Moffitt Cancer Center Submits Proposal To City Of St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A development proposal from the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute, Inc. has recently been chosen by Mayor Rick Kriseman.

The plan is to develop approximately 4.5 acres of land at the 800 block of Second Avenue South, a news release said. The proposal from Moffit offers a state-of-the-art outpatient cancer care facility, a mixed-use modern multi-family residential tower with a workforce housing component, activated ground floor retail, a public-access parking garage, and the retention and future expansion site of the United Insurance Holdings Corp. headquarters, according to city officials.

“Having a Moffitt Cancer Center facility in the heart of our downtown, near both our Innovation District and the Tropicana Field site, is a home run for St. Petersburg," Kriseman said. "We are a healthier city when residents in need of quality outpatient care can focus on beating cancer and not the traffic. I am especially pleased that this proposal includes a much-needed residential tower with workforce units and a public parking garage in a part of St. Pete primed for even more growth.”

Specific deliverables for construction include a 75,000 sq. ft. medical office building for Moffitt Cancer Center, and 200 new jobs to St. Petersburg over 5 years, a news release said. The Moffitt Cancer Center will allow 8,000 St. Petersburg residents each year to stay in St. Petersburg for Moffitt services, resulting in 36,000 annual visits and the elimination of 75,000 hours of travel time.

“Moffitt Cancer Center is working diligently every day to save more lives. In order to do that, we must reach more patients. We want to bring the best cancer care closer to the residents of Pinellas County,” Dr. Patrick Hwu, president and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center, said. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to better serve more Floridians with a new outpatient center in downtown St. Petersburg.”

The city development administration anticipates completing the terms of the sale soon, city staff said.