PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — It was a day of celebration for the St. Petersburg Housing Authority.
"Who knew that this property would serve 71 families who will be at 80% below the median income," said Michael Lundy with the St. Petersburg Housing Authority.
The organization's newest project is transforming an abandoned hospital into affordable housing.
"Ed White hospital its been gone a long time. It's been sitting a long time, and I'm kind of glad they are going to do something with it," said Richard Hamilton, a resident.
The Ed White Hospital building has been out of service for a decade, with ceilings and walls falling apart and old medical rooms left empty.
It's a hospital Pinellas County Commissioner Rene Flowers remembers vividly.
"When I say this hospital saved my life, it did…because I would not be standing here if it wasn't for those physicians…and for those seniors who will be moving in here, you are saving their lives," said Flowers.
The St. Petersburg Housing Authority plans to turn the building into 71 affordable housing units for seniors over 62 and to provide healthcare services in-house.
Local leaders said affordable housing specifically targeted at seniors is necessary.
"There is an economy by which they have difficulty being able to afford to live in," said Flowers.
"Times are changing; prices are going up, seniors retired when things were low, and. Now, they are retiring and things are going up…prices, food, everything," said Hamilton.
Hamilton has friends who are retiring and were priced out of St. Petersburg.
"They ended up moving to like New Port Richey because it's a little cheaper up there," said Hamilton.
Developers say construction will continue over the next two years.
Hamilton hopes the complex makes a difference.
"They worked all their life, they paid into the system, and they should get something out of it," said Hamilton.
"You're going to see a big improvement to traffic flow in this area,"
Nearly $865 million later and the new Howard Frankland bridge is entering its final phase of construction.
