[By Elaine C. Iles and Jo-Anne Peck]

Ybor City Gets A Second Chance

At its peak, Tampa's Ybor City had 200 cigar factories and a diverse community comprised of Cuban, Spanish, Italian and German immigrants. Cigar factory workers who moved to Ybor in the late 1880's and 90's bought company-produced housing close to the factories, social clubs and local 7th Avenue commercial district. Ybor City was a multi-cultural, tight-knit community that survived many adversities, including labor strikes, organized crime, and fires that destroyed entire blocks.

However, the increasing popularity of the cigarette in World Wars I and II damaged the cigar industry and the community of Ybor City the most. In the 1960s, the industry faced further hardships via the Cuban Embargo and the then-popular Urban Renewal Movement, which resulted in the destruction of hundreds of buildings. Along with the Urban Renewal Movement, the concept of an Interstate System was introduced and Interstate 4 (I-4) was constructed through the northern end of Ybor. This was the final blow to an already declining neighborhood. I-4 separated the neighborhood into two sections and left the north side cut off from the commercial district. Many long-time residents moved away and numerous homes became vacant or rentals. In 1991, Ybor City was designated a National Historic Landmark District for its significance in the development of the nation's cigar industry. Because Tampa was facing extremely fast growth, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed a master plan for interstate system improvements in Hillsborough County. During the initial studies, years were spent identifying historic properties, potential adverse impacts to the properties, modifying roadway alignments, and relocating proposed retention ponds. After every effort had been made to minimize and avoid adverse impacts to Ybor City, 10% of the nearly 1,000 historic buildings would still have to be cleared to widen I-4. The 1950's decision to locate the interstate through Ybor City would take its toll for a second time. It was clear that the approach to improving the interstate had to be different this time around.

After almost three years of research and negotiations between federal, state and local agencies, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed in late 1996.Methods for minimizing the impacts included the relocation of 64 historic buildings, with FHWA and FDOT being responsible for the rehabilitation of 35 of the buildings within the proposed highway footprint. A set of urban design guidelines were developed that addressed visual and audible impacts to the historic community. Historically appropriate materials, such as brick, and Ybor's signature five-globe light, were incorporated into the highway design.

A decade later, FHWA and FDOT have honored those commitments stipulated in the agreement and have done much more than improve the area's major thoroughfare. By infilling and restoring the urban fabric and investing in the blighted area once ignored by private investors, the project has generated new interest among residents. People that moved away are now moving back. FDOT's project has proven to be the economic catalyst for both residential and commercial redevelopment in the area.

This project and its federal/non-federal partnership set a new standard and raised the bar for all federal agencies dealing with a community's significant historic resources.