On the corner of Palm & Lamar Ave in the Tampa Heights District a major change is happening. The 100 year old former Gothic Revival First Prysbyterian Church and has been acquired by the  Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association in 2009. With the help from Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay, a major restoration is taking place. February 11 had a celebrity introduce the new changes forth coming.

    ABC TV’s, “Extreme Makeover” host Ty Pennington has come with his building crew and 100’s of volunteers, rewiring, remodeling, painting, new floors, landscaping the historic structure and a grant from Sears Home Services. The old church building was set for demolition in 2007 with the widening of Interstate 4 at the junction with I-275. Thank you for the reprieve!

    Now it is being renovated to have a new life for Tampa Heights residents. Its new use is for becoming a community center for youth. A park in the back of the community center has a newly built park and playground for children. The center will have a library and resource center in a safe environment for the area youth and also will be available for group meetings in the neighborhood.

    Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez smiled at the progress. Darrren Impsom, President of Paul Davis Restoration said that his company was on board from the renovations beginning. Columbia Restaurant is putting in a new commercial kitchen. Casper’s Company (McDonald’s) is also a major funding source for the historic project. Tampa Heights, close to downtown seems to be getting new positive momentum in re-establishing the economically hard hit riverfront Tampa Heights District.

     A new craft brewery & unique restaurant, Ulele,  part of the Columbian Restaurant Group will be opening this spring in the old Tampa Heights Waterworks building on Tampa’s riverfront.

    Ty talked with the volunteering group on stage outdoors to get them motivated on this massive renovation and historic project.

    It is with great honor to see the leaders of the Tampa historic civic committees, Hillsborough County Historic Preservation Board and local construction companies working together to save the old historic building faces in Tampa.