Wounded Veteran to Get a New Home

Army Private 1st Class Stephen Peterson could hardly hold back the tears or the smiles as ground broke on his new home Wednesday at 1771 12th Ave. S in the Melrose-Mercy Neighborhood.

"I don’t know how to express what I’m trying to say, my gratitude and my thanks to organizations like this," Peterson said. 

His home was provided by Operation Finally Home, the Gramatica Family Foundation and various other contractors and suppliers aiming to give young heroes homes and to help rebuild and revitalize communities. 

Operation Finally Home is a national organization helping to give wounded veterans mortgage free homes. 

Just one of many that made Wednesday's ground breaking possible was former Tampa Bay Buc kicker Martín Gramática. 

He said helping to build the home is such a small thing compared to the service young men and women provide to the U.S.

"What these guys have done for us, for our country, you can’t even imagine," Gramatica said. "So this is nothing to repay to them. Today you don’t see anything but a lot, and hopefully in a few months we’ll see Steven’s home completed." 

The net-zero home will feature many energy efficient amenities and will be handicap and wheelchair accessible. Other home features include: structural insulated panel system, hurricane impact windows, solar panels, energy efficient appliances, attic spray foam insulations and a GE hybrid hot water system.

Council member Karl Nurse says this type of development is not only great for our veterans but also the cities they will reside in. This type of development, he said, is what renews neighborhoods. 

"This is not just one house, this is part of a larger project," Nurse said. "When you see people reach out and are willing to do wonderful work, it makes you know that there are many people in our community that are overwhelmingly generous."

Across the lot at 1771 12 Ave. S., Nurse convinced city officials to donate a property with the intent of it becoming another future home for a young veteran wounded in war.

Peterson said he is honored to now be able to own a home. 

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said. "I'm very excited to start life in St. Pete."