Florida Construction News staff writer
The three-story facility will be elevated 22 feet above sea level and is designed to withstand severe weather and the impacts of climate change. It will provide storm-hardened workspace, emergency accommodations and operational support for utility staff during disasters.
The project is part of the city’s SPAR resilience program, supported by an $8.9 million Florida grant to strengthen critical infrastructure serving St. Petersburg and Gulfport.
“Our realities have changed in the city of St. Petersburg, and if we’re going to be a resilient community, this is the kind of infrastructure investment we have to make,” Mayor Kenneth Walsh said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Designed as a “safe, resilient hub” for emergency operations, the facility will allow essential services to continue during severe weather events.
“When storms threaten our community, this building will help ensure essential services continue uninterrupted and that our staff have a secure place from which to serve our residents,” Walsh said.
The building will include offices, an operations control room, a laboratory, workrooms, bunk rooms, staff lounges, group locker rooms and an enclosed repair and maintenance garage on the ground floor. Occupied spaces will be located on the upper two floors.
