Ellison Development has announced a major, community-driven, mixed-use project, centered around a new YMCA building.
The development plans include a new 110,000-square-foot Central City YMCA facility, a hotel, residential units, with 10 percent reserved for affordable housing, and office and retail space, spanning more than 6 acres.
Casey Ellison, chief executive officer of Ellison Development, says he and his team have been actively working on the project for about a year.
“What is so exciting to me about it is that, as a partner with the YMCA, we can really focus on what’s best for the long term and what’s best for the community,” Ellison says.
He adds, making the housing more affordable and including retail incubators for minority-owned, small businesses.
The new YMCA will offer preschool, before and after-school care, teen programs and summer day camps. It has plans for a rooftop pool, pickleball courts and a skybridge connecting to the parking garage.
“I think that when you see it, when we’re done, and you walk through the space, you’re going to feel like you’re in Tampa,” Ellison says.
Ellison Development plans to break ground on the project in the summer of 2024, with a completion date set for 2026. Also working on the project are architects Fleischman Garcia Maslowski, engineers Kimley-Horn and Gardner Brewer Hudson, as zoning attorney.
“This YMCA will be the center of a lot of community,” Ellison says. “It’s going to be an incredible project. We’re very excited to talk about it now.”
