NewsFox 13 News (WTVT) — Local NewsSeptember 10, 2026Hillsborough County
Jackson House Foundation plans extensive reconstruction of historic Tampa boarding house after partial collapse
Photo: Fox 13 News (WTVT) — Local News
The historic Jackson House in downtown Tampa will be torn down and reconstructed after a partial collapse, with only about 15% of the original wood salvageable. The Jackson House Foundation presented a progress report to the Tampa City Council, outlining plans to hire a new construction team and restore the building to its 1950s-era appearance by a target opening of 2028 as a museum and educational center.
Read the full story at Fox 13 News (WTVT) — Local NewsWhy It Matters
The Tampa approved a grant agreement providing up to $1 million toward the restoration of a historic 1901 landmark that served as a boarding house for African American travelers and prominent figures during segregation.
Key Facts
- Only about 15% of the historic Jackson House's original wood is estimated to be salvageable following a partial collapse over Labor Day weekend.
- The existing structure must be torn down completely before a new Jackson House is rebuilt to its 1950s-era appearance.
- The Jackson House Foundation hired a new construction management team to develop a budget and timeline.
- The Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) previously voted 4-2 on Aug. 20 to approve a grant agreement providing up to $1 million toward the restoration.
- The CRA ordered a progress report three weeks prior due to concerns regarding project financing, timeline, and building condition.
- The foundation has a target opening date of 2028 for the property to become a museum and educational center.
- Built in 1901, the Jackson House operated as a boarding house during the Jim Crow era and segregation, hosting figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., James Brown, Ray Charles, and Ella Fitzgerald before closing in 1989.
Who's Mentioned
PersonNaya Young“CRA Chair”OrganizationCommunity Redevelopment Agency“Ordered the progress report and approved grant funding”locationTampa Union Station“Nearby station for travelers who stayed at Jackson House”PersonDr. Carolyn Hepburn Collins“Director of the Jackson House Foundation”PersonGuido Maniscalco“Tampa City Council member”OrganizationJackson House Foundation“Owner of the historic building”OrganizationTampa City Council“Sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency”PersonBill Carlson“Tampa City Council member”OrganizationFEMA“Cited previously for restoration delays”OrganizationCity of Tampa“Municipal government”PersonRay Charles“Prominent past visitor”PersonElla Fitzgerald“Prominent past visitor”PersonAlan Clendenin“Tampa City Council member”PersonJames Brown“Prominent past visitor”PersonDr. Martin Luther King Jr.“Prominent past visitor”locationJackson House“Historic boarding house in downtown Tampa built in 1901”