Yesterday, St. Petersburg City Council approved a request to provide $2 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) from the South St. Petersburg Redevelopment District Fund as part of the renovation and redevelopment of the Jordan Park housing complex located at 1245 Jordan Park Street South in south St. Petersburg. 

Built between 1939 and 1941, Jordan Park is the oldest federal public housing project in Florida and was named after African American developer Elder Jordan Sr.

Jordan was a prominent African American businessman and civic activist. He built the Jordan dance hall, now named the Manhattan Casino, and donated the land used to build the original Jordan Park housing development.

Much of the original Jordan Park housing development was demolished in 2000 and later rebuilt to the configuration that stands today. That rehabilitation was the last significant investment into the Jordan Park community. Because of the existing condition of the units, renovations are warranted.

The discussions around the renovation and redevelopment of the community began a few years ago and sparked controversy when plans called for the only remaining portion of the original Jordan Park project to be demolished to construct a new building. The addition is part of a larger renovation project that will include a combination of new construction and a rehabilitation of the existing units.

Plans for the $93.3 million redevelopment call for demolishing 31 existing senior units to construct a new senior housing building. The new three-story building will comprise of 54 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units and will front 9th Avenue South adjacent to the existing Carter G. Woodson African American Museum.

The project would also substantially renovate the remaining 206 units on site that were originally constructed in 2003. Among these units are six one-bedroom units, 105 two-bedroom units, 90 three-bedroom units, and five four-bedroom units. In total, the renovated Jordan Park community would have 266 units.

The community is designed in a traditional grid pattern with two-story craftsman-style duplex and multi-unit buildings surrounding a community park area.

Newly renovated units at Jordan Park would have green building features including programable thermostats, Energy Star appliances and windows, eco-friendly cabinets, low-flow water fixtures, and Energy Star ceiling fans in all bedrooms and living areas.

Rental rates at Jordan Park are income-restricted with 15% of the units dedicated to households making below 30% of the area median income (AMI) while the remaining 85% cater to households making below 60% of AMI.

Norstar Development USA, LP and the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) are serving as co-developers of the project.  In order to finance the project, the development team is using a combination of St. Pete Housing Authority loans, long-term bonds, Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and a contribution from the City of St. Petersburg.