The Pinellas County Housing Authority is pitching a development on a small section of the Tropicana Field site to provide affordable housing for seniors, particularly those displaced from the original Historic Gas Plant District.
The group is requesting a lot located at 1659 3rd Ave. S. in St. Pete to build a seven-story apartment complex with 80 affordable units for seniors. The complex would give priority to the lowest-income seniors, with particular preference for those who are former residents of the Gas Plant district.
The proposal includes a $1 purchase price for what is currently a city-owned parking lot. Ascension Real Estate Partners is listed as the co-developer on the proposed project, with STORYN Studio for Architecture as the design partner.
Units would average 700 square feet. Community spaces would be placed at ground level and on the rooftop, with on-site parking and easy access to transit. The property also abuts the Pinellas Trail, making it a prime location for active living and recreation.
The proposal notes that it “directly aligns with the City’s priorities around affordable housing, senior support, and activation of underutilized properties.”
“St. Petersburg faces a severe shortage of affordable senior housing, with rent burdens disproportionately impacting older residents on fixed incomes,” the proposal notes.
It also says the project could “serve as a catalyst and model for future affordable housing within and around the Historic Gas Plant District and Innovation District.”
The proposal requests the city’s consideration of the unsolicited proposal and welcomes the city’s Community Benefits Agreement process, established to ensure any project utilizing city resources provides adequate community benefit. The proposal also asks for guidance on required evaluation criteria, documentation and timelines, and leaves open the door for other potential partnership and support opportunities within the city.
“We believe this proposal represents a unique opportunity to transform a currently underutilized parcel into a community asset that addresses a pressing need for affordable senior housing in St. Petersburg, while honoring the City’s commitment to the Historic Gas Plant District community,” the proposal reads.
It comes after the city received another unsolicited proposal, from developer Casey Ellison and investor Cathie Wood to buy available portions of the Tropicana Field site and redevelop it in phases.
That $6.8 billion proposal would utilize almost the entire Trop site, with 3,701 new homes, including 863 affordable units, 618 affordable units for seniors, 444 workforce units and 1,776 market rate units. The plan also calls for more than 1,500 hotel rooms, all while reserving nearly 45% of the site for public parks, culture and civic spaces.
That development group is requesting $120 million from the city for public infrastructure. For perspective, the previous proposal from the Tampa Bay Rays and Hines to redevelop the site with a baseball stadium, which fell through, called for $142 million in public investment for roads and sewers to support the project.
Mayor Ken Welch has not publicly weighed in on the latest proposal, but said of the previously received pitch that he was reviewing it.