Reviving Centro Espanol

The Centro Espanol de West Tampa is a remnant of an inspiring chapter in Tampa's history.

The building on North Howard Avenue was built in 1912 by the Centro Espanol club, one of the mutual-aid societies that exemplified the self-reliance and ingenuity of the city's immigrant cigar makers.

Though poor and in an unfamiliar country, they did not seek government aid. Instead they formed clubs, where their dues funded hospitals, health care, libraries, theaters and other benefits. Those dues also allowed the construction of magnificent structures, such as Centro Espanol. The two-story building, which includes a theater and ballroom, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

And it is doubly gratifying that a building that played a key role in the community's development is again going to be put to good use. The Hillsborough Education Foundation, a nonprofit group that provides funding and support to students and teachers, is moving into Centro Espanol.

The foundation will be responsible for upkeep and renovations, which is critical to saving the building. Left unused, too often historic buildings deteriorate beyond repair. Like so many historic buildings, Centro Espanol de West Tampa has suffered its share of neglect. The city sold the building to the Tampa-Hillsborough Urban League in 1999, but the organization's fiscal problems caused the arrangement to collapse. The city again took over the partially restored structure, and it served as a temporary headquarters for the Tampa Museum of Art while the new museum was under construction.

Now the education foundation will lease the building from the city for $1 a year and be responsible for all capital costs, repairs, utilities and other expenses. It already has committed to making at least $400,000 in improvements.

Besides serving as the foundation's administrative headquarters, the building will have a "store" that offers teachers free supplies and a meeting room that can be used for teacher training and will be available to community groups.

Bill Hoffman, foundation president, and city officials also want to ensure the building presents to visitors the proud history of Centro Espanol.

And it is notable that the Education Foundation is, to a great degree, continuing that history by maintaining the mutual-aid society's focus on education and self-improvement.

This is a good partnership, one that honors the past while investing in the future.