Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jun 4, 2004

The concrete block housing project in downtown won't be torn down this summer.

It won't be replaced with glimmering new condos and palm trees. There will be no hotel, no boutique stores.

At least not with federal money.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced which cities won millions to redevelop aging housing projects.

Tampa didn't get a dollar.

"I am not going to throw a pity party," said Jerome Ryans, executive director of the Tampa Housing Authority. "We are going to do what we have to do to make sure things happen in Central Park."

The Housing Authority that runs Central Park Village may now look for a private developer to help rebuild the apartments where 2,500 low-income people live, he said. Civitas, a development company that wanted to redevelop the area, might get another chance now.

Don Wallace, chairman of the Civitas board of directors, said he didn't know what the company would do now. He had expected the Housing Authority would get the grant.

"My personal position - any way I could make something happen in Central Park, I still think it's the right thing to do," Wallace said. "I guess we'll have to see what happens in the next few weeks."

Central Park, while one of the city's poorest areas, sits in a strategic spot separating downtown from Tampa Heights and Ybor City. All around, development is occurring.

"I think we can put together a plan and still make sure that the residents not only have options, but have a better place to live," Ryans said.

"A better place" was the slogan Civitas had adopted for its plan for Central Park Village.

The company, led by Wallace, former Hillsborough County Commissioner Ed Turanchik and developer Bill Bishop, wanted to join forces with the authority in January. They envisioned redeveloping Central Park into a master-planned urban neighborhood, where rich and poor would live close together in a urbanscape seen in cities such as Chicago.

At the last minute, the deal fell apart when the County Commission refused to go along.

The housing agency then applied on its own for a $20-million HOPE VI revitalization grant.

Twenty-five cities found out Thursday that they got the money. Another 45 cities, including Clearwater and Dunedin, got money to demolish housing projects. Pinellas officials will get $2.5-million to raze the Jasmine Courts projects in Clearwater and $327,000 to level the Highlander Village complex in Dunedin.

Given Thursday's news, Ryans said, he would consider joining forces with Civitas or another developer. The agency would go through a formal procurement process before selecting a partner, he said.

"There are a lot of developers in this town," Ryans said.

Civitas may be best positioned to tackle the project. Originally, the company wanted to redevelop the area without any federal housing money. It planned to get tax credits through the state.

Civitas also has an agreement to purchase Tampa Park Apartments, a complex for low-income people across the street from Central Park Village.

Developers say it would be hard to develop one project without the other. Customers would not pay for upscale condos if a dilapidated complex sat across the street.

Civitas has also spent millions for land in the area.

Housing Authority board members said Thursday they wanted to move ahead with some plan.

"We have to do something with Central Park," board member Gerald White said. "I think we have raised the hopes and expectations of the people."

Weeks ago, Mayor Pam Iorio met with housing officials to discuss what they would do if the HOPE VI grant did not come through.

Now that they know it won't, the city and Housing Authority will work together on a plan, Iorio said.

- David Karp can be reached at karp@sptimes.com or (813) 226- 3376.