The City of St. Petersburg is taking the next step towards turning a St. Petersburg College property in west St. Pete into an affordable housing development for students and staff.

This week, the St. Petersburg Community Planning and Preservation Commission voted to approve a rezoning land use amendment paving the way for the city to purchase SPC's former Gibbs Wellness Center property.

The city plans to build 105 affordable workforce townhomes with 30% of the units reserved for students, teachers, and faculty. The eligible students and faculty will have the right of first refusal to purchase the homes.