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Council Seeks Guidelines On HCC's Ybor Site

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

cwade@tampatrib.com

Published: March 28, 2009

TAMPA - With construction well under way, the dispute over Hillsborough Community College's expansion project in Ybor City has largely subsided.

But the state-funded community college, which ran into opposition from the Barrio Latino Commission over the contemporary design of its $14 million student services building, owns more property in the historic district and has long-term expansion plans in mind.

That concerns several members of the Tampa City Council. They've requested an opinion from Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum about whether state government agencies must follow local architectural guidelines.

"We can't continue to make decisions that undermine the fabric of our historic districts," said Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena, who requested the opinion during Thursday's council meeting. "The college should follow the same rules that everyone else does."

City Attorney Chip Fletcher said he would review the council's request.

"It would have to be a request from the city as a whole, not just council," he said

Saul-Sena admits that requesting a legal opinion is a gamble for the city.

"We might not get the answer we want," she said.

The dispute centers around the design of the building, which Ybor City preservationists say is too modern. HCC officials argue they didn't need to adhere to the city's preservation guidelines because state law exempts the college from local codes.
Mayor Pam Iorio and HCC President Gwen Stephenson recently agreed to allow future designs to be reviewed by the city's historic preservation department. But the deal, which will be part of an interlocal agreement, excluded the Barrio Latino Commission, a volunteer board that regulates building designs in Ybor City.

Construction on the 63,000-square-foot student services building began last month and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

The community college has about 305,000 square feet of building space on its Ybor City campus and has plans to expand by 525,700 square feet.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

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