Only a handful are left, but one of the original Davis Islands home is now on the market.
Located at 36 Columbia Dr., the home was built in 1926 for prominent realtor Herbert Draper, and for the last 100 years has been referred to as "La Torretta," or "Little Tower."
The Mediterranean Revival home was designed by Miami-based architect Martin L. Hampton, who was brought to Tampa in 1925 by millionaire developer D.P. Davis to help accelerate his ambitious Davis Islands project.
At the time, the home was considered the peak of luxury and was heralded for its impressive arches and column, and for sporting the "most elaborate decorations and appointments," wrote the Tampa Morning Tribune in a 1926 article.
In 1989, the home was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Besides "La Torretta," Hampton would also help design the nearby Mirasol Apartments, the Bay Isle Commercial building, and quite a few other palatial homes around Davis Islands.
The 3,392-square-foot L-shaped hacienda comes with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, as well as two rooftop patios, a 20,000 gallon saltwater pool, a 600 bottle wine attic, a Generac full house generator, and more, says the listing.
La Torretta has been on and off the market for the past few years, and last sold in 2019 for 1.2 million. The home is currently asking $2.3 million, and the listing agents are Giovanny Cardenas and Danielle Kielpikowski of Smith and Associates.
