Tampa's Robles Park Village demolition begins to make way for $800M redevelopment project

TAMPA, Fla. - A piece of Tampa history came down on Monday. 

City leaders and community members gathered this morning for a demolition ceremony at Robles Park Village at 10 a.m. 

The 35-acre public housing complex, built in the 1950s, once included more than 400 units of low-cost housing. It was vacated last year to clear the way for redevelopment.

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The new project, spearheaded by the Tampa Housing Authority and private partners, promises a mixed-income, mixed-use community featuring nearly 2,000 housing units. Plans also include a $4 million community hub with a grocery store, educational services, and other neighborhood resources.

Perhaps the most meaningful element will be a memorial and genealogy center honoring Zion Cemetery — Tampa’s oldest African American burial ground, discovered beneath part of the property in 2019. Ground-penetrating radar studies found that as many as 700 people may be buried there. Earlier this year, the cemetery received official historic designation.

Construction on the first phase of the redevelopment is expected to begin in April 2026 once demolition work is complete.

What they're saying:

For many, the demolition brings a mix of pride and pain.

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Standing at the unveiling of a plaque earlier this year, State Representative Fentrice Driskell said the redevelopment must carry forward the legacy of Zion Cemetery.

"I hope that people would know that the lives that were buried here mattered. I hope that they would know that it's never too late to try to correct a wrong. And I hope they would pass on that information to future generations."

But some former residents of Robles Park Village remain concerned about whether they’ll truly be included in the new chapter. Community activist Connie Burton, who lived there for years, worries about strict management criteria and whether returning families will still be welcome:

"Very few people are able to complete those hurdles because some of the new management companies that come in set criteria based on who they consider to be suitable residents… Better yet, what is your income?"

What's next:

Officials have emphasized that former residents who received Section 8 vouchers will have the first opportunity to return, and that rent for the affordable units will be set based on tenants’ incomes — targeting households making between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income.