Council approves vacating portion of North Marie Avenue and rezoning 201 N. Dale Mabry for Tampa Commons mixed‑use development

Tampa City Council voted unanimously in first reading to vacate a remnant segment of North Marie Avenue and to rezone 201 North Dale Mabry Highway to a planned development to permit a mixed‑use project called Tampa Commons.

The vacating ordinance (VAC25‑03) and the rezoning (REZ25‑05) were presented together; Ross Sammons of Development Coordination described the vacating request and the required easement reservations, and Truett Gardner, representing the applicant team, explained the redevelopment plan for the Office Depot site. “We're not utilizing any of the density gained from that,” Gardner said of the vacated right‑of‑way, adding the effort is intended to “cure a right of way that happened.”

Why it matters: the rezoning would allow a new Building C where Office Depot now sits, add roughly 320 residential units and about 1,200 square feet of commercial or office space on a campus that retains existing retail buildings. Planning staff and the applicant negotiated design commitments — including a step‑back on the eastern edge adjacent to single‑family homes and additional pedestrian connections — that city planning staff requested be completed between first and second readings.

Key details and debate: Planning staff characterized the proposed planned development as generally consistent with Tampa's comprehensive plan policies for mixed‑use corridors while identifying gaps the applicant agreed to fix between readings. Staff highlighted the need for enhanced pedestrian access linking Building C with Buildings A and B and pointed to a revised site data table and step‑down commitment to be added before second reading. During the presentation, applicant representatives described a purchase agreement for a small triangular parcel the owner previously deeded to the city; proceeds from that sale will be dedicated to improvements at Echeverria Park.

Transportation and parking were discussed: the proposed structure includes a multi‑level parking garage with pedestrian walk‑up units orienting toward surrounding sidewalks. The applicant said parking counts would be corrected between readings to resolve a site‑plan typo and that the parking program will exceed code minimums for the development. Staff and council also noted that transportation remains a consideration to be finalized in plan revisions.

Council action and next steps: Councilmember Miranda moved the vacating ordinance, seconded by Councilmember Viera; the roll call vote for VAC25‑03 was unanimous. The rezoning ordinance passed first reading with a unanimous roll call vote and will return for second reading and adoption on March 6, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Old City Hall. Staff and the applicant will complete the listed plan revisions, easement release paperwork and the revised site data table before the second reading.

The applicant team indicated they will record and deliver easement releases and execute the purchase agreement tied to park funding as part of the post‑reading approvals. The council’s unanimous votes cleared both items to second reading and set the public record for follow‑up.