Tampa To Close Two Blocks of 7th Avenue in April for Second Phase of Brick Restoration

Tampa will shut down two blocks of 7th Avenue in Ybor City starting April 13. Crews will tackle the second phase of re-bricking work meant to slow cars and make things safer for people on foot. Construction targets the stretch between 17th and 19th streets and should finish by early May.

Workers plan to install about 60,000 bricks during this phase.

Each block needs around 30,000 bricks. All get laid by hand. The bricks are more than 100 years old, sourced to match the area's character after the originals disappeared decades ago.

"The community was very adamant of having historic bricks," said Brenda Thrower, Ybor City development manager, according to WTSP. "So they have to be original, the contractor had to source them."

The project follows a first phase completed in 2024, and city leaders say the work is part of a bigger push to slow traffic in one of Tampa's busiest entertainment districts.

"Riding along a brick street, you can't go very fast, so it's an automatic traffic calming," Thrower said.

Cross streets will stay open during construction to help limit disruptions. Shawn Gilbert, vice president of Harris-McBurney Company, which oversees the work, said crews aim for a completion date of May 8.

"Our goal is to be out of this — everything cleaned up and restored — by May 8," Gilbert said.

During a public meeting Wednesday at Gaspar's Grotto, some residents and business owners worried that brick streets might create tripping hazards or challenges for people using scooters. Gilbert said crews will take steps to fix that. They'll make sure the surface is flat and flush.

The project gets funded through the Community Redevelopment Agency using tax increment financing, which must be spent within Ybor City.

About $660,000 has been set aside so far.

The long-term goal is to re-brick the entire stretch of 7th Avenue through 26th Street — about 10 remaining blocks. So far, the city has been finishing around two blocks per year, though leaders say they hope to speed up that pace moving forward.

"It's been in the works for many, many years," Thrower said. "We've always envisioned 7th Avenue would be a brick street again. Now we're on our second phase."

This project is part of a larger set of safety improvements in Ybor City, which includes narrowing roadways and lowering speed limits. City officials are also continuing to review how to implement protective bollards in high-traffic areas.