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BILL VARIANThe Tampa Bay History Center might be built at Cotanchobee-Fort Brooke Park.
TAMPA - The people hoping to build a home for the Tampa Bay History Center have picked a new potential location with plenty of history.
Representatives of the Tampa Bay History Center Inc. announced plans to build the museum near the St. Pete Times Forum on part of the former site of Fort Brooke, often called the birthplace of modern Tampa.
Previously, the city of Tampa had pledged land on Ashley Drive in the heart of a planned cultural arts district under former Mayor Dick Greco. However, that idea didn't jibe with Mayor Pam Iorio's vision for the district.
So the History Center took a new look at Cotanchobee-Fort Brooke Park after the Florida Communities Trust approved giving the city about $6-million to acquire part of the property in April. On Sunday, the governing board of the FCT approved a change to the city's management plan for the park to include the History Center on the 2.47-acre parcel.
"Our trustees and members could not be more excited to have a new home for the History Center," said its chairman, George Howell, in a statement.
Fort Brooke was established in 1824 under President James Monroe as an outpost during the Seminole Wars. It at one time spanned 16 square miles, Howell said.
All that remains is about 6 acres, including the parcel acquired by the city in April, which overlooks the Garrison Channel and has been turned into a park. The Cotanchobee-Fort Brooke Park memorializes the wars.
"The location of the Tampa Bay History Center at this historic site helps tie together our remarkable string of assets along the downtown waterfront," Iorio said in the History Center's written announcement. "This is a significant project for all of Hillsborough County and a positive step forward for our downtown development."
Hillsborough commissioners have pledged $17-million from the Community Investment Tax for construction of the museum. The city pledged land. In return, History Center directors must raise $11-million in donations to establish a foundation to operate it. They are hoping to raise $20-million.
The project has been politically divisive among county commissioners, some of whom consider it too costly. Recently, commission candidate Brian Blair, who narrowly lost a bid to unseat incumbent Pat Frank, has been pushing a proposal to house the History Center in the old federal courthouse downtown.
"Most of us live on limited income," Blair said Monday. "We're forced to remodel our homes. Why should the History Center be allowed to build a new home at taxpayer expense, when you've got a perfect home to remodel?"
Howell said the History Center did look at the old courthouse, but concluded it would be more costly and difficult to renovate and operate than building new, and would have no parking.
The Fort Brooke location is near Ybor City and tourist attractions along Channelside Drive and would be close to the trolley line.
"It comes back to the fact, "Where are we going to be the most financially successful?' " Howell said.