Historic West Tampa community center to be rebuilt in revitalization project

The historic Rey Park Center is being demolished and rebuilt as part of an ongoing effort to revitalize West Tampa, and city leaders officially broke ground on the project Wednesday.

admin June 24, 2026 3 minutes read

TAMPA, Fla. – The historic Rey Park Center is being demolished and rebuilt as part of an ongoing effort to revitalize West Tampa, and city leaders officially broke ground on the project Wednesday.

Rey Park Center demolition

What we know:

The Rey Park Center, originally built in 1955, is being rebuilt. The new 5,000-square-foot community center will be surrounded by a playground, basketball court, walking loop and outdoor activity spaces.

“This center will offer a variety of activities, from cooking, to homework help, to weightlifting,” Tampa City Councilor Naya Young said.

A $4 million CRA investment from the city will help fund this project.

The historic mural on the outside of the center will be preserved on the new building.

“The whole mural that wraps around this building now, we’re capturing it onto glass, and on the inside of the building, we have a wraparound glass window that will have it etched,” Angel Wood-Mark with Phinazee Construction and Consulting Services Inc. said.

The city expects the project to be finished in December 2027.

West Tampa community history

The backstory:

City leaders say Rey Park was originally named after Peregrino Rey, who was at one point the mayor of West Tampa. The park and center hold deep historical significance for some people who grew up in the neighborhood.

“I couldn’t come to this park, because it was not integrated in 1962,” Joe Robinson, who now serves on the West Tampa CRA Community Advisory Committee, said.

Robinson eventually became a regular at the park as he grew older. At Wednesday’s groundbreaking, he emphasized the importance of revitalizing the area.

“It’s like, okay, we need to start really putting some effort and some money behind some of these communities that need it,” Young said. “So, I think West Tampa is definitely one of them.”

Tampa revitalization project gaps

What we don’t know:

City officials haven’t confirmed the total cost of the reconstruction project yet. It’s not clear when the demolition phase will be complete.

West Tampa neighborhood investment

Why you should care:

The project is part of a larger ongoing effort to invest in communities around Tampa.

“It really is time for West Tampa,” Tampa City Councilor Guido Maniscalco said. “A few weeks ago, we dedicated the street sign across the street to Tony Garcia. Before that, we dedicated the renovations at Salcines Park just down the street.”