This Dad Has Vision to Build a Better St. Petersburg

BY ERNERST HOOPER

It started rather routinely. Two North Shore Elementary dads whose kids sit in the same classroom made a connection. Eventually, the one dad realized they held a shared interest in the other dad’s architectural efforts on a new building project: an experiential hotel going up on Central Avenue.

For Rays president Brian Auld, it made sense to invite the other dad, Everald Colas, to showcase his designs. After all, the Moxy, a Marriott hotel brand, would soon rise in the shadow of the Tropicana Field. So, when Colas and the Moxy developers strolled into the Rays offices, it seemed significant but not momentous.

Until Rays owner Stu Sternberg walked into the room. Auld, who has served as a Rays executive for nearly 18 years, does not necessarily find the presence of Sternberg to be intimidating. For Colas, however, Sternberg’s entry into the presentation amplified his approach. After all, Sternberg and the Rays were vying to lead one of the most transformational redevelopments in St. Petersburg history.

“I didn’t expect him to come in,” Colas said. “I wasn’t intimidated, but I thought to myself, it’s the Rays owner.”

But Colas didn’t flinch. The man met the moment, calmly explaining the narrative details in the hotel’s design. Sternberg, who Colas says has a good design eye, took notice. So did Auld.

“He did such a great job of taking complex themes and making them digestible,” Auld said. “He’s such a great presenter. I started to realize it would make sense to have him involved in our RFP.”

So, Colas, who founded the Storyn Studio for Architecture firm in 2018, now finds himself as one of three architects joining the team’s plans to partner with the city and remake the 86 acres surrounding Tropicana Field. As the son of Haitian immigrants, he’s humbled, but he’s not awed. The man met the moment because the man always envisioned the moment. Not the moment to meet Sternberg – but the moment to make a difference.

“This is the work we said we would always do if I had a firm,” said Colas. “I visited the National African American History Museum in Washington, D.C., in 2019 with a group of black architects and planners. (Noted black architect) Sharon Sutton said, “Never be enticed by individual success, but in everything you do, remember the community.”

Those words crystalize Colas’ approach to this $6 billion restorative redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District. He spent part of his childhood in Portau-Prince, Haiti, and he vividly recalls how his mother would invite vendors into their courtyard to sell their goods.

The memory of her providing that economic opportunity inspires his work today. He could talk about the 320,000 square feet of retail, the 700-room hotel or the 1.4 million square feet of office space. Colas, however, speaks with enthusiasm about affordable and workforce housing ownership (1,459 units), the economic opportunities the project will generate for minority-owned, womenowned, and small businesses, the inclusion of the new Dr. Carter G. Woodson AfricanAmerican History Museum, and the $17.5 million educational investment in the design.

“As a practice, we think of design as a tool for social change,” Colas said.

He thinks the design of the Historic Gas Plant project can serve as a central connecting point, figuratively stitching together the unique neighborhoods of St. Petersburg, a city he’s come to love.

Both University of Florida graduates, Colas and his wife Lauren, had moved to New York City after he earned a master’s degrees in architecture and a master’s in science in architectural pedagogy. But when their daughter was born, they longed to be closer to Lauren’s family in Gainesville and his family in South Florida. They visited downtown Tampa but eventually made their way across the bridge and immediately grew fond of the downtown urban corridor and the walkability.

When he returned to New York, where he worked as a senior architect for the prestigious Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), he spotted a Visit St.PetersburgClearwater poster while riding the L-Train. He couldn’t ignore the call.

Now he feels called to help lead the historic effort. While Mayor Ken Welch chose the Rays proposal in his state of the city address on Jan. 30, much remains to be done to bring the visionary project to fruition. Details must be solidified, approvals must be earned. For Colas, however, the moment is now. And he’s ready.

“You’re designing a neighborhood,” Colas said as he sat in his Central Avenue building. “It’s a neighborhood that will honor the history of the district, and a neighborhood that will steward economic mobility.

“It’s a generational project with our city partners that’s going to be amazing.”

Everald Colas, far left, eversees a contruction project with his team from Storyn Studio for Architecture in St. Petersburg, FL