FL's Abandoned Edward White Hospital Will Be Affordable Housing For Floridians & Has Broken Ground

Photo byFacebook Screenshot, City of St. Petersburg, Florida

When I write articles that mention the housing market in Florida, many Floridians lament that affordable housing is lacking in Florida and some even mention Florida's seniors on fixed incomes. Those commenters may be happy to know that St. Peterburg's abandoned Edward White Hospital will become affordable housing for Florida's seniors, and the groundbreaking has just occurred.

About Edward White Hospital: The former hospital, located at 2323 9th Avenue North, opened in 1974 and was operated by HCA West Florida. It closed in 2024 due to declining revenue.

The property is now abandoned, but in a few years it will be affordable housing.

About The Affordable Housing Project: The building will be transformed into 71 apartments for Florida's seniors 62 and older who are 80 percent below the area median income.

There are already pickleball and basketball courts behind the building, and the new apartment building will include an open dining hall, a community room, a computer lab, and a fitness center.

Groundbreaking occurred on August 27, 2024. Construction is expected to take around two years, and Richie Floyd, St. Petersburg City Councilmember representing the area, has said that providing the city's seniors with affordable housing is fitting, explaining:

"Seniors built this part of the city and the city as a whole, and so, it's really nice to be able to bring back some of that history and provide housing for seniors here."

According to J.P. Morgan, Florida only has twenty-five affordable housing units for every one hundred Floridians that need it.