In case you haven’t noticed, three signature gateway signs leading into the Skyway Marina District are in place in lower 34th Street South, clearly designating the area as a distinct sector with a unique vibe.
The signs are among several new developments in the 1.5-mile stretch between 30th and 54th streets south, which the city of St. Petersburg is targeting for new restaurants, hotels and retailers. Earlier this month by an upscale marketing firm that aims to hire more than 250 new employees in the next few years moved in – a major coup for the fledgling district.
“We’ve just had a lot of momentum in the last six months,” Keri Melshenker, executive director of the Skyway Marina District, said Monday, June 27.
City council approved a comprehensive redevelopment plan in 2014, seeking to draw new investors to the area by promoting its central location, proximity to the water, large tracts of developable land, and thousands of well-off homeowners with few places to shop, eat or recreate nearby.
The new gateway signs, in yellow, blue, silver and beige, aim to project a modern contemporary marina feel and are the first step toward creating a unique brand and a “sense of place” for the area, Melshenker said.