Tampa Republic

The City of Tampa is set to officially break ground on the first phase of Rome Yards, a transformative and inclusive development in the West Tampa community. This milestone will be achieved in partnership with developer Related Urban Development Group and the Tampa Housing Authority.

The initial phase, named Gallery at Rome Yards, is located south of Columbus Drive between Rome Avenue and the Hillsborough River. It will feature a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartment homes, totaling 234 units. The plan stipulates that eighty percent of these units will be reserved for households earning at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), while the remaining 20 percent will be allocated for workforce housing.

Mayor Jane Castor lauded this initiative as a model public-private partnership aimed at providing affordable housing. "This joint venture between the City of Tampa, the Tampa Housing Authority and the Related Urban Group is the perfect example of public and private entities working successfully toward one goal: affordable housing for all," she said. "Today’s groundbreaking is just the tip of the iceberg of what will eventually be 18 acres of development that will serve Tampa for generations to come."

In an innovative approach to urban living, this phase includes five live/work units designed to seamlessly integrate residential space with workspace for small business owners. A workforce training center offering workplace training and resume-building assistance is also part of this development.

Nicole Travis, City of Tampa’s Administrator for Development and Economic Opportunity, underscored how this project addresses a growing need in a rapidly expanding city. “As Tampa continues to grow, so has our need for affordable housing,” she said. “The Rome Yard development is a public-private partnership success story that will put a roof over the heads of more than 1,000 individuals and families.”

Gallery at Rome Yards marks the beginning of an ambitious transformational project outlined in the Rome Yards Master Plan. This plan envisages converting a vacant 18-acre City of Tampa maintenance yard into a mixed-use neighborhood with 954 units of mixed-income housing. The master plan envisions a resilient and sustainable hub, revitalizing the area with expansive neighborhood amenities such as new green space, a community amphitheater, and a brick observation “cigar” tower that pays homage to West Tampa’s history.

The completion of Gallery at Rome Yards is anticipated in December 2026.