Downtown Clearwater could soon gain 178 affordable apartments after the Clearwater CRA agreed to sell seven publicly owned parcels for a mixed-use housing development.
The Clearwater CRA is expected to sell the downtown properties to BDP Development Partners for $2.52 million, paving the way for Washington Commons, a two-building project with 178 apartments, ground-floor commercial space and more than 200 parking spaces.
Every apartment would be income-restricted for households earning up to 80% of the area median income, making Washington Commons one of the largest affordable housing developments planned for downtown Clearwater.
The project would consist of two five-story buildings. The first would include 84 apartments and resident amenities, while the second would add 94 units. Together, the buildings would include approximately 3,000 square feet of street-level commercial space.
The site is located between South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, South Washington Avenue and Gould Street on land currently owned by the CRA. The agency has designated the property for redevelopment as part of its effort to expand downtown housing, attract additional residents and encourage private investment in the urban core.
The agreement also continues a broader effort to return publicly owned land to private redevelopment in Clearwater. Earlier this year, Pinellas County approved plans to market 32 county-owned properties across the city as it consolidates operations into a new campus in Largo, creating additional opportunities for residential, commercial and mixed-use development.
Pinellas to Sell 32 Clearwater Properties Across City
Pinellas County approved plans to market 32 publicly owned properties across Clearwater, creating new redevelopment opportunities as government operations relocate to a new campus in Largo.
The project is contingent on BDP Development Partners securing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the state’s primary affordable housing financing program. If awarded, construction could begin by late 2028, with the first residents expected to move in during 2030.
If completed, Washington Commons would add one of the largest affordable housing developments planned for downtown Clearwater while helping build the year-round residential population city leaders have long sought to attract to support downtown businesses, restaurants and future investment.