Demolition of Tampa's Robles Park Village slated to make way for new mixed-income community

TAMPA, Fla. - Robles Park Village, a low-income housing community in Tampa, is set to be demolished starting September 15. 

The 35-acre site, once home to about 400 families, will be redeveloped into nearly 2,000 mixed-income units. The $800 million project includes plans for a community hub with walking trails, a market, education and health resources. 

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There will also be a memorial and genealogy center to honor those buried at the historic Zion Cemetery, discovered beneath part of the property in 2019.

The backstory:

Robles Park Village opened in the 1950s as one of Tampa’s oldest public housing complexes. Many former residents recall it as both a place of struggle and opportunity. 

Community activist and Zion Cemetery Advisory Committee Member Connie Burton said the neighborhood provided a lifeline in the 1980s, while others, like business owner Michael Randolph, credit the community with helping them rebuild their lives.

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The site also carries a painful history. A 2019 ground-penetrating radar study revealed that part of the complex was built over Zion Cemetery, believed to hold more than 700 graves. 

The burial ground, dating back to the early 1900s, was largely erased when a developer removed headstones in the 1920s.

The other side:

Some former residents said the demolition is bittersweet. While the redevelopment promises new opportunities, there are concerns about Tampa’s ongoing homeless crisis and the displacement of families who once relied on the complex for affordable housing.

What's next:

Construction on the new development is expected to begin in April 2026. Former residents who received Section 8 vouchers when Robles Park closed will have priority access to the new housing, with rent based on income.