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Mobile homes out; townhomes on way

Two former mobile home parks at 25th Street and 13th Avenue N are being transformed into permanent developments.

By PAUL SWIDER
Published July 23, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - For Sale signs and empty trailers signal new development in a quiet corner of the city.

"Both these pieces are really going to change this neighborhood in a good way," said Matthew Mosk of New Village Development in talking about two former mobile home parks on each side of 25th Street along 13th Avenue N. "They're really the only two eyesores in the neighborhood."

Mosk bought the 4-acre Green Mobile Home Park on the west side of 25th Street and some adjacent single-family homes last year for about $2-million. The residents of that park have left, and Mosk is getting ready to clear the homes before he starts building townhomes, but he is also offering the property for sale just in case.

On the east side is the 8-acre Sanderwood Village Mobile Home Park, now nearly empty, which had been the subject of a controversial rezoning application last year that residents contested but lost.

Owner Marcus Vernon had talked about a townhome development there, too, but he also has a For Sale sign on his property. He did not return calls about his plans.

Mosk says his property could hold 69 units. Vernon's signs advertised capacity for 120, meaning this leafy corner tucked near Booker Creek Lake and Interstate 275 could soon be home to nearly 200 upscale homes.

"The location is the reason we bought the property," Mosk said of the North Kenwood neighborhood. "It has great access all over the place."

Mosk said he is moving ahead with plans to build about 69 units in two-story and three-story configurations of between 1,500 and 1,700 square feet. He said he's still working on designs, but he thinks the eventual asking price for the townhomes could be somewhere between $275,000 and $350,000.

Mosk, who usually develops industrial parks, said he is not pushing the timetable on this project but could have the homes built and open in about two years. He has already fenced off the empty trailers and hopes to begin clearing them out in the next three months.

Mosk said he considered buying the Sanderwood property but didn't want to overextend his resources. That property is virtually depopulated but is not fenced off and shows evidence of break-ins on vacant trailers. The property is also fringed by some small cottages that would also make way for new development.

Vernon had negotiated a buyout with about 50 of Sanderwood's 65 residents, but others were pursuing legal action, said Barbara Migliore, a resident who sold to Vernon but is one of the last to leave. She said those suing have left the park too, but their homes remain.

"We have to adjust our lives to live differently," said Migliore, 70, who moved to the park from another in Largo, both to save rent money and be close to her son. She is now moving to yet another mobile home park. "We're just living month to month."

Mosk said he had negotiated agreements with the residents of the Green park and had no difficulties with them.

Paul Swider can be reached at 892-2271 or pswider@sptimes.com or by participating in itsyourtimes.com.

[Last modified July 22, 2006, 20:34:17]