TAMPA, Fla. — Mayor Jane Castor delivered the 2025 State of the City Address on April 28. She discussed the progress and infrastructure upgrades in Tampa, according to a press release from the City of Tampa.
“We are not the same city we were six years ago,” said Castor. “We’ve built entire neighborhoods, homes for thousands of families and storefronts for hundreds of small businesses. We’ve made historic investments to modernize aging infrastructure, including the largest upgrade to our city’s water and wastewater pipes in our history.”
The Progressive Infrastructure Plan to Ensure Sustainability (PIPES) program started in 2019 under the mayor’s leadership. The city replaced more than 270 miles of aging water and wastewater lines. The program replaced more than 4,800 stormwater structures.
The mayor also said that the city has invested $94 million in wastewater upgrades, including 28 critical pump stations. Another $350 million was used in stormwater maintenance and improvements.
Tampa has increased street paving by 50% since 2019. There have been more than 235 miles of road resurfacing and an additional 56 miles of bike lanes.
Castor said the city is updating its land use code, conducting a comprehensive housing needs assessment and embracing new industries.
“Tampa’s strength is you. It’s us. It’s this community,” said Castor.
The full recording of the 2025 State of the City Address can be found on the City of Tampa YouTube page.
A new transformational vision plan was announced on April 29 to help with redevelopment of Tampa’s North Downtown.
In this press release, it discussed the north area of Tampa’s Central Business District between N. Tampa St. and E. Ashley Drive will soon undergo a transformation that is focused on housing and improving connectivity.
There were four properties owned by the City of Tampa and the Community Redevelopment Agency are part of the Request for Proposal. This includes the old Army-Navy Surplus Market site, which was purchased in Dec. 2020.
The goal with these properties is to use the land for mixed-use developments, including affordable housing.
If approved, the on-ramp to I-275 will be redesigned to improve transportation and pedestrian safety between the new developments and surrounding neighborhoods.
The project will help provide pedestrians with a safer way to explore downtown. Transportation officials want the streetcar to extend through the new neighborhood and up to Palm Avenue.
“We are excited to begin the process of adding much needed affordable housing to this great location in our urban core and cannot wait for the other redevelopment projects in this area that will make it more walkable and accessible for all those living, working, and visiting Tampa’s beautiful downtown,” said Castor.
The Request for Proposal for the property along N. Tampa Street will close on June 13. City officials will begin the process of evaluating and selecting a “finalist,” according to the press release.
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Tampa mayor Jane Castor. Photo courtesy of Tampa Marketing and Communications.