The Ybor Harbor waterfront has been in the works for several years now, but Tampa city officials have authorized that construction can begin on this monumental redevelopment campaign.
If you’ve taken the Selmon Expressway in or out of Tampa, then you might have seen the dilapidated industrial area that connects Channelside to Ybor City. A couple of years ago now, the Tampa City Council approved greenlighting Ybor Harbor, further expanding Tampa’s social infrastructure and maximizing Ybor City’s walkability.
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The $35M recently approved is just a portion of the full amount invested for this project, Fox 13 reports. An estimated $211.5M will be spent on the project, which will be paid in $7M increments over 5 years commencing in 2029. Ybor Harbor will be a mixed-use waterfront space with shops, housing, restaurants, and green space. The massive project is being overseen by local developer, Darryl Shaw.
“Ybor Harbor is a transformative new addition to the fabric stitching together our urban neighborhoods from Ybor City to the Channel District, Water Street, Gas Worx, and our downtown core. Our focus is on creating a vibrant neighborhood, enhancing connectivity, and bringing the public to our city’s cherished waterfront,” Shaw said back in 2024.
According to city planners, construction can begin immediately, though a specified date has not yet been released. As for how long this project might take, the site is expected to see “phased construction” up until 2034, according to Tampa Bay Business and Wealth.
As one of the biggest infrastructure efforts happening in Tampa currently, this project has major implications for current and future Tampa residents.
