376-unit residential community proposed for 22-acre Empath Health campus in Largo
/A representative image of what Greystar’s Bayside apartment community is expected to look like | greystar
A South Carolina developer is planning to transform the 21.8-acre Empath Health campus in Largo into a large-scale residential community that includes affordable housing made possible by Florida’s Live Local Act.
Greystar Real Estate Partners, currently under contract to purchase the property at 5771 Roosevelt Boulevard, has proposed a 376-unit development consisting of apartments and townhomes. Of those, 150 units will be reserved as affordable housing.
The planned community, named Bayside, will include an ample amount of green space featuring gravel paths, gardens, sports areas for families, two dog parks, playgrounds, a potential putting green, a shaded hammock area, a walking trail around a large stormwater pond.
Bayside will also contain a clubhouse with a pool.
The development will offer a mix of one- to four-bedroom units with high-end finishes. The building’s architectural style will take inspiration from South Carolina and Key West, incorporating elements such as covered porches and louvered shutters.
Greystar’s Bayside apartment community in Largo will contain 88 townhomes across 13 buildings on the north side and 288 apartments across six buildings on the south side of the community | Architectural Alliance Landscape
The community will contain 693 parking spaces, mostly surface parking, along with some covered spaces and two-car garages for townhome residents.
Bayside is among the first developments in Largo to leverage Florida’s Live Local Act, a statewide initiative aimed at increasing affordable and workforce housing. The law allows residential construction on non-residentially zoned properties if at least 40% of the units are designated for households earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI).
The site, classified as Residential/Office General (R/OG) under Largo’s Future Land Use map, qualifies under the law. As proposed, 40% of Bayside’s units, distributed across both apartments and townhomes, will meet the Live Local Act’s affordability requirement, while the remainder will be rented at market rates.
“This project allows us to go beyond what we’ve been able to program at other infill sites and will be our first time utilizing the Live Local Act,” said Jonathon Howard, managing director at Greystar.
empath health’s campus at 5771 Roosevelt Boulevard | empath health
The first Largo development filed under the Live Local Act was Allora, a 240-unit apartment project by Belleair Development Group and Trammell Crow Residential. Since then, additional proposals have been submitted under the new law.
While no specific timeline for Bayside has been announced, Howard anticipates construction could begin in 2026, with the first residents moving in by 2028, pending final plans, land acquisition, and necessary approvals.
Greystar has worked on several projects in the St. Petersburg area in addition to Bayside.
The company recently broke ground on The Henry at Whitney Village, a 325-unit apartment and retail project near downtown St. Pete.
Greystar also developed the 36-story Ascent St. Pete luxury apartment tower, the adjacent 172-room AC Hotel by Marriott, and the 412-unit Marlowe Gateway apartment community in north St. Pete.
