Tesla’s plans for a massive, 100,000 square foot sales, service, and delivery center in St. Petersburg, Florida, were recently approved by the Pinellas County Board of Adjustment and Appeals (BOAA) — reports St. Pete Rising.
Reports of Tesla seeking more service centers in Florida, California, New York, and also in British Columbia’s capital city, Victoria, in Canada, date all the way back to 2020.
The electric vehicle (EV) company is proposing a 3,000 square-foot showroom fronting 34th Street, a 35,000-45,000 square-foot service center for maintenance and repairs, an 8,000-10,000 square-foot parts department, and a 50,000 square-foot facility for vehicle storage at the 4.21-acre site located at 4601 34th Street North.
“Tesla Motors brings a cutting edge, forward-thinking, innovative, and sustainable concept to the Lealman area with planned work to improve the overall structural conditions and appearance of the property which will greatly benefit the community,” the company said in a Letter of Intent to Pinellas County.
Tesla is currently under contract to purchase the property, which was previously inhabited by a Kane’s Furniture Liquidation Center. The BOAA approval, issued April 6, is contingent on site plan approval and obtaining all required permits.
Residents in the area, though, are already celebrating Tesla’s arrival in Lealman. “This will spark a tidal wave of economic development in one of the area’s most deserving communities,” said David Lee, manager of the Residents for a Better Lealman Facebook group.
“Lealman is a geographic gem located right in the center of Pinellas County. Tesla figured it out, many others will follow.”
Lee’s thoughts are right on the money. eCommerce giant Amazon recently started construction on a new 40,000 square-foot last-mile delivery center at 6101 45th Street North, just two miles away from the proposed Tesla facility.
“Tesla coming to Pinellas, coming to Lealman is exciting on multiple levels,” said Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice in an email to St Pete Rising.
“First we get an improved use and quality of the property with better paying jobs. Secondly, this kind of high profile name brand choosing Lealman will help continue to share the message that Lealman is the right location for your company. Pinellas is ready and open for business.”
The proposed Tesla facility in Lealman will create numerous high-paying jobs for locals. The sales, service, and delivery center is expected to employ more than 50 automotive software service technicians alone.
Tesla’s plans do not involve changing the existing footprint of the building, but new features like enhanced exterior lighting and curb stops will be added for safer driving conditions. The plans do include new landscaping and a new building façade, among other changes.
There is no word yet on when the EV pioneer will break ground on the site at 4601 34th Street North, St. Pete.
Back in February, Tesla deployed a total of 12 Superchargers in Brooksville, Florida, over the course of just eight days.
