Darryl Shaw Clears Hurdle for Massive Tampa Waterfront Project

Darryl Shaw just kicked down one of the barriers to his proposed waterfront development in downtown Tampa.

Shaw scored his first approval from Tampa City Council to develop a mixed-use project spanning 33 acres on the Ybor Channel, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reported. A second hearing, for a comprehensive plan amendment and zoning request, is next month.

At full build, the project, dubbed Ybor Harbor, would feature 500,000 square feet of office space, 800 hotel rooms, over 150,000 square feet of retail and 4,750 residential units, 10 percent of which will be reserved as affordable housing.

Shaw envisions a transit-oriented community comprising multiple “interconnected neighborhoods.” Central to his vision is integrating the maritime heritage of the area with contemporary urban living.

“The population that is moving to Tampa, that exists in Tampa, wants to experience the waterfront,” Shaw told the outlet. “They want to experience walkability and transit-oriented development. They’d like to have the opportunity not to utilize their car.”

The crown jewel of Ybor Harbor will be the waterfront, which Shaw intends to open to the public. Plans call for 100,000 square feet of open space featuring a boardwalk flanked by restaurants and retailers, piers, boat slips, floating docks and green areas.

While the rezoning request passed unanimously, the comprehensive plan amendment met some resistance, with council member Lynn Hurtak casting the sole dissenting vote. Hurtak expressed concerns about the encroachment on maritime land and jobs, calling it “the beginning of the end of the port.”

The development has sparked debate over infrastructure needs, with Hurtak advocating for space for essential services like fire stations. Yet, proponents see it as an opportunity to address housing demands.

—Quinn Donoghue