"Based on my experience, I can confidently say that a 1.6 acre parcel on Davis Island on the water is worth two-to-three times more without the existing improvements than with them." Frank Carriera, co-owner of the Mirasol at 84 Davis Blvd., said that to Tampa City Council in January, as Spectrum Bay News 9 reported. The "improvements" in that sentence are a seven-story building that opened as a hotel in 1926.
Most of the island's 1920s Mediterranean Revival character rests on owners choosing to keep it. A few buildings have formal protection, and the rest are covered by a review process that can slow a demolition but cannot promise to stop one. If you're comparing South Tampa neighborhoods because the stucco, arches and tile roofs drew you here, it pays to know which of those layers applies to the block you're looking at.
Three Layers That Sound Alike and Work Differently
People use the word "historic" loosely on Davis Islands, but it covers three separate legal situations.
| Layer | What it is on Davis Islands | What it does when someone files to demolish |
|---|---|---|
| National Register of Historic Places | A 1989 federal multiple-property documentation, "Mediterranean Revival Style Buildings of Davis Islands," that covers a group of 21 buildings with individual entries such as 116 W. Davis Blvd. and 200 Corsica Ave. | For a private owner using no federal funding or permits, listing alone creates no federal restriction on demolition. |
| City of Tampa local landmark | Individually designated buildings such as the Palace of Florence at 45 E. Davis Blvd., designated 2002, and the Palmerin Hotel at 115 E. Davis Blvd., designated 1990. | Exterior design review by the city's preservation commissions covers changes, additions, new construction and demolition. |
| No designation, but over 50 years old | Most of the island's older building stock. Davis Islands is not one of Tampa's four local historic districts, which are Hyde Park, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights and Ybor City. | A demolition application can lead to Historic Preservation Commission review, which can then ask City Council for emergency action. |
The first row offers the least protection of the three. The National Park Service's own FAQ says plainly that listing a privately owned property places no federal limit on what the owner does with it unless federal funding or licensing is involved. National Register status recognizes a building. It does not control what happens to it.
Davis Islands is also not covered by a district-wide local designation the way Hyde Park is. Tampa's 2024 designations book names four local historic districts, and the island isn't one of them. That leaves the third row, the 50-year review, as the protection that actually applies to most of the island.
A House With Every Credential, and a Demolition Approval
The house at 116 W. Davis Blvd. has more credentials than almost any address on the island. It has its own National Register entry, listed August 3, 1989, under the Davis Islands Mediterranean Revival documentation.
On July 15, 2025, Tampa's Historic Preservation Commission confirmed that listing and found the house eligible for local landmark designation. Citing damage from the 2024 storms, it also voted 4–0 to allow a demolition permit, according to Citizen Portal's summary of that commission meeting. The available record shows the approval. It does not confirm whether the house was later torn down.
So a building can be federally listed, judged eligible for local landmark status, and still be cleared for demolition. The review did its job, which was to weigh the building's significance against the cost of keeping it. When the cost was high enough, the commission sided with the owner.
The Mirasol, Which Had None of Those Credentials
The Mirasol shows the same economics in a building with no designation at all. Reporting from the Tampa Bay Times and Spectrum Bay News 9 gives this timeline.
- 1926. The Mirasol opens as a hotel at the corner of Davis Boulevard and Adalia Avenue. It was one of the largest buildings in David P. Davis's island development, with a restaurant and a private marina.
- 1960s. After early financial trouble closed the hotel, it is converted into apartments and passes through a series of owners.
- 2021. Frank and Lindsey Carriera, who live on Davis Islands, buy the building and say they hope to restore it.
- January 2026. The owners propose turning the 58 apartments into up to 118 hotel rooms and a dozen condominiums, with a restaurant and pool. More than 250 people sign petitions or write letters opposing it, citing traffic, parking, noise and construction. Council votes 5-2 against the comprehensive plan amendment, so the building stays residential under its current zoning.
- Week of Oct. 1, 2026. D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. applies for a commercial demolition permit on the owners' behalf, as reported Oct. 1.
- Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. City staff apply for landmark designation, which starts a Historic Preservation Commission process, as the Times reported Oct. 6.
During the January debate, Council chair Alan Clendenin supported the land-use change and laid out the tradeoff: "If it's not economically viable as an apartment building, it is going to be torn down." Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak said approving the rezoning would not have guaranteed the building's survival and that a historic designation would have made a difference, Bay News 9 reported. One council member pointed to the economics and the other to the missing designation. Both were describing the same gap.
What the 50-Year Review Actually Buys
Because the Mirasol has no designation, the protection that applies is the one for older buildings in general. A city spokesperson told Bay News 9 the building would be evaluated for board-level review by the Historic Preservation Commission, a step the code applies when someone applies to demolish a building more than 50 years old. One of the criteria that can lead to emergency action is a building that qualifies for the National Register but isn't listed.
Senior assistant city attorney Susan Johnson-Velez described the next step in a memo quoted by the Tampa Bay Times:
"After a duly noticed public hearing, (the commission) may request City Council to take emergency action to review a threat to the building. Such a request would stay all action to issue a demolition permit for the building until a final determination is made."
The process is permissive at every step. The commission "may" make the request. The request pauses the permit, and Council then makes the final call. When the Times reported on Oct. 1, city records showed the demolition permit awaiting review. By the Oct. 6 report, the landmark application had gone to the commission, and no hearing or Council decision had been reported.
For a buyer, the timing is the lesson. Most of this protection only begins once a demolition application is filed. By then, the economics in the opening quote have usually already been decided.
How This Changes the Way You Read a Davis Islands Address
The Mediterranean Revival house next door, the 1920s building at the end of the block and the view down a tree-lined boulevard are part of what you pay for on Davis Islands. Very little of it is fixed in place. Before you write an offer, these questions are worth answering about the property and its neighbors:
- Does the address have its own designation? A local landmark such as the Palace of Florence or the Palmerin comes with design review. A National Register entry like 116 W. Davis Blvd. records significance but does not restrict the owner.
- If you're buying a landmark, what does design review mean for your plans? Exterior changes, additions and new construction go through the city's preservation commissions. That can protect the look of the house, and it also shapes your renovation timeline.
- What is around you, and how much is the land worth? On a large waterfront parcel, the owner may see more value in the land alone, as the Mirasol testimony shows. If the property next door fits that description, it could change more than the house you're buying.
- Has the property been through storm-related review? The 116 W. Davis Blvd. decision followed storm damage from the 2024 hurricane season, and the Mirasol owners also cited damage from Helene and Milton.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Davis Islands a historic district? Not under the City of Tampa's local designations. The city's four local historic districts are Hyde Park, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights and Ybor City. The federal 1989 Davis Islands documentation covers a set group of 21 buildings, not the whole island.
Does a National Register listing stop a demolition? According to the National Park Service, listing alone places no federal restriction on a private owner unless federal funding or licensing is involved. The 116 W. Davis Blvd. case shows that a listed house can still receive local demolition approval.
Is the Mirasol going to be demolished? As of the Oct. 6, 2026 reporting, that had not been decided. The owners had applied for a demolition permit, and city staff had applied for landmark designation, which goes to the Historic Preservation Commission for review.
This is general information about how Tampa's preservation process works, not legal advice. If a designation, design review or neighboring parcel could affect a purchase, confirm the specifics with a real estate attorney and the City of Tampa's preservation staff.
If the 1920s architecture is why Davis Islands is on your list, I'm glad to help you look into designation status, review history and neighboring parcels for the specific homes you're considering, before you make an offer. James Heeley is happy to walk the island with you. Let's Connect.
