A major redevelopment that will bring a mixed-use project with affordable housing and commercial space to a section of downtown Tampa is one step closer to reality.
Tampa city officials have selected a developer for the redevelopment of four city-owned properties north of downtown. The project, for which a Request for Proposal was issued last year, includes the site of the long-shuttered Army Navy Surplus Market.
The developer to win the RFP is PMG Affordable, a division of Miami based Property Markets Group. The development team, the city says in a statement, includes the Tampa Housing Authority, Bank of America Community Development Co. and DuCon.
According to the statement, PMG has proposed a total of 1,150 residential units, 70% of which will be set aside for affordable and workforce housing.
The proposal, a city spokesperson says in a weekend email, also includes 28,000 square feet of commercial space with the overall design focusing “on high-quality public spaces, streetscapes, connectivity and walkability.”
Tampa City Council’s approval is needed and the plan is to begin construction mid-year with the work completed in phases.
“As for cost, the properties have not been sold yet,” the spokesperson says. “Negotiations are underway. ”
The city of Tampa announced the RFP last year for the redevelopment of the properties between North Tampa Street and East Ashley Drive, near the on-ramp to Interstate 275.
Among the pieces of property up for redevelopment is the former Army Navy Surplus Market, which closed in 2013 and was bought by the CRA for $4.5 million in 2020.
If plans are approved, the properties, the city says, will be redesigned to improve connectivity and pedestrian safety between the new development and nearby neighborhoods.
“We are still early in the development process, but it is incredibly exciting to move this vision for North Downtown Tampa forward,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor says in the statement, adding that the project would help nearby neighborhoods and provide affordable housing options for teachers, first responders and others.
“We can’t overstate the importance of workforce housing in our community.”
