An aerial of the SPC site in west St. Petersburg the city seeks to redevelop | google earth

The City of St. Petersburg is once again seeking a development partner to transform a west St. Pete site into an affordable, for-sale townhome community.

Earlier this month, the city issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting developers to submit plans for the redevelopment of a 5.24-acre property located at 7045 Burlington Avenue North.

The site was purchased by the city from St. Petersburg College in 2024 for $4.2 million, with the intent to construct 105 affordable housing units. As part of the purchase contract for the property, the City of St. Pete agreed to offer SPC students and faculty first right of refusal to purchase 30% of the new residential units.

The property currently features a two-story building on its southern end—formerly the Gibbs Wellness Center of St. Petersburg College—while the northern portion of the site remains vacant.

In 2023, the site had an appraised value of $4.6 million | google earth

This solicitation comes nearly a year after the city released a nearly identical RFP for the same site, seeking a developer to build approximately 105 residential units for households earning up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

That initial RFP received responses from three development teams:

HP Capital Group and D.R. Horton
ASD | SKY and AG Signature Homes
Habitat for Humanity and Namasté Homes

However, no agreement was reached with any of the respondents.

The new RFP no longer specifies a required number of residential units but emphasizes the city’s preference for for-sale townhomes, explicitly excluding condos or apartments.

Additionally, a previous preference for a 15,000-square-foot arts facility—either utilizing the existing building or through new construction—has been removed from the current RFP.

The city continues to prioritize affordability, favoring proposals that offer homeownership opportunities to households earning at or below 80% of the AMI. Additionally, homes sold to households earning up to 120% of the AMI must include resale restrictions to maintain a 30-year affordability period.

The property currently contains a 20,732-square-foot building built in 1969, surface parking, and a field | google streetview

In 2023, St. Pete College commissioned two appraisals. Entreken Associates Inc. appraised the site at $4.6 million, while Real Estate Appraisers & Consultants valued it at $5.04 million.

While the city prefers proposals that do not require municipal funding, it is open to considering subsidization. Any requests for city financial support must be clearly outlined in the proposal.

The city also favors developers who will not seek to rezone the property, which is surrounded by single- and multi-family residential areas and located just east of the Pinellas Trail.

Proposers are encouraged to work with the city’s Workforce Development Team to engage minority- and women-owned businesses during the construction phase.

Proposals are due by May 5th. Interested developers can find the full list of requirements and submittal instructions on the city’s website.

Qualified submissions will be reviewed by city administration and presented to the City Council for approval.