What is the Master Plan?
The Master Plan will be a comprehensive look at the places and spaces in and adjacent to the Innovation District. It will include discussions of zoning, infrastructure, public spaces, types of buildings, facility uses, programming and more.
The District was formed in 2016, and early planning efforts included a strategic plan and a placemaking and streetscape design. As the District has evolved, so has the land and its uses. The 2019 Employment Center-2 (EC-2) zoning designation in the northern part of the District created the opportunity for pedestrian oriented amenities, neighborhood scale cafes, and expanded use of office space, for example The Library Restaurant. The adaptive reuse of a building on the Port of St. Pete inspired a co-working space for technology small businesses called the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub.
Why do the Master Plan?
The District stakeholders often explore how to use public and private places to facilitate the informal and formal collaborations necessary for innovation, as well as spaces for increased research, expanded workforce opportunities, and new educational clusters. Often these discussions can happen in silos. It is our intent to connect as many of these planning efforts together and to provide opportunities for a wide range of stakeholders to be involved.

Why Now?
The Innovation District launched in 2016, and early planning efforts included an initial vision and placemaking and streetscape design. As the District evolved, so has the land and its uses. Opportunities have grown for pedestrian oriented amenities, neighborhood scale cafes, expanded use of office space, and community events. The adaptive reuse of a building on the Port of St. Pete inspired a co-working space for technology small businesses. To continue to develop these opportunities in a thoughtful and connected way, the District is working with the City of St. Petersburg on a Master Plan.