HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The future of Hyde Park Village is drawing concern from some locals. Many fear it's becoming too upscale, pushing out local businesses.
One of those businesses is the popular Italian restaurant, Forbici. The landlord filed to evict the popular Tampa spot.
WATCH Hyde Park's future is drawing concern as Italian restaurant faces eviction
The lawsuit cites violations like exceeding seating limits and ignoring previous warnings.
Forbici's ownership group said they are in negotiations right now and hope to have a resolution soon.
The lawsuit is sparking bigger concerns from the community. Many people tell me it seems like local spots are being pushed out for high-end retailers.
“I hope the small businesses that make our community so wonderful are able to stay, and that the village encourages them to be here because I think that makes this part of town so amazing, is having that sense of community," Jaclyn Shaffer, a Tampa native and new mom, said.
Shaffer said she hopes Hyde Park keeps its roots so her daughter can grow up with the same community feel.
Róża Tawil moved to Hyde Park for its neighborhood charm, something she feels is now at risk.
“You’re kind of taking the soul out of a small community like Hyde Park village, and there’s especially the issue of who are they catering to?” Tawil said.
Meanwhile, Linda Aiken, president of the Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, works closely with the Hyde Park Village owners. Aiken said she understands the community concerns, but says the ownership group has always been transparent and easy to work with.
“Just wait and see. The last ten years or so have been great, the owner of Hyde Park Village and management company has been great, and I’m guessing it will continue to be that way,” Aiken said.
One of the businesses that is now closed is Pottery Barn. We cannot confirm which businesses will occupy the space, but we can confirm that a development project is underway in that space.
The architectural plans do not name specific tenants, but they show that the new building will have multiple uses.
Five of the spaces are marked as mercantile, which typically means retail. One space is designated for business, usually meaning office space.
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