Tampa City Council (12/11/25)

benny b

benny b

— 5 min read

Key People

  • Luis Viera (CRA Board Chair) — Tampa City Council
    • Led meeting and made motion for disability accessibility playground equipment report
  • Bill Carlson (CRA Board Member) — Tampa City Council
    • Proposed revised services agreement to increase CRA independence and made motions for Union Station updates and CRA staff training report
  • Lynn Hurtak (CRA Board Member) — Tampa City Council
    • Acting chair during Viera's absence, supported contract revisions and made procedural motions
  • Charlie Miranda (CRA Board Member) — Tampa City Council
    • Veteran council member who provided historical context on Ybor City and strongly supported Centro Asturiano project
  • Naya Young (CRA Board Member) — Tampa City Council
    • Represents East Tampa district, expressed concerns about low community engagement in signage survey
  • Guido Maniscalco (CRA Board Member) — Tampa City Council
    • Made motions including Centro Asturiano approval and special projects procedural change
  • Cedric McCray (Tampa CRA Director) — Tampa CRA
    • Provided staff reports and coordinated meeting logistics, noted compliance issues with delayed services agreement
  • Cristal Lastra (President) — Centro Asturiano de Tampa
    • Presented $396,995 grant request for historic gymnasium restoration project
  • Maritza Astorquiza (CAC Advisory Committee Chair) — Drew Park CRA
    • Presented comprehensive report on Drew Park safety studies and infrastructure needs
  • John Greene (Community Member) — Tampa resident
    • Requested NAACP financial audit and accountability for city contracts during public comment
  • Stephanie Poynor (Community Member) — Tampa resident
    • Criticized proposed sale of Big Blue police building and demanded CRA oversight
  • Alison Hewitt (Resident and Business Owner) — East Tampa
    • Opposed current services agreement structure, argued CRA needs more authority over staff

Projects & Initiatives

Centro Asturiano Gymnasium Restoration

  • Owner: Centro Asturiano de Tampa
  • Status: approved
  • Timeline: Construction to begin following permit approvals
  • Historic building renovation to convert unused gym into cigar lounge and cultural hub with original equipment preservation

East Tampa Wayfinding Signage Program

  • Owner: Tampa CRA with API consultants
  • Status: pending
  • Timeline: Two weeks additional survey period before final decision
  • Five design concepts presented for gateway and directional signs, CAC preferred Option 4, additional community input requested

Water Works Park ADA Improvements

  • Owner: Parks and Recreation Department
  • Status: in progress
  • Timeline: Site visits February 2025
  • Site visits scheduled for February 9 and 23, 2025 for disability accessible playground equipment installation

Drew Park Safety and Speed Management Study

  • Owner: Drew Park CRA with consultants
  • Status: completed
  • Timeline: Tier 1 improvements approved, Tier 2-3 under review
  • Comprehensive study of traffic safety issues, three-tier recommendations for Hesperides Street and other corridors

Drew Park Mobility and Connectivity Improvement

  • Owner: Drew Park CRA
  • Status: in progress
  • Timeline: Ongoing with future detailed presentation planned
  • Large-scale transportation infrastructure project continuing development

Drew Park Streetscape Safety Audit

  • Owner: Drew Park CRA
  • Status: starting soon
  • Timeline: Construction expected spring 2025
  • Lois and Grady Avenue safety improvements, plans due with spring construction start

Drew Park Hubert Park Project

  • Owner: Drew Park CRA
  • Status: in progress
  • Timeline: Final plans December 2025
  • Park improvements with drainage issues resolved, final plans expected end of December

Drew Park Gateway Signage

  • Owner: Drew Park CRA
  • Status: expanding
  • Timeline: Installation timeline not specified
  • Five additional gateway sign locations approved for Dale Mabry and Hillsborough corridors

Ashley Integral Residential Development

  • Owner: Ashley East LLC/OTBI
  • Status: approved
  • Timeline: Implementation following signed agreements
  • Funding agreement approved for residential component of larger development project

Tampa Union Station Maintenance

  • Owner: City of Tampa
  • Status: ongoing issues
  • Timeline: Monthly updates requested starting February 2025
  • Building has leaking windows, deteriorating wood, termite infestation, and flooding problems requiring immediate attention

CRA Services Agreement Revision

  • Owner: Tampa CRA with city legal staff
  • Status: under review
  • Timeline: Revised agreement due January 2025 CRA meeting
  • Proposed revisions to increase CRA independence, clarify staff reporting structure, and improve communication protocols

Money & Spending

  • $396,000 — Centro Asturiano Gymnasium Restoration Grant
    • Payer: Ybor City CRA
    • Recipient: Centro Asturiano de Tampa
    • 50% of eligible expenses plus $20,000 contingency for historic building renovation, total project cost $996,994
  • $620,000 estimated — East Tampa Wayfinding Signage Program
    • Payer: East Tampa CRA
    • Recipient: API Design Consultants and fabricators
    • Budget of $660,000 available, coming in under budget at approximately $620,000
  • $9.7 million — Ashley Integral Residential Development
    • Payer: Downtown CRA
    • Recipient: Ashley East LLC/OTBI
    • $7.5M for structure and infrastructure, $2.1M for land assemblage, previously approved in July 2024
  • $151,827.46 — Firefighters Museum Ordinance Correction
    • Payer: Tampa CRA
    • Recipient: Firefighters Museum
    • Corrected amount approved due to board increasing allocation above staff recommendation
  • Approaching $3 million annually — CRA Administrative Services
    • Payer: Tampa CRA
    • Recipient: City of Tampa
    • Increased from $1.5 million seven years ago, represents approximately 3% of total CRA budget
  • $36 million potential sale price vs $400 million new building cost — Big Blue Police Building Sale Discussion
    • Payer: City of Tampa buyer
    • Recipient: Private buyer (proposed)
    • Public criticism of proposal to sell building in CRA district without proper oversight
  • $350,000 remaining — Ybor Special Projects Grant Balance
    • Payer: Ybor CRA
    • Recipient: Various applicants
    • Balance available for remainder of fiscal year 2026 after Centro Asturiano approval

Decisions

  • Approved Centro Asturiano gymnasium restoration grant for $396,000 plus $20,000 contingency
  • Delayed services agreement approval to allow staff and legal review of proposed revisions
  • Approved moving services agreement discussion to January 2025 meeting with individual board member consultations
  • Approved motion to move special project grants from required approvals to staff reports section
  • Approved merging CAC member recognition into director's report
  • Approved corrected Firefighters Museum funding ordinance for $151,827.46
  • Approved Ashley Integral funding agreement for $9.7 million residential development
  • Approved East Tampa signage program to conduct additional two-week community survey before final design selection
  • Approved monthly reporting requirement for Tampa Union Station maintenance issues
  • Approved request for CRA staff training report due February 2025
  • Moved ADA playground equipment status report from January to February 2025
  • Moved housing grant application discussion from January to February 2025

Action Items

  • [ ] CRA Staff and API Consultants: Conduct additional two-week community survey for East Tampa signage design concepts (due: Two weeks from meeting date)
  • [ ] CRA Staff and City Legal: Work with city legal staff to revise CRA services agreement based on board feedback (due: January 2025 CRA meeting)
  • [ ] CRA Staff with Parks and Recreation: Provide written report on disability accessible playground equipment status at four CRA park locations (due: February 2025 CRA meeting)
  • [ ] CRA Staff: Provide monthly written updates on Tampa Union Station maintenance and repair status (due: Beginning February 2025, monthly thereafter)
  • [ ] CRA Staff: Create written report on specific CRA training provided to staff members (due: February 2025 CRA meeting)
  • [ ] CRA Staff: Conduct individual briefings with board members on housing grant applications before February presentation (due: Before February 2025 meeting)
  • [ ] CRA Staff: Process Centro Asturiano grant agreement with progress payment structure (due: Following permit approvals and construction milestones)
  • [ ] CRA Staff: Finalize Ashley Integral funding agreement documentation (due: Implementation timeline not specified)

Risks & Open Questions

  • CRA operating without approved services agreement creates potential compliance issues
  • Low community engagement in East Tampa signage survey (44 responses from 500 contacts) may not represent community preferences
  • Tampa Union Station has serious maintenance issues including termites, flooding, and structural deterioration that could worsen without immediate attention
  • Confusion over CRA staff reporting structure and authority may impact project implementation effectiveness
  • Air Cargo Road speed limit issues feeding dangerous traffic into Drew Park residential areas
  • Parking concerns in Ybor City affecting business customer access and worker satisfaction
  • Safety concerns in Ybor City, particularly for workers walking to vehicles after dark
  • Big Blue police building sale proposal proceeding without proper CRA oversight despite being in CRA district
  • Potential state legislation (HJR 201) could eliminate property taxes that fund 85% of public safety budget
  • Growing pains from increased Ybor City activity creating infrastructure and safety pressures
  • Drew Park infrastructure being impacted by external traffic from events and development without proportional funding support
  • Maintenance and replacement costs for new signage installations may strain future budgets if vandalism or damage occurs

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