Villas at Unisen, a senior living community, could be replaced with up to 483 apartments under a proposed redevelopment north of the former University Mall.<\/p>\n
22nd Avenue Tampa LLC is asking Hillsborough County to increase the site from 20 to 35 homes per acre, giving the developer enough capacity for the 483-unit project. The application also preserves the existing buildings as an alternative, allowing Villas at Unisen to become conventional apartments without its current age restriction.<\/p>\n
The broader application covers 22.2 acres, although the existing 260-bed assisted-living facility west of North 22nd Street remains unchanged. The 483-unit redevelopment is concentrated on the 13.8 acres east of the road, about 200 feet north of the former University Mall property.<\/p>\n
New buildings can reach 100 feet and sit 50 feet from the property\u2019s boundaries under the proposed development plan, 110 feet closer than the county\u2019s normal requirement for buildings of that height. County staff supports the reduced distance.<\/p>\n
The larger apartment project would generate an estimated 3,256 vehicle trips per day, 832 more than the property\u2019s existing development rights. The largest change comes during the morning rush hour, when projected traffic increases from 134 to 244 trips.<\/p>\n