St. Petersburg Housing Authority Celebrates 1-Year Anniversary of The Legacy at Jordan Park
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (OCTOBER 25, 2024) - The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) celebrated the 1-year anniversary of The Legacy at Jordan Park, marking a successful year since the opening of the new three-story, 60-unit, senior midrise building in the Jordan Park neighborhood.
The anniversary celebration event, held on October 24, 2024, brought together Jordan Park residents and SPHA staff in a reflection on the Jordan Park neighborhood's enduring legacy.
"Celebrating this milestone for The Legacy at Jordan Park is an honor," said Michael Lundy, SPHA President and CEO. "This building symbolizes our commitment to providing safe, sanitary, accessible, decent, and affordable housing and creating a vibrant community for our seniors. This milestone gives us an opportunity to reflect on the strong sense of community we've built within The Legacy at Jordan Park."
A highlight of the event was the display of a newly hung portrait of Elder Jordan Sr., now showcased inside The Legacy at Jordan Park. The portrait, on loan from his grandson, Reverend Dr. Basha Jordan, Jr. of Hope Alive Outreach, adds a personal connection to Jordan Park's historical legacy.
To commemorate the anniversary, SPHA created a yearbook for the senior residents of The Legacy at Jordan Park, capturing the many memorable activities and events they've enjoyed since the building's opening. "This yearbook captures the spirit of connection and joy that thrives within The Legacy at Jordan Park," said Lundy.
Dr. Jordan, Jr. was a special guest at the celebration and joined Mr. Lundy in autographing the commemorative yearbooks for residents.
Residents enjoyed light refreshments, shared stories, and reflected on their experiences in the Jordan Park neighborhood and the strong community bonds that have been created within The Legacy at Jordan Park.
From left to right: Reverend Dr. Basha Jordan, Jr. of Hope Alive Outreach and Michael Lundy, President and CEO of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA).
Jordan Park residents and SPHA staff inside The Legacy at Jordan Park.
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ABOUT JORDAN PARK:
Jordan Park is known for being St. Petersburg's first African American housing community and the oldest federal public housing project in the state. It was originally built between 1939 and 1941.
On November 23, 2021, the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) received approval from HUD for its Jordan Park redevelopment proposal, which would change the funding structure from Public Housing to Project-Based Vouchers and put the long-awaited community revitalization project into motion. The Jordan Park Redevelopment Project consisted of the following elements:
- Transitioning the Jordan Park family apartments (206 units) from Public Housing to a Project-Based Voucher (PBV) funding platform.
- Renovation of the 206 Family Units (i.e. new flooring, countertops, cabinets, washers and dryers in units, safety features, energy-efficiency improvements, etc.)
- Construction of a new three-story, 60-unit senior midrise building (for households 62 years and older) named "The Legacy at Jordan Park."
On December 14, 2021, SPHA closed on Jordan Park in partnership with co-developer Norstar Development USA, LP, and with the investment of Fannie Mae, KeyBank, and RBC Community Investments. Partners also included the bond issuer, the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County, and the City of St. Petersburg, which provided Community Redevelopment Area funding.
On October 27, 2023, SPHA held the grand opening of "The Legacy at Jordan Park," and celebrated the completion of the newly renovated 206 Jordan Park Family Units.
ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY (SPHA):
An independent quasi-governmental entity and a political subdivision of the State of Florida, operating under Chapter 421 Florida Statutes, SPHA is the local administrative agency for housing assistance programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). SPHA offers a variety of programs and services that provide affordable rental housing to low-income families, seniors, veterans, and the disabled in the greater St. Petersburg region. For more information, visit www.stpeteha.org.
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