June 06, 2025

40-unit affordable townhome project planned for south St. Pete receives city funding

June 06, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

After years of planning, an affordable townhome community is advancing with the help of newly approved funding.

At a Thursday meeting, the St. Petersburg City Council unanimously approved $2.18 million in funding for Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Gulfside to build Pelican Place, a 40-unit affordable townhome community at 2100 18th Avenue South.

The funding is coming from previously allocated Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dollars from the South St. Petersburg Redevelopment District Fund.

The property, valued at $1.43 million and located across from Tangerine Plaza, was sold to Habitat for Humanity for $10, bringing the city’s total financial commitment to over $3.6 million for the project, or $90,000 per unit.

June 05, 2025

Four developers compete to build affordable townhomes on former SPC site in west St. Pete

June 05, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Four development teams have responded to the city’s request for proposals (RFP) to build affordable housing on a city-owned property in west St. Pete.

The city has released the four proposals it received in response to a reissued RFP to redevelop a 5.24-acre property at 7045 Burlington Avenue North.

The City purchased the site from St. Petersburg College in 2024 for $4.2 million. It currently features a two-story building on the south end that formerly housed the college’s Gibbs Wellness Center, while the north end remains vacant.

The respondents include local developer HP Capital Group in partnership with national homebuilder D.R. Horton; joint venture partners Habitat for Humanity Gulfside and homebuilder Namasté Homes; Tampa-based homebuilder Ramos Development LLC in partnership with Land Advisors Organization and technology-forward homebuilder ONX Homes; and affordable housing homebuilder McDowell Housing Partners LLC.

May 19, 2025

376-unit residential community proposed for 22-acre Empath Health campus in Largo

May 19, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

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.

May 15, 2025

New townhomes and office HQ proposed alongside expanded preservation in north St. Pete

May 15, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

Three wooded lots in north St. Pete's Gateway area, currently vacant and littered with debris, may soon become expanded and maintained preservation grounds alongside a local office building and a new residential development.

The noncontiguous sites, purchased by St. Pete-based general contracting firm Lema Construction in February for $400,000, are located on the northeast side of 4th Street North and Gandy Boulevard.

The properties are surrounded by commercial and multifamily developments, including the assisted living facility Aventura Bay Place, the Winn-Dixie-anchored Bayview Shopping Plaza, and a site slated for future townhomes.

April 16, 2025

City relaunches RFP process for new affordable housing development in west St. Pete

April 16, 2025/ Veronica Brezina

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.