Florida Construction News staff writer
The City of Tampa broke ground on the first phase of Rome Yards, a transformative and inclusive development in the West Tampa community, along with developer Related Urban Development Group and the Tampa Housing Authority.
The Gallery at Rome Yards, located south of Columbus Drive between Rome Avenue and the Hillsborough River, will include 234 units with 80 percent reserved for households at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).
“This joint venture between the City of Tampa, the Tampa Housing Authority and the Related Urban Group is the perfect example of public and private entities working successfully toward one goal: affordable housing for all,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “Today’s groundbreaking is just the tip of the iceberg of what will eventually be 18 acres of development that will serve Tampa for generations to come.”
Unique to this phase of development are five live/work units that integrate residential space with work space for small business owners. Also, a workforce training center will provide workplace training and resume-building assistance.
“As Tampa continues to grow, so has our need for affordable housing,” said Nicole Travis, administrator for development and economic opportunity. “The Rome Yard development is a public-private partnership success story that will put a roof over the heads of more than 1,000 individuals and families.”
The overall plan for Rome Yards is to transform a vacant 18-acre maintenance yard into a mixed-use neighborhood with 954 units of mixed-income housing. The master plan is a resilient and sustainable hub that will revitalize the area with expansive neighborhood amenities, including new green space, community amphitheater, and a brick observation “cigar” tower paying homage to West Tampa’s history.
