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Salvation Army May Expand

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By KENNETH KNIGHT, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2007

NORTH TAMPA - When the dust settles, the Salvation Army headquarters on North Nebraska Avenue is likely to become a massive campus on the north end of Tampa.

The Christian-based charity organization is petitioning Hillsborough County to rezone a 12-acre site west of Nebraska Avenue, between Fletcher and Bearss avenues, to accommodate general office space, a warehouse, retail/auction use, open storage and a residential dormitory.

The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center and a Salvation Army thrift store are on the parcel now.

The addition couldn't come fast enough for Anthony Sutter, who owns Hidden Oaks Mobile Home Park, which borders the Salvation Army site to the south.

"The improvements would be welcomed," Sutter said.

He is tired of the dust kicked up by cars and container trucks headed to and from the Adult Rehabilitation Center off Nebraska and 138th avenues.

He is tired of the waves of people who show up for auctions and block the short stretch of 138th Avenue that leads in and out of the mobile home park.

He is fed up with shooing away motorists from the handful of visitor parking spots in front of the mobile home rental office.

The Salvation Army at 13804 and 13910 N. Nebraska Ave. has applied to rezone the property from general commercial to planned development.

No zoning hearing has been scheduled. But the request seeks to expand the retail space by 12,000 square feet and warehouse space by 32,000 square feet. The additional warehouse would allow the outdoor storage to be moved indoors.

The agency also is requesting a variance to reduce required parking for the warehouse from six spaces per worker during the largest shift to three spaces per worker.

The dormitory would house 130 people. Sutter doesn't have a problem with the proposed housing plan.

"If they are going to have a dormitory to help people with drug and alcohol abuse problems, that's fine, if it's fenced off," Sutter said.

The Salvation Army's expansion plans are in response to the vital needs of the community, Maj. Don Smith said.

The agency opened the present buildings on the site in 1987, Smith said. Now is a good time to expand the warehouse and renovate and enlarge the thrift store.

"We hope there will be positive change where everyone is concerned," Smith said.

He said the plans include adding a paved road north of 138th to allow traffic direct access to the expanded Salvation Army campus.

"We can regulate the traffic the best for all concerned," Smith said.

It also addresses adding fencing to separate the Salvation Army and mobile home park.

Not everyone is pleased.

A fence would complicate life for Terrell Johnson, 22, and his three roommates at Hidden Oaks Mobile Home Park. They live directly across 138th from the Salvation Army site. They hate to lose easy access to the grass and dirt lot earmarked for development.

"We walk the dog there," Johnson said. "It's our park."

Residents from the mobile home park go there to play softball, ride bikes and walk their small children.

Johnson said the fence would also take away his view of heavily traveled North Nebraska.

The general area contains a mix of light industrial and high intensity commercial uses, including mobile home parks.

Reporter Kenneth Knight can be reached at (813) 865-1504 or kknight@tampatrib.com.

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