Fernando Noriega Jr., Tampa administrator who fought for Ybor City’s revival, dies

Tampabay.com – February 9, 2016
Fernando Noriega Jr. understood how special Ybor City could be, how vibrant a community its mix of Cuban, Italian and Spanish immigrants could create. He was the son of a Cuban mother and a Spanish father who worked in Ybor’s cigar factories. He played football on the brick-paved streets with kids from the neighborhood, most of them first-generation Americans. So when Mr. Noriega climbed the ranks of Tampa city government, he didn’t forget about Ybor City. Even after urban renewal efforts and new highways gashed its neighborhoods and much of the area fell into disrepair, he made it a goal to bring it back. Read more from Tampabay.com.