Buildings Alive! Ybor City Architecture Hop

The Buildings Alive! Ybor City Architecture Hop is a behind-the-scenes tour of some of Ybor City’s historic buildings and sites, each with its own architectural style and unique story. Each building has been repurposed to provide modern-day usage. Featured sites change for each hop. The buildings selected for 2018 include:

• Design Styles Architecture (former Italian grocery store)
• Swope Rodante (former Florida Brewery)
• American Institute of Architects Tampa Bay Chapter (former San Souchi Building)
• Lion’s Eye Institute (former F. Lozano Cigar Factory)
• Casa Oliva (former cigar factory, oldest remaining wooden factory in Florida)
• USAmeriBank (restored building of former Columbia Bank)

When:            Thursday, March 8, 2016, 5 – 9:30 p.m.

Where:

• Registration and Send-Off Party with live music and refreshments: 5 – 6:30 at the Ybor City Museum State Park, 1818 E. 9th Avenue, Tampa 33605
• Transportation by three rubber-wheel trolleys. First trolleys start rolling shortly after 5 p.m. and go on a continuous loop until 9:30
• Parking is available on the street and at paid lots on 9th Avenue east of 19th Street and 8th Avenue and 19th Street, as well as the city lot at 7th Avenue and 15th Street

How:

• Attendees move between hop stops at their own pace by strolling through the Historic District or riding free trolleys that will run between the venues all night. Signs and volunteers will be posted along the hop route to help direct attendees along the way.
• Each hop stop provides food and beverages. Last tours begin at 9:00.

Why:

• Ybor City is filled with nearly 1,000 historically significant structures that many visitors never get the chance to explore. This hop provides an opportunity to explore how businesses and organizations have preserved, rehabilitated, or restored the historic buildings and adapted them to meet modern needs. Some buildings have housed the same tenant for more than 100 years, while others have evolved over the years.

Cost:

$45 in advance and $55 after February 28, 2018 and at the door. YCMS members receive a $10 discount if purchased in advanced.

Register at http://tinyurl.com/BuildingsAlive2018 or call (813) 247-1434.

The Ybor City Museum Society organizes and hosts the Buildings Alive! Ybor City Architecture Hop. The Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is preserving, promoting and celebrating the unique cultural heritage of Ybor City and supporting the Ybor City Museum State Park. Buildings Alive! has become one of the society’s signature annual events and is back by popular demand for a seventh year. Buildings Alive! is presented in collaboration with participating businesses that open their buildings to attendees during the hop.

Sponsors include Creative Loafing, Venable Law Firm, Due Amici, and the Ybor City Museum State Park.