{"id":93011,"date":"2025-12-22T22:29:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T22:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/93011\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T22:29:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T22:29:09","slug":"future-of-davis-islands-mirasol-hinges-on-jan-15-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/93011\/","title":{"rendered":"Future of Davis Islands\u2019 Mirasol hinges on Jan. 15 vote"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tampa City Council<\/a> will vote Jan. 15 on whether the historic Mirasol<\/a> property on Davis Islands can be redeveloped<\/a> into a boutique hotel.<\/p>\n

The proposal would allow the nearly 100-year-old waterfront building to return to its original use as a hotel<\/a>, with a limited condominium component, after more than six decades operating as private apartments.<\/p>\n

For owners Frank and Lindsey Carriera, the decision is not about scale or speed. They describe it as a question of stewardship.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis building has been here almost 100 years,\u201d Frank said. \u201cWe want it to be here for the next 100.\u201d<\/p>\n

A disappearing landmark<\/p>\n

The Mirasol was built in 1926 as a Mediterranean Revival hotel and served for decades as a social and lodging hub for Davis Islands<\/a>. <\/p>\n

It was converted to apartments in 1962 and has remained largely closed off from the broader community<\/a> since.<\/p>\n

Frank, who has spent more than 20 years in real estate<\/a> focused on multifamily investment sales, was involved in two prior transactions involving the building before purchasing it with Lindsey in 2021.<\/p>\n

READ: PREVIOUS MIRASOL COVERAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

The couple lives on Davis Islands with their children and passes the building daily.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just an asset,\u201d Frank said. \u201cIt\u2019s a landmark.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the time of purchase, the building was not protected by local historic designation and could legally be demolished under existing zoning. That reality factored heavily into their decision to buy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t want to see it knocked down,\u201d Frank said. \u201cMost buildings like this have already been.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HistoricHistoric images of the Mirasol Hotel on Davis Islands show the building\u2019s original interior and early promotional material from its hotel era, nearly 100 years before a City Council vote will determine its future.<\/p>\n

Why is redevelopment being considered?<\/p>\n

The idea of restoring the Mirasol predates recent storms. Planning began more than two years ago with consultants, land use attorneys and architects exploring long-term options for the property.<\/p>\n

The building\u2019s age and design created growing challenges. Concrete construction has become porous over time, and a rare basement houses major mechanical systems in a flood-prone location.<\/p>\n

Back-to-back storms in 2024 accelerated the timeline.<\/p>\n

READ: TAMPA BAY BUSINESS NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n

Thermal scans conducted after the storms showed moisture throughout the structure, and the basement flooded multiple times.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe building was wet from top to bottom,\u201d Frank said. \u201cThat was the moment it became clear we didn\u2019t have the luxury of waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the proposal, mechanical systems would be relocated above grade and the building upgraded to modern flood and wind standards, changes the owners say are essential for long-term resilience.<\/p>\n

Why a hotel<\/p>\n

The redevelopment plan calls for converting the existing apartments into an upscale boutique hotel with approximately 110 to 118 rooms, along with a small number of condominiums.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt lends itself to being a hotel,\u201d Frank said. \u201cYou walk into the lobby and it already feels like one.\u201d<\/p>\n

The owners emphasized that the project is intentionally limited in size.<\/p>\n

READ: Beef O\u2019Brady\u2019s expands beyond Florida with 8 new restaurants<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not a convention hotel,\u201d Frank said. \u201cIt\u2019s a quiet place for people to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

No hotel operator or brand has been selected. That decision would come only after rezoning approval, with a hotel developer and capital partner brought in to shape operations.<\/p>\n

Lindsey said the goal is to restore the building\u2019s original purpose rather than introduce something foreign to the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor decades, this place hasn\u2019t really been part of Davis Islands life,\u201d Lindsey said. \u201cThat always felt like a loss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Growing demand<\/p>\n

Today, the property operates eight short-term rental units within the apartment complex. <\/p>\n

Even with restrictions like a seven-night minimum stay, the owners say they regularly turn away guests.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 20 a month,\u201d Lindsey said.<\/p>\n

Much of the demand comes from families connected to Tampa General Hospital, including long-term medical stays, visiting relatives and hospital staff attending conferences or rotations.<\/p>\n

READ: Tampa Bay\u2019s growth is no accident: 2026 outlook<\/a><\/p>\n

Davis Islands residents hosting extended family also rely on the property.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat need already exists,\u201d Lindsey said. \u201cWe just can\u2019t meet it right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proposed hotel would also be designed to remain operational during storms, providing a secure place for displaced residents of Davis Islands.<\/p>\n

Community feedback<\/p>\n

The plan going before City Council reflects more than two years of community meetings, open houses and revisions.<\/p>\n

According to the owners, the project has been revised four or five times based on neighborhood feedback.<\/p>\n

The current version is 37% smaller than earlier concepts, a reduction of roughly 50,000 sq ft. <\/p>\n

Building height was lowered, setbacks were increased and hotel massing was shifted toward Davis Boulevard rather than residential streets.<\/p>\n

Deliveries, trash pickup and loading would be consolidated into a single access point off Davis Boulevard, removing those functions from neighborhood roads.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the changes cost us square footage,\u201d Frank said. \u201cBut they mattered to the neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not all opposition has disappeared. Some resistance remains tied to broader concerns about development.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the conversations are different now,\u201d Lindsey said. \u201cThey\u2019re more grounded.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Side-by-sideA comparison of the existing Mirasol site plan and the proposed redevelopment plan, updated August 2025, showing changes to parking, loading access and building layout tied to the boutique hotel proposal.<\/p>\n

Preserving Tampa\u2019s identity<\/p>\n

Garrett Greco, host of the podcast Tampa Bay Developer<\/a>, said the owners\u2019 approach reflects a broader challenge facing Tampa.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was impressed at how much they have researched the history of the building,\u201d Greco told TBBW on Monday. \u201cHonoring that history and returning the Mirasol to its original use is exactly what this city needs. It\u2019s how Tampa retains its identity as we grow into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Carrieras said any future restaurant or commercial space<\/a> would prioritize local operators.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want this to feel like Davis Islands,\u201d Lindsey said. \u201cNot something dropped in from somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next<\/p>\n

City Council will vote Jan. 15 on a planned development rezoning request. The decision is final, though appeals are technically possible.<\/p>\n

If approved, redevelopment would not begin immediately. Capitalization and final entitlements could take at least 18 months, followed by an estimated two to three years of construction.<\/p>\n

According to Frank, Current residents would receive significant notice before any transition.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a building this old, you don\u2019t know everything until you open the walls,\u201d Frank said.<\/p>\n

A personal stake<\/p>\n

Both owners acknowledged that the process has been demanding.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live here,\u201d Lindsey said. \u201cWe\u2019re raising our kids here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said that matters regardless of the outcome.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it passes, we\u2019ll move forward carefully,\u201d he said. \u201cIf it doesn\u2019t, we\u2019ll know we did everything we could.\u201d<\/p>\n

For now, the future of the Mirasol rests with City Council and with how Tampa<\/a> chooses to balance growth with memory.<\/p>\n

Community note<\/p>\n

Mirasol Open House
January 8 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm
Open to the public. RSVP available on the property\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stay Informed<\/p>\n

Sign up for TBBW\u2019s newsletter<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Watch TBBW\u2019s Podcast<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Follow TBBW on Social Media<\/a>\u00a0|Read More TBBW stories<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Contact our newsroom<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tampa City Council will vote Jan. 15 on whether the historic Mirasol property on Davis Islands can be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":93012,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[5752,4364,49713,2152,276,3964,1846,9503,16665,480,804,135,1526,1703,7682,5759,3871,137,136,11863,278],"class_list":["post-93011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-commercial-real-estate","tag-community-impact","tag-davis-islands","tag-development","tag-hillsborough-county","tag-hotels","tag-hurricane","tag-insurance","tag-local-government","tag-real-estate","tag-residential-real-estate","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-bay","tag-tampa-bay-business","tag-tampa-bay-hospitality","tag-tampa-development","tag-tampa-general-hospital","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news","tag-tampa-real-estate","tag-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93011"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93011\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}