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Vote on Hyde Park scheduled tonight
Developers want to rezone for a massive development that already has met opposition.
By EMILY NIPPS, Times Staff Writer
Published December 13, 2007
TAMPA - A controversial plan for a new look and future for one of Tampa's best-known shopping complexes is up for a vote tonight before the City Council.
The rezoning vote for Hyde Park Village is expected to draw several residents who oppose the massive development in the historic neighborhood, as well as influential developers and lobbyists who say the project will restore vitality to the struggling retail and residential district.
Wasserman Real Estate Capital, which owns Hyde Park Village, is proposing to build a $100-million upscale complex of shops and two condominium towers up to nine stories high.
The project will add 163 residences, split among the now-closed movie theaters on Swann Avenue and the parking garage on Rome Avenue. The developer also wants to increase office and retail space and add public art.
Neighborhood residents and those who serve on historic preservation boards have rallied against the proposal, saying the condo are too high and dense. The city's Architectural Review Commission, which evaluates development in historic districts, has twice rejected the developer's plans for being incompatible.
Both votes came after public discussion that lasted until almost midnight.
Even former Gov. Bob Martinez and former Rep. Jim Davis, who work for the developer's hired law firm, Holland & Knight, have joined in the fight. They recently met with city officials to get background on the project and have individually met with residents to gain support.
"I do think we're going to see a different demographic at this meeting," said Pat Cimino, president of Hyde Park Preservation Inc. "Rather than just neighbors, we're going to see a lot of lobbyists speaking in favor of the project."
FAST FACTS
Tonight's meeting
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 315 E Kennedy Blvd., on the third floor.
[Last modified December 13, 2007, 00:01:55]
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