City increases low-income options for Edward White project

The city has updated its plan of flipping the shuttered Edward White Hospital into a 70-unit affordable housing development.

The future complex will now serve more residents nearing the brink of homelessness.

During a March 23 city council meeting, members approved a request from the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) to change the unit income mix for the future housing complex, at 2323 9th Ave. North, to include units dedicated to residents earning 80% and 30% of the average median income (AMI).

The site of the former Edward White Hospital. Image: City of St. Petersburg.

It was initially planned to solely serve the population earning at or below the 60% AMI level; however, SPHA recently discovered a funding source that could help them close the gap in construction financing if the AMI mix included units for residents earning 80% and 30% at or below the AMI.

“It’s rare for us to see very low-income units in our city,” said Amy Foster, Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas CEO and former city council member.

Last year, council approved a resolution awarding funding to build affordable multifamily units using American Rescue Plan Act funding. SPHA was awarded nearly $9 million through both Penny for Pinellas and the ARPA funds for the $23.5 million project to redevelop the hospital and produce 70 units for households.

Foster said the newly approved changes for the residential units will allow SPHA to be competitive for another funding opportunity, for which SPHA needs to apply before the end of the month.

This approval also adds 10 points to their application and will result in SPHA securing a new $1 million-plus investment from a separate entity, Foster said.

The new breakdown of the units includes:

• 42 units for those earning 30% or lower of the AMI
• 14 units for those earning 80% or lower of the AMI
• 14 units for those earning 60% or lower of the AMI

The city has long discussed the plans for the Edward White Hospital, which HCA’s West Florida Division closed in 2014 due to declining revenues and low occupancy rates.

The 121,952-square-foot building was sold in 2015 to Michael Mincberg, principal of Sight Real Estate, for $2 million. He later sold the site to St. Petersburg developer Grady Pridgen for $2.7 million.

Pridgen’s plans of expanding and remodeling the hospital never came to fruition. He eventually sold the property to SPHA in late 2021 for $5.1 million.