Tampa City Council Gives Final Go-Head For New Hanna City Center

TAMPA, FL — The total price tag of $108 million for the new Tampa City Center may raise a few eyebrows.

But Tampa City Council member John Dingfelder the city is getting much more than a single building for that money.

"We are not building a $100 million Taj Mahal," he said.

In giving its final unanimous approval for the city to build a new headquarters to house 16 city departments with 500 employees at 2515 E. Hanna Ave. in East Tampa, Dingfelder noted that the actual cost of the main building is about $53 million.

"That's about $350 a square foot, which is not inexpensive but is reasonable," Dingfelder said.

The project also includes $10 million for a 500-space parking garage, $11 million for a separate 30,000-square-foot building to house the city's fleet maintenance department and another 20,000-square-foot building for the facilities management department and $13 million for site work.

Granted, the building will have some bells and whistles including solar panels on top of the roof of the main building at a cost of $1.5 million, state-of-the-art technology, a cafe and Hanna Square, a green space in front of the building that will include a water garden, space for festivals and concerts, a trellis with solar panels to provide shade and interactive public art.

But council member Luis Viera said an investment in the lower-income east Tampa area is long overdue.

"It's bringing government to a part of Tampa that is often historically ignored and brings respect to a part of Tampa that deserves respect," he said.

Jean Duncan, infrastructure and mobility administrator for the city, added that the City Center will bring career opportunities into the community, serve as a catalyst to revive the long-neglected community and allow the city to centralize services and collapse leases on buildings it's currently renting throughout the city.

Sal Ruggiero, deputy administrator of infrastructure services, agreed.

"East Tampa is central to the city and we thought by putting in this facility with its workforce development component, it would spark other businesses to follow us and change the lifestyles of some folks," he said.

Nevertheless, council member Bill Carlson said he's already receiving criticism from residents who believe city facilities should be bare bones.

"People in my district are very conservative and believe government should pay the least it can for space," Carlson said.

He noted that when Floriland Mall on Florida Avenue closed years ago, it was repurposed for state government offices.

Ruggiero said his department did explore retrofitting existing buildings but found the improvements necessary to accommodate the city government departments "came with a high price tag."

"All the central services of the city will be located there," Ruggiero said. "This is going to be a spark in that area, and we are going to be the leader. A whole multitude of good is going to come out of this."

Council chairman Orlando Gudes added that many older buildings have materials and air-handling system that can cause health problems for employees.

"There are no amenities (in older buildings), they're not suited to business and the employees don't feel comfortable there," he said. "When I look at this building, all I can say is 'Wow.'"

Ruggiero said the layout, amenities and condition of a building can play a major role in the attitudes of employees.

"I toured the new St. Pete Police Department, and you can see a difference in the employees' attitudes and the pride they have in the building, and that rolls over into better service for the public," he said.

As for investing in green features such as solar panels, installing electric charging stations, LED lighting and including a system to manage stormwater runoff on-site, Ruggiero said those features will pay for themselves down the road in savings for the city. He said the solar panels alone are estimated to save the city 30 percent on its electric bills.

In keeping with the city government's new focus on sustainability, the new City Center will be LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, meaning it has to meet certain "green" requirements.

Council member Charlie Miranda, who just installed solar paneling at his home and expects his electric bills to dip from more than $100 to just $19 per month, wondered why solar panels weren't included in the design of the parking garage and ancillary buildings as well.

"I guarantee, within eight years, you'll see a return on your investment and I think it's the way to go. You can offset the cost with the savings," Miranda said. "I would emphasize more solar panels if possible."

Marcel Maslowski, a partner with FleischmanGarcia Architects, which designed the new City Center, said the parking garage will have parking on the top level, so a new overhang would have to be constructed to install solar panels on the garage. But he said they can certainly be included on the ancillary buildings if the council wishes.

In addressing residents' concerns about traffic generated by 500 employees arriving to work at the City Center, Vik Bhide, director of the city's mobility department, said the city has gone far beyond the improvements it would require a developer to make.

The city will be improving the intersections of 22nd and 30th streets in Tampa as well as Hanna Avenue, which currently generates about 8,000 vehicles a day.

Residents were concerned with traffic using 24th Street as an alternative to 22nd Street, so the city will install sidewalks wide enough for wheelchairs and sit-down scooters used by residents with mobility issues. Those wider sidewalks will be extended down Hanna Avenue to encourage the use of alternative types of transportation.

The area is currently served by one Hillsborough Area Regional Transit bus route and Bhide said the city is discussing additional bus service in the area with HART as it expands its routes.

He said the city is also conducting a complete transportation study of the five neighborhoods surrounding the City Center and plans to make improvements including raised crosswalks and the addition of streetlights.

In the future, he said the city hopes the railroad tracks that run next to the property can be used for commuter rail.

"We want to make sure this community has access for all," he said.

Residents also had concerns about the fleet maintenance building essentially turning into a repair shop with junk vehicles sitting outside.

Ruggiero said the department currently does about 200 repairs a month on city vehicles and would not bring any heavy equipment or garbage trucks into the facility.

"We'll keep outdoor storage to a minimum or store vehicles off-site," he said. "This is not going to be a clutter place."

He added that it will tie in which the city's workforce development program, providing training and apprenticeships for those in the community seeking careers as mechanics.

The vacant run-down warehouse on the 13-acre property is in the process of being razed, and the city plans to begin construction on the new City Center in January.

See related stories:

• Neighbors Get 1st Look At Architectural Renderings Of City Center
• City Council Proceeds With Plans For City Center In East Tampa
• Tampa To Host Virtual Meeting To Discuss New City Center