Gasworx Tampa, a development aimed at historic restoration and revitalizing southern Ybor City with housing, retail, and office, is progressing with extensive permitting. Gasworx was touted in early 2020 as a “development that will reconnect a community with its rich cultural heritage and to restore Ybor City to its rightful place as one of America’s truly great neighborhoods.” Developers now have an opportunity to deliver on that promise. The project’s first phase began construction in early 2020 with La Union, a 317 unit apartment building, and later W2, a 390 unit apartment building that broke ground in early 2024. The remaining parcels in phase one are now moving forward with 516 units, 108,000 SF of office space, and 87,000 SF of retail space. Additionally, phase one will feature a new TECO Streetcar station next to a proposed park, all part of the development. The permitting covers three new blocks: E1, E2, and E3. All three blocks have respectively filed their demolition permits, utility permits, construction permits, and site work permits.

Block E1, located at the northern end, will feature 140 residential units along with 18,000 square feet of retail space. This block is already prepared for construction following a demolition permit issued in 2020, which demolished a two-story building surrounded by vacant lots that were previously used for parking. Block E1 already has a filed utility permit to add four wastewater service connections and a site/foundation permit, both pending a client response to proceed. Additionally, a construction permit has been requested for a parking deck to provide parking spaces for both the retail and residential units.

Block E2 is somewhat complicated, with parts of the existing warehouse being torn down to make way for an office building featuring 108,000 SF of office space and 12,000 SF of retail space. The Gasworx team is dedicated to honoring Ybor’s historic roots in their development, translating into the brick warehouse constructed in 1952 being repurposed to house unique retail spaces. Block E2 has a construction permit submitted for the office building, as well as a utility permit, a demolition permit, and a site/foundation work permit in process, all awaiting client response.

Block E3, set to be the tallest building in phase one with 376 units and 29,000 SF of retail, is moving quickly. Crews have already demolished the existing structure on the site, thanks to a demolition permit obtained in 2023. The removed building was a three-story office constructed in the 90s. Lot E3 is the quickest moving parcel, with a complete construction permit, utility permit, and site/foundation permit already submitted. While the construction and utility permits are still under review, the site/foundation work permit has been granted.

According to Businesswire, Suffolk Construction will break ground on the rest of phase one this summer.