Orange Belt Collective

Old, dusty, and full of columns…

Materials are being selected. First part of this project
that isn’t a drawing. Everything so far has lived on paper. Now it starts becoming something real.

This place has to feel a certain way when you walk into it,
and that doesn’t happen by accident.

An announcement is close. Newsletter first, then here. Drop your email for early access. Link in bio.

Hey, it's Mike.

We've been building something we believe St. Pete needs, and we want to tell that story the right way. The newsletter is how we do that. No noise, no algorithm. Just honest updates from two people in the thick of it, straight to your inbox once or twice a month.

If that sounds like something you want to be part of, the link is below.

And if you know someone who'd be interested in what we're building, share this post. It's the most authentic way we know how to grow this thing.

OBC build phase No spam. Just updates when something happens. Investment opportunities still available [email protected]

Two St. Pete locals. One question we kept asking ourselves — why doesn’t this city have a real home for our endurance community. So we decided to build it.

We’re building what we believe will be St. Pete’s endurance hub. One roof for cyclists and runners to train, compete, socialize, and actually have somewhere to belong.

Call us old school, but Instagram and Facebook aren’t always the right place to tell a story the way it deserves to be told. It’s time consuming and expensive. We’d rather put that time and those resources into building the actual thing we want to share with this community.

So here’s our simple ask. Sign up for the newsletter and we’ll commit to telling the story of what we’re building over the next several months. Build phase updates, the why behind the whole project, and the real process behind what it takes to get something like this off the ground.

We’d still love for you to follow along on the socials, but if you want to come along for the real journey, the build journey, drop your email at the link in bio. We’ll keep you in the loop.

The Queen Stage absolutely delivered, and so did this community. What a turnout.

To everyone who came out yesterday, thank you. Showing the renderings of what’s next for the first time was something special.

None of this happens without the people who showed up and the partners who believed in it early. Thank you to St. Pete Bike Club, Tampa Bay Rides (TBR), FloridaVelo, LOOK ALIVE COFFEE, the bikery, Roman Austin Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers and of course Green Bench Brewing!

We’ve been working hard. Yesterday was a glimpse of what’s coming. This is just the beginning. Follow the journey.

Future home of OBC?

🚧 FERG'S IS HELPING SHAPE THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN ST. PETE.

The St. Petersburg City Council has unanimously approved a deal that will allow the city to purchase a nearly one-mile abandoned rail corridor and transform it into the future Booker Creek Trail.

As part of the agreement, Ferg's Sports Bar owner Mark Ferguson will pay $6 million through two 99-year ground lease agreements, helping fund the city's $7 million purchase of the former CSX rail corridor.

Mark has been a huge part of St. Pete's story for decades. Long before baseball arrived and downtown became what it is today, he believed in this city and invested in it.

Now, he's once again putting St. Pete first by helping make a project like this possible.

Whether you're grabbing a bite before a game or celebrating after one, Ferg's has become a place where countless memories have been made.

The planned trail will span approximately 0.86 miles, creating a shared path for walking, biking, and scooters.

It will connect the Historic Gas Plant District and Tropicana Field area to Fifth Avenue North and the Pinellas Trail, improving connectivity while creating new public space and supporting future economic growth in one of St. Pete's fastest-growing areas.

City officials expect the purchase to close before the end of the month. Design work is already underway, while funding for construction is still being secured. Once construction begins, officials estimate the project could take 3 to 5 years to complete.

Ferg's first opened in 1992, years before Major League Baseball came to St. Petersburg, and has become one of the city's most iconic gathering spots.

What do you think? Is the Booker Creek Trail a good investment for St. Pete?

We’re currently seeking professionals for consulting roles on an upcoming project:

• Sports Physical Therapist
• Weightlifting Coach
• Sports Performance Coach
• Group Fitness Instructor

If you have experience and are interested in being involved, please email [email protected] with your background and a brief summary of how you could contribute to the project.

This Saturday we’ll be attending the Ride With the Legends event rolling out from St. Pete Athletic Club.

Hosted by the St Pete Bicycle Club and title sponsor Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers the weekend brings NBC Tour de France personalities Bob Roll and Christian Vande Velde to St. Pete for a special appearance and community ride.

Saturday’s ride follows the club’s typical weekend format, with the start shifting to St. Pete Athletic. If you’ve been considering joining a Saturday group ride, this is a great entry point. Expect multiple pace groups, experienced ride leaders, and a welcoming environment. For those looking for speed, the fast group will be well represented.

Orange Belt is not affiliated with the event, just helping spread the word and support our local cycling community.

For full details on the weekend schedule and related events with Bob and Christian, visit the St. Petersburg Bicycle Club website or page.

See you Saturday!!!!

1x3 Recap! This weekend’s comp was absolutely amazing! A huge thank you to everyone who came out and brought the energy!

A special shoutout to our 10 competitors who gave it their all — six riders hit new 3-minute PBs, and one Watt Warrior broke into the coveted 500 Watt Club!

Congrats to Kyle Tiesler for taking the W and Alex Widera for snagging 2nd!

Stay tuned — we’ll be posting photos and highlights from the event later this week, and announcing our next competition soon (get ready, featherweights!)

Last but certainly not least thank you to Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers and Green Bench Brewing Co. for hosting!