Plans are in the works to turn a parking lot in Ybor City into a $46 million hotel.
The project is a joint venture between Alfonso Architects, Broadway Development, Inc. and EWI Construction. The developers say the proposed hotel would have 182 rooms, two restaurants and a rooftop bar, among other amenities.
Chief Architect Alberto Alfonso says the new hotel could be a game changer for the Ybor District.
“Ybor hasn't yet really reached its potential, and I think we're in sort of this next wave of development here," he said. "And so I think you're gonna start to see really great upscale restaurants coming in.”
The proposed site is located at the corner of 7th Avenue and 14th Street on the strip’s west end.
Steve Tyree co-owns a store less than a block away. He was excited to hear the news.
“Ybor doesn't need any help really in the evening," he said. “It's a vibrant scene, as most people know. But a little more retail would be fantastic, and I think a big hotel like that is certainly a step in the right direction.”
A hearing is scheduled for December before the Barrio Latino Commission. That board is responsible for for maintaining the historical and architectural integrity of the city’s historic districts.'
If all goes as planned, developers could break ground on the new hotel in the summer.