Tampa Council Paves Way for Jackson House Restoration

The Tampa City Council struck a deal for a 10-foot easement with Accardi Properties. This move kicks off repairs to the Jackson House, a 125-year-old shelter that kept Black travelers safe when hotels turned them away.

"Very few people know that not the Jackson family, but the Robinson family were the last ones to hold up that banner of that house. That whole family, Jacksons and Robinsons, made a significant contribution to economic development when we didn't even use the term economic development," said Carolyn Collins, according to Fox 13 News.

Since 1901, the building at 851 Zack St. opened its doors to stars like James Brown and Ella Fitzgerald. Standing in the old Black district known as The Scrub, it housed a mix of shops: from haircuts to taxi rides.

Three years passed before the Foundation secured the easement. This win comes after state officials criticized the slow pace of work. Just days after the easement was secured, the siding wall of the Jackson House began to collapse.

Next up: getting the community redevelopment agency's stamp of approval. Just this week, the Jackson House Foundation met with building experts to plan the work.

"We have one last phase of the interview, which is a walk around, not walk through, unfortunately," Collins said.

When Jim Crow laws blocked Black Americans from white establishments, this spot gave them shelter. Now the structure needs major fixes.

Time has pushed costs higher. Collins put it straight: "Yes, this delay has significantly probably increased the cost of the house. But, it did not prohibit nor will it prohibit the house from being constructed."

Money from grants and private donors has flowed in. Once the easement gets final approval, work crews will start.

This fix-up means more than bricks and boards. "It's to maintain the history of Tampa. It's to maintain the history of the African American community. It's to maintain the history of the Scrub," Collins stated.

As plans take shape with input from all sides, this old building stands ready to tell Tampa's story once more. Each nail and board will help keep the past alive for future generations.