A Piece of Old Tampa Is Coming Down — Demolition Begins at Twiggs and Ashley as Downtown Continues Its Transformation

TAMPA, FL — Another chapter of old Tampa is closing. Demolition has officially begun at the corner of Twiggs Street and Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa, as a longtime building on the site makes way for whatever comes next in one of the city's most rapidly evolving corridors.

The corner sits right in the heart of downtown Tampa, just steps from the Hillsborough River and the broader riverfront district that has seen wave after wave of redevelopment over the past decade. The demolition is the latest visible sign that downtown Tampa's transformation is still very much in motion — and still picking up speed.

What's Coming Next 

Specific plans for the new development at the Twiggs and Ashley corner have not yet been publicly detailed, but the site's prime downtown location — within walking distance of the Tampa Riverwalk, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, and the growing Water Street Tampa district — makes it one of the more closely watched parcels in the city. Expect a mixed-use project with residential, commercial, or hospitality components, consistent with the direction downtown Tampa has been heading.

The Bigger Picture 

Downtown Tampa has been in the middle of a generational reinvention. Water Street Tampa, the Riverwalk expansion, new hotels, luxury residential towers, and a steady stream of restaurant and retail openings have fundamentally changed what downtown looks and feels like. The Twiggs and Ashley demolition is one more data point in that ongoing story — old buildings coming down, new ones going up, and a skyline that looks noticeably different every year.

For Wesley Chapel residents who make the trip into Tampa for dining, events, or a night out, downtown keeps getting better and more worth the drive.

📍 Twiggs St. & Ashley Dr., Downtown Tampa, FL

📅 Demolition underway — May 2026

🌐 Follow @tampamagazine on Instagram for ongoing updates

Sources: @tampamagazine on Instagram — May 2026