$56M African American Arts & Cultural Center Proposed for West Tampa

Legacy Development Association has proposed a two-story, 50,000-square-foot African American Arts & Cultural Center at 2103 N. Rome Ave. in West Tampa, submitting an unsolicited P3 proposal on October 7. FleischmanGarciaMaslowski Architecture is the architect.

Design and construction costs are estimated at $56.3 million, with total project costs at $68.7 million. LDA's financing model assumes a $25 million upfront county payment plus decades of annual lease payments. Construction funding commitments stand at $14.5 million across county, state, federal, and private grants, including a $4.895 million state award in September. The county's capital improvement tracker lists the project in design phase with a $15.5 million budget and design completion anticipated in late 2026.

Plans call for galleries, art studios, a sculpture garden, an amphitheater, a heritage trail, a cafe, and event and meeting spaces. The project would replace existing buildings on the site, including the West Tampa Community Resource Center. The site sits in one of Tampa's eight original African American neighborhoods, and plans include partnerships with Hillsborough County Public Schools for field trips and internships.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Gwen Myers is championing the project. LDA targets substantial completion by September 2027.