plaza, the city-owned shopping center in South St. Pete that's been vacant for years.

The Sugar Hill Group — a different group than Sugar Hill Community Partners, which were finalists to redevelop Tropicana Field — plans to transform the property into 115 affordable housing units and 10,000 square feet of commercial space, including a grocery store of at least 3,000 square feet.

Sugar Hill was first selected by Mayor Rick Kriseman in 2020 to redevelop the site, and plans have shifted significantly over the years as the group struggled to move the deal forward.

Council was split during Thursday's vote on whether this new plan was the best development for the area. It ultimately was approved 5-3, with council members Ed Montanari, Lisset Hanewicz and Gina Driscoll voting no.

Sugar Hill is comprised of Roy Binger of Binger Financial Services, the Rev. Louis Murphy of Mount Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church and Miami’s New Urban Development. New Urban Development has delivered more than 1,300 affordable housing units through multiple partnerships.

"It has been a journey," Binger told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. "We are very excited and exhilarated to have the ability to revitalize the Deuces with this particular project."

The group has 18 months to secure funding for the project and to provide a commitment letter from a grocer to operate in the space for at least five years. The grocer must offer fresh produce and meat to end the neighborhood's status as a food desert. Once the group breaks ground, construction is expected to be complete in three years.

"If you think of early pioneers and visionaries, you can't find one that didn't have to overcome obstacles," Binger said.

The agreement states that Sugar Hill must ensure that the units remain affordable for at least 40 years for those making 80% of the area median income or less.

Once the group completes the affordable housing and brings in a grocer, it will be able to purchase the site from the city for $1.5 million.

New Urban Development said they have had tentative discussions with Sarasota-based Detwiler’s Farm Market. Detwiler's did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Murphy said he could not discuss any details of that potential partnership but added that now that they have been awarded the project, they hope to have "extended conversations" with the company moving forward.

Tangerine Plaza was once home to a Walmart Neighborhood Market, which closed in 2017. With its departure, the area became a federally declared food desert.

Murphy believes the vote to revitalize Tangerine Plaza represents more than just one project. The goal, he said, is to bring about an effective change in the community. He said the Sankofa and Manhattan Casino projects to the north and Tangerine Plaza to the south of 22nd Street S are the "bookends of development" for the historic Black business and entertainment district.

During segregation, the Deuces was home to more than 150 Black businesses. Now, the street is a shell of its former self, with many businesses lying vacant. Murphy said Tangerine Plaza is not "just a grocery store and housing," but rather a "social and spiritual renewal."

"We want this area revitalized," Murphy said. "We want to bring about that renaissance."