TAMPA, Fla. — Following news that the City of Tampa is selling its downtown police headquarters for $36 million, residents are sharing mixed opinions about what should replace the landmark building and whether the police department should maintain a presence in the city's core.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams went out to talk to residents about the sale, which was announced through a Request for Proposals seeking developers to purchase the Tampa Police Department headquarters property on North Franklin Street.
WATCH: Tampanians weigh in on what they believe should happen to Tampa Police headquarters city block
The just-over-one-acre site spans an entire city block, bounded by Madison Street to the north, Franklin Street to the west, North Florida Avenue to the east and East Kennedy Boulevard to the south.
Many downtown residents see the sale as an opportunity to bring new amenities to the area that would better serve the growing population.
"I think like a target or some type of shopping, like for convenience sake, because there are a lot of, like, students that live here, a lot of adult working professionals," one downtown resident said. "So I think it'll make it a lot easier, instead of having to leave downtown to go shop, especially because students usually don't bring cars."
However, not everyone supports relocating the police department from downtown. Some residents argued the headquarters should remain in the heart of the city given the concentration of banks, government buildings and courthouses.
"They have to be downtown," another resident said firmly. "All the banks are downtown. City Hall is right here. The state, federal and county courthouses are here. They need to be here."
The $36 million asking price also drew strong reactions from residents, with many questioning whether it adequately reflects the property's prime location.
"$36 million? That's too low," one resident said. "This is downtown. Look around. All the banks are here. Everything's here."
The property includes a 10-story building that houses the police headquarters and a five-level parking garage with approximately 275 parking spaces. Located in Tampa's Central Business District, the site sits across from Lykes Gaslight Park and Tampa City Hall, near Curtis Hixon Park, the Tampa Riverwalk and Tampa Convention Center.
"Downtown Tampa is evolving fast, and this site offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine a key parcel in the heart of downtown," Mayor Jane Castor said. "This is a valuable opportunity in the downtown core to create a community-minded development that will serve Tampa for generations to come."
The successful buyer must close on the property no later than Jan. 31, 2027, and will be responsible for all costs associated with demolition, environmental review, surveying, engineering, architecture, rezoning and construction.
Developers must submit comprehensive proposals including organizational information, financing plans and development terms by Feb. 6, 2026. A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2026.
If successful, this would mark the first step in relocating the Tampa Police Department to a new headquarters location.
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