Attachment_F-Downtown_CRA_Plan_Final.pdf

Amended and Restated Community Redevelopment Plan for the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area

February 2025

LETTER FROM THE

CRA DIRECTOR

As we continue our shared commitment to the growth and prosperity of Tampa’s Downtown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), I am pleased to provide the newest iteration of our Community Redevelopment Plan.

Our dedicated team has been working diligently to refine and enhance the strategies outlined in the initial 1983 plan for the Downtown CRA. Much has changed in the last 40+ years. I am excited to share that significant milestones have been achieved that align with our collective vision for a revitalized and thriving downtown.

However, our work is not done. Through the careful evaluation of existing conditions, we’ve learned that the Downtown CRA still hosts many challenges like housing, transportation, and economic issues. Our visitors, workers, and residents continue to bear the burden of these shortcomings, a reality that has emboldened our dedicated staff to continue to address.

This Downtown Tampa Community Redevelopment Plan is the guide that ensures the increment value generated by revitalization efforts are directed toward the most pressing needs in the Downtown CRA. Transparency and collaboration are at the core of our redevelopment efforts as we tackle the CRA Focus Areas – Attainable Housing, Connectivity, Economic Development, Quality of Life and Community Engagement. We encourage you to stay informed and engaged in the exciting developments taking place.

I express my deepest gratitude for your continued support and involvement in shaping the future of Tampa’s Downtown CRA. Together, we are building a community that not only honors our rich history but also embraces a vibrant and sustainable future.

Thank you for being an essential part of this transformative journey.

Your fellow Tampa neighbor, Community Redevelopment Agency Director

COMMUNITY

REDEVELOPMENT

STAFF AND SPECIAL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Presiding Elected Officer

Mayor Jane Castor

Community Redevelopment Agency Board

Gwendolyn Henderson, Chair

Luisa Viera, Co-chair

Alan Clendenin

Bill Carlson

Charlie Miranda

Guido Maniscalco

Lynn Hurtak

Community Redevelopment Agency Community Advisory Committee

Daniel Traugott, Vice-chair

Casey Bauer

Dr. Rebecca Nagy

Dustin Pasteur

Kim Puleo, Downtown River Arts Neighborhood Association

MaryBeth Williams, Friends of the Riverwalk

Ray Wong

Ryan Bogan

Sean Baraoidan

Community Redevelopment Agency Staff

Erica Moody, Community Redevelopment Agency Director

Courtney Orr, Downtown CRA Development Manager

Melisa Martinez, CRA Senior Project Supervisor

Special Acknowledgments to Participating Stakeholders

Bike-Walk Tampa

City of Tampa Housing

City of Tampa Mobility

City of Tampa Parking

City of Tampa Parks and Recreation

City of Tampa Planning

City of Tampa River/Stormwater

City of Tampa Sustainability and Resilience

Florida Department of Transportation

Friends of Kiley Gardens

Friends of The Riverwalk

Friends of The Tampa Union Station

Patel Family Foundation

Strategic Planning Partnership

Tampa Architecture and Historic Preservation Board

Tampa Bay History Center

Tampa Convention Center

Tampa Downtown Partnership

Tampa Police Department

Tampa Union Station

Consultant Team

Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Riva Heinrich, AICP, Project Manager

JP Weesner, PLA, Project Principal

4 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Contents Letter from the CRA Director 2

Community Redevelopment Staff and Special Acknowledgments 3

Introduction 8 Community Redevelopment Agency 8 Statutory Requirements 10

Existing Conditions Analysis 14 Environmental Infrastructure 15 Land Use and Economic Development 18 Transportation 21 Public Safety and Quality of Life 23 Affordable and Attainable Housing 24 Urban Design 27 Historic Preservation 28 Community and Stakeholder Engagement 30

Existing Conditions: The Presence of Slum and Blight 33

Community Redevelopment Policies, Goals, and Strategic Actions 37

What’s Next for the Downtown CRA? 60

Appendices 64 Appendix A: Legal Description of the CRA Boundaries 64 Appendix B: Community Survey Results 66 Appendix C: Public Engagement Guide 76 Appendix D: Community Redevelopment Plan, Original Core and Non-Core 82

Downtown Tampa CRA 5

6 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

INTRODUCTION

Downtown Tampa CRA 7

INTRODUCTION

The Downtown Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency (Downtown CRA) was established in 1983 for the original core boundaries and was amended in 1988 to include the remaining geographic bounds of what locals know as Downtown. The Downtown CRA was established by Tampa’s City Council to study, review, and revitalize the conditions of slum and blight found in the downtown area, including the presence of crime and poverty, inadequate mix of land uses, disproportionate tax values, and subpar street conditions.

While many of the original sources of slum and blight have been addressed, there are new and persistent Florida statute-defined conditions that negatively impact livability and the local economy within the core and non-core boundaries. The Downtown CRA requested this update to its Community Redevelopment Plan (CRP) to reduce and mitigate the new and persistent elements of slum and blight in the area prior to the Agency’s sunset date in 2043.

Community Redevelopment Agency The Tampa City Council sits as the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board. This body is responsible for administering programs and policies related to the City’s CRAs. The Downtown CRA is overseen by the City’s Director of CRAs with day-to-day operations administered by the CRA Manager. The Downtown CRA utilizes a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) comprised of residents, property owners and business owners and operators located within Downtown to facilitate the local participation and implementation of the plan. See Figure 1 for CRA Boundary. Core and Non-Core boundaries have been combined for this Plan, but remain legally distinct.

8 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Figure 1. Tampa Downtown CRA boundary

Downtown Tampa CRA 9

STATUTORY

REQUIREMENTS

Part III of Chapter 163, Florida Statutes (also known as the “Community Redevelopment Act”), establishes the statutory requirements for all community redevelopment plans and modifications to existing community redevelopment plans within the State of Florida. This Amended and Restated Community Redevelopment Plan (the “Plan”) complies with those statutory requirements including the following:

A. This plan is written with the required Finding of Necessity through the “Existing Conditions Analysis” (see pages 12 - 29 of this Plan), which includes a finding of the current existence of slum and blight conditions in the Downtown CRA (Core and Non-Core) as defined in in the Community Redevelopment Act.

B. Additionally, this Plan includes all elements and other findings required by the Community Redevelopment Act including:

1. A legal description of the Downtown CRA (Core and Non-Core) on pages Appendix A, and a depiction of the boundaries of the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area in Figure 1 on page 9. Please note that the Core and Non-Core portions of the Downtown CRA are separately depicted and described in Appendix A, and that separate redevelopment trust fund accounts exist for the Core and Non-Core areas of the Downtown CRA even though they are administered under this consolidated for the entire Downtown CRA;

2. Diagram(s) and general terms that show the following in the Downtown CRA: (a) the approximate amount of open space to be provided and street layout; (b) limitations on the type, height, number and proposed uses of buildings; (c) the approximate number of dwelling units; and (d) such property as is intended for use as public parks, recreation areas, streets, public utilities and public improvements of any nature;

3. A Neighborhood Impact Element describing in detail the impact of redevelopment activities upon residents in the Downtown CRA (especially low and moderate income residents) and surrounding areas in terms of relocation, traffic circulation, environmental quality, availability of community facilities and services, effect on school population, and other matters affecting the physical and social quality of the Downtown CRA;

4. Assurances that no persons will be temporarily or permanently displaced from housing facilities from community redevelopment activities within the Downtown CRA;

5. Identification of any publicly funded capital improvements to be undertaken in the Downtown

CRA;

6. Adequate safeguards that the work of redevelopment will be carried out pursuant to this Plan;

7. The retention of controls and the establishment of covenants and restrictions (when appropriate) running with the land sold or leased for private use for such periods of time and under such conditions as the governing body deems necessary to effectuate the Community Redevelopment Act and this Plan;

8. An element of residential use in the Downtown CRA to remedy or address a shortage of housing for low and/ or moderate income persons, including the elderly;

9. A detailed statement of the projected costs of redevelopment including the amount that is projected to be spent or expended on publicly funded capital improvements by the Agency in the Downtown CRA and any indebtedness of the Agency or the City to be incurred for redevelopment activities in the Downtown

CRA;

10. All redevelopment activities funded with the use of tax increment funds shall be completed no later than September 30, 2043, unless said date is altered by an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement by and between the Agency, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County and in accordance with the Community Redevelopment Act;

11. A finding that this Plan conforms with the City’s Comprehensive Plan;

12. Findings regarding any proposed land acquisitions, demolition and removal of structures, and redevelopment or rehabilitation projects or improvements within the Downtown CRA;

13. Provision for the development of affordable housing in the Downtown CRA;

14. Provision for the potential development and implementation of community policing innovations;

and

15. Findings for the potential acquisition and redevelopment of any open areas in the Downtown

CRA.

This Plan neither expands the boundary of the Downtown CRA nor extends the date of September 30, 2043, by which all redevelopment activities to be funded by tax increment funds from the Downtown CRA must be completed.

10 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Downtown Tampa CRA 11

12 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

EXISTING

CONDITIONS

ANALYSIS

Downtown Tampa CRA 13

CONDITIONS

ANALYSIS

The Existing Conditions Analysis is separated into seven Needs Categories that were determined by engaging with City staff, public and private stakeholders, and the community. These Needs Categories outline statistics and characteristics within the Downtown CRA that contribute to the Finding of Necessity, the basis upon which the CRA must act for revitalization in accordance with the definitions of “Slum” and “Blight,” as defined in F.S. 163.330. This section concludes with a summary of public and stakeholder engagement and a synthesis of existing conditions as it relates to the definitions of slum and blight.

The Needs Categories are described as:

Environmental Infrastructure The physical facilities needed for the operation of the Downtown CRA. The analysis focuses on the environmental impact on infrastructure due to the sudden onset of severe weather, flooding, or other events that threaten the economic viability of the Downtown CRA. Issues related to environmental sustainability and energy generation are also explored in this section.

Affordable and Attainable Housing The condition and market of housing within the Downtown CRA. The evaluation focuses on affordability and attainability of housing downtown.

Transportation The transportation condition of the Downtown CRA, analyzing the use of major thoroughfares, an inventory of multimodal facilities, and safety as it relates to travel.

Historic Preservation The safeguarding and protection of historic structures and areas within the Downtown CRA.

Land Use and Economic Development The land use and interrelated economic conditions within the Downtown CRA.

This section explores the statistics and information related to existing land uses, parcel utilization, and vacant land.

Urban Design The design and aesthetic quality of the public realm. Inclusive of a regulatory review of design standards and stakeholder commentary related to design.

Public Safety and Quality of Life The inventory and evaluation of factors that contribute to experiential quality of those living, working, and visiting the Downtown CRA. This section investigates both violent and property crime, as well as a review of parks and open spaces.

14 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Environmental Infrastructure

The Downtown area is surrounded on three sides by natural water systems and includes an island within its boundaries. There are 5.7 miles of seawall that serves as a critical reinforcement and preventative piece of infrastructure along Tampa’s shoreline, 0.8 miles of which is within the Downtown CRA. The only natural shoreline that exists within the CRA is housed on the east side of Harbor Island, the remainder of the original Seddon Island. Historically, the water edges of Downtown were industrial working shorelines (as seen in the photo on the left of Figure 2) and redirected water infiltration by way of creeks and tributaries that emptied into the Hillsborough River. Development overtime and increasing economic activity in the 20th century necessitated the building of seawalls and an overall increase in impervious surfaces Downtown (as seen in the photo on the right in Figure 2).

As a result of these conditions, those living within the CRA boundaries today are vulnerable to several environmental and weather-related factors. Maps from the National Hurricane Center indicate that in the event of a Category 3 hurricane, approximately 90% of the CRA area would be inundated with bay water, and 100% of Harbor Island would be inundated with water at a height of nine feet above ground. Figure 3 shows the intersection of this scenario with the critical infrastructure housed within the Downtown CRA. The noted hurricane evacuation routes and HART emergency routes illustrate the significance of the roadways in the Downtown CRA to the broader resiliency of the City.

Notably, nearly 60% of the CRA is within the first and highest priority evacuation zones (Zone A) in the event of a hurricane. In the event of a mandatory evacuation, I-275, the Selmon Expressway, Kennedy Boulevard, and Jackson Street are the primary routes for exit.

Figure 2. Images of the working shoreline along Ashley Drive from the shoreline in 1963 (left) and 2024 (right).

1963 Photo credit: Hillsborough County Public Library, Burgert Brother’s Collection.

1 https://www.tampa.gov/document/climate-action-and-equity-plan-122846

2 https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/heat-island-impacts

The CRA’s population is also vulnerable to the impacts of Sea Level Rise (SLR). Table 1 shows the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) intermediate projects of SLR that will impact the CRA boundaries.

Table 1. NOAA Sea Level Rise Projections

Year Percent of the CRA Impacted by SLR 2040 1% (four city blocks)

2050 2% (eight city blocks)

2070 6% (28 city blocks)

2100 15% (70 city blocks)

Living, working, and visiting Downtown is also likely to be impacted by urban heat island. The City’s Climate Action and Equity Plan shows that surface temperatures, particularly in the core Central Business District, consistently experiences highs of over 104 degrees1, seen in Figure 4. This is especially alarming for those individuals who are houseless or those who work primarily outside. Urban heat island effects have a detrimental impact on the infrastructure of a community and it’s consequence can compound year-over-year. The U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that for every increase in temperature of two degrees, the energy expenditure for air conditioning increases between 1-9%. Overall electricity demand and peak energy demand also increases, elevating the emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. High temperatures on pavement and rooftops also has the added impact of heating up stormwater runoff, draining high temperature water into local water bodies. Changes in water temperatures affects all aspects of aquatic life, including increasing the likelihood of algae blooms.2

Downtown Tampa CRA 15

Figure 3. Storm surge inundation and critical emergency infrastructure within the Downtown CRA boundaries.

16 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Figure 4. Daytime surface temperature from the City’s climate action and equity plan

Downtown Tampa CRA 17

Land Use and Economic Development

Land use and economic development are closely intertwined within the Downtown CRA, with land use often driving the increment tax value to be reinvested into the community over time. Both the core (1.07 sq mi) and non-core (0.29 sq mi) boundaries make up 1.36 square miles of the Downtown CRA land area. Figure 5 shows the breakdown of land uses within the CRA by percentage based on generalized parcel use designations.3

Figure 5. Land Usage in the CRA by Acreage

Twenty percent of the land in the Downtown CRA is dedicated to Condominium Common Areas, which encompass condo parking, private roadways, and exist mainly on Harbor Island. Most of the commercial, retail and office, and industrial properties in the Downtown CRA are located on the mainland, and more than 50% of the residential land residing on Harbor Island. The significance of this is discussed further in the Affordable and Attainable Housing section.

3 2022 Parcel Information, Hillsborough County Property Appraiser

18 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Based off 2022 parcel data, the most productive land uses for tax increment are Office Uses, Multi-Family Residential, Condo Residential, and Hotels (seen in Figure 6). Notably, these uses only make up 7% (for both Office and Multi-Family Residential Uses), 0.1% (Condo Residential), and 3% (Hotels) of the land area respectively while harboring 63% of the tax value within the Downtown

CRA.

Figure 6. Top Four Most Productive Uses by Tax Value

Office

$1,371,552,927

Condo Residential

$1,047,102,844

Multi Family Residential

$1,178,040,272

Hotels

$535,654,999

Empty lots in Downtown Tampa

4 This metric does not include single family residential properties, municipal buildings, active parks, utilities, streets, roads, and highways, or condominium common areas.

5 Based off of the average dollar amount per acre of office uses in the CRA.

Vacant or underutilized properties encompass 28% of the Downtown CRA land area. Underutilization is defined as having a building value to total value ratio of 40% or lower4, a metric based off development best practices and supported by the Urban Land Institute. Figure 7 shows the top five underutilized uses in the Downtown CRA as a percentage of all underutilized land. The state-owned parcels are mostly those that exist near the Selmon Expressway and near I-275. The most significant statistic in this figure is the underutilization of parcels that serve as parking lots. Parking lots make up 6% of the Downtown CRA’s land area but only contribute to 3% of the total tax value. Offices, the most productive use, contributes roughly $32,000,000 per acre in tax value. If half the acreage of parking were dedicated to Office uses, this land could be valued at roughly $619,000,000.5 The original 1983 plan and the 1988 amendment projected a parking need of 12,000 spots to support a downtown retail center that was slated for construction in 1986.

There are now an estimated 24,000 parking spaces (public and private) within the Downtown CRA, while the retail center went unbuilt. Figure 8 overlays those listed productive land uses and underutilized parcels.

Figure 7. Underutilized Uses by Percentage of Land Area

County

7%

State

45%

Parking

33%

Airport, Bus, Marinas

7%

Commercial

8%

Downtown Tampa CRA 19

Figure 8. Underutilized parcels and the top four productive land uses by tax value

20 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Transportation Transportation options in the Downtown CRA have one of the highest concentrations of multimodal options within the City, but private vehicles make up the dominant use with close to 70% of people electing to drive for the 75,000 estimated trips the Downtown CRA generates on weekdays.6 The remaining modes of transportation are shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9. Travel Mode of those Living in the CRA

Private Vehicle

56%Passenger Carpool

29%

Biking

1%

Other

1% Commercial

Vehicle

1%

Public Transit

1%

Taxi/

TNC

1%

Walking

10%

94% (67,280) Downtown CRA workers commute in from other areas, while the remaining 6% live and work within the Downtown CRA. The remaining 6% of the workforce both live and work within the CRA’s boundaries.7

Roadways in the Downtown CRA that bear the largest burden of vehicle traffic are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Major Roadways by Traffic Volume

Road Name Volume8 Florida Avenue 23,000

Kennedy Boulevard 17,000

Tampa Street 15,000

Ashley Drive 15,500

Jackson Street 10,500

Despite vehicular dominance, the share of people walking and riding a bike is nearly 9% higher than the rest of the City. Those not using a private vehicle within the Downtown CRA primarily travel for commercial/business purposes (32.4%), to work (17.6%) or to restaurants (13.1%) in the Downtown CRA area.9 The most used mode of public transit within the Downtown CRA is the no-fare

6 Replica analysis, Fall 2022 typical projections.

7 2020 Estimates (most recent) from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics program (U.S. Census Bureau)

8 Average Annual Daily Traffic, Florida Department of Transportation

9 Replica analysis, Fall 2022 typical projections

10 Confirmed years available from the Florida Department of Transportation Crash Data Systems Mapping

TECO Streetcar, making up 60% of all transit trips.

The City’s 2021 Vision Zero Action Plan addressed user safety Citywide and within the Downtown CRA. Table 3 shows the number of crashes from 2017 to 2021 within the Downtown CRA. Though crash statistics drop due to limited travel during 2020, there was still a 40% increase in crashes between 2017 and 2021, with a significant jump of 30% between 2020 and 2021 as travel restrictions were lifted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Figure 10 illustrates a heat map of these crashes, showing the areas where crashes are most concentrated.

Table 3. Crash History in the CRA

Year10 Total Number of Crashes

Fatal Crashes

Serious Injury Crashes

2017 638 1 6

2018 966 0 10

2019 896 1 4

2020 551 0 7

2021 750 1 4

The Downtown area also has nine streets that make up a portion of the Citywide High Injury Network. These streets have a disproportionately high number of fatal and serious injury crashes when compared to other streets in the City. These streets within the Downtown CRA are listed in Table 4. These segments make up 11% of non-limited access roadways in the Downtown CRA.

Table 4. High Injury Network Streets

Street Name From To Kennedy Boulevard Riverwalk Ashley Drive

Jackson Street Ashley Drive Florida Avenue

Brorein Street Riverwalk Florida Avenue

Franklin Street Brorein Street Water Street

Channelside Drive Franklin Street Meridian Avenue

Twiggs Street Nebraska Avenue Meridian Avenue

Meridian Avenue Twiggs Street Jackson Street

Marion Street Harrison Street Scott Street

Scott Street Florida Avenue Jefferson Street

Figure 10. Transportation related crashes (all modes) within the Downtown CRA

Downtown Tampa CRA 21

22 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Public Safety and Quality of Life

Criminal Activity Public safety and criminal activity were cited in both the original and amended Downtown CRA plans as higher than the City average at the time. While there are no specific statistics presented in either previous plan, it was noted that the criminal activity was due to dilapidated buildings and the concealment of illicit activity in certain common areas.

In discussions with stakeholders and community members, criminal activity and especially trespassing or quality of life complaints were the largest concern. This is apparent in the data found from the Tampa Police Department Community Crime Map.11 Because this tool cannot be filtered to the exact Downtown CRA boundary, a one-mile buffer from City Hall was generated to encapsulate criminal activity within the Downtown CRA and adjacent areas. The analysis reviewed violent and non-violent criminal activity from 2019 to 2023 and focused on the top five most common types of activity as shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11. Top Five Reported Criminal Activities 2019-2023

Trespassing

56%

Theft

18%

Traffic Incidents

6%

DUI

8%

Simple Assault

14%

Over 50% of the crime in the buffer is related to trespassing. Information gathered from the Tampa Police Department suggests that many of these calls are to address those experiencing homelessness, sleeping or conducting business for prolonged periods on the street or on private property. Theft, including auto and other personal property as well as simple assault were highlighted during discussions with stakeholders.

Criminal activity over the five-year period, apart from theft, experienced an increase from 2019 to 2020 and has remained steady since that time (Figure 12).

11 https://communitycrimemap.com/analytic

12 Oaklawn Cemetery and those parks that make up the Riverwalk are included based on the City’s maintenance files. Other parks and open spaces exist (such as Joe Chillura Courthouse Square), but are maintained and/or owned by different entities.

Figure 12. Criminal Activity Over Time

Trespassing

Simple Assault Theft

Traffic Incidents

DUI

2020 2021 2022 2023

Parks and Recreation Parks, recreation, and open space areas make up 3% of the Downtown CRA land area and serve as major destinations for those living, working, and visiting the Downtown CRA. Figure 13 shows the breakdown of City of Tampa parks and recreation facilities within the Downtown CRA by percent of total acreage.12 The largest park areas are located along the shoreline. Less parks are present further inland. Urban core park acquisition was listed as a redevelopment initiative within the non-core 1988 amendment, with the intention that parks, and open spaces would replace deteriorating and blighted conditions with attractive, inviting pedestrian oriented spaces. The available CRA reporting documentation from 2005 onward has not tracked these acquisitions.

Figure 13. City of Tampa Parks/Recreation Facilities by Percent of Acreage

Contanchobee Fort Brooke

22% Curtis Hixon

Waterfront Park

24% Kiley Gardens

15%

Lykes Gaslight Square Park

4%

Oaklawn Cemetery

21%

Tampa Riverwalk

21% USF Park on the Riverwalk

2% Captain Frye Park

2% McDill Park on the Riverwalk

2%

Herman C Massey Park

2% Kid Mason

Recreation Center

1%

Downtown Tampa CRA 23

Affordable and Attainable Housing

Housing, both general housing stock and the availability of affordable housing, were highlighted as major challenges Citywide and within the Downtown CRA. In total, there are approximately 4,800 housing units within the Downtown CRA. For the purposes of this analysis, statistics for Harbor Island and the mainland Downtown CRA area were separated due to the drastic difference in rent, housing value, and housing typology discussed among City staff and stakeholders. Tables 5 – 8 show a summary of housing within the Downtown CRA and comparable statistics of the City.

Ownership, Occupancy, and Year Built The Gross Vacancy (both owned and rented) of housing units are more prevalent in the mainland CRA and Harbor Island (12% and 19% respectively) when compared to the City (9%). Vacancy rates are cited by economists as an indicator of consumer attitudes towards home prices and rent in the area, and how competing rents outside of the area may be drawing consumers away. Vacancy rates may also be used by private developers to predict market appetite for a type of property use. Higher vacancy rates in the Downtown CRA may be an indicator of area market demand and competition with nearby housing markets that may be more affordable or desirable.

The median age of housing is 20 years younger than the City average, with more than 90% of the housing structures being built between 2004-2014. Renting is the primary option for the mainland CRA with 28% more renter occupied units compared to the rest of the City.

Table 5. Housing Ownership, Occupancy, and Year Built

Mainland Downtown

CRA

Harbor Island

Citywide

Number of Housing Units

2,026 2,774 169,711

% Vacant 12% 19% 9%

% Owner Occupied

22% 51% 50%

% Renter Occupied

78% 49% 50%

Median Year Built

2007 2001 1982

2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

13 Spending more than 30% of household income on a monthly mortgage payment

Median Home Value and Mortgage Burden Home value is significantly higher in the mainland Downtown CRA and Harbor Island compared to the rest of the City, 25% and 53% higher respectively, though Downtown CRA residents are less likely to be mortgage burdened.13 A household within the mainland Downtown CRA would need to earn $108,000 to avoid spending more than 30% of the their monthly income on housing. A household on Harbor Island would need to earn $145,000 a year.

Table 6. Home Value and Mortgage Burden

Mainland Downtown

CRA

Harbor Island

Citywide

Median Home Value

$360,000 $483,000 $277,700

Mortgage Burden, >30% of income

15% 24% 30%

Mortgage Burden, >50% of income

18% 8% 13%

2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

24 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Median Rent and Rent Burden Rent prices within both areas of the Downtown CRA are 47% higher than the City median, with Harbor Island being the most expensive area to rent. Those renting in the Downtown CRA mainland area are more likely to be rent burdened when compared to the rest of the City and Harbor Island, with 35% of renters paying more than 30% of their monthly income towards housing costs. To afford living in the Downtown CRA without being rent burdened, a household would need to earn 20% more than the median household income in Tampa.

Table 7. Rent and Rent Burden

Mainland Downtown

CRA

Harbor Island

Citywide

Median Rent per Month

$1,812 $2,244 $1,249

Rent Burden, >30% of income

35% 16% 25%

Rent Burden, >50% of income

18% 17% 25%

2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Household Types and Tenure Non-family households14 make up a vast majority of the households within both areas of the CRA. This differs from the City where the majority of households are considered family households. Stakeholders and the public noted that most individuals who live close to the Central Business District are young professionals without children, who may be cohabitating with a roommate(s) or a romantic partner. Home tenure15 is less stable than the rest of the City, but more than half of residents within the Downtown CRA choose to stay in their homes for more than one year.

Table 8. Housing Type and Tenure

Mainland Downtown

CRA

Harbor Island

Citywide

% Family Households

22% 38% 53%

% Non-Family Households

78% 62% 47%

Home Tenure, same home for 1 year

65% 67% 78%

2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

14 Non-family households are defined as one or more people living in a unit that are not related. Family households are defined as two or more people living in a unit that are related by marriage, birth, or adoption.

15 Home tenure is defined as one or more persons living in the same unit for more than one year.

16 HUD Resource Locator

Affordable Housing Units There are limited options for affordable housing within the Downtown CRA, totaling 382 units that are either subsidized directly or receive the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. Table 9 shows the location, number, and special restrictions (other than income) of these units.16 Notably, 68% of affordable housing is age restricted within the Downtown CRA.

Table 9. Affordable Housing Units and Restrictions

Address Number of Units

Special Restrictions

Vista 400 Apartments

400 East Harrison Street

168 Ages 62+

Metro 510 Apartments

510 East Harrison Street

120 -

Madison Heights Apartments

1250 North Marion Street

94 Ages 55+

City of Tampa Housing Department

Downtown Tampa CRA 25

Figure 14. Housing inventory in the Downtown CRA

26 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Urban Design

Standards of Urban Design within the Downtown CRA are less quantifiable than the six other Needs Categories, but the importance of best-practice urban form and continuity of character throughout the Downtown was extensively discussed among stakeholders, staff, and the public. The regulatory language that governs architectural design standards for the Downtown CRA are the City’s zoning code (with heavy deference to the Center City Plan) and street design code, and the Downtown CRA’s Downtown Vision and Action Program.

Most of the zoning within the Downtown CRA falls into Central Business Districts (CBD) 1 and 2, with limited Planned Development designations on Harbor Island where private neighborhoods are the dominant use.

CBDs were created with the purpose to implement the Center City Plan (finalized in 2012) and the Tampa Comprehensive Plan, intended to create a public realm of high-quality through the regulation of the physical form of buildings, streets, and open spaces.17 To achieve this, design standards for streets and blocks must:

Maintain and improve the Center City’s walkable block and street pattern. The procedure for introducing new streets and blocks is intended to provide for the urban setting, consisting of small, walkable blocks and an interconnected, human-scale network of streets.18

There are three typologies of streets within the CBD zoning code:

• Type A Special Pedestrian Streets: Formal, axial connections between river, special civic places, districts within Center City and surrounding urban villages and neighborhoods. Streetscapes have the highest level of design detail, with public amenities such as enhanced lighting, street furniture, and specialized paving.

• Type B Elevated Pedestrian Streets: Local service streets within the Center City grid that serve adjacent buildings with primary vehicular and service access, loading areas, and typical ’back of house’ activities.

• Type C Transit and Mobility Priority Streets: Provides increased multi-modal access to and through Center City with a mix of standard and enhanced public amenities.

These aesthetic goals are informed by the City Center Plan, a prominent fixture of the Comprehensive Plan.

Most of the goals are ideated street types rather than form-based building and massing typologies. Much of this has been accomplished through the Water Street development and the expansion of the Riverwalk, but other character areas have only partially achieved the desired outcome or have been neglected.

Similarly, a separate, Downtown CRA driven Tampa Downtown Vision and Action Program identifies projects, 17 City of Tampa Zoning Code, Section 27-181.1

18 City of Tampa Zoning Code, Section 27-181.3 districts, and opportunity areas, integrating development from the Channel District, Central Park, and Ybor City.

Projects and initiatives identified in the 10-year plan (published in 2005) include:

• Completing the Riverwalk from the Straz Center for the Performing Arts to the Florida Aquarium (Ongoing)

• Redesign of the Art Museum public open space (Ongoing)

Program (Discontinued)

improvements (Ongoing)

• Hospitality expansion (Ongoing)

Figure 15. Tampa Downtown Vision and Action Plan Cass Park rendering

Development and design stakeholders noted that the regulatory environment for urban design was discontinuous, confusing, or seemed unenforced given its age, resulting in professionals adopting visions from one plan versus another or developing their own. While best-practice guidance is provided in the City Center Plan and the Downtown Vision and Action Program, it was noted that the Downtown CRA lacked a unified approach.

Downtown Tampa CRA 27

Historic Preservation

There are currently 23 national and locally designated historic places within the Downtown CRA, including the North Franklin Street National Historic Landmark District. These are inventoried in Table 10. Some Local Historic Designated properties are in varying stages of repair, with some being reused and active while others are vacant and possibly deteriorating. An estimated twenty or more additional buildings, shown in Figure 16, may become eligible to be locally designated or be added to the National Register of Historic Places (for instance Rivergate Tower) prior to the Downtown CRA’s sunset date of 2043. These structures, as well as those structures already designated, will face similar challenges in preservation.

The status of the historic preservation process in the Downtown CRA area was discussed during stakeholder interviews. Challenges were noted in maintaining historic aesthetics especially with facade improvement grants due to the dilapidated condition of many of these buildings.

Before historic restoration can be initiated, building owners must bring their properties to code prior to construction, creating a significant upfront expense for owners and potential developers and without affecting the elements that are contributing to the historic nature of the building. The condition of these structures also create risk through flooding and wind damage sustained during weather events.

Incentivizing the desired development opportunities with the intended outcome of preservation and rehabilitation was noted as the preferred path forward for many stakeholders and City staff. Additionally, discussions regarding the archaeological significance of sites should be taken into consideration for restoration or curation.

Specific instances mentioned were the original streetcar rail lines and indigenous community artifacts buried near the shoreline.

Jackson Rooming Housing and Union Station in Downtown Tampa

Table 10. National and Local Historic Places, Landmarks, and Districts in the Downtown CRA

Name Address

National Historic Landmark District

Historic North Franklin Street District

National Register of Historic Places

Federal Building/U.S. Customs House & Downtown Post Office

601 North Florida Avenue

Federal Office Building 500 East Zack Street

First Federal Savings & Loan Association

220 East Madison Street

Floridan Hotel 905 N Florida Avenue

Hillsborough Lodge No. 25 508 East Kennedy Boulevard

Jackson Rooming House 851 East Zack Street

Kennedy Blvd Bridge 125 West Kennedy Boulevard

Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District

606 East Harrison Street

S. H. Kress and Co. Building 811 North Franklin Street

St. Andrews Episcopal Church 505 North Marion Street

Tampa City Hall 315 East Kennedy Boulevard

Tampa Theatre & Office Building 707-711 North Franklin Street

Tampa Union Station 601 North Nebraska Avenue

City of Tampa Local Historic Landmarks

Arlington Hotel Building 1209-1219 North Franklin Street

Easley Building 510 North Franklin Street

Fire Station 1/ Tampa Firefighters Museum

720 East Zack Street

Kid Mason Center 1101 North Jefferson Street

Majestic-Hedges Building 1202 North Franklin Street

Platt Street Bridge 99 West Platt Street

St. Paul A.M.E. Church 502 East Harrison Street

Spain Restaurant 509-513 North Tampa Street

Tom Henderson Memorial Chapel 410 East Tyler Street

Contributing Structure (but not designated) to the Central Avenue Historic District

Greater Bethel Baptist Church 805 East Laurel Street

Contributing Structures (but not designated) to the North Franklin Street National Historic Landmark District

C.C. Burns Furniture Store 1207 North Franklin Street

General Auto Supply Building 1102 North Florida Avenue

Southern Exchange Building 1110 North Florida Avenue

Contributing Structures (but not designated) to the Historic Bridges on the Hillsborough River

Cass Street Bridge 650 West Cass Street

Laurel Street Bridge 300 West Laurel Street

28 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Figure 16. Potential and future eligible properties for designation

Downtown Tampa CRA 29

1. Inform & Invite:

Provide the broader public with balanced information regarding the Downtown CRA update plan and invite them to participate fully in the process.

2. Consult:

Obtain feedback, personal experiences, and understanding of how the all users interact and engage with the built environment in the CRA.

3. Collaborate:

Partner with the participants by keeping them involved throughout the process.

4. Define Goals:

Use the data and information collected to define the goals of the community and incorporate them into the update.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement A significant part of the effort to review existing conditions within the Downtown CRA boundaries was a series of community involvement efforts. Those efforts focused on engaging with stakeholders, members of the public, and workers within the Downtown CRA. The following objectives were used to guide outreach efforts.

There were three forms of outreach and engagement. (1) An online survey conducted to capture a wide audience within the Downtown CRA area. The survey asked targeted questions related to living, working, and recreating in the Downtown CRA area; (2) Stakeholder interviews to collect direct information from key people and organizations in the area. These individuals include included developers, public and private organizations in Downtown, business owners, and representatives of the City, County, and transit agencies; (3) A visioning workshop to gather conceptual ideas from the public (Figure 17).

Overall, the engagement efforts included 70+ individuals, 10+ public and private organizations, and 10+ agencies. This input aligned and informed the findings from the existing conditions and contributed directly to the redevelopment Policies, Goals, and Strategic Actions. The public engagement guide describing the list of stakeholders and survey results are found in Appendix B and C.

30 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

Figure 17. Visioning workshop input

Feedback received from the Visioning Workshop.

Downtown Tampa CRA 31

32 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

CONDITIONS: THE

PRESENCE OF

SLUM AND BLIGHT

Downtown Tampa CRA 33

CONDITIONS: THE

PRESENCE OF SLUM

AND BLIGHT

The definitions of ’Slum’ and ’Blight’ are maintained by F.S. 163.330 and are defined as follows:

Slum: ’Slum area’ means an area having physical or economic conditions conducive to disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency, poverty, or crime because there is a predominance of buildings or improvements, whether residential or nonresidential, which are impaired by reason of dilapidation, deterioration, age, or obsolescence, and exhibiting one or more of the following factors:

• Inadequate provision for ventilation, light, air, sanitation, or open spaces;

• High density of population, compared to the population density of adjacent areas within the county or municipality; and overcrowding, as indicated by government-maintained statistics or other studies and the requirements of the Florida Building Code; or

• The existence of conditions that endanger life or property by fire or other causes.

Blight: ’Blighted area’ means an area in which there are a substantial number of deteriorated or deteriorating structures; in which conditions, as indicated by government-maintained statistics or other studies, endanger life or property or are leading to economic distress; and in which two or more of the following factors are present:

• Predominance of defective or inadequate street layout, parking facilities, roadways, bridges, or public transportation facilities.

• Aggregate assessed values of real property in the area for ad valorem tax purposes have failed to show any appreciable increase over the five years prior to the finding of such conditions.

• Faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness.

commercial, or industrial space compared to the remainder of the county or municipality.

• Tax or special assessment delinquency exceeding the fair value of the land.

• Residential and commercial vacancy rates are higher in the area than in the remainder of the county or municipality.

• The incidence of crime in the area is higher than in the remainder of the county or municipality.

• Fire and emergency medical service calls to the area are proportionately higher than in the remainder of the county or municipality.

• A greater number of violations of the Florida Building Code in the area than the number of violations recorded in the remainder of the county or municipality.

• Diversity of ownership or defective or unusual conditions of title which prevent the free alienability of land within the deteriorated or hazardous area.

• Governmentally owned property with adverse environmental conditions caused by a public or private entity.

• A substantial number or percentage of properties damaged by sinkhole activity have not been adequately repaired or stabilized.

34 2024 – 2034 Community Redevelopment Plan Update

The Existing Conditions Analysis revealed that the areas within the core and non-core Downtown CRA areas continue to carry elements of slum-like and blighted elements as defined in Florida Statutes. The evaluation of these conditions is organized by each Needs Category and notated below.

Environmental Infrastructure Infrastructure in the Downtown CRA can exacerbate issues related to climate change and urban heat island by placing unprecedented stress on the infrastructural system. Impervious surfaces contribute to the load of the stormwater systems that have the potential to be overwhelmed in the event of strong hurricane or a more intense than average rain event.

Intermediate projections from NOAA show inundation levels that can overwhelm up to 90% of the Downtown CRA, and 100% of Harbor Island. Buildings in disrepair, including historic structures, may be at higher risk during these events. Urban heat island projections also reveal the environmental threat to vulnerable persons living and working outside and add to the stress of building energy costs overall. The frequency of extreme heat, storms, and hurricanes in the region along with the age and carrying capacity of the infrastructure contribute to a condition that can be unduly unsanitary and unsafe for residents, workers, and visitors.

Land Use and Economic Development Undervalued and underutilized parcels in the Downtown CRA encompass 28% of the land area, with their relative uses contributing to faulty layout in relation to usefulness of the parcel.

Many of these lots conform to a series of uses that are no longer relevant to the current or future use of the lot and contribute to conditions that impact the value of surrounding property. These conditions include unused driveways, non-ADA compliant sidewalks, and debris such as raised concrete or wrought iron from razed buildings.

Underutilized properties also place an undue burden surrounding properties through negative externalities such as graffiti, illegal dumping, and solid waste violations which are common within the Downtown CRA based on recent code enforcement reports.

Transportation Despite the desire for a pedestrian-centric

Downtown, available services, and facilities within the Downtown CRA supports the dominant use of single occupancy vehicles.

While public transportation facilities are available throughout the CRA via fixed HART routes and the Streetcar, several funding challenges since 2018 have halted frequency and stop improvements.

Furthermore, vehicle crashes in the Downtown CRA, particularly those involving fatalities and serious injuries occur at a higher rate on 11% of the Downtown CRA roadways.

Public Safety and Quality of Life Trespassing in the Downtown CRA is the most prevalent form of criminal activity followed by theft, simple assault, traffic incidents, and DUIs.

While criminal activity is not significantly higher than the rest of the City, the concentration of nightlife, sporting events, and other events downtown places strain on law enforcement resources and increases overall risk of being in the Downtown CRA. Concurrently, park space is most available along the edges of the Downtown CRA near the river with limited parks as part of the central block structure.

Affordable and Attainable Housing While incomes are higher in the Downtown CRA, the burden of renting and owning a home significantly outpaces median incomes and potentially contributes to the higher-than-average vacancy rates for residential units. Those living in the Downtown CRA must make 20% or more income annually than the average Tampa resident and will face rents 47% higher than the City median. Stakeholders indicated the lack of overall housing stock, affordable housing, and workforce housing contributes to employment issues for Downtown’s largest event generators and hospitality services employers.

Urban Design Themes related to Urban Design can encompass many or all of the elements discussed in the six…