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Withrop Gets Advantage

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By TOM BRENNAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 18, 2008

BRANDON A long desired civic building will be built on Watson Road, across from Symmes Elementary School.

A citizens group appointed by State Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Tampa, selected the Winthrop development as the home for the 20,000-square-foot facility that will serve as an expo hall, arts center, community training location and a special-needs hurricane shelter.

Traviesa said $3.4 million in state and federal founds have been committed and it is enough to build the building shell. He said a local fundraising effort will have to provide the rest of the building and operating costs.

Committee member Tammy Bracewell, president of the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, said the decision was made because of the land's central location and a favorable offer by Winthrop's developer John Sullivan.

Sullivan said he agreed to sell the group four acres at a discount and agreed to design and build the shell within the group's $3.4 million budget.

A design forum will be held March 4 through March 10 at the Barn Theatre at Winthrop, 11349 Bloomingdale Ave., to give the public a chance to help shape the center.

Traviesa said he hopes to break ground on by the end of the year. Construction is expected to take 18 months.

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