Local boating company Hubbard's Marina selected as new operator of Cross Bay Ferry
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A longtime local boating business may bring back the popular ferry service connecting downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa, with more frequent trips and year-round service.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has recommended Hubbard’s Marina, a nearly century-old Madeira Beach-based business, to relaunch and manage the Cross Bay Ferry, which first launched in 2016. If approved, service could resume as early as 2026, ahead of the peak spring break season.
Hubbard’s Marina, which would operate the service as the Tampa Bay Ferry, was one of four respondents to PSTA’s Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on August 5th.
Founded in 1928 by Captain Wilson Hubbard as a bait-and-tackle shop, Hubbard’s Marina has grown into a major fishing and boating business. The family-owned company moved to John’s Pass on Maderia Beach in 1976, where it now offers deep-sea fishing, sightseeing tours, and operates a maintenance and manufacturing facility in Gulfport.
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South Carolina-based multifamily developer Greystar Real Estate Partners, in partnership with St. Pete-based Blake Investment Partners, has topped out The Henry at Whitney Village, a five-story, 325-unit apartment complex under construction in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District.
The building is located on 3.37 acres on the east side of the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA at 3200 1st Avenue South. Greystar purchased the property from the YMCA in January 2025 for $12 million.
“We are proud to have reached this important milestone and look forward to welcoming residents to the Henry at Whitney Village in Spring 2027,” David King, managing director for development at Greystar, said in a statement to St. Pete Rising.
The apartment complex is part of the first phase of Whitney Village, a five-acre mixed-use development on a portion of the YMCA property that will include apartments, retail, and a renovated YMCA facility.
The first phase also included an extensive renovation of the 25-year-old, 54,000-square-foot YMCA facility on the west side of the property, funded by proceeds from the property sale.