DT Tampa Harness & Wagon Co. being rehabbed into nightclub

[jonknee]

It's one of the cooler old building left in Downtown in my opinion, mostly because of the "Tampa Harness & Wagon" logo still being visible on the North side. They have been doing work on it for a while, but I didn't know for what. A nightclub. It's a great spot, between Fly and Element.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar...-d/news-metro/

By JOSÉ PATIÑO GIRONA | The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 4, 2009

TAMPA - An upscale dance club might be the next use for an 1895 building – one of the oldest in downtown Tampa – that originally housed the Tampa Harness & Wagon Co.

A painted sign proclaiming the name of the building's first business and depicting a 14-spoke wagon wheel was revealed about a decade ago when a nearby building burned. A plan three years ago to demolish the building and erect a condominium on the site fell through.

Alpha Group Entertainment, owned by Steve Boukalis, will ask Tampa City Council members to allow alcohol sales on the site, 1007 N. Franklin St. That hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 19.

Boukalis wants to launch a dance club similar to The Venue, on Ulmerton Road in Pinellas County, which caters to a high-end clientele, said Todd Pressman, a land-use consultant for Boukalis.

The club would have an estimated 15,000 square feet of interior space, with two or three stories and an atrium.

"This is designed to be a destination," Pressman said.

A city official said the building's owner, Andrew Cohen, is rehabilitating the structure to its original appearance: a brick-and-stone façade with multiple windows.

In the 1940s or 1950s, the building's façade and windows were covered to create a clean, smooth look that was achieved with stucco, said Dennis Fernandez, the city's historic preservation manager.

The building is not a local historical landmark because of alterations made to it through the years. Cohen, however, is speaking with city officials to determine whether the building ultimately has a chance to be deemed an historical structure, Fernandez said.

From 1895 to 1915, the building was home to the Tampa Harness & Wagon Co. It subsequently had various tenants, including a funeral director and embalmer from 1918 to 1922, Florida Auction and Storage House in 1917, Gordon Dry Goods in the 1920s and a clothing store from the 1930s to the 1950s.

Cohen's family bought the building in 1973 for $75,000. The building has remained vacant for 18 years.

A hole in the roof has damaged the floors, Fernandez said, but the building's walls are sound.

[TampaMike]

Sounds good. Adds another night life place in that area. Grab dinner at Five Guys and head over there afterwards.

What was the condo project that they mentioned?

[koopalicious]

Originally Posted by TampaMike

What was the condo project that they mentioned?

Carriage House.

Hopefully they're able to include the second floor balcony again. That would be a great little spot.

[JBrisco]

That building is so ugly and unrecognizably historic. I hope they re-do the exterior.

[jonknee]

Originally Posted by JBrisco

That building is so ugly and unrecognizably historic. I hope they re-do the exterior.

That appears to be the plan:

A city official said the building's owner, Andrew Cohen, is rehabilitating the structure to its original appearance: a brick-and-stone façade with multiple windows.

[JBrisco]

That just made my day homie

[thehappysmith]

I would be pleased if they kept the old Harness & Wagon advert with the carriage wheel, maybe freshen up the paint. I loved this old building, too, solely for that ad on the side, so it's nice to see somebody trying to make it into something.

[FloridaFuture]

No alcohol sold at downtown building
By JOSÉ PATIÑO GIRONA | The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 21, 2009

TAMPA - A proposal to turn one of the city's oldest downtown buildings into a nightclub isn't likely to happen.

City council members on Thursday unanimously rejected alcohol sales at the building, 1007 N. Franklin St., built in 1895.

Alpha Group Entertainment had proposed a high-end club with two or three stories and an atrium.

The group's representatives spoke with neighboring property owners about the plan, but several showed up at the council meeting to object. Representatives of a nearby church and senior residence said they didn't think the club was compatible with the neighborhood.

One opponent said adding a club would hinder potential commercial development in the area.

From 1895 to 1915 the building was home to the Tampa Harness & Wagon Co. It subsequently had various tenants, including Florida Auction and Storage House in 1917, a funeral director and embalmer from 1918 to 1922, Gordon Dry Goods in the 1920s and a clothing store from the 1930s to the 1950s.

The building's current owner, Andrew Cohen, is rehabilitating the structure to its original appearance; a brick-and-stone façade with multiple windows.

Cohen's family bought the building in 1973 for $75,000. The building has remained vacant for 18 years.

José Patiño Girona

http://southtampa2.tbo.com/content/2...building/news/

-------------------------------------

Sigh...

[Jasonhouse]

It's not really a good building to put a nightclub imo...

[AKBTampa]

I hope they come up with another idea. The rehab and use of this building would help break up the Franklin St. "Dead Zone" between The Hub and Fly. I'm sure there are enough lawyers and CPAs in town eager for office space in a hip area!?

[Jasonhouse]

Maybe something like a bookstore would work there... A wifi lounge downstairs and books upstairs... or maybe a deli/grocer below a floor of office space?

I'm not sure that it should be solely office space though (unless we're talking about a doctor's office, or some other high traffic office use). Whatever eventually goes in there, it should be something that will generate foot traffic and provide an amenity to the neighborhood.

[AKBTampa]

here, here!!!

[TampaIAm]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

Maybe something like a bookstore would work there... A wifi lounge downstairs and books upstairs... or maybe a deli/grocer below a floor of office space?

I'm not sure that it should be solely office space though (unless we're talking about a doctor's office, or some other high traffic office use). Whatever eventually goes in there, it should be something that will generate foot traffic and provide an amenity to the neighborhood.

Deli/Grocer with prepared meals...there is NOTHING downtown like this, Publix is the closest thing, and not really walking distance to Element, Skypoint, Residences on Franklin, etc.

And why does CVS close so early, and not open on the weekends, dont they know there are people living downtown now?

[jonknee]

Originally Posted by TampaIAm

Deli/Grocer with prepared meals...there is NOTHING downtown like this, Publix is the closest thing, and not really walking distance to Element, Skypoint, Residences on Franklin, etc.

And why does CVS close so early, and not open on the weekends, dont they know there are people living downtown now?

Cafe Volo (the restaurant that is in the old Lucky Dill space) has a deli and does prepared meals.

[I-275westcoastfl]

There is decent space there I'm sure something beneficial for DT could be built there.

[TampaMike]

How about open it to artists and make it into a art studio?

[Jasonhouse]

^That would require a trust fund or some other funding mechanism, on top of all of the expense of purchasing and renovating the property in the first place. Who is going to do that?

[AKBTampa]

I think there are plenty of artist studios in the area (West Tampa and Ybor dominate here). Anything that goes into this space will add to the traffic of the area. I don't think the area needs anymore restaurants or bars.

I also wonder why CVS does not keep longer hours now that there are more people living downtown, plus no CVS type store in Ybor or Tampa Heights. I'm sure it doesn't help that there is a CVS close by on Platt.