ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A new documentary talks about the lost history of the Gas Plant District here in St. Petersburg.
"Razed," directed by Andrew Lee and produced by Gwendolyn Reese, looks at a once vibrant Black neighborhood that was replaced by Tropicana Field.
"This was my childhood. This is it. We couldn't go to parks, you know what I'm saying. You made the best of whatever you could find, and this was it. You can still smell the smell."
That's the story of one of the residents of the Gas Plant District featured in the documentary.
It also tells the story of a neighborhood trying to preserve its memories and a look at the future of the area.
This film was created in partnership with the African American Heritage Association of St. Petersburg and the Foundation of a Healthy St. Pete.
You can watch the film today at the USF Institute on Black Life: Festival of Films for free.
The event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but "Razed" screens from 2:50 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Over the last two months, the ABC Action News I-Team has sent the names and information of nearly 300 people who were stuck in an "adjudication hold" to the Florida Department of Commerce. But now, some people have followed up to let the I-Team know after sharing their stories, they are finally getting the relief they desperately need.
