TAMPA – An economic jolt is planned for East Tampa, thanks to an $80 million project planned by the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council.

“People my age are not moving back to East Tampa,” said Earnest Coney Jr. the CEO of the Corporation to Develop Communities. “Because they think about the 80s and 90s when they felt terrorized. When they felt there was no opportunity to grow, to even start a business in East Tampa. They are not coming back.”

He hopes the ‘East Tampa Innovation Center’ will be the key to their return, set for Columbus Dr. and 31st Street.

The EDC’s estimated $80 million, 65,000 sq. ft. beacon of hope will be a center of job training in an area where 31 percent of East Tampa residents, according to the EDC, make less than $15,000 a year.

“How do we fundamentally change this? We have to invest in our community.”

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The chair of the CDC, Ron Christaldi, says the project is a critical example of a public private partnership the area needs to be successful.

There will be collaborations with USF and HCC programs in manufacturing and culinary arts.

“It is an opportunity for us to build meaningful, skilled, highly skilled, training programs in that facility,” said Tampa city councilor Gwen Henderson.

It’s also expected to feature more than a hundred units of affordable housing.

Councilors cleared the way for that part of it on Thursday, and they did so eagerly, with housing costs at the top of everyone’s mind.

“When things come around and look too good, sometimes you have to look at them a little bit deeper,” said councilor Charlie Miranda. “And this project is good.”

An $80 million rejuvenation project for jobs and housing is coming to East Tampa.

The hope is that having skilled workers in secure housing will convince employers that East Tampa is finally the place to be.

“This project delivers on a promise,” said Coney. “A broken promise and deferred dreams.”

Timeline:

The EDC says the hope is to have it open sometime in 2027.

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