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ARC deadlocks on rezoning tied to proposed SkyBridge at 1701 North Florida Avenue
Summary
The City of Tampa Architectural Review Commission on July 6 voted 2-2 on a rezoning recommendation tied to a proposed SkyBridge over 7th Avenue; by rule the tie results in a recommendation of denial to city council. Staff said the connector would be incompatible with Tampa Heights design guidelines; the applicant cited safety and parking efficiency.
The City of Tampa Architectural Review Commission deadlocked 2-2 on July 6 on a rezoning recommendation that would permit a covered pedestrian connector ("SkyBridge") linking a new 101-unit development at 1701 North Florida Avenue to an existing garage across 7th Avenue. Under ARC rules, the tie vote means the commission will recommend denial to city council.
The motion before the panel sought a recommendation that city council approve rezoning for the properties (rezoning portions from RM-24 and PD to a single PD) that would allow a mid-block pedestrian connection to share parking between the two parcels. The motion was moved by a commission member and seconded; after discussion two members voted in favor and two opposed. City legal counsel confirmed that a tie vote fails and the recommendation must be recorded as denied.
Staff and preservation advisers said the SkyBridge would materially conflict with the Tampa Heights Historic District's design character. "Staff found that this proposed project is inconsistent with the Tampa Heights design guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior standards for rehabilitation," said Elaine Lund, historic preservation staff, who urged the commission to consider the visual interruption a mid-block modern connector would create along 7th Avenue.
Applicant counsel Alex Schaller of Gardner Brewer Hudson said the SkyBridge is a practical response to existing parking on the constructed Phase 1 building and to safety concerns for future residents. "We're committing to a 25-foot clearance, so 7th Avenue will be fully open beneath the SkyBridge," Schaller said, adding that materials and final appearance would return to the commission through the Certificate of Appropriateness process.
Co-developer Patton Chillera described the lot's poor conditions and argued for reuse of existing parking rather than building new structures. "We've been working on this project for over six years...it's a kind of dilapidated lot," Chillera said. He added the development would reuse existing garage capacity rather than add tall structured parking.
Commissioners weighed preservation risks against housing and urban-design considerations. John Perkupp, an architect on the commission, said he had "a hard time" justifying the bridge but acknowledged the larger-scale development already at the district edge. Other members warned the connector could set a precedent that invites similar intrusions into the district.
Legal counsel clarified that if council ultimately approves the rezoning, the right to build the SkyBridge would travel with the property and subsequent design and height details would be reviewed under the Certificate of Appropriateness process; if the commission denies a recommendation, council may still act independently.
The commission also recorded staff approvals and continued a separate vacating request to a September hearing. The ARC lost quorum for a later item and adjourned; the commission will reconvene July 8 at 5:30 p.m.
