Armory Goes To Market (Again)

West Tampa's Fort Homer Hesterly Armory. See more photos here.

WEST TAMPA/SOUTH TAMPA - Heritage Square LLC, which three years ago won the bid to develop West Tampa’s Fort Homer Hesterly Armory site into a mix-use residential and retail campus, has withdrawn from the project. Christine Duffy, associate director of corporate communications and PR for Intelident Solutions, the owner of Coast Dental Services Inc. (and primary backer of Heritage Square) refused to cite a reason.

Heritage Square’s plans were to convert the armory’s main building into a Euro-style farmers market and surround it with a 300-room Spanish-themed hotel, a spa, an arts center and a park. The choosing of the Heritage Square project was a nearly two-year long process that involved the City of Tampa and the National Armory reviewing bids and plans from multiple developers. Should the bidding process have to be restarted in 2010, it may be more complicated and drawn out because of the nationwide recession.

“Developing the land certainly has its challenges,” according to National Guard spokesman, Jon Myatt (in an interview with the Tampa Bay Business Journal), referring to the armory building needing to be renovated in a manner that satisfies historic register requirements.

Lenders would also have to be convinced of how well any new project would gel or help cultivate the development of its surrounding community.

But no matter what will be, the Florida National Guard, which is still under lease of the property, has made it clear it’s ready to take leave from the property as soon as possible. But for now, it and the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory will have to stand guard, as is, until further notice.