A group of people are planning to buy an abandoned school in St. Pete to help more than three dozen veterans with housing.
“It’s been vacant a long time,” said neighbor Jack Byers.
Byers has been working across the street from the old Norwood Elementary School building for more than a decade.
“I can’t remember anything being there. It’s been shutdown for a long time,” Byers said.
The Second Veterans’ Property Trust is looking to change that this year. They plan to buy the school from the Pinellas County School Board for $950,000 and renovate the building; creating 38 voucher-assisted units for veterans, including one-bedroom and studio apartments.
“I think something like veterans housing, which I’m sure there’s a big need, the neighborhood is perfect for it. We’d love to have new neighbors,” Byers said.
A member of the trust told ABC Action News that Byers could have new neighbors by next February with construction starting this fall. The member says the school board and St. Pete Community Planning and Preservation Commission already OK’d the plan. All that is left is approval from city council members in October.
“Seeing that empty building being put to use would be fantastic, you know, and who knows? We might make a friend or two,” Byers said.
If you would like to get involved with the project, a member of the trust said to email them at Victorylane2154@gmail.com.
