Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Commission Grants Variances to JC Newman Project; Restoration of 1601 E. Columbus Drive Moves Forward
Summary
The commission approved variance requests tied to the adaptive reuse of a historic commercial building at 1601 East Columbus Drive, allowing reduced landscape buffers adjacent to nearby single‑family property lines so the restoration and public‑facing uses can proceed under the approved site plan.
The commission granted variance requests on Tuesday that the applicant said are necessary to adaptively reuse and restore a historic Sanchezi Haia building at 1601 East Columbus Drive and to provide on‑site parking and associated landscaping for the project.
Drew Newman, representing the family‑owned JC Newman cigar company, told the commission the building is part of Tampa’s cigar‑manufacturing history and that the restoration aims to reopen the facility as a cigar museum, first‑floor bar/restaurant and an 11‑room inn on the second floor. “We roll cigars today just like he did a hundred years ago,” Newman said, describing visitor growth at the existing cigar factory and plans to reactivate the adjacent building.
Ron Veil, historic preservation staff, explained the case is before the commission…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
