City Council set to vote on Magnolia Hotel land use change tonight

Tampa City Council is set to vote tonight on a major land use change tied to the proposed Magnolia Hotel & Residences, a $136 million redevelopment planned for a full city block at Swann and Magnolia avenues in Hyde Park, near Bayshore Boulevard.

The proposal would amend the city’s Comprehensive Plan and change the site’s future land use designation from Residential-35 to Community Mixed Use-35, a shift that would allow a hotel and other commercial uses on property currently slated for residential and office.

The application covers parcels at 611 and 613 S. Magnolia Ave., 601 and 611 W. Swann Ave. and 612 and 614 W. Bay St.

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If approved, the change would allow the developer to move forward with a planned development rezoning for a 122-room hotel, condominiums, townhomes, a restaurant, a spa and structured parking.

A related request to vacate a portion of the alley behind the site is also part of the broader proposal.

Rendering of the proposed Magnolia Hotel & Residences at Swann and Magnolia avenues in Hyde Park, near Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa.

A rendering shows the planned Magnolia Hotel & Residences, a proposed 122-room hotel and mixed-use development slated for a full city block in Hyde Park near Bayshore Boulevard.

Rendering of Magnolia Hotel & Residences townhomes along Magnolia Avenue in Hyde Park with raised entries and landscaped sidewalk

A rendering shows street-level townhome entrances along Magnolia Avenue, with raised stoops, landscaping and widened sidewalks designed to match Hyde Park’s residential scale.

Rendering of preserved historic home integrated into Magnolia Hotel & Residences redevelopment in Hyde Park

Plans call for preserving and adaptively reusing a historic home on the Magnolia block as part of the broader mixed-use redevelopment.

Rendering of Magnolia Hotel entrance on Bayshore Boulevard with covered drive and elevated terrace seating

The proposed hotel entrance along Bayshore Boulevard features a covered drop-off area and an elevated terrace overlooking the waterfront corridor.

A closely watched decision

The Magnolia vote comes just weeks after City Council denied a similar comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning request for the historic Mirasol on Davis Islands, where owners sought to convert the apartment building into a boutique hotel.

The hearing stretched more than five hours and drew more than 100 speakers. Council ultimately denied the request, citing land use policy, the Planning Commission’s recommendation and concerns raised by neighbors.

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In that case, several council members said they focused on whether the requested land use and zoning would fit the neighborhood and the site, even as some acknowledged the preservation arguments raised by supporters.

The Magnolia proposal now heads into a similar moment, with council members weighing whether a hotel and mixed-use project belongs on a Hyde Park block that has long functioned as a residential edge to Bayshore.

Council will first consider the Comprehensive Plan amendment. If it advances, members will later take up the planned development rezoning and alley vacation.

What happens next

A denial would leave the property under its existing residential and office designations. Approval would signal the Council’s willingness to introduce hotel-driven mixed-use development into one of Tampa’s most established historic neighborhoods.

As with Mirasol, tonight’s vote will likely hinge on land use compatibility, precedent and long-term planning policy rather than architectural design alone.

For Hyde Park residents, the question is simple: whether this block stays residential in character, or becomes part of Tampa’s expanding hotel corridor near downtown Tampa.