ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg Foundation has received a $200,000 donation from the Francis and Gertrude Levett Foundation to support upgrades to the STEAM Village at the St. Petersburg Science Center, the organizations announced.The gift reflects the Levett Foundation's longstanding commitment to childhood education and community well-being. Francis and Gertrude Levett, who operated a school busing company on Long Island, N.Y., before settling in St. Petersburg, established their foundation to advance the causes closest to them — including childhood education, medical research and community well-being — in the two communities they called home.

The funding comes as the St. Petersburg Science Center undergoes a transformative expansion. Ground was broken in January 2026 on the reimagined facility, which is slated to open in summer 2027. Building on nearly 60 years of STEAM education, the center is being redeveloped as a cutting-edge emerging technologies hub with a focus on artificial intelligence.The facility will house specialized AI labs, workforce development programming and LaunchAI, a two-story innovation space designed to accelerate startup growth in the Tampa Bay region. The center is expected to serve thousands of students annually, alongside professionals, organizations and the broader community.The St. Petersburg Foundation serves as the philanthropic backbone supporting the project's development.