Thrive
City considers replacing park with affordable housing
City officials are exploring alternative uses for underutilized green space near downtown St. Petersburg, including expanding a publicly owned affordable housing complex.
Councilmember Gina Driscoll requested a review of the Jamestown Apartments and Townhomes, its Dwight H. Jones Neighborhood Center and adjacent Unity Park. Chris Ballestra, managing director of development, called increasing the housing development’s footprint a potentially exciting project during an Aug. 8 committee discussion.
Jamestown and its community center have proven successful, and Unity Park’s primary users are homeless residents. However, any changes would require a voter referendum in 2026.
“It hasn’t properly functioned as a park, in my humble opinion, for its lifespan,” Ballestra said. “But part of that is just simple proximity.”
Unity Park abuts 4th Avenue N. and the I-375 offramp. Ballestra said it lacks public parking, and vehicles typically pass by at 30 to 50 mph.
Officials removed the park’s playground as it “did not serve children.” The equipment is now in Jamestown’s courtyard.
Ballestra asked a staffer to take an updated picture of the green space, which shows a homeless person sleeping in the walkway. “The police department does a great job of managing and controlling it,” he added. “I don’t think it’s for any lack of city staff or resources … it’s become what it is today.”
He provided a low-density expansion example with 42 units. Ballestra also noted the city could “easily” fit 100 to 150 units on the property.
The Jamestown Apartments and Townhomes at 1035 Burlington Ave. N.
Jamestown opened at 1035 Burlington Ave. N. in 1976 and provides 76 fully occupied affordable housing units. Ballestra said 67 homes received interior renovations, and the city will begin updating the remaining 10 in the next six months with Penny for Pinellas tax dollars.
The Dwight Jones Center opened in 1977 and houses a Boys & Girls Club, the Pinellas Opportunity Council and complex staff. It also serves the surrounding community and recently hosted a backpack giveaway.
“It provides a wonderful, safe living environment,” Ballestra said of Jamestown. “And, in my opinion, is a banner example for affordable housing in the city.”
However, Ballestra is unaware of officials ever removing a park from the city’s system. While he called that a “real hurdle” to Jamestown’s potential expansion, he said it was a “worthy pursuit.”
Preliminary analysis is ongoing. St. Petersburg’s legal, community enrichment, housing, real estate, planning, zoning and engineering teams must still conduct extensive reviews.
Officials must also ensure the surrounding community welcomes the potential project. Citywide voters would ultimately decide its fate in 2026, at the earliest.
Administrators must also decide whether or not to partner with private developers and implement affordability restrictions. Ballestra noted that building housing is “not cheap in today’s environment.”
Heather Judd, assistant city attorney, explained an additional challenge. Officials must discern if residents dedicated any donated parcels to park use. That would require officials to return the land.
Councilmember Copley Gerdes said he “loved the idea of expanding Jamestown.” He also expressed concern for displacing homeless residents from the park.
Councilmember Floyd agreed. He said there are “people using the park all of the time out of necessity, and that should be one of our highest considerations.”
Unity Park is roughly a quarter mile from a homeless shelter operated by St. Vincent de Paul CARES. Councilmember Brandi Gabbard said the city could partner with the nonprofit to provide wraparound services at the site.
“I would not want us to limit our conversation to only expansion of the affordable housing, which is also a very worthy cause,” Gabbard added. “We’re telling the voters we’re taking something out of the parks system. I think we have to have a really good reason why we’re willing to do that.”
An example site plan for an expanded Jamestown.
Judd clarified that portions of the park would remain. Administrators will begin working on a master plan and provide a more comprehensive analysis to the Housing, Land Use and Transportation Committee this fall.
Driscoll said a recent tour of the complex motivated her to increase its impact. She expressed concern that the low-density expansion example included a “giant parking lot.”
A local architectural firm provided the hypothetical site plan about seven years ago, as administrators have previously discussed the property’s potential. Ballestra said he would offer more “thought-through” alternatives “if this thing were to take flight.”
Driscoll believes partnering with St. Vincent de Paul would foster additional success. “I want to make sure we’re not finding needles in the park all the time any more,” she said. “But those are from people who need help.”
Pete
August 14, 2024at10:29 am
Maybe turn the area for housing the homeless
KDG
August 13, 2024at9:53 pm
Unity Park isn’t currently much of a park. There are few trees and zero park type infrastructure. It is occupied by many unhoused individuals. It could be a nice park but the city will need to invest. A lighted a basketball court would be a good addition giving kids recreational options. Alternatively, if it doesn’t function as much of a green space/park then maybe it’s best and highest use would be for affordable housing.
Laura
August 13, 2024at9:43 pm
Thank goodness the city’s founders set aside waterfront land that can never be developed. Otherwise our present administration would probably be trying to sell that land off to be built on too.
Tatguy
August 13, 2024at7:29 pm
OMG. Has the city counsel toured the Jamestown Apartment neighborhood/complex, and even better, take a tour in the evening or at night? That whole development should be razed and replaced. Saying that most of the units have been renovated and the remaining to follow, is a joke! Keep the park and fix what is a ghetto, that most St Pete residents doesn’t even know exsists. Please fix exsisting blight, before creating more.
JudyToo
August 13, 2024at4:27 pm
Do we know how many “affordable housing units” would be required to meet the demand? I doubt that it would be possible to provide enough to make a dent in the demand – it will always be there.
Welch and his puppets on the city council are fixated on a “problem” that cannot be fixed. They force developers to provide a certain number of such units to obtain approval.
The number is so small that it becomes a lottery that very few “win.” The developer is forced to increase the cost of the remaining units (rental or residential) so market rates are increased.
“Affordable housing” is affordable only because residents/taxpayers ultimately pay for the units. It is a glorified transfer of wealth, an attempt to do something that they think makes them look good at the expense of residents/taxpayers.
Parks are sacred green spaces that should be cared for, maintained and kept forever. We have too few green spaces, none should be converted to housing. That is not the solution. All it does is provide a few more lottery winners and less green space.
Mike
August 13, 2024at11:22 am
So once buildings are placed on the property, the homeless will be pushed out and the land will never be a public park ever again, vanishing with “progress” If the neighborhood changes and the abolished park would fit the neighborhood, it’s gone. Ans where is the information that only the homeless use the park? Or is that just wishful thinking by the city.
Kate McGrath
August 13, 2024at11:07 am
I’m fairly new to St Pete a little over 3 years. And I personally understand the need for affordable housing I live in such a place myself. But I look around and see so many tall buildings but we need the green spaces also. I would hate to see the loss of unity Park I would much rather support building these Parks up there’s so much that could be done especially at unity Park to make it more useful more appealing
Gaines
August 13, 2024at12:06 am
Paving over a green space to bring in more welfare recipients during historical overpopulation in the area????? I think maybe they should examine their heads.
R
August 13, 2024at12:06 am
All housing is affordable otherwise the price would go down. Who is going to pay for this subsidized housing? What obligation will the residents have to the taxpayer who will have money forcibly taken away from their families?
Robert
August 12, 2024at8:54 pm
Theft of public property. Green Space and any ability for animals to survive. Clean up the streets of st Pete. I would go to the park if it weren’t for needles and Crack heads. Stop stealing from our youth.
S. Rose Smith-Hayes
August 12, 2024at6:42 pm
Also consider abandoned houses that can be renovated and sold. If the park only serve homeless persons, what is its purpose??? Would the homeless be considered for residency in the new apartments??? There are many homeless that have income.
Mike
August 12, 2024at5:42 pm
Its literally your job to displace homeless from our neighborhood. That is why you steal from me: to do something for the RESIDENTS of your district. INFURIATING.
Ann M.
August 12, 2024at5:35 pm
Why replace a park with housing?
How about building housing where Tropicana Field is being moved from?
It’s a much larger area so more units and services can be added and St Pete can keep their green space.
Mike
August 12, 2024at5:30 pm
A homeless person does not pay taxes and cannot vote. Yet an elected official is concerned about “displacing” said homeless person.
Sir. What would you say you do here? Do your job. You work for tax paying voters. Period. If you want to be a catholic saint, go do that and let a grown functioning adult run our district.
Laura A Sherman
August 12, 2024at4:37 pm
Once it’s gone, it gone forever…..
Mike C
August 12, 2024at4:22 pm
Need to develop an executable plan to offset the loss of rare and important park and green space in St. Pete with newly identified park and green space. The persistent push by city leadership to increase population density through development without a park and green space strategy is on track to turn St Pete into the concrete jungles of other cities. Please do not continue down a path of destroying part of what makes St. Pete beautiful! If this space is lost, what new space will replace it? where will it be? who will pay for the acquisition, development and maintenance? Think this through.
David E.Lietz
August 12, 2024at4:07 pm
St. Pete lived there briefly thank gawd. Scrubby vegetation .bulldozed not much in real trees a lot of beach stuff and beach bums.harsh light.too hot even in winter.flat. very probably need affordable housing But then even fewer trees .
Danny E White
August 12, 2024at3:42 pm
This is admirable creative thinking to address a very real problem. Citizens without shelter are real as well, and they utilize public spaces because they have to. City Council and the Welch Administration have quite a challenge to address the ongoing attainable housing issue as well as doing something to comply with homeless citizens as described in HB1365 that goes into effect this October.