TAMPA — East Tampa is poised for significant redevelopment, with city leaders preparing to release Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for several long-held properties in the coming months.
The move marks a key step toward transforming vacant and under-used land into new housing and mixed-use developments across the community.
According to the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), multiple sites are currently in the final stages of review before proposals are opened to developers.
“So we have two or three different locations where we’ve been assembling parcels,” said Cedric McCray, director of the Tampa CRA. “The RFPs are in the review process now between our legal department, internal entities, and the CRA board.”
Community members say the process has been a long time coming.
“We’ve had this property for years — we’ve had the Gator building for over 12 years,” said East Tampa resident and advocate Alison Hewitt.
CRA leaders say the delay reflects a detailed and competitive process. Proposals will be evaluated based on several factors, including affordability, access to transportation, and proximity to public spaces.
East Tampa CRA properties, according to the City of Tampa
“Part of the review process includes scoring criteria developers must meet,” said Belix “Be” Parks, communications and project coordinator for the Tampa CRA. “That includes affordability levels, transportation access, and opportunities for mixed-use, work-live-play environments.”
For residents, the timing is especially important as the East Tampa CRA approaches its sunset in 2034.
“As we get closer to 2034, how do we make sure investments like this are done in a way the community wants?” Hewitt said.
City leaders say community engagement is now a required part of projects of this scale.
“We went through some reorganization in the middle part of 2024 and engagement on all of our projects that require that type of scale,” McCray said. “And we’ve gotten that direction from the CRA board — or essentially the city council — to commit to engagement with the specific CRA that those projects are going.”
That engagement will include public meetings and ongoing outreach as proposals move forward.
“I want to make sure the community is having these conversations — and that these RFPs bring real, long-term benefits for residents,” Hewitt added.
As development continues across Tampa, residents and leaders say the focus must remain on inclusion — ensuring no neighborhood is left behind.
These projects could affect housing access, small business growth, and generational wealth in East Tampa for years to come.
The Tampa CRA expects to release the first phase of its RFPs as early as June.