TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa City Council has voted in favor of the South Howard Avenue flood mitigation project.

Residents and business owners have been divided over the stormwater project for Parkland Estates and Palma Ceia Pines. Some believe it will solve flooding issues that have existed for decades, while others fear the construction will negatively impact businesses and more than 1,700 employees along South Howard Avenue.

What You Need To Know

  • The Tampa City Council has agreed to pay Kimmins Contracting Corporation $7.7 million to design and build a new stormwater system

  • The decision is a relief for several doctors in South Tampa who say their practices were hit hard by flooding from Hurricane Milton

  • Providers say thousands of patients are now missing appointments and screenings since elevators are no longer working. Staff members have been helping patients up and down flights of stairs

  • Some doctors have moved their practices out of the South Tampa Medical Center, while other providers are still there and are trying to offer care despite many challenges

Tampa Mobility Director Vik Bhide said the city is considering the economic corridor throughout this process.

“We are very sensitive to that, also," Bhide said. "We understand. We are the same team that, through COVID and that industry, faced a lot of challenges that shut down streets to increase capacities for restaurants. We are the same team that came up with creative rules for sidewalk cafes. We will work with them with everything in our means."

The decision is a relief for several doctors in South Tampa who say their practices were hit hard by flooding from Hurricane Milton. They say thousands of patients are now missing appointments and screenings.

Some doctors have moved their practices out of the South Tampa Medical Center, while other providers are still there and are trying to offer care despite many challenges.

“In our practice alone, we see between 150 and 250 patients per day,” said Pediatric Epilepsy & Neurology Specialists (PENS) Office Manager Luis Calvo.

Dozens of providers are located at the South Tampa Medical Center, including PENS.

“We have a lot of kids with special needs, kids that are wheelchair bound,” Calvo said, explaining that his office has remained busy caring for some of its most critical patients since Hurricane Milton.

“Our elevator was affected by the flood, and we still don’t have an elevator,” he said.

Employees have stepped up to help patients up and down several flights of stairs.

“It is ridiculous,“ said 78-year-old patient Gladys Gonzalez. “Some of them have babies that they have to walk to the third floor.”

Gonzalez’s granddaughter is a patient, and she says the trip is inconvenient at any age.

Doctor Charles Kane has been at the South Tampa Medical Center for 20 years, and told City Council members during a Nov. 7 meeting that flooding is a recurring problem. However, he said this recent event has had the most devastating impact on his practice.

“There are literally going to be thousands of missed patient visits that worry me," he said. "Not only is it devastating financially, but I also worry about staff. I know one of the doctors is leaving for good."

He sees the stormwater update as the answer to finally resolve the issue. Until then, Calvo said providers are doing their best to give their patients access to the care they need.

“We’ve had several doctors from the first floor join other practices or sublease elsewhere while this gets resolved," Calvo said. "But it’s been seven weeks and no end is near sight."

The city has agreed to pay Kimmins Contracting Corporation $7.7 million to design and build the new stormwater system. After two years of planning, the project is expected to be completed in 2029.