A Tampa condo developer says he has the highest bid on a building at a time when some city officials and developers are pushing to make it more affordable.
The Hillsborough County Landmark building is the centerpiece of the Hillsborough Riverfront, a public park that is home to the Tampa Bay Times and the Tampa International Airport.
The Hillsborough Museum of Natural History has been built in the building, and the former site of the state Capitol is now home to Tampa Bay Sports Complex, a multi-use area.
The developer behind the bid, Joe and Melissa Williams, says they have put $4.4 million toward the $2.7 million price, with more to come.
They are asking for $1.3 million from the Hillsboro County Landmarks Preservation Commission, and $500,000 from the City of Tampa.
The county is looking to sell the property for $4,300,000 to the developers, but that amount will likely increase to $5 million, according to Joe Williams.
He says he wants to raise $4 to $6 million to pay for renovations to the property and new amenities, including the building’s swimming pool and bike storage.
The commission said in a statement Wednesday that the $4 billion project is an important part of its mission to preserve the historic site and preserve the history of the area.
It has received $1 billion from the federal government, $400 million from private investors and the private community, the commission said.
Williams said he will build a large, open-air, urban village in the Hillsborrow.
He said he has been working on the idea for about three years, and plans to put up a public plaza, public green space, a playground, a bike parking lot and an entertainment complex.
The Williams’ are the first to bid on the Hillsbort, which was built by the Tampa General Electric company in the late 1800s, according a Tampa Bay area real estate guide.
The property sits on a lake and sits along a riverfront that is part of a long stretch of historic waterfront in Hillsborough that has seen development in recent years, including a $250 million development of a $2 billion development that includes a museum and a hotel.
The city is selling the property, but the sale is contingent on the developer getting federal money.
The development is in the midst of a process to renovate the building into a mixed-use development, according the guide.
Williams, a former city councilman, has been a part of the local development community for more than a decade.
His father, Robert Williams, was the Hillsbillys’ mayor.
The company that owns the Hillsabord, Tampa Bay Development Corp., is seeking to sell it, but it’s not clear if it will be able to do so because of the federal tax exemption that would allow the city to sell.
