TAMPA – Visitors viewed “then and now” images from the Great Depression of Tampa’s Ybor City in an event on October 22, 2024 at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts.
Photo Ybor: Then and Now showcases the city’s slum clearance efforts, now known as Urban Renewal, a significant transformation that’s changed residences, businesses, and culture. Newly digitized images were shown side by side, as viewers learned about the history behind some of the early images.
Florida Studies Curator, Andy Huse explained when the Urban Renewal shift took place. “Some people say Urban Renewal really began in Ybor City in 1890 because all the original company housing was built with no paint or any kind of primer and they were all eaten by termites.”
The initial decisions around rebuilding the city, which was going through urban renewal, changed. “Promises were made when they tore down these homes that things were going to be rebuilt, especially for folks who lower income. For the most part, that did not happen, at least in the spaces they said it was going to be,” describes Chip Weiner, Photojournalist and Commercial Photographer behind Photo Ybor: Then and Now.
Tampa residents attended the event to learn about the history of the city. “Ybor City is continuing to experience a shift. One, in particular, is the evolution of the Gas Worx area, a section of the city initially made for lower-income housing.
“It’s fascinating to learn about the evolution of the city of Tampa, specifically Ybor City. I’m relatively new to Tampa, and I love being able to see Chip Weiner’s images side by side. What I love most is learning about what was planned for the city, what was brought to life, and how the city will continue to evolve over time,” said Stephanie Carper, a new Tampa resident.
The museum, also known as FMoPA, “is a museum dedicated to exhibiting important photographic art as central to contemporary life and culture.” Photo Ybor: Then and Now is being showcased through November 17, 2024.