East Tampa residents and CAC members press CRA on process for $5 million restoration grant

Allison Hewitt, an East Tampa resident and business owner, told the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency Board that the Community Redevelopment Plan — the CRP that governs the East Tampa CRA — has not been evaluated for whether its strategic priorities succeeded and “we have not had a community conversation to see this is what has worked.”

The comment period and subsequent public remarks focused on one pending request: a restoration-related special-projects grant for 1601 East Columbus Drive and an affiliated project tied to the JC Newman cigar factory. Eileen Henderson, a member of the East Tampa CAC, said the CAC supported the restoration project in principle but raised multiple process questions including who would monitor the grant, whether projected liquor sales would exceed the CRA’s 50 percent limit for grants tied to alcohol-serving businesses, and how the application had advanced through the review process without documented meeting minutes.

“The questions that came into play... were brought to us by citizens,” Henderson said. “How did this request get past the process and to us for us to vote on it when…liquor sales are over 50% then a grant cannot be given?”

Drew Newman, who said his family founded the cigar company tied to the property, told the board the building sits inside the Ybor City National Historic Landmark District and the Ybor City Local Historic District, and he expressed support for answering CAC questions and continuing engagement with the neighborhood.

Multiple community speakers questioned whether the JC Newman site should be funded from East Tampa CRA dollars. Keila McCaskill, a community advocate, said the East Tampa CAC is largely new and “they haven't had training…they don't know Robert's Rules of Order. They don't know sunshine. They don't know nothing,” and asked the board to be cautious about approving large awards without community buy-in.

Why it matters: speakers said the request — described in public material as a multimillion-dollar restoration — raises questions about CRA boundary definitions, historic-district oversight and whether CRA procedures provided appropriate CAC review and documentation before the item reached the board.

What the board did: after public comment and discussion, the board approved a procedural change to increase transparency for project applications. Board member Hertek moved that “any applications for special projects be per CRA” and be listed in a monthly Excel-style project tracker as part of the director's report; board member Maniscalco seconded and the board voted to approve the change. The board also directed staff to provide more notice on applications so council members and the public are not surprised when major grant requests reach the board.

Other concerns raised: speakers asked for clearer documentation about whether properties sit inside East Tampa or Ybor CRA boundaries, asked how grants will be monitored for conditions such as liquor‑sale limits, and urged preservation of historically Black spaces such as the Jackson House.

Board materials and next steps: staff indicated the 1601 East Columbus item would return to CAC for follow-up; applicants said some have been invited back to answer CAC questions. The board asked staff to provide application summaries to members as part of the monthly project tracker so members can review submissions before funding decisions.

Ending: Community speakers and CAC members told the board they want clearer, documented procedures and more community-led review before large special-project grants are approved. Board members asked staff to bring revised application reporting and monitoring proposals back at a future meeting.