Demolition at Robles Park Village in Tampa began this morning to make way for an $800 million redevelopment project. The complex, built in the 1950s and once home to more than 400 low-income housing units, has been vacated. Work at the site also involves uncovering and preserving Zion Cemetery, a historic African American burial ground. WFLA notes that the Tampa Housing Authority and community activists are working to restore and commemorate the cemetery.
Plans for the redevelopment include nearly 2,000 housing units, with 1,200 designated as affordable housing. A $4 million community hub and a genealogy center are also planned. FOX 13 News reported that State Representative Fentrice Driskell highlighted the importance of honoring the cemetery’s legacy.
Concerns have been raised about the treatment of returning families under new management standards. In a FOX 13 News interview, community activist Connie Burton questioned whether income-based criteria might limit access for former residents. Officials stated that affordable housing will cover incomes between 30 and 80 percent of the area’s median.
David Iloayna of the Tampa Housing Authority told WFLA that the goal is to preserve and commemorate those buried at the site.
WTSP reports that the redevelopment aims to reshape and document the area’s history.
