The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office could move out of its Ybor City location under a land swap proposal presented by developer Darryl Shaw.
According to a news release, the sheriff's office would relocate to a newer, larger facility in Brandon that Shaw is under contract to acquire.
The move would also better connect the current location, at 2008 E. Eighth Ave., with portions of the Ybor City historic district.
Under the proposal, the sheriff's office would move to the current home of Grow Financial at 9927 Delaney Lake Drive, about eight miles away. The location is just south of the Brandon shopping mall, now known as Brandon Exchange, and north of the Selmon Expressway.
Grow Financial recently announced it will move to a new office building that is part of Shaw's Gasworx development in Ybor City. That building is scheduled to break ground this summer.
The County Commission is expected to discuss the proposal during its board meeting on June 20.
“Public safety is and always will be my top priority – without it, nothing else matters,“ County Commissioner Michael Owen said in a news release. “We have an opportunity here to pursue an innovative solution to our Hillsborough sherriff’s aging facilities and provide his team with a home that will serve future generations.”
The sheriff's headquarters, which consists of buildings that were built more than 100 years ago, sits on just over 8 acres at the corner of 21st Street, just south of Interstate 4.
The Grow Financial headquarters, built in 2005, is a five-story building on about 24 acres and nearly twice the size of the sheriff's building, according to the release.
“I support the county’s incredible collaboration with Mr. Shaw to initiate this land swap that will increase efficiencies in the services we deliver to the community, supports future growth and lowers costs for taxpayers,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the release.
According to the release, moving the sheriff's office would provide a "reconnection" of Ninth Avenue to restore the historic street grid and foster redevelopment of the parcels with residential and commercial use."
