Developer plans shops, dining, fitness center for Tampa vacant land

The 18 acres of vacant land at the southwest corner of W Waters and N Himes Avenues in Tampa are slated for a makeover, according to an announcement Tuesday by a development company.

WMG Development LLC said the site will soon become the home of Mabry Marketplace, which will include new dining and retail spots. The company already has a lease for a Circle K, it said, and is “actively working with other major dining and retail partners.”

Plans filed with the city of Tampa in 2018 show that WMG is also proposing a roughly 34,000-square foot fitness center as part of the project.

According to the company, the site was previously home to a manufacturing plant, then was designated as a brownfield and eventually fell into bankruptcy. WMG purchased the land in December 2020 and work at the site began in March, it said.

“We are excited by the challenge of turning a property that sat vacant for more than ten years into a bustling destination that will contribute to community growth and prosperity,” said Craig Kopko, senior vice president of development at WMG Development, which is based in Illinois.