Azalea Gateway ● 1501 72nd St N
Planned redevelopment of the 29-acre former Raytheon site (1501 72nd St. N.) would be built in three phases totaling over 1,000 apartments. Phase 1 calls for 340 units, including 102 income-restricted affordable/workforce apartments (51 at ≤80% AMI and 51 up to 120% AMI). The City of St. Petersburg approved $6M and Pinellas County approved $5.25M toward Phase 1.
Councilman Copley Gerdes informed us at the October 2025 meeting that there will be air quality monitors at the construction site. Gerdes noted that, in his view, there’s about a 90% chance that Phase 2 will move forward and a 50% chance that Phase 3 will ever be realized.
Official groundbreaking expected June 2026.
View Porter Development Website: https://www.porterdev.com/latestproject
Project Data
3 + 4 Story Residential
Each phase is expected to be completed in two years
Phase 1
Total Units: 288
Parking: 452 spaces (1.57 spaces/unit)
Amenity: 7,000 sf
Phase 2
Total Units: 386
Parking: 658 spaces (1.7 spaces/unit)
Surface: 612
Tuck-Under: 46
Amenity: 5,400 sf
Phase 3
Total Units: 330
Parking: 714 spaces (2.16 spaces/unit)
Surface: 114
Tuck-Under: 300
Tandem: 300
Amenity: 8,000 sf
Project Summary
The proposed redevelopment will be constructed in three phases of 3- and 4-story residential buildings on the 29-acre site at 1501 72nd Street North.
Based on current phase breakdowns, the project includes:
Phase 1: 288 units
Phase 2: 386 units
Phase 3: 330 units
This totals 1,004 units based on the available phase data.
However, the developer, Porter Development, has stated that the overall project is planned for 1,058 units, reflecting revisions to the development plan over time.
The project also includes substantial parking and amenity space across all three phases, along with a 30% workforce housing component, intended to address local housing needs.
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There has been activity and heavy equipment on the site, first noticed in early May 2026.
Facebook 6/18/2026:
Something's happening at the Raytheon/Porter site.
Not sure what it is. Recorded 6/17/2026.
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in response to the video:
Facebook post 6/19/2026
on Facebook Page: Azalea Park & Jungle Prada Neighborhood
Author: Melanie Goodman
An email to our officials regarding the Raytheon property: (this was sent to the FDEP, Copley Gerdes, Pinellas county commercial Bulding department, and codes enforcement)
I hope you are doing well. I am reaching out because I am seeking clarification regarding work currently being performed on the Raytheon property, and I was not certain who would be the most appropriate contact.
Upon reviewing the available records, I was only able to locate a recent electrical permit with a stated value of $1,000, which appears to have been pulled on one of the more southern land parcels of the property, when the northern parcels are where the new construction is proposed.
Could you please provide information regarding the nature and scope of the work currently being performed at the site? Additionally, if the work requires permits, I would appreciate clarification regarding the permitting status and whether any additional permits have been obtained or are pending. It appears, from the city permitting website, that the asphalt permit was applied for on 10/03/2024 with an application status of:
Application Status:
HOLD FOR NOTICE OF COMM
According to the Florida Building Code, Chapter 1, Section 105.5, a permit may expire if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after commencement, unless an extension is granted. Has the builder/contractor applied for the appropriate extension since work was not commenced within the allotted timeframe per the Florida Building Code?
Per Section 713.135(5) & (6) of the Florida Statutes, when a permit application is submitted, "[an] Application is hereby made to obtain a permit to do the work and installations as indicated. I certify that no work or installation has commenced prior to the issuance of a permit and that all work will be performed to meet the standards of all laws regulating construction in this jurisdiction." Has a recent notice of commencement been obtained by the builder/contractor?
Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your response.
Please see the enclosed supporting video: https://drive.google.com/.../1ENR-cDO.../view...
Show entries
Permit Number Description Issue Date Estimated Value
26-03001993
ELECTRICAL 04/02/2026 $1,000
26-03001990
ELECTRICAL 03/31/2026 $1,000
26-03001994
ELECTRICAL 03/31/2026 $1,000
24-10000267
ASPHALT 12/18/2025 $5,785,000
🔭Porter Watch Update 6/27/2026
Responses from Pinellas County and City Code Enforcement regarding recent activity at the Raytheon/Porter site: According to the information received, work observed after June 16 may have occurred after an asphalt permit had expired. The neighbor also noted that excavation work typically requires a county-issued dewatering permit, and Code Enforcement indicated they were not aware of such a permit for the work in question.
The matter is reportedly under review by Code Enforcement, and a citation may be issued if violations are confirmed. The neighbor also relayed that Code Enforcement believes the project may face additional permitting challenges related to parking and density requirements.
Residents who observe activity at the site are encouraged to document it with photos or video and share the information with the neighborhood monitoring effort, here on Facebook, or by emailing azaleaassociation@yahoo.com.
🔭Porter Watch Facebook Update 6/28/2026
Science Center ● 7701 22nd Ave N
Renovation work has begun on the St. Petersburg Science Center campus, with reopening planned for summer 2027. The revitalized center is expected to combine science education, technology programs, and community spaces across the historic property.
Plans include an Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence, student training programs focused on emerging technologies, and an innovation hub designed to support new companies and research partnerships. The campus will also continue to host summer camps, educational programs, and public events.
Several historic and recreational features will remain part of the site, including the Walk of States mosaic trail, the planetarium, gardens and outdoor learning spaces, and new indoor-outdoor event areas.
June 30, 2026 Update
- The AI Village: Specialized labs to prepare thousands of students for future careers in emerging tech.
- LaunchAI: A two-story innovation space and sky conference room designed to accelerate local startup growth.
- The Star Garden: A rooftop indoor-outdoor event space nestled among old-growth trees.
- Community Features: The iconic retro rotunda, planetarium, an AI-themed café, and the preserved, colorful Historic Mosaic Trail (which features panels for all 50 states).
- Increased Scope: The approved plans expanded the campus to 67,324 square feet—more than doubling the size of the original structure.
- Main Building Expansion: The design now features a new five-story main building integrated directly into the historic, preserved rotunda.
- Demolition Phase: Apart from the iconic round building, all other aging structures on the 3.9-acre site are being demolished.
- New Additions: The footprint now includes a greenhouse, a maintenance garage, sports courts, and a Pathfinder Outdoor Education tree-climbing apparatus to support outdoor camps.
The project remains on track. Heavy construction is estimated to take 12 to 15 months. Organizers are targeting a soft opening for summer camps in 2027, with a full launch ready for the 2027–2028 school year.
Traffic safety at Pinellas Trail crossings
Forward Pinellas is now studying the trail crossing at 22nd Ave due to safety concerns. Since that’s similar to the crossing on 5th Ave, the agency may be able to recommend safety improvements to both.
SPC Athletic Site ● Near 66th St N and 5th Ave N
The City of St. Petersburg purchased the former St. Petersburg College Gibbs Wellness Center property (the former SPC athletic fields near 66th St. N. and 5th Ave. N.) in 2024 with the goal of creating attainable homeownership opportunities on the roughly 5-acre site. Plans call for 80–100 workforce townhomes, aimed primarily at buyers earning moderate incomes. The project concept has been approved and several development proposals have been submitted, though a final developer selection has not yet been announced. Unlike many recent housing projects in St. Petersburg, the homes are expected to be for sale rather than rentals, helping local workers remain in the area. The effort is part of the city’s broader push to address the shortage of attainable housing in west St. Petersburg.
The athletic fields were previously used by St. Petersburg College sports programs at the Gibbs Campus. SPC athletics still competes as the Titans at other campuses, but the Gibbs fields have not been used for intercollegiate competition in recent years.
Pasadena Card Club ● 10 Park St N
The storm-damaged Bridge/Card Club building in Sunset Park is scheduled for demolition. City funding has been approved, and the removal of the structure will expand the park’s open greenspace.
Jungle Prada Pier ● Jungle Prada de Narváez Park, 1700 Park St N
An engineering report commissioned by the city determined that the pier cannot be repaired and must be fully replaced. The estimated cost for demolition and reconstruction is about $5.6 million, with permits currently valid through July 2027.
Because the city is facing an $18 million budget deficit, funding has not yet been secured. City leadership has identified the pier as a District 1 priority for FY27, and staff are exploring grant opportunities, preservation options, and competitive bidding to help reduce costs.
1.4 million to has been set aside by the city for demolition. No set date to demolish, according to Copley Gerdes, until plans to rebuild have been finalized. Multiple bids. Multiple permits.
Here is an update from Juliana Fisher, JPNA president:
JP Park Pier Update: On May 5th, a productive meeting took place at city hall between 5 western St Pete NA Presidents and City Leadership. We are confident the pier is coming back to our park, but it will take some time and there is some nuance in the process. Councilman Gerdes and city leadership were adamant that the pier IS COMING BACK and asked that we impress this upon our residents in the area. Current situation and next steps:
- The City of St Pete has a disaster replacement permit with both state (FDEP) and Federal (ACOE) permissions to replace the existing pier in its exact location and size that currently expires July 2026. As that timeline has been a bit unreasonable to replace the pier, the city has requested an extension of that permit. At this time, they have every reason to believe the permit will be extended for 5 years (ending July 2031.) While nothing with govt is promised, many of these extensions have been applied for and granted and city officials have utmost confidence this one will be extended.
- Once the permit extension is confirmed (we will know by end of July), the city will then have 5 years to issue an RFP (Request for proposal) for a new structure to be built, remove the existing structure, and construct the new pier in the exact location and size it exists today. Because this is a disaster replacement permit, the 5 year timeline grants a bit more leniency for potential ecological challenges that might arise in that 5 year period, but does limit what can be built as a replacement.
- The 5 NA presidents have asked that we be able to provide guidelines for the RFP that will be issued to local, approved contractors, on the pier replacement project. While we are limited in what can be built due to the permit, we do see ways the area can be improved for better water access, reducing boater congestion at the adjacent ramp, and continuing to be a beloved overwater asset for the western side of St. Pete. We are collaborating to present those asks for RFP consideration shortly.
- How YOU can help: Unfortunately, the costs to demolish the pier are astronomical (City Council voted on 4/16 to reserve $1.4M for demolition only; it's important to know this is s a price cap with an approved contractor, it's possible the demo will not cost this much but we won't know until the project commences.) We've been casually approached by marine builders offering help - if you know marine builders in our area that are interested in constructing a new pier, please have them ensure they are registered with the city to receive RFPs and can bid the project at a reasonable cost when this RFP is issued this summer. If marine contractors are interested, they can reach JPNA at this email address to inquire further and I can be sure to connect them with the correct city depts to ensure they are eligible.
White Peacocks
Neighbors continue to keep an eye on the two rare white peafowl that hatched in Azalea last summer. They are now juveniles and are doing well. Some neighbors have noticed that one bird has been spending more time with the male peacocks while the other tends to stay closer to the females, though at this age it’s still difficult to determine their gender.
If one of them turns out to be male, we may eventually see the famous white peacock fan. Male peafowl typically begin developing their train around their first year, though the full dramatic display usually appears when they are two to three years old.
For now, we’ll keep watching and enjoying the neighborhood’s most unusual residents.
Raytheon Site Cleanup
ANNUAL REMEDIAL ACTION STATUS REPORT - SUMMARY
JULY 2024 – JUNE 2025
The cleanup work is paid for by Raytheon, but testing and reporting are handled by independent environmental firms and reviewed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
This is an annual update (2024–2025) on the cleanup of the
former Raytheon site at 7167 13th Ave N in St. Pete. It explains how
groundwater contamination is being treated and whether things are improving.
🧪 What was the issue
Past industrial activity left chemicals in the
groundwater, mainly:
- TCE (a
common industrial solvent)
- 1,4-dioxane
- Related
breakdown compounds
These are being tracked and reduced over time.
🛠️ What they’ve done
Cleanup has been ongoing since 2008, including:
- Pumping
and treating contaminated groundwater
- Chemical
and thermal treatments in key areas
- A
long-term system (since 2014) that:
- pulls
groundwater out
- treats
it on-site
- sends
cleaned water to the city system
⚙️ Current system (still running)
- About 14
active wells are pulling groundwater
- Water
is treated and safely discharged
- System
has been running continuously and meeting all discharge standards
📊 What the latest results
show
👍 Overall trend:
Improving
- Contaminant
levels are stable or declining
- Cleanup
system is working as intended
- Natural
biological processes are also helping break down chemicals
📉 Groundwater plume
(important)
- The
contaminated area is NOT expanding
- In
fact, it is shrinking compared to earlier years (2010 vs 2025)
📍 Where contamination
remains
- Mostly
localized on the former Raytheon property
- Some
lower-level impacts still exist nearby, but:
- they
are limited
- they
are being controlled
🌱 What’s helping cleanup
- Pumping
system removes contamination
- Natural
processes (“attenuation”) are breaking it down
- Some
fluctuations happen, but that’s expected
⚠️ Is it getting worse?
👉 No.
The report specifically says:
- No
uncontrolled spread is happening
- The
system is maintaining control of the groundwater
- Conditions
are improving over time
🏗️ What’s next
- Cleanup
system will continue operating
- Monitoring
will continue through at least 2026
- Redevelopment
of the property may begin soon, coordinated with cleanup efforts
🧠 Bottom Line (according to report)
- The
contamination is contained and shrinking
- The
treatment system is working and meeting standards
- The site is being actively monitored and managed
Link to download 1,777 page PDF report Contains recent plume maps by contaminant.
Link to view map of contamination plume area (St. Pete Times, 5-23-2008)
Link to current FDEP Pinellas contamination locations
2008 FDH Testing of Homegrown Fruits and Vegetables:
🥕 Raytheon Site & Homegrown Produce – What Residents Should Know
There has been long-standing concern about groundwater contamination near the former Raytheon site, particularly for residents using shallow irrigation wells for gardening.
In 2008, the Florida Department of Health tested homegrown fruits and vegetables from several nearby properties—including citrus, peppers, tomatoes, and onions. The results showed that none of the tested chemicals were detected in any of the produce.
Even using very conservative assumptions, health officials determined that:
- Eating these fruits and vegetables is not expected to cause health problems
- There is no meaningful cancer risk associated with consuming them
- The produce is considered a “no apparent public health hazard”
While groundwater contamination does exist in some irrigation wells, the testing found that those contaminants are not being absorbed into the edible portions of plants.
Bottom line:
Homegrown produce in the Azalea area has been tested and found to be safe to eat based on available data.
