Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 6-27-17

Feature
Demolition Ceremony Planned For North Blvd. Homes
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Thursday, June 29th, a ceremony will be held prior to the demolition of Tampa’s oldest housing complex. The demolition ceremony for the North Boulevard Homes Public Housing Complex is slated to begin at 10 a.m. It will be held at 1515 W. Union Street.
Jerome Ryans, Presi- dent and CEO of the Tampa Housing Authority said, “This demolition represents theendofaneraandanew beginning for the West Tampa community. West River will be a place where everyone will be proud to call home.”
The two-hour demolition ceremony will include repre- sentatives from the U. S. Housing and Urban Devel- opment (HUD), local and state officials. Mayor Bob Buckhorn is slated to bull- doze the first building in the demolition process.
There will also be former residents and community partners participating.
In place of the apart- ments, the 44 acres will be used to construct 1,240 Mar- ket rate, multi-housing rental properties and 96 townhomes for sale. It will
JEROME RYANS CEO & President of the Tampa Housing Authority
house 842 income-restricted affordable family and senior housing with a broader range of incomes.
The property will also have a retail and office com- ponent, primarily oriented to serve the local community, and 90,000 square feet of re- tail and 70,000 square feet of professional office space.
The relocation process for the area began two years ago. The Tampa Housing Author- ity held mandatory work- shops for residents that included one-on-one coun- seling, case management throughout the process and transportation to visit poten- tial replacement housing. The first family received its clearance to relocate on May 20, 2015.
The North Boulevard
NORTH BLVD. HOMES
Homes was the oldest and largest public housing com- plex in Tampa when it opened in December 1940. It
was comprised of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 bedroom apartment units to accommodate larger families.
In March 1996, another 65 apartments were added to help with the growing need for affordable housing.
ARTIST RENDITION OF NEW BUILDINGS
FYI
County Offers Help With Hydroponic Gardens
On Thursday, June 29th, Hillsborough County Extension Service will host a workshop on do-it-yourself hydroponics. The event will take place at 5339 County Road 579, in Seffner, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The program is geared toward both home gardeners and persons who might be interested in making some extra cash by selling fresh flowers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Instead, a nutrient-rich water solution is used to feed the plants. Though it may look high-tech, the practice has been around for hundreds of years. Hydroponic gardens can fit a small space, even a corner of a patio or porch. They can thrive almost anywhere, use water efficiently, need no herbicides, and can be grown year-round.
The workshop will cover such topics as various hydroponic setups, growing mediums, plant nutrients, and irrigation systems among others.
The registration deadline is Tuesday, June 27th. For more information, including pricing, call Francisco Rivera at (813) 744-5519, ext. 54119. To register, visit the website at DIY Hydroponics Workshop information at www.Hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017