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Only Weeds Rising At Old Central Park Village Site

Tribune photo by JIM REED

Jerome Ryans, President and CEO of the Tampa Housing Authority, stands next to the historic St. James Episcopal Church in what was the Central Park Village public housing project.

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By LINDSAY PETERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 26, 2009

Updated: 03/26/2009 04:07 pm

TAMPA - Sydel LeGrande watched the businesses along Nebraska Avenue shut down after the Tampa Housing Authority moved more than 1,300 people out of Central Park Village.

They went one by one - barber shops, drugstores. "Even the Church's chicken closed," she said.
LeGrande and her husband, George, opened their medical and fitness center in the Tampa Park Plaza last year, with the hope of serving the mixed-income development the housing authority planned to build in Central Park's place.

Legal and financial hurdles, however, stopped the project cold.

Now rumors are flying that the authority's plan all along was to destroy the public house complex so private developers could buy the property in the shadow of Tampa's high rises.

"I've heard the rumors," said Jerome Ryans, housing authority president and chief executive officer, standing on the empty lot under a citrus tree heavy with oranges.

"I have no doubt we'll get this finished. There is no doubt in my mind," And when it is, he said, "it's going to be the crown jewel of Tampa."

Like hundreds of development projects on hold across the country, this one is banking on a boost from the $798 billion federal stimulus package.

The housing authority and Bank of America are partnering to build a 28-acre development called Encore, which will mix high-end condominiums with public housing and a hotel and grocery store, black history museum and refurbished public park.

The museum will occupy the nearly 90-year-old St. James Episcopal Church, the only structure still standing where the 50-year-old, drug-plagued public housing complex used to be.

More than 1,300 people lived on the site until 2006. They were moved out when the complex was demolished in 2007.

The authority planned to open the first two buildings late this year, including 36 public housing units and 234 units that would accept federally subsidized housing vouchers. Former Central Park residents were to be first on the list to move back.

A state Supreme Court decision, however, delayed the early road construction work. The decision limited the use of property taxes collected in the area for the site's development. The problem was eventually resolved, but in the meantime the U.S. economy went sour and bond money dried up.

Trying To Hold On

LeGrande said she could have opened her health center anywhere in Tampa but chose the Central Park area because the needs of low-income people are so great.

"This is an at-risk community," with high rates of diabetes and hypertension, she said.

The mix of high- and low-income earners that was expected to move into the Encore units presented the perfect opportunity for her business. She's a doctor who specializes in weight loss programs; her husband is a personal fitness trainer.

This morning, however, only one person was working out in the roomful of machines.

She's holding on, with customers from the nearby Tampa Park apartments. "People always need medical care," she said.

But it's not what she expected.

"Things are not good in this neighborhood," she said.

A year ago, Geovanny Sanchez was trying to recoup the $150,000 he'd recently spent to fix up the Tampa Park Supermarket, throwing a gallon of milk or dozen eggs in with the purchase of meat by the pound.

He was desperate for Encore to open, but now there's a "going out of business" sign in his store's window.

The housing authority is "working feverishly" to get financing in place, pulling from about nine different sources, said Michael Hatchett, urban development manager for the city of Tampa.

"Two years ago, we were in a good position to have the project under construction in 2007," he said. With the court ruling and U.S. credit freeze, however, "it's very difficult, very frustrating."

Hoping For Stimulus Money

The authority's best hope is getting $27 million in stimulus money. They need it to build the road, sewer system and other basics that need to be in place before anyone can start building the condos and apartments.

The housing authority recently received a $10.5 million slice of stimulus money, but it is restricted to work on existing public housing units. So it has to look to another pot of stimulus funds for the Encore work. The grants are expected to be awarded over the next several months through competitive bids.

Ryans said the project has a good shot.

"It has all the attributes the president is looking for," said Leroy Moore, the authority's chief operating officer. "It's ready to go, and it will create jobs."

A survey paid for by Bank of America estimated more than 1,100 jobs could be created once infrastructure work began, with an additional 3,000 positions after that.

Also, the authority has a solid partner in the Bank of America and strong support from Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Ryans said.

"We couldn't be in a better position" to get the stimulus money.

The Bank of America has faith. Moore said it's put up $1.3 million to get the site cleaned up and ready for road building to begin.

Reporter Lindsay Peterson can be reached at (813) 259-7834.

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