Tampa HPC redesignates relocated Ybor City bungalow as contributing resource; map amended

The City of Tampa Historic Preservation Commission voted 4-1 on Sept. 16 to redesignate a bungalow that had been moved into the Ybor City Historic District as a contributing resource and to amend the district building inventory and map.

City staff said the action was required because federal- and state-led highway work had forced earlier relocations and the city’s code and National Register guidance require review of relocated properties. Elaine Lund, historic preservation staff, told commissioners that "upon relocation, a contributing property must be considered for redesignation at its new site," and recommended approval under the standards in National Register Bulletin 15 and section 27-2-61(b) of the city code.

The house, originally at 1306 East 14th Avenue, was moved to 1318 East 15th Avenue in 2023 after the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) acquired property for improvements to the I-4/I-275 interchange. Lund described the relocation paperwork and mapping shown to the commission and noted that the structure appears on the 1915 Sanborn map and falls within Ybor City’s period of significance (1886–1940).

Applicant John Dingfelder, who purchased and moved the building, told the commission the project was "a labor of love" and described negotiating the relocation and reconstruction of the foundation and porch so the house would align with neighboring properties. Dingfelder said he and his wife undertook the move after FDOT offered the building for sale when it was threatened by right‑of‑way work.

Commissioners debated changes to the porch and some exterior details that had occurred over time and during the move. Bruce Gibson said he was "of two minds" and expressed concern that some original porch features had been lost, while other commissioners emphasized the benefits of saving the building rather than allowing demolition. Several commissioners observed that porch configurations frequently change on worker housing and that the structure’s overall massing, fenestration and siting still conveyed historic character.

Susan Swift made the motion to approve redesignation under the National Register/Bulletin 15 criteria and to include criterion A (events) and C (architecture/type). Laura Harrison seconded. The commission recorded a 4–1 vote in favor; the chair announced the redesignation was approved and then approved a separate motion to amend the Ybor City Historic District building inventory and map to add the structure.

The staff report says the application was submitted Jan. 31; the Barrio Latino Commission previously approved the relocation with a variance on March 28, 2023. Staff also explained the broader mitigation history tied to the I‑4/I‑275 project and the Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act, which led to a trust fund and relocation/rehabilitation program for properties impacted by the highway work.

The commission’s approval updates the local inventory and requires future exterior work on the house to go through the commission’s review process under the city code. The file and submitted exhibits were received into the public record at the meeting.