New YMCA, Mixed-Use Development Proposed In Tampa Heights

TAMPA, FL — Ellison Development has filed plans for a new 6.20-acre mixed use development in Tampa Heights on behalf of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA.

The proposed $600 million development will include a new 110,000-square-foot YMCA, more than 20,000 square feet of green space, a 23-story, 200-room luxury hotel, office and retail space, and residential units.

Partially located within the Tampa Heights Historic District, the prospective development consists of two 24-story residential buildings with 447 multifamily units of which at least 10 percent will be set aside for affordable housing. Plans call for a 15-story building with 184,000 square feet of office space and 100,000 square feet of retail, of which a portion will be dedicated to small, minority-owned businesses.

According to YMCA President and CEO Matt Mitchell, the new YMCA will more than double the space of the current Central City YMCA at 110 E. Palm Ave.

“For 135 years, the YMCA has been woven into the fabric of our city. This development, with a new, modern YMCA as an anchor, will stand as a testament to our commitment to meeting the evolving needs for future generations," Mitchell said.

"We look forward to robust conversations with the Tampa Heights residents and our neighbors as we explore the many ways this vision can offer value to the community. Local community feedback will be critical as we bring this vision to reality,” he said.

The new YMCA will feature a licensed preschool, before- and after-school care, teen programs, summer day camps and enhanced wellness resources. It will also have a rooftop pool with expanded swimming lessons and drowning prevention programs, pickleball courts and a sky bridge over Florida Avenue that will connect to parking and the organization’s corporate offices.

The current YMCA will not close until the new YMCA is open.

“Our new facility and the surrounding development will generate resources to further our mission and extend our reach into underserved Tampa communities," Mitchell said. "The YMCA is a catalyst for empowerment, offering a wide range of opportunities for fitness, education, recreation and social connection. It is our vision to empower every individual in our community to reach their healthiest and most fulfilled life."

Plans call for the preservation of the Standard Oil Building located at 110 E Oak Ave. Additionally, the YMCA is providing a 10-foot easement along East Palm Avenue for a potential streetcar expansion.

“As a huge supporter of the YMCA and its mission, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help them expand their footprint in the Tampa Heights community and beyond. It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of the team that understands how to honor the neighborhood’s past while ushering it in to its next chapter,” said Ellison Development CEO Casey Ellison.

If the rezoning is approved by the Tampa City Council, the development will be built in phases with the construction of the YMCA part of phase one. Ellison expects to break ground on the new YMCA in the summer of 2024 with completion in early 2026. The entire development will take roughly five years to finish.

Working on the project with Ellison Development are architects Fleischman Garcia Maslowski, engineers Kimley-Horn and Gardner Brewer Hudson as zoning attorney.

The first YMCA facility was built in Tampa in 1908 encompassing a 50,000-square-foot building on the corner of North Florida Avenue and Zack Street. The building cost $100,000 and was funded entirely through contributions.