Retail, apartments and more could be added to the site of the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA in St. Petersburg if the city approves a plan to redevelop more than 4.5 acres on its 11-acre property.

The project, dubbed Whitney Village, will be headed up by local firm Blake Investment Partners and South Carolina-based Greystar Real Estate Partners, according to a Monday news release from the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg.

It will be located at the southwest intersection of 31st Street South and First Avenue South. That space is currently used for playing fields and some parking.

The shops will not face the road, making it a uniquely pedestrian-friendly experience, said Blake Whitney Thompson, founder and CEO of Blake Investment Partners.

The YMCA would sell 4.5 acres of its land and use the proceeds to renovate its 25-year-old facility on the property. Lisa Eccles, chief marketing and communications officer for the YMCA, declined to comment on the sales price. She said the YMCA would still retain ownership of the part of the land where its facilities are located.

“This collaborative project will modernize the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA to set us up to serve the community the next 25 years and beyond,” David Jezek, president and CEO of YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, said in a statement.

The redevelopment will bring:

• A 325-unit residential building called The Bellamy at Whitney Village, with studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms and three-bedrooms.

• 32,000 square feet of retail space.

• 50 smaller residential units above the retail building. “These units were designed to help provide housing to local employees like the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA staff,” the news release said, adding that they would be available for an “attainable price.”

• A parking garage for residents, with dedicated spaces for YMCA members and visitors.

• An artificial turf playing field for the YMCA.

Thompson said the goal will be to create a family-friendly community geared toward healthy outdoor living. The shops and restaurants will reflect that, with possible opportunities including a salad and juice bar and boutiques selling athletic wear.

He also hopes that this will help connect the YMCA to the activity happening nearby in the Grand Central district.

“We’re basically just continuing that feel of cool, funky retail,” Thompson said. “There’s nothing like this being built out west because there’s just not enough land,” he said.

Before the project can move forward, the city’s development review commission must approve the developers’ site plan. The Tampa Bay Times has requested a copy of the plan.