St. Pete Housing Authority receives $1 million for redevelopment of Ed White Hospital
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Nov 24, 2023

The St. Petersburg Housing Authority has received a $1 million grant for its redevelopment of the former Ed White Hospital.

The SPHA plans to redevelop the hospital, located at 2323 Ninth Ave. N, into affordable housing for local seniors while also setting aside a portion of the building to serve as the group’s new headquarters. In total, the project is estimated to cost $29 million.

“This location seemed an ideal place for our administrative offices, as it will bring us closer to the people we serve,” Michael Lundy, president and CEO of SPHA, said in a release. “It also opens up the opportunity for us to consider future efforts in the area, which includes a local park and walking trails.”

The Ed White Hospital closed its doors in 2014, and the SPHA purchased the site in December 2021 for $5.1 million. The project is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2024.

The renovation is expected to bring 71 apartments to the 121,000-square-foot building for seniors living at or below 60% of the area median income. The property will also house the SPHA headquarters and have an additional 1,939 square feet of leasable office space.

The $1 million grant was received from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s Affordable Housing Program. It was secured “through the sponsorship of its financial partner Valley Bank, who is a member bank of the national network,” according to the release. Valley Bank’s corporate social responsibility team identified the opportunity “supported the application.”

“The success of their application was largely due to the population that will be served and SPHA’s reputation as a strong provider of housing services in our community,” Rainer Pelzel, commercial relationship manager at Valley Bank, said in a release. “St. Petersburg has experienced skyrocketing rent and home prices, and SPHA is not just helping with the affordable housing need, but also helping to make their clients financially independent through the resources they provide.”

The project has already received support from the city. In 2022, St. Petersburg allocated $5.9 million to the redevelopment via American Rescue Plan funds and $3 million from Penny for Pinellas.