Pinellas Rejects All Downtown Clearwater Redevelopment Bids

Pinellas County turned down both proposals to redevelop nearly 25 acres of county-owned land in downtown Clearwater.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Commercial

Bold vector editorial illustration of a bare urban lot behind chain-link fencing, with a single surveyor's stake and a row of palms beyond it. — Pinellas County rejected both bids on Oct. 13 to redevelop 24.5 acres of county-owned downtown Clearwater land, with no timeline for reopening the process. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Pinellas County's Office of Management and Budget announced in an Oct. 13 letter that it rejected both proposals to redevelop 24.5 acres of county-owned property downtown. The county has not disclosed why the proposals were rejected or whether it plans to reopen the bidding process.

Why it matters

The rejection leaves the county's plan to create a mixed-use district with residential, commercial, retail, hospitality and public spaces in limbo. Clearwater residents and businesses now have no timeline for how the downtown properties will be developed.

The solicitation covered 17 county properties encompassing 34 parcels and approximately 24.5 acres, while the county paid $33 million for 21 acres at 13600 Icot Blvd. in 2023. The rejection letter offered no further explanation, leaving the reasons for the decision unknown.

The players

Pinellas County

Pinellas County is the Florida county that owns the downtown Clearwater properties and issued the solicitation for their redevelopment.

CBRE Inc.

CBRE Inc. is a global commercial real estate services firm that the county hired to help structure the solicitation and evaluate developers.

The details

The rejection letter, signed by Purchasing Division Director Merry Celeste, covered both proposals the county received for the downtown site. The county had hired commercial real estate firm CBRE Inc. to help structure the solicitation and evaluate developers.

2023: The county purchased 21 acres at 13600 Icot Blvd. for $33 million.
Oct. 13, 2025: The county rejected all redevelopment proposals in an Oct. 13 letter.
October: The county had initially planned to review submissions.
November: The county had initially planned to begin negotiations with developers.
April 2027: The county had initially anticipated selecting a development partner.

Development Context

The county's 2023 purchase of 21 acres at 13600 Icot Blvd. for $33 million set up a planned new government complex expected to be completed in 2029. The downtown rejection now leaves the county's broader downtown redevelopment strategy without a selected partner.

Clearwater residents and downtown businesses will not see the planned mixed-use district take shape until the county selects a new developer or reopens the bidding. The county has not said when that might happen.

The takeaway

Downtown Clearwater property plans remain unsettled, so residents and businesses should watch for any announcement from Pinellas County on reopening the bidding or a revised timeline.