TAMPA, Fla. – Construction crews are moving in to completely demolish and replace the historic Rey Park Center in West Tampa, launching a nearly $4 million modernization project funded by the West Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
The original facility was built back in 1955 as the centerpiece of a 1.35-acre park. Rather than patching up the aging structure, the city is tearing it down to construct a much larger, updated community center designed to serve Old West Tampa, Macfarlane Park, Bowman Heights, West River, and surrounding neighborhoods.
“This is a first-class upgrade,” said Naya Young, the CRA Board Chairwoman. “This facility and park have been a part of the West Tampa family for 70 years, so this upgrade is well-earned and will lift not just Old West Tampa, but also Macfarlane Park, Bowman Heights, West River, and other nearby neighborhoods and families.”
The multi-million-dollar budget covers more than just the new building. The entire park grounds will undergo a major transformation, adding a brand new playground, basketball court, walking loop, and an outdoor fitness area. The footprint will also feature fresh shade structures, an open play lawn, and an outdoor event stage.
Rey Park Center has a long history of adapting to the community. In 1959, the center drew crowds with twice-weekly “Teen Nights” featuring dances and social mixers. By the 1980s, it shifted to senior bridge games and after-school pool tournaments, followed by a mix of cooking classes, homework help, and weight lifting in the 1990s. The last major updates to the facility occurred nearly 30 years ago, in 1997, under then-Tampa Mayor Dick Greco.
City planners are also working to preserve a piece of the center’s identity. The prominent mural facing Howard Avenue, painted by artist Carl Cowden III in 1984, will be lost when the old walls come down. However, Cowden has been brought back to recreate his original artwork on glass, which will have a permanent display space inside the new building.
Once finished, the new community center will offer 5,082 square feet of interior space alongside 2,281 square feet of covered porch area. Construction is expected to wrap up by December 2027.
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