Back to brick for Ybor's Seventh Avenue

Eventually, driving down Seventh Avenue will be like traveling back in time.

The main stretch through Ybor City’s business district was a brick street until the 1960s, when it was paved with asphalt. In late July, road crews started a project re-bricking the road from Nick Nuccio Parkway to 26^th Street.

“Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District, so returning Seventh Avenue to brick is really in keeping with its authentic character,’’ says Tampa’s Ybor City Community Redevelopment Area Development Manager Brenda Thrower.

Plus, it should also slow traffic.

“A brick street will naturally calm traffic down,’’ Thrower says. “You really can’t speed down a brick street.’’

City of TampaCrews are re-bricking Seventh Avenue one block at a time.The first phase spans the two blocks of Seventh from 15^th to 17^th streets and has an estimated cost of a little over $434,000. The rebricking will be done one block at a time, starting with the block running from 15^th to 16^th streets. Thrower says that way traffic is only re-routed one block as crews work on a section. Sidewalks will be open and extra signs will direct people to businesses on each block, she says.

Each block will take about 40,000 bricks and two weeks to finish, Thrower says. First, workers remove about four inches of asphalt to make room for the bricks. That will leave a layer of asphalt under the bricks, which Thrower says should eliminate the problem of the street developing dips and bumps over time.

“It has a very strong base,’’ she says. “Of course, it has to do with the workmanship of how they’re laying the bricks down. The contractor we’re using is very, very good…. Engineering-wise, our folks feel very confident that it’s going to be a well-laid street.’’

C.W. Roberts is the contractor on the project.

Ben Wax, owner of LaFrance vintage clothing store, a fixture on Seventh Avenue since the 1970s, says making the historic street brick again should add to its charm.

“There are a lot of projects that I think could be done to enhance both the look and the safety of the area,” he says. “Hopefully, a byproduct of them investing in the street (is) it will make them want to invest more money in the area.’’

Wax hopes it cuts down speeding on the street. 

“That’s what I’m most looking forward to,” he says.

The project will be done over time. Thrower says the city's stockpile of bricks is constantly being replenished, so she does not expect any supply problems. 

“If we have to source bricks one day, we will, but at this point in time we don’t need to,” she says.

Returning the iconic avenue to its historic state has been in the plans for a long time and has the support of the business community, she says.

“We are making every effort – I stress that – to make sure this project runs on time,” Thrower says. “We get in and out of there and we’re actually helping through additional signage for the businesses.”

“I think at the end of the day we’re going to end up with a beautiful, cool street and everybody’s going to be happy,” she adds.

For more information, go to Seventh Avenue project