The WestShore Plaza mall in Tampa could soon be demolished to make way for a sprawling mixed-use development with shopping, apartments, offices, medical facilities and more.
The mall’s owner, Ohio-based Washington Prime Group (better known as WPG), filed a rezoning request in August to expand the size and scope of an existing redevelopment plan on the site of the mall. Tampa City Council gave the first approval for that request at a meeting Thursday, paving the path forward for the project.
“I think this is the best thing for the neighborhood and it will bring a lot of opportunities for folks that live in Beach Park and Sunset Park and all those areas,” council member Alan Clendenin said.
The full project breakdown includes:
- 901,831 square feet of retail
- 380,000 square feet of professional office space
- 120,000 square feet of medical office space
- 1,765 multifamily residential units
- A 256,000-square-foot hotel or motel
- 133,119 square feet of restaurant space
- A 77,357-square-foot recreational facility
- A Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) transfer station
In 2020, the city approved a plan to transform the former Sears location and surface parking into a mixed-use development.
The new plan does not increase the density of the project, but it allows WPG to build across the entire 53-acre site and demolish the existing mall. It also adds the option for a medical district with nursing facilities, a hospital and more.
WestShore Plaza has been around since the 1960s. Like many malls across the country, it’s been in decline for years. Locally, it’s taken a back seat to the success of nearby International Plaza.
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Lisa Callahan, WPG’s vice president of mixed-use development, told the council that her company wanted to add something “fresh” and “walkable” at WestShore Plaza while still being a community gathering place.
Mark Miller, president of the nearby Beach Park Homeowners Association, said neighbors were mostly supportive of the project but there were concerns over the increased traffic it would add to the area’s already “failing roads.”
Several council members urged WPG to work with the neighbors to reach a solution before a second hearing on April 18.
Read More: Tampa’s WestShore Plaza mall could be demolished for new development