Fiscal Year 2024 Community Projects

Morris Bridge Wellfield

Subcommittee: Interior, Environment
Summary: The Morris Bridge Wellfield, in north-central Hillsborough County, is part of Tampa Bay Water’s wholesale water supply system providing an average of 8 million gallons per day (mgd) and up to a maximum of 33.75 mgd of drinking water to the citizens in the Tampa Bay region. This project will maintain Morris Bridge Wellfield’s existing level of service and increase reliability through the replacement of aging pumps, motors, electrical components and instrumentation, and improved arc flash hazard safety ratings. Tampa Bay Water expects to achieve operation and maintenance cost reductions through the implementation of efficient pumps and motors. The project will also include the demolition of five wells that are currently out of service.
Funding Amount: $2 million
FL-15 impact: This project will help to keep water affordable, while simultaneously helping ensure access to safe, reliable water for the Tampa Bay region that is sourced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way that enhances the region’s resiliency. The updated pump parts will ensure that the agency can source ground water in the most energy efficient way possible.

United Food Bank of Plant City

Subcommittee: Agriculture, Rural Development
Summary: New building construction for the largest food bank in rural East Hillsborough to achieve food security and economic empowerment in low- to moderate-income households, and help individuals, children, and families through a life crisis by addressing social determinants of health.
Funding Amount: $1 million
FL-15 impact: Plant City’s population is expected to grow at a rate of 72 percent by 2045. One zip code alone, 33565, in Plant City will see a 252 percent population increase in this timeframe. With this extreme growth—given the projected increase in population for East Hillsborough County—comes a responsibility to strengthen vulnerable women, children, families, and individuals who, in this mostly rural area, have fallen on hard times or are working through a crisis and need help to move beyond it.

Feeding Tampa Bay

Subcommittee: Agriculture, Rural Development
Summary: Feeding Tampa Bay, part of the national Feeding America network, focuses on providing food to about 1 million food insecure families in the 10-county area of West Central Florida.
Funding Amount: $1.5 million
FL-15 impact: To serve the 1 million food insecure people across FTB’s service area, FTB has embarked on a capital effort to build a 215,000 sq. ft. purpose-designed facility that will meet the projected demand for food relief and disaster preparedness while also housing wraparound services, such as health screening, nutrition education, financial literacy, job training, and more. As a result, food distribution capacity will be increased by 64% and FTB will grow its economic return to $470M.

University of South Florida Forrest Preserve

Subcommittee: Agriculture, Rural Development
Summary: USF proposes to construct a small new building on the outskirts of the Forest Preserve at USF to support a variety of activities related to sustainability and ecology research and education as well as community engaged conservation activities. The proposed building will contain research facilities, a digital monitoring station of the entire property’s access points, classrooms, and an exhibit area. This unique facility will provide for research and education in environmental sciences, ecology, geosciences, etc.
Funding Amount: $2 million
FL-15 impact: The USF Forest Preserve, one of America’s last remaining, untouched urban forest habitats, is located completely within Florida’s 15th Congressional District, and USF and the community have come to a notable agreement to preserve the property long-term and continue its use as a “living learning lab” for future generations of District 15 residents. An important component of that preservation agreement is the construction of the research facility described in this Community Funding Request. It will provide hands-on experience for USF students, educators and researchers, as well K-12 students and educators across Hillsborough County and neighboring and interested jurisdictions.

Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center Project

Subcommittee: Homeland Security
Origin of Request: Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
Summary: Project will make improvements to the Hillsborough County Emergency Ops Center and will enhance operational response during emergencies and natural disasters. Renovations will include restrooms, dormitory areas, meeting, training, and breakout spaces, technology upgrades, as well as dedicated space to store and distribute materials to shelter sites during weather-related and other emergency events.
Funding Amount: $1.5 million
FL-15 impact: The Public Safety Operations Complex is located in FL-15 and serves as Hillsborough County’s primary point for emergency and disaster response and recovery operations and logistical deployment.

Tampa Bay Police Department Technology

Subcommittee: CJS
Summary: This request is for (Community Oriented Policing Services) COPS Technology funding for a suite of software and hardware to improve law enforcement effectiveness and efficiency.
FL-15 impact: This funding will play a significant role in aiding Tampa law enforcement in reducing crime and keeping FL-15 neighborhoods safe within both the City and neighboring jurisdictions.
Funding Amount: $1 million

Moffitt Cancer Center BioEngineering Project

Subcommittee: CJS
Summary: Project will facilitate the acquisition of a Multi-Photon Laser Scanning Microscopy Suite (cutting edge imaging technology for microscopes). Funds could be provided through the Commerce/Justice and Science Appropriations act via the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Scientific and Technical Research Account. The project addresses an urgent demand for access to oncology care and research in Florida. More than 155,000 Florida residents are newly diagnosed with cancer each year. Florida is #2 in the U.S. for cancer incidence and mortality. Federal investment in this project would be a valuable contribution to a new area of research that has great potential to save and improve the lives of people with cancer, as well as to generate health care innovations that will help grow Tampa Bay’s biotech economy.
Funding Amount: $2.44 million
FL-15 impact: Moffitt Cancer Center is a major impact organization in Florida’s 15th Congressional District. At any given time, thousands of FL-15 residents are actively receiving lifesaving cancer treatment at Moffitt. In addition, at least 3,000 residents of FL-15 are employed at Moffitt. Our local economy also benefits from the overall economic impact generated by Moffitt, which exceeds $2.4 billion per year and generates revenue for local businesses serving Moffitt’s medical and research enterprise.

Polk County Public Safety Radio System Resiliency Project

Subcommittee: CJS
Summary: Polk County operates and maintains a Public Safety Radio System supporting critical radio communications for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Fire Rescue, Municipal Police and Fire Departments, Polk County Public Schools, School Guardians, and other State and Federal agencies. The budget includes purchase of hardware, installation, system integration, and testing. This FY24 CPF request has also been submitted to Rep. Franklin, Rep. Soto, and Rep. Webster as a county-wide request.
Funding Amount: $1 million
FL-15 impact: This project supports all 17 municipalities in Polk County, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Fire Rescue, and multiple State and Federal Public Safety agencies.

African American Arts and Cultural Center

Subcommittee: THUD
Summary: The project will include site work, demolition of existing, antiquated facilities, and phased construction of new improvements with associated, necessary infrastructure for a new 44,000 square foot AAACC facility, exterior amphitheater, and separate areas for replacements of existing on-site County social services operations.
Funding Amount: $1 million
FL-15 impact: This project promotes resiliency in the West Tampa area, which is in a Qualified Census Tract. Classes and camps for youth in the West Tampa and broader Hillsborough County give the community children an opportunity to learn more about African American-centered art and culture. The AAACC will welcome and engage the metro area's 350,000+ African American community members, school and youth groups, and visiting friends, family, and tourists.

Hillsborough County / Veterans Resource Center Phase 2 Project

Subcommittee: THUD
Origin of Request: Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
Summary: The proposed project is intended to provide building infrastructure to complete an existing approved local Capital Improvement Project. According to the Veterans Administration (VA), Hillsborough County has the largest Veteran population with over 93,000 in the State of Florida and ranks number one in terms of economic impact with Veterans receiving $794,000,000 annually in VA compensation and Pension. Veterans Memorial Park, which enjoys upward of 40 thousand visitors annually, has been named by the Veterans Administration as a 2022 Regional Destination for Veterans and visitors for the sixth year in a row.
Funding Amount: $1 million
FL-15 impact: Veterans Service Organizations and the community have been an integral part of the design, fundraising, and construction of the existing facility. Specifically, multiple community forums were attended by community Veterans and citizens who provided favorable input to the University of Florida in preparing an updated Veterans Park master plan presented to the Board of County Commissioners and approved in November of 2022.

Pasco County / Centennial Road Sidewalk Project

Subcommittee: THUD
Summary: Construct a 5 ft sidewalk that connects residential areas to existing sidewalks, transit stops, and a school, for approximately one mile. This sidewalk is in a low to moderate income area (LMI) which will serve both residents and students at Centennial Middle School. This project is also on the Metropolitan Planning Organization's (MPO) List of Priority Projects (LOPP).
Funding Amount: $1 million
FL-15 impact: This one-mile sidewalk is in a low to moderate income area (LMI) which will serve both residents and students at Centennial Middle School in the Zephyrhills area.

Wesley Chapel YMCA

Subcommittee: THUD
Summary: Funding will be used to construct a new YMCA, including a 30,000 square foot wellness facility as well as a 30,000 square foot outdoor aquatic center. Over 40,000 families live within minutes of the proposed site for this new YMCA. The state-of-the-art facility will be designed to meet community well-being needs focusing on families, kids and seniors. During emergencies, this facility will also assist local municipalities, providing shelter and a distribution site for supplies and meals.
Funding Amount: $1.5 million
FL-15 impact: The YMCA programs in the greater Wesley Chapel Community are projected to create more than 300 jobs.

Phoenix House of Florida Center for Women

Subcommittee: THUD
Summary: Phoenix House Florida is a nonprofit addiction treatment provider that empowers people to experience their personal strengths and help them discover new ways to manage the mental, physical, and emotional aspects of addiction so they can live better, more purposeful lives. This project will transform a dilapidated structure in a blighted area into a state-of-the-art facility for women, with specialized programming for women and women Veterans, in need of critical programming in our community. This construction project is located in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood and is an essential and sound community development project consistent with statutory requirements. In addition, the capital improvements and renovation of this building will include energy efficiency cost-saving measures.
Funding Amount: $1 million
FL-15 impact: The impact of a successful treatment program is both economic and personal, and has an exponential impact, reaching patients, family members, and the community members where these patients live and work in FL-15.

Kathleen Road Widening Project

Subcommittee: THUD
Summary: This project is a widening and extension of Kathleen Road from Duff Road north to Hwy 98. It is anticipated to be a 3-lane section. The overall project is estimated to cost $100,000,000. This FY24 CPF request would be used to advance the project through planning and environmental review.
Funding Amount: $2 million
FL-15 impact: To improve the regional supply chain by alleviating traffic congestion on Hwy 98 by widening and extending Kathleen Road to Hwy 98 north of Lakeland at Rockridge Road.

Tampa Bay Technology Business Incubator Capacity Expansion

Subcommittee: THUD
Summary: University of South Florida’s Tampa Bay Technology Incubator (TBTI) is one of the premier job-creating institutions in the greater Tampa Bay region incubating university spinout and Florida startup companies in biotech engineering and life science industries through their early stage of commercialization.
Funding Amount: $1 million
FL-15 impact: USF’s TBTI is located in Florida’s 15th Congressional District, within the Research Park on USF’s Tampa campus. If funded, this project will greatly contribute to biotech and life science business growth in the area and the corresponding high-wage jobs that come with these companies. The expansion will also be a key component of the revitalization efforts to transform Uptown Tampa into an innovation district.