TAMPA, Fla. — It’s the end of an era — and the start of a new one. Local Tampa leaders gathered at Robles Park Monday morning to close one chapter and open another.
Dozens of people — including local leaders, state representatives, and Congresswoman Kathy Castor — came out to the Tampa Heights area to watch the start of the demolition process at Robles Park.
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"This is our last 1960s era housing complex, and so to get this torn down and to get a mixed income development in here is beyond exciting," said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
It’s a project five years in the making — and as one former resident put it, it couldn’t come soon enough, saying, 'Good riddance.'
"It was well overdue and needed, but I am one resident that stood up in the midst of the trouble," said Angerloe Bellamy, a former Robles Park resident.
Over time, this 75-year-old housing complex became a cesspool for crime and drugs, which is something Bellamy said she did not welcome to her doorstep.
"Just made it known that I wasn't going to tolerate what they were bringing to my front door, and I protected my front door at all costs," said Bellamy.
Back when the Tampa Mayor was a police officer, she said she came across a lot of that.
"I used to patrol this area as a young police officer during the crack cocaine heydays, and so I saw sort of the deterioration of many neighborhoods, including Robles Park," said Castor.
But that’s all about to change - The Tampa Housing Authority, and its developing partners, PMG Affordable, a subsidiary of national developer PMG, and Banc of America Community Development Company (BACDC) have rezoned this 30-acre property to reinvigorate one of Tampa’s most historic public housing communities.
"Everyone deserves a safe place to call home that is affordable," said Tampa Congresswoman Kathy Castor.
In addition to housing, the $800 million master plan will also include education, healthcare services, grocery stores, retail, and a memorial for the Zion Cemetery, one of Tampa's oldest burial grounds.
It’s believed to be the oldest African American cemetery in Tampa.
The first phase of the project will bring 233 new residential units and a 30,000-square-foot community center to the heart of Robles Park Village. Over time, the broader plan will grow the village from its current 433 units to nearly 2,000 new homes — with about 67% designated as affordable housing.
"We've seen a lot of cities, that as they have grown successfully, they have pushed certain populations out of the city, so it is imperative that we have the affordable housing available so that our residents can remain in the city of Tampa and continue to grow it successfully," said Castor.
While Bellamy had to move to a nearby location, she's looking forward to the day she can return, which is expected to happen when the first phase wraps up at the end of 2027.
"I want to move back and I want my own little unit right there," said Bellamy.
This is a significant project, and the developer tells Tampa Bay 28 that it's expected to take about eight to nine years to complete, with nine phases in total. But the first phase could break ground as soon as May or June.
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