PHOTOS and VIDEOS: Grand Opening of The Legacy at Jordan Park & Renovated Jordan Park Family Units
Video by The City of St. Petersburg
Article by Nick Fokianos, SPHA Director of Communications
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) proudly held the Grand Opening of "The Legacy at Jordan Park" on October 27th, 2023. It's a brand-new, three story, 60-unit, senior midrise building in Jordan Park. The event also celebrated the completion of the surrounding newly renovated 206 Jordan Park Family Units.
The Legacy at Jordan Park marks an exciting new chapter in the history of the Jordan Park community, representing a modern and innovative living space that caters to the needs of senior residents. Designed by Robert Reid Wedding Architects, developed by Norstar Development USA, LP, and constructed by NSBF, LLC, the new building offers state-of-the-art amenities.
SPHA President/CEO, Mr. Michael Lundy noted that The Legacy at Jordan Park features granite countertops, in-unit washers and dryers, a pickleball court and several other amenities typically found in market-rate apartments. Each unit also includes an electrical outlet connected to a backup generator, to aid residents during power outages. "This one, single enhancement will immensely improve the quality of life for our elderly community," said Mr. Lundy.
Inaugural Resident Mrs. Willielene Smith said, "I'm retired and I'm on my Social Security, and it's very good for me because I won't be stressing or be homeless."
Returning Resident Mrs. Sharlene Gambrell-Davis said, "We've been fighting for this for a very long time. We had a lot of opposition, but they finally got it completed, and I'm so excited to be home. So excited. Moved in Tuesday when I got my keys!"
Notable speakers at the event included City of St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing Richard Monocchio, St. Petersburg City Council Chair Brandi Gabbard, and Pinellas County Commissioner René Flowers.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said, "We need to be able to show folks this is what affordable housing actually looks like. We owe a debt of gratitude to the community members who recognize the need for seniors in our neighborhoods to have the option of aging in place."
St. Petersburg City Council Chair Brandi Gabbard said it takes a committed team of public and private partners to provide much-needed affordable housing. She also stressed the importance of having a safe and stable place to call home. "Here today, we honor not only the past, but we look to the future and the opportunities that this place will hold for generations to come," said Chair Gabbard.
Pinellas County Commissioner René Flowers grew up in the Jordan Park community. She said its redevelopment would help change the conversation surrounding subsidized housing. "It is not a place for poor people," said Commissioner Flowers. "It is not a place for individuals that some may consider undesirable. It is a place of community. It is a place of safety. It is a place where individuals can pull themselves up - not just by their bootstraps - but by all of the resources that we have."
The Grand Opening event also featured a musical performance by the Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School Band.
A ceremonial ribbon-cutting marked the official unveiling of The Legacy at Jordan Park building.
Upgrades to the surrounding 206 family apartments include new kitchens and bathrooms, windows, flooring, washers and dryers in units, enhanced safety features, and energy-efficiency improvements.
The Legacy at Jordan Park - Amenities:
- 62+ community
- Three story building with two elevators
- 60 units (54 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units)
- LED lighting
- GE appliances, including washer and dryer in each unit
- Pickleball court
- Shaded walking path
- Three community activity rooms
- Two community balconies
- Exercise room
- Game room
- Bike storage (inside and out)
- One outlet in each unit has generator back up
Renovated Jordan Park Family Units - Amenities:
- 94 buildings + clubhouse were renovated
- 206 units (including five four-bedroom units)
- All with new GE appliances including washer and dryer
- Two new playgrounds with grills and bike repair station
- Renovated pavilion with two new picnic tables
- New LED lighting in the park
- New steel exterior doors for security with hi-definition peep holes
SPHA in the News
VIDEO: WTVT - FOX 13 News:
VIDEO: WTSP - 10 Tampa Bay (CBS):
VIDEO: WFTS - ABC Action News (ABC):
VIDEO: Spectrum Bay News 9:
VIDEO: WFLA - News Channel 8 (NBC):
- ARTICLE: St. Pete Catalyst: Local leaders celebrate Jordan Park's rebirth
- ARTICLE: St. Pete Rising: St. Pete Housing Authority opens 60-unit senior housing building and renovated family units in Jordan Park
- ARTICLE: WUSF: Jordan Park reopens with a bittersweet homecoming for St. Petersburg's Black community
- ARTICLE: The Weekly Challenger: The Legacy at Jordan Park grand opening
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About Jordan Park:
Jordan Park, situated in South St. Petersburg, is a historic African American housing development. It was the city's first African American public housing complex, built between 1939 and 1941. Its namesake, Elder Jordan Senior, was a successful businessman and advocate for African American rights. Jordan was born in the mid-1800s into slavery. At 15-years-old, he purchased his freedom. Around 1901 or 1904, he moved to St. Petersburg. In 1925, Jordan built the Jordan Dance Hall, which became a gathering place for African Americans in St. Petersburg during segregation in the United States. Jordan died in 1936.
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.