Developer to provide update on $300M affordable housing project

The developers behind a major affordable housing program in Tampa are holding a community event Tuesday to outline the plans for the new community to residents.

The Related Group, along with the city officials, are showcasing Rome Yard, a mixed-use project along the West Tampa riverfront. The $300 million project is a joint venture between Related and the Tampa Housing Authority and the city of Tampa.

The Tuesday event is for Miami-based Related to give an update on the project following meetings last year aimed at getting feedback.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castors says the event is geared toward keeping “community members up-to-date, engaged” as work on the “preliminary stages” of the project continues.

According to a website for the project created by Related, when complete the Rome Yards will have 954 residential units, both apartments and townhouses. Of these, 600 will be for workforce housing and affordable housing. The development will also include 17,000 square feet of commercial space, a job training center and more than 30,000 square feet of amenity spaces.

The city in its statement announcing the community event does not say whether those numbers have changed.

What it does say is that as part of the plans at least 10% of the retail and dining space is for locally owned small business and that Related is “committing a minimum of 40% of the project budget, approximately $75 million, to minority and woman-owned contracting companies.”

The development is being built along the Hillsborough River and will part of a future expansion of the Riverwalk, connecting it to other parts of the city.  

Related is a major developer with several projects in Tampa, including The Ritz-Carlton Residences on Bayshore Boulevard. But affordable housing is in its roots since being founded in the late 1970s, and it remains a part of what the company does.  

Tuesday’s event will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 2609 N. Rome Ave.