In March 2021, Artspace, the nation’s leading nonprofit developer of arts facilities, shared a survey asking Tampeños to tell it what they wanted out of any new development that might help keep artists in the neighborhood. Results of the Arts Market Study were released later that year, and now we know that Artspace wants to make its home in Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood.
In a press release, Tampa Arts Alliance, said it found a site for Artspace Tampa at 1610 E 3rd Ave., on 23,000 square-feet of land donated by local developer Darryl Shaw.
There, the nonprofit—which took over the Artspace Tampa Initiative project in January 2022—envisions approximately 75 live-work units, 2,500 square-feet of gallery-amenity space and 3,000 square-feet of arts organization space.
[content-1] After securing $150,000 for the first phase in pre-development and site location work, the Alliance is now fundraising for the remaining $600,000 to move forward to the next phases of pre-development when the group will determine project design, develop overall financial modeling, and launch the capital fundraising campaign.
Artspace expects to drop $27 million on the project according to a budget summary.
In a statement, Tampa Arts Alliance Chari Neil Gobioff—who also addresses a small crowd during the announcement at Kress Collective in Ybor City on Wednesday night—said the market study showed an imperative need for affordable live-workspace.
It’s still unclear how much rent at Artspace Tampa will run, but units at Fort Lauderdale’s Sailboat Bend Artist Lofts are a mix of subsidized and low-cost lofts for artists, with affordable and market-rate ownership.
“Cultivating the arts and realizing a wide range of housing options in Ybor City are two critically important goals for our community,” Shaw wrote in the release. “Artspace moves us closer toward accomplishing both and I’m very excited to see this project continue to move forward.”
Shaw is already lending his space at the historic Kress building for the Kress Collective art compound. It’s where the Arts Alliance made its announcement this week.
Peter Lefferts retired after 34 years as Executive Managing Director of American Express Bank and now splits his time between Minneapolis and Tampa while erving on the Board of Directors for Artspace Projects.
“This talent is the bedrock of thriving cities. Artspace helps communities be more dynamic and attractive.” Lefferts wrote in the release, adding that he has long wanted to bring Artspace to Tampa, and now the timing is right. “Beautiful communities with affordable housing attract and retain creative talent.”
UPDATED: 06/23/23 6:25 p.m. Updated with quotes from a press release and to make clear the site size, 23,000 square-feet.
