Hugo's Spanish Restaurant building sold, extensive renovations planned
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Feb 6, 2017

A new owner has closed on a historic building in South Tampa and is working on an extensive renovation that will modernize its residential units and add a third floor.

The building where Hugo's Spanish Restaurant was housed for more than 40 years has been sold to S&S Property Group for $2.7 million in a deal that closed Jan. 31, according to a Hillsborough County deed filed late last week.

Hugo's announced it would close in early December.

The building, which is 15,556 square feet, includes ground-level retail and second-floor apartments.

S&S Property Group is controlled by Shahar Shabat, founder of RoyaleUSA, which makes hairstyling tools like curling wands and straightening irons.

Shabat did not respond to a request for comment Sunday.

S&S is planning a major renovation of the Hugo's property, according to preliminary plans submitted to the city for review on Jan. 27.

Under the plans submitted to the city, a portion of the ground floor that abuts an alley would be demolished to create 12 surface parking spaces. The second floor, currently home to 16 residential units, will be gutted and renovated with nine units.

The existing units are very small, even by urban standards - between 300 and 450 square feet. The new units will be larger, between 700 and 900 square feet.

A third floor will be added to the building with two additional units, at 1,850 and 1,887 square feet.

Tom Szumlic of MOD.el architects, who is working on the project for Shabat, characterized the plans as a "respectful renovation."

"They're honoring and respecting the existing building," Szumlic said. "That's what the intent is."

Ashley Gurbal Kritzer is senior reporter for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.