The Burg Bid’s Historic Gas Plant Vision Earns AIA Florida’s Highest Design Recognition: Award for Unbuilt Design and Urban Planning
International jury recognizes award-winning vision for reconnecting communities through design
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Burg Bid’s vision for the redevelopment of St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District has received a Florida/Caribbean AIA Honor Award for Unbuilt Design, one of the highest recognitions bestowed by the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects and the highest level of recognition within the Unbuilt Design category.
“We love St. Petersburg. We honor the people and places that have made it special. And we believe the best way to shape its future is to work with the community to build upon what is already great and leave it stronger than we found it,” said T.W. Blake.
The Burg Bid’s vision was recognized for its comprehensive approach to redevelopment that integrates housing, economic opportunity, cultural preservation, mobility, public space, and community engagement into a unified framework for reconnecting neighborhoods and creating lasting value for future generations.
“This recognition affirms the team’s vision to create a worldclass community and destination built firmly on the historic roots of the Gas Plant neighborhood,” said Jason Jensen, President of WJArchitects. “The Historic Gas Plant District represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reconnect neighborhoods, celebrate cultural heritage, and create a more inclusive and resilient future for St. Petersburg.”
The award-winning proposal reimagines the Historic Gas Plant District as a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood rooted in the history, culture, and legacy of the original Gas Plant community. Guided by principles of reparative architecture and regenerative urban design, the vision seeks to restore social, cultural, civic, and economic connections disrupted by decades of displacement while creating new opportunities for residents, businesses, and visitors.
Key elements of the award-winning vision include:
- Reconnecting neighborhoods through the restoration of the historic street grid and the creation of the Legacy Link, a cultural and pedestrian corridor linking the EDGE District, the Deuces Corridor, Downtown St. Petersburg, and the Warehouse Arts
District. - Expanding access to housing, economic opportunity, and workforce development through a mixed-income community designed to support long-term prosperity and upward mobility.
- Creating more than 18 acres of parks, public spaces, cultural destinations, and community gathering places that celebrate the history and legacy of the Historic Gas Plant community while fostering new connections and shared experiences.
- Embedding community voices into the planning process through ongoing engagement and collaboration with residents, stakeholders, and members of the Historic Gas Plant Visionary Panel.
The Burg Bid’s vision represents an $8.1 billion investment in St. Petersburg and includes more than 7,600 residential units, including 1,800 affordable and workforce units on site and an additional 1,800 offsite units, 1.4 million square feet of office space, hotels, retail destinations, workforce development initiatives, cultural institutions, public parks, and multimodal transportation infrastructure designed to support long-term economic vitality and community prosperity.
“An international jury evaluated submissions from across Florida and Puerto Rico through the lens of design excellence, equitable communities, sustainability, and civic impact. Their selection affirms that thoughtful, community-centered design can play a meaningful role in addressing complex urban challenges while honoring the unique history of the Historic Gas Plant community,”Jensen said.
The award comes during a record-setting year for the AIA Florida Design Awards program, which received the highest number of submissions in its history. Evaluations were completed by an international jury based in Salvador, Brazil, using the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, a nationally recognized framework that measures how architecture advances equitable communities, environmental stewardship, well-being, resilience, and long-term civic value.
Recipients were honored during the 2026 AIA Florida Design and Honor Awards presentation on July 18th as part of the AIA Florida Annual Convention and Trade Show in Kissimmee, Florida.
The award recognizes this vision’s contribution to contemporary thinking about how architecture and urban design can reconnect communities, preserve cultural identity, and create more resilient and inclusive places. It reflects a growing recognition within the
design profession that successful redevelopment must be measured not only by what it builds, but by what it restores.
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Media Contacts:
Mittie Rooney, mrooney@rubenstein.com, 301-602-8709
Stefan Prelog, sprelog@rubenstein.com, 917-804-7003
About The Burg Bid
The Burg Bid is a locally led team with national backing, assembled to deliver a transformative vision for the Historic Gas Plant District. Led by Blake Investment Partners and Related Group, the team combines nationally recognized development expertise with the knowledge, relationships, and commitment of local professionals. WJArchitects serves as Design Architect and Zyscovich Studio of Stratus Team LLC serves as Land Planner supported by a multidisciplinary team of local and national experts.
United by a commitment to St. Petersburg’s future, The Burg Bid integrates housing, economic opportunity, cultural preservation, public space, workforce development, and community-centered planning into a comprehensive strategy for long-term prosperity. Guided by the principles of honoring the past, powering the present, and fueling the future, the team is dedicated to delivering a redevelopment that reflects the values, history, and aspirations of the community it serves.
About WJArchitects
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, WJArchitects is an interdisciplinary architecture, planning, and interiors firm dedicated to creating thoughtful, community-centered environments that enrich daily life. With five offices throughout Florida, more than 2,500 completed projects, and a nationally recognized portfolio of civic, educational, and community-focused work, the firm partners with municipalities, educational institutions, and private organizations to deliver innovative solutions that strengthen communities through design. Guided by the philosophy of “Inspired Design for All,” WJArchitects creates places that serve people, foster connection, and create lasting value.
About Zyscovich
Zyscovich Studio, a collaborative practice within Stratus, is an urban planning and design firm with more than four decades of experience creating mixed-use, community-focused environments. As Land Planner for The Burg Bid’s Historic Gas Plant District vision, Zyscovich provided urban planning and placemaking support, helping shape elements of the project’s public realm and neighborhood connectivity strategy. The firm’s work emphasizes context-sensitive planning, walkability, and creating places that strengthen connections between people and communities.
About Blake Investment Partners
Blake Investment Partners is an institutional investment firm focused on transformative real estate development and community-centered redevelopment initiatives. The firm has been a steadfast partner in St. Petersburg’s growth for 23 years. With more than 200 completed projects across the Southeast and a portfolio that demonstrates both scale and sophistication, Blake brings expertise in mixed-use development, community planning, and long-term value creation. The firm’s patient approach to investment and commitment to stewardship distinguishes it as a developer that prioritizes lasting community benefit over short-term gains.