The Vicente, a $9.5 million development with 20 affordable apartments and 950 square feet of retail, will replace a longtime car wash along Nebraska Avenue in Ybor City.
The car wash had occupied the property since 1964. Its redevelopment will turn the site from a single commercial use into housing and neighborhood retail, with the Tampa CRA breaking ground this week.
“We have to remember that affordable housing is about making sure longtime residents and working families have the opportunity to remain part of the communities they call home,” said Councilwoman Naya Young, CRA Board chair, in a press release.
“The Vicente is a great example of how CRA investment can help turn an underutilized property into something that serves the community for generations to come. We’re proud to be a partner in bringing new affordable homes and neighborhood investments.”
The $9.5 million development is being funded through multiple sources, including $3.5 million from the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area and $750,000 from Mayor Jane Castor’s Housing Program funds.
“This is exactly the kind of investment we want to see in East Tampa, one that creates affordable homes while bringing new life to an underutilized property,” Castor said in a press release. “The Vicente shows what we can accomplish when the City, our CRA, developers and community partners come together around a shared goal. We’re building housing while creating opportunities for Tampa residents to live in a neighborhood they can afford and be proud to call home.”
Once completed, The Vicente will offer a mix of one- and two-bedroom rental units, including two ADA-accessible units. The apartments will be available to households earning up to 80% of the area median income (AMI).
The city said the income threshold is approximately $73,400 for a two-person household and $91,750 for a four-person household.
Ernest Coney Jr., president and CEO of the CDC of Tampa, said the project represents an investment in both quality housing and East Tampa’s broader economic future.
The Vicente is part of a broader effort by the Castor administration to increase the supply of affordable housing throughout Tampa, with thousands of new affordable units added during her administration.