SPHA IN THE NEWS: Work Underway at The Edward White Campus

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) will be receiving funding assistance from the City of St. Petersburg for The Edward White Campus project.

On June 5, 2025, the St. Petersburg City Council passed a resolution approving over $5.9 million in funding to support affordable housing for The Edward White Campus project. This funding builds on a previous $3 million allocation, bringing the City's total investment in the project to $8.9 million.

Work is underway on a complete renovation of the former Edward White Hospital building, which will be renamed The Edward White Campus. The six-story, 121,000-square-foot building will be transformed into a multi-story affordable housing complex. It will feature 71 apartments for households earning at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI). SPHA will relocate its administrative offices to the new development, and Evara Health will establish a clinic at the location.

Site plan approval has been obtained, and work has already begun on the office space portion of the project.

The total cost of the project, including the office space, is projected at $43.8 million. Completion is expected in 2026.

SPHA IN THE NEWS:

• Video Report: CLICK HERE to view the FOX 13 News report. >
• Video Report: CLICK HERE to view the ABC Action News report. >
• Video Report: CLICK HERE to view the Spectrum Bay News 9 report. >
• Article: CLICK HERE to read the St. Pete Rising article. >
• Article: CLICK HERE to read the St. Pete Catalyst article. >
• Article: CLICK HERE to read the Tampa Bay Times article. >
• Article: CLICK HERE to read the Tampa Bay Business Journal article. >

Michael Lundy, President and CEO of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, says this project is a long time in the making, and he's eager for its impact on the community. "We just felt that it was conducive for senior living. We also looked at our waiting list and realized we had a significant amount of families on the waiting list that were seniors."

"Keeping this building specifically in the community is really good. It was the old Ed White Hospital and that definitely has some roots here," said Kelsi Thrasher, Project Manager with Wannemacher Jensen Architects. "The inside of the hospital was still very much intact. They even had some of their old MRI equipment still left in here."

Architectural visualization of The Edward White Campus.

ABOUT THE EDWARD WHITE CAMPUS:

The Edward White Campus will house three facilities:

1. Gemini Senior Living Community at the Edward White Campus: (Pronounced JEM-ih-nee) This facility will provide 71 affordable housing units for seniors aged 62 and above, offering a safe and comfortable living environment.
2. St. Petersburg Housing Authority Central Office at the Edward White Campus: SPHA's new administrative offices will be located on the ground floor. The new location will enhance our accessibility and service to the community.
3. Evara Health at the Edward White Campus: Evara Health is committed to delivering quality healthcare services, including preventative care, chronic disease management, same-day visits, and geriatrics. Their comprehensive, team-based, patient-centered care model aims to break down barriers to healthcare access and provide industry-leading services.

The former hospital was named in honor of Astronaut Edward H. White, II. SPHA reached out to the family of Ed White and received their permission to continue honoring his legacy with the building's new name.

ABOUT ASTRONAUT ED WHITE:

Edward H. White, II was born in 1930. After graduating from West Point in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree, White joined the Air Force. White was selected by NASA as one of the second group of astronauts, the so-called "Next Nine", who were chosen to take part in the Gemini (Pronounced JEM-ih-nee) and Apollo missions.

In 1965, during the Gemini 4 mission, Ed White became the first American astronaut to perform a spacewalk. White floated free outside the spacecraft, tethered to it, for approximately 23 minutes.

Tragically, Ed White died at the age of 36 during the Apollo 1 spacecraft fire in 1967. His legacy endures as a true American hero, remembered for his contributions to space exploration and his bravery.

ABOUT THE BUILDING:

The building will be completely renovated in order to provide quality, affordable housing. The site is located in the North Kenwood district in St. Petersburg, a short trip to many of the city's amenities and thriving businesses.

The property is adjacent to Booker Creek Park with lake views and access to the walking trail, basketball, and pickleball courts, as well as park amenities on the north side of the lake.

The site redevelopment plans were designed by Wannemacher Jensen Architects, and LEMA Construction was selected as the general contractor to bring this transformative project to completion.

Entry into the residences will be from the North parking lot. The first floor lobby will have an open dining hall, and there will be a catering kitchen available to the residents. The building will also have a community room, computer lab, and fitness center.

Sixty of the units will be one-bedroom, along with seven studio units and four two-bedroom units, for a total of 71 units.

The mail room and bike storage will be at ground level. The ground level will also include three 2-bedroom units. The housing management offices will be located near the building's circulation core, providing on-site and easy access for the staff and residents.

SPHA's administration offices will be located on the ground floor, covering approximately 17,890 sf (south half).

The building will be updated to meet ADA accessibility code requirements. The site will also address pedestrian access and ADA accessibility.

The exterior of the building can expect to receive a fresh look with all new windows, doors, paint, and site landscaping. The intent is to bring the vibrancy of downtown St. Pete to this historic building.

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.