Moving historic homes, called casitas, added vigor to the area north of Ybor City that was once filled with weedy lots.
By DENISE WATSON BATTS
Published April 9, 2004
[Times photos: Stefanie Boyar]
Kevin Stuteville was the first resident of one of the historic homes moved to make way for the Interstate 4 expansion. He likes seeing a different mix of different ages and ethnicities moving in with a lot of energy. Neighbors are talking about holding monthly painting parties to spruce up the neighborhood.
They had a lot of work ahead of them in November 2002, when Jo-Anne Peck, left, the project designer, and Patti Cross, a park ranger at the Ybor City State Museum, did a walk-through of a house that became part of the museum.
BELMONT/JACKSON HEIGHTS - Kevin Stuteville noticed the odd additions more than a year ago, dilapidated structures that had been moved to E Columbus Drive out of the widening path of nearby Interstate 4.
Their porches were gone, roofs sagged and white paint peeled off eons ago. But Stuteville saw something beautiful.
He wanted to buy one.
"It was a mess," he said. "And that's when all of my friends began saying, "You're nuts."'
They aren't saying that anymore. Last summer, Stuteville, 24, was the first to move into one of 33 historic homes, called casitas, that the state relocated and is restoring. Almost all have been sold.
The state moved most of the houses primarily from 14th and 15th avenues between 15th and 21st streets to the 1900 block of E Columbus and 15th Avenue. A few remain south of the interstate.
Those involved say the homes' popularity is an indication that residents are rediscovering the area north of Ybor City. Nearby in V.M. Ybor, the city is planning to redo the Cuscaden Park Swimming Pool and Academy Prep Center of Tampa is renovating a historic grammar school.
The casitas are close to Ybor haunts but far enough not to be drowned by its night lights. A short drive from downtown, they are part of the city's efforts to unearth a rich past trampled by urban renewal years ago.
"It's all kind of saying we can rebuild this community together," said Elaine Illes, a consultant with the Florida Department of Transportation, who's coordinating the project.
"We knew the houses would be great, but we were concerned that we might not have the urban pioneers to move into the houses. But as we've seen, they're selling like hot cakes, and if we had 100, we'd sell them all today."
Interstate 4 was constructed during the 1960s, cutting through the middle of well-established older neighborhoods, including Ybor City, Tampa Heights and West Tampa. It disconnected residents on the north of the highway from friends and shops on the south side. Historical structures were demolished, and the area gradually declined.
In the early 1990s, city and state officials realized that the proposed widening of the interstate would again threaten buildings in the Ybor City National Landmark District. Federal, state and local agencies agreed to relocate and restore 33 buildings in Ybor City and two in West Tampa built between the 1890s and 1930s.
The efforts meant replacing the tin roofs on most of them, repainting the gingerbread trim, and honoring porch columns and additions that had been built during the decades. The homes were moved beginning in 2000 and renovations began in 2002.
The most popular house, the Dr. Santiago Paniello residence - known as the "blond brick house" - has received "thousands" of inquiries, Illes said. The one-story Mediterranean Revival structure was built in 1932 with yellow brick imported from Spain.
After the houses were preserved, DOT transferred the deeds to the city, which is selling the homes to, preferably, people relocated by the interstate or to first-time home buyers.
Five of the buildings have been finished and given to the city for the Ybor City State Museum. Six are part of an artists' district Mayor Pam Iorio has proposed to help revitalize the area.
Five of the private residences are now occupied. Prices have ranged from $96,000 to $157,000. The average home is about 1,500 square feet and costs about $130,000, relatively affordable in today's booming real estate market.
The city has sold all but two of the private residences. The renovation process will soon begin on the last two houses, which will go on the market shortly after. Restoration usually takes about nine months.
Illes said property values have started to rise in response to the government-funded project.
"The great thing is that it's been federal money," she said. "If we weren't widening the interstate, we wouldn't be pumping $8-million back into the neighborhood."
The move has been a payoff for Stuteville as well.
His home is one of the largest - 2,050 square feet with three bedrooms and 21/2 baths. It has oak hardwood floors, the original staircase and 11-foot ceilings. He bought it for $157,000 and recently had it appraised for $238,500.
Real estate has become Stuteville's business; he got his real estate license five months ago and has sold four of the casitas. He bought two vacant lots across from his home and plans to build homes of them by the beginning of next year. He's also renovating a vacant house around the corner on 15th Avenue.
While friends were concerned about crime in the area, Stuteville said he's never had a problem. He has talked to neighbors about holding monthly painting parties to spruce up the existing neighborhood houses, he said. He also likes who he sees moving in, a mix of different ages and ethnicities with a lot of energy.
"I don't think there's hardly anyone in here that's like anyone else," he said. "And we're all fighting for the same goal. To improve this area."
Jimmy Taylor, a network planner for satellite communications for the Department of the Army, moved into a three-bedroom, two-bath next to Stuteville in February.
"I like the Ybor area, I think the houses are neat," said Taylor, 43, who works at MacDill Air Force Base. "It's convenient to everything."
He, too, has seen a new vigor in the area now that the renovated houses are filling in what were once weedy lots.
"The whole dynamic is changing," he said. "People are painting their houses, cutting their lawns."
Now Stuteville's friends, the ones who thought he was once crazy, are asking where they can get a deal like his.
"I tell them it's too late."
- For information on the casitas, call Tom King with the city of Tampa's Department of Housing and Community Development at 274-5626.
