TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — On Thursday, Tampa city leaders gave an update on projects planned for the Westshore development.

Leaders taked about the district’s future and potential changes that will transform the Westshore Plaza into more than just a mall.

For decades, Westshore Plaza was a popular place to shop, but now, developers said it is time to give the property a completely new look.

“The time has come to develop it; you’ve seen a lot of the shops move out. So, the rest of Westshore is growing, but the Plaza has kind of gone the opposite way,” said Michael Maurino,
executive director of Westshore Alliance.

Michael Maurino with the Westshore Alliance said a planned massive redevelopment project will transform the mall property into a mixed-use district, bringing more to the area than just business and retail.

“The 54 acres here, it’s about the same size as Water Street, so you could fit here the retail and hospitality that’s already here, plus more commercial office and more residential,” he said.

A planned demolition of the plaza would make room for hotels, residences, commercial offices, and green spaces. It would also allocate space for the future growth of BayCare.

While developers believe the project will revitalize the area, some neighbors have concerns about what else the project will bring.

“I definitely welcome the growth of infrastructure system, the growth of more housing, because we’re in need for it, but I do not agree with more, larger amount of volumes of traffic,” said Rony Martinez, a resident.

In Thursday’s forum, leaders discussed improvements to Tampa International Airport, including the new international airside D terminal that is currently under construction.

Maurino said this all of this is needed for the growing area.

“There’s 15,000 people who live in Westshore, but there’s actually space for more, and making Westshore a mixed-use district is what will allow for more economic diversity,” he said.

The meeting was held at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. For more on the project, click here.