St. Petersburg, FL – The City of St. Petersburg is giving developers a renewed opportunity to transform a city-owned parcel into a much-needed affordable housing community. This time, the project must consist solely of for-sale, affordable townhomes.
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A new Request for Proposals (RFP) has been issued for the 5.24-acre site at 7045 Burlington Avenue North, the former location of St. Petersburg College’s Gibbs Wellness Center. The city is calling on developers to submit plans that prioritize affordable homeownership, with proposals due by May 5 and final selection contingent on City Council approval.
The city’s new RFP specifies that proposed projects must target buyers earning up to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). A limited number of homes for buyers earning up to 120 percent AMI are allowed, but they must come with 30-year resale restrictions to preserve long-term affordability. Rental apartments and condos are not permitted, and proposals requiring rezoning will be disqualified.
While the city is not offering direct funding for the project, it may consider limited financial support if clearly detailed in the developer’s proposal.
This is the second attempt to bring affordable housing to the site. A 2023 solicitation for 105 residential units attracted proposals from D.R. Horton, Habitat for Humanity, and HP Capital Group, but no agreement was reached. This time, the city has stripped away prior preferences including a 15,000-square-foot arts facility in favor of a sharper focus on delivering affordable homes quickly.
The site is zoned for neighborhood suburban multifamily use and does not require any new entitlements. It includes a 21,000-square-foot building and covers approximately 228,000 square feet. Appraisals conducted last year valued the land between $4.6 million and $5.04 million, with an average value of $4.82 million.
City officials hope that a streamlined scope, combined with an urgent need for homeownership opportunities in West St. Pete, will finally move the project forward. With developable land in urban neighborhoods becoming scarcer, the city is also encouraging bidders to engage with workforce development programs and utilize small business enterprises during construction.
The initiative underscores St. Petersburg’s ongoing commitment to addressing the region’s housing affordability crisis with a clear emphasis on equity through ownership.