East Tampa History

The area included in the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area was incorporated into the City of Tampa in three separate annexations beginning in 1911.

• The southwestern portion of the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area was annexed in 1911 and is roughly bounded by 26th Street on the east, 26th Avenue on the north and the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area boundaries on the south (I-4) and (I-275) on the west.

• In 1923, the portions of today’s East Tampa that were incorporated into the City moved to 40th Street on the east, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on the north, and a piece of land running along 15th Street north from Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to Hillsborough Avenue – and the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Areas on the south and west.

• The remainder of the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area was incorporated in 1953.

The significance of these incorporation dates is that East Tampa has been a portion of the City of Tampa for at least 50 years. The infrastructure that was put in place when these incorporated areas were platted is reaching the end of its useful service – potable water, wastewater and the transportation system, for example.