The Armory Partners Group has devised a plan to turn the historic Fort Homer Hesterly Armory site into a multi-functional office, sound stage, studio, restaurant/retail, and workforce housing park, with on-the-job training and educational components.

Additionally, plans for the Armory and complementary office, retail, and residential space, will allow the Tampa production and West Tampa’s creative communities to build on the Tampa Bay area’s existing infomercial and TV commercial business, allow opportunities for attracting more film and television work from outside the market, and create sustainable jobs in our area.

• The Armory: A cluster of 50,000-square-feet of creative and high-tech businesses, along with 25,000 square feet of film/TV studio and sound stage space.
• Additional office and studio space as well as a planned grocery.
• A multi-level parking garage for residents, employees and students in training.
• Live-Work: A combination of residential and office/retail space, with the bottom floor housing small businesses and shops, and the top floors accommodating affordable apartments.
• The historic red-brick recruitment building will have room for a café/restaurant, community area and a room commemorating the Armory and West Tampa.
• Vila Park: A wooded, recreational area where West Tampa residents and employees of the Armory’s Creative Complex can relax and walk or run on trails.

The proposed project and vision is to keep and attract creative and innovative people in a significant enough mass so that they begin to have economic benefits in West Tampa.

Creative Cluster
Worldwide, there are a number of examples of the value of merging creative industry companies in one complex. This specialized work environment leverages the unique work needs and characteristics of the creative industries sector and the West Tampa community. The Armory site as a Creative Cluster is designed to close the loop, delivering one of the last links of infrastructure needed in order for the local creative community, which includes high tech, entertainment, production and all that is the cultural arts, to explode, as well as become a civic destination for West Tampa.

As the project grows, the Group plans to re-invest in West Tampa in order to drive additional economic growth, recreational enjoyment and cultural staying power.