ST. PETERSBURG— A city review board approved plans Wednesday for a new craft brewery near Tropicana Field and the Pinellas Trail.

The Development Review Commission unanimously signed off on Pinellas Ale Works' plans to convert a long-vacant building into a tasting room, beer garden and brewery capable of making 750 barrels a year.

The site at 1962 First Ave. S is a block north of the trail and four blocks west of the Trop, a location co-founder Matthew Brown hopes will capture bicyclists and baseball fans.

Brown, who works as a brewer at Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, has partnered with Dennis Decker, whom he met at a home-brewing competition.

Brown was represented at the commission meeting by architect Tara Wood Dozark, wife of the founder of Cycle Brewing, Doug Dozark.

She said the city's growing craft-brewing scene — now at six— has plenty of room to grow, viewing new entrants not as competition but part of a community.

Pinellas Ale Works still has to get city permits, federal and state licenses and complete the purchase of the 8,380-square-foot building, formerly an auto repair shop. They plan to open by the end of the year, Brown said.