Revised plans advance for 13-story affordable housing tower in downtown St. Pete

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Revised plans advance for 13-story affordable housing tower in downtown St. Pete

A long-awaited residential redevelopment on the west side of Mirror Lake in downtown St. Pete is finally making progress, more than two years after the project was first awarded.

Pinellas County Schools’ 1.36-acre property, located at 296 Mirror Lake Drive and home to the 101-year-old Tomlinson building, is now one step closer to being redeveloped as the development team has submitted plans to the city for site plan approval.

What was once planned as a mix of affordable and market-rate apartments will now be an entirely affordable community, with priority given to Pinellas County Schools faculty and staff.

All 202 units in the updated plan will be income-restricted, with some reserved for households earning up to 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) and the rest at 110% AMI.

The Tomlinson building was originally built in 1924 as St. Petersburg Junior High School. It later became the Edwin H. Tomlinson Vocational School before transitioning into the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center in 1978.

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400 Central developer asks Mayor Welch for more time to bid on Historic Gas Plant site

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400 Central developer asks Mayor Welch for more time to bid on Historic Gas Plant site

Red Apple Real Estate, the New York–based development firm behind the 46-story Residences at 400 Central in downtown St. Petersburg, has expressed interest in redeveloping the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District. But only if the city allows more time for proposals.

In a letter sent November 7th to Mayor Ken Welch and City Council, Red Apple CEO John Catsimatidis urged the city to extend its planned 30-day window for alternative submissions related to the site.

Earlier this month, Mayor Welch announced that he would open a brief period in mid-November for developers to submit competing proposals after the city received an unsolicited $6.8 billion plan led by Casey Ellison of Ellison Companies, Cathie Wood of ARK Invest, and Jonathan Graham of Horus Construction.

“Red Apple Real Estate is well-positioned to transform the 86 acres into what I call a ‘wow’ development,” Catsimatidis wrote, adding that his firm has the “knowledge, expertise, and relationships” to create market-rate and affordable housing, along with amenities that enhance quality of life and create jobs.

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Several developments move forward along The Deuces corridor in south St. Pete

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Several developments move forward along The Deuces corridor in south St. Pete

After years of promises to revive 22nd Street South, the City of St. Pete is finally making progress on projects expected to bring new life back to The Deuces.

From the 1940s through the 1960s, 22nd Street South, from 2nd Avenue to 18th Avenue, was the heart of St. Pete’s Black community, filled with thriving businesses, music clubs, and restaurants.

But after I-275 cut through the area in the mid 1970s, the busy corridor slowly fell into decline.

Now, with a growing pipeline of new developments on the horizon, the Deuces is beginning to show signs of revival.

At a community meeting this week at the Enoch Davis Center, city officials gave updates on several ongoing projects.

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82-unit affordable apartment community Wimbish Court proposed for south St. Pete

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82-unit affordable apartment community Wimbish Court proposed for south St. Pete

A vacant 1.16-acre site near Bartlett Park in south St. Pete could soon become an 82-unit affordable housing community.

The $33 million development, called Wimbish Court, has been proposed by Orlando-based Archway Partners for 2025 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Street South.

Archway is under contract to purchase the property for $1.875 million, but the project will only move forward if it secures 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), according to Paul Nudelman, Development Partner at Archway Partners.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program is a federal tax incentive created by Congress in 1986 to encourage private developers to build affordable housing.

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Seven-story affordable apartment building for seniors proposed for city-owned lot in downtown St. Pete

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Seven-story affordable apartment building for seniors proposed for city-owned lot in downtown St. Pete

The City of St. Pete has received another offer to redevelop part of the Historic Gas Plant District in downtown St. Pete.

The Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA) has submitted an unsolicited proposal to purchase and redevelop a city-owned parking lot at 1659 3rd Avenue South into an 80-unit affordable housing building for seniors.

In 2023, the Rays and Hines submitted a nearly identical proposal for the same site.

The property, which sits adjacent to the recently completed Modera St. Petersburg apartment tower, has been historically used as parking for Tampa Bay Rays games.

In an October 8th offer letter to the city, PCHA Executive Director Neil Brickfield detailed plans for a seven-story building designed by St. Pete-based Storyn Studio for Architecture in partnership with local developer Ascension Real Estate Partners.

The proposal calls for the City to convey the land to PCHA so it can utilize the Affordable Housing Voucher Program to ensure long-term affordability.

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Habitat for Humanity to build 100 affordable homes on former church site in Largo

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Habitat for Humanity to build 100 affordable homes on former church site in Largo

An eight-acre property in Largo once home to the American Collegiate Academy will soon be redeveloped into an affordable housing community.

Earlier this month, Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Gulfside purchased the site at 833 Wyatt Street for $4.75 million, with plans to construct 100 affordable townhomes.

The seller, American Collegiate Academy, purchased the site from the First Assembly of God of Clearwater for $2 million in 2019.

The property, which currently features 17 classrooms and a 900-seat auditorium, will be demolished to make way for the project.

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City moves forward with affordable housing and retail development on 22nd Street South

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City moves forward with affordable housing and retail development on 22nd Street South

Mayor Ken Welch has selected Green Mills Group, a South Florida-based affordable housing developer, to redevelop a historically significant city-owned property at 951 22nd Street South.

The selection follows a Request for Proposals (RFP) process that launched in August 2024, which drew three submissions from Green Mills Group, Tall Cotton, and Alexander Goshen/Goode Van Slyke Architecture.

Under Green Mills’ proposal, the vacant 0.68-acre site would be transformed into a $20 million mixed-use development, called Heritage Grove, featuring 54 affordable apartments and 2,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

City Council is expected to vote on a negotiated ground lease and development agreement next Thursday, October 16th.

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2,084-unit Sky Town begins vertical construction on first apartments in St. Pete

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2,084-unit Sky Town begins vertical construction on first apartments in St. Pete

Vertical construction has commenced on the first phase of apartments at Sky Town, a planned $800 million mixed-use development at 3201 34th Street South in the Skyway Marina District.

The 34.3-acre site, once home to the Ceridian office campus, is being redeveloped in six phases to include 2,084 apartments, 69,000 square feet of retail anchored by a 23,000-square-foot Sprouts Farmers Market, and 120,000 square feet of self-storage.

It is the largest project currently in development in St. Pete, based on acreage and number of units.

The Sprouts Farmers Market, now nearing completion, sits along the east side of the property and will serve as the gateway to the future redevelopment. A 4,500-square-foot retail outparcel fronting 34th Street South is also under construction.

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New affordable apartment community opens near the Skyway Marina District in south St. Pete

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New affordable apartment community opens near the Skyway Marina District in south St. Pete

Just before Labor Day weekend, local government officials and community leaders gathered in south St. Pete to cut the ribbon on the city’s newest affordable housing development.

Founders Point, a 15-unit apartment community at 2901 31st Street South near the Skyway Marina District, was developed by Pinellas Affordable Living Inc. (PAL), a Community Housing Development Organization formed by the Boley Centers.

The community, designed to provide safe and affordable housing for people with special needs, is located next to Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and just south of The Shores Apartments, a 50-unit affordable housing community developed by The Richman Group.

All 15 one-bedroom apartments are reserved for residents earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), specifically for households with special needs.

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Habitat for Humanity to break ground on 57-home community in Lealman

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Habitat for Humanity to break ground on 57-home community in Lealman

Nearly six acres of underutilized land in St. Pete’s Lealman neighborhood is set to be transformed into a new affordable housing community.

Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside is expected to break ground by the end of the year on a project that will bring 57 new homes to families in need.

Located across from Lealman Elementary School at the corner of 58th Avenue North and 40th Street North, the new community will feature 31 single-family homes and 26 townhomes.

The townhomes will rise on a 1.74-acre parcel at 4000 58th Avenue North, while the single-family homes will be constructed on surrounding land.

The Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County acquired the properties in 2016.

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