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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 because when the project was initially reviewed and granted a certificate of appropriateness in early 2024, the site plan showed multiple reduced landscape buffers but only one reduced‑buffer variance had been formally requested and documented. During the alcoholic beverage licensing process, Natural Resources staff flagged the missing variance documentation; the applicant returned to the commission to formalize the previously shown reduced buffers.
Attorney Alex Schaller and architect John Hadley described the hardship justification tied to the parcel’s age and historic footprint. Schaller said the site predates current zoning and the building’s historic configuration creates constraints for parking and landscaping. The applicant told the commission the requested reduced buffers are limited, that they do not result from the applicant’s actions but are inherited legacy conditions, and that the adjacent homeowner (identified in the presentation as Mr. Breeze) has been engaged and favors preserving existing large canopy trees in his backyard.
The variances approved and the locations shown on the site plan presented at the hearing were:
- A reduction of the landscape buffer from 15 feet to 8 feet along an adjacent single‑family northern property line. - A reduction from 15 feet to 5 feet at an adjacent single‑family northwest corner. - A reduction from 15 feet to 10 feet at an adjacent single‑family western property line.
Presenters said the camphor tree on the property line will be preserved where feasible, and the final landscape plan (including species and specific placement) will be coordinated with Natural Resources staff; the project team stated they can provide the detailed landscape plan for the record. John Hadley said parking stalls will use historic brick pavers for the parking bays with asphalt drive aisles and concrete delineation, consistent with earlier work the applicant completed at its factory and the adjacent park.
The commission found the applicant met the code’s six hardship criteria for variances and approved the request, tied to the approved site plan. Commission members praised the restoration effort and the project team’s attempts to work with the neighbor and to preserve canopy trees. The motion granting the variances carried and the site plan as presented remains the operative plan; any modifications to the approved site plan will require further review.
