Oldsmar issues new request for town center proposals
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Sep 13, 2022

Oldsmar is again opening the door for developers to create a town center on approximately 7 acres of city-owned land.

The land is adjacent to the existing city hall, which is also included in the total acreage available. According to the city, the majority of the 7 acres are vacant and unencumbered and were assembled over the last several years “with the idea that the area would be an anchor to the community.”

The city has attempted to see this portion of downtown developed for years, but a series of delays — most recently due to the pandemic — has kept the town center as nothing more than a vision.

There is a pre-submission meeting at 9 a.m. on Sept. 21, and letters of interest are due by 5 p.m. on Oct. 14.

The site is between State Street, Washington Street and Tampa Road. The city has the option to add about an acre to the assemblage by vacating any right of way that bisects the property.

Prior to releasing the request, the city hired Community Solutions Group of GAI Consultants to meet with residents and discuss uses for the site. In July and August, the city updated the vision for the site’s future to reflect those conversations.

Close to 125 people were a part of the conversations, and the vision is to have developers create a place that “deepens the community’s identity, acknowledging its historic character while sensitively incorporating a contemporary mix of residential, commercial, civic and public open space uses.”

City officials want the town center to be a destination for people of all ages and serve as a “new economic opportunity.”

Some of the goals outlined are to have local businesses and features that are distinct to Oldsmar; to create a shared community asset and gathering place for all residents; to have a design that is sensitive to the historic neighborhoods and regional aesthetic; and to have vibrancy in the area via some “active living, shopping, working, civic use and diverse local events.”

The request for letters of interest shows the city believes the property could accommodate a mix of residential, hospitality and commercial uses. However, no formal market studies have been completed for the preferred mix of uses.

The property is currently zoned town center commercial residential. The zoning was amended in April to provide for density bonuses for vertically-integrated mixed-use buildings.

City documents show that while the city is open to discussing either a full-fee transaction or a ground lease, the full-fee transaction is preferred.