Exclusive: Feeding Tampa Bay to build massive distribution warehouse

The nonprofit organization Feeding Tampa Bay, which focuses on providing food access to families, plans to build a 181,440-square-foot distribution warehouse in Tampa. 

Feeding Tampa Bay, part of the national Feeding America network, provides food to over one million food-insecure families in the 10-county area of West Central Florida.

The organization’s warehouse will be located within a 62.5-acre site located on the north side of Causeway Boulevard and south of McKay, according to a stormwater application filed by engineering consultant Otero Engineering Inc. 

The property is the largest developable warehouse site within Tampa’s urban core. 

The site plans for the 181,440-square-foot distribution warehouse. Southwest Florida Water Management District.

The site at 4000 Causeway Boulevard is currently vacant. The building, once finished, will include 50,000 square feet of multi-story office space at the south end and occupy 18 acres, according to the application.  

A Feeding Tampa Bay spokesperson said the group is not yet ready to comment on the project. 

The filing comes as Feeding Tampa Bay recently expanded its Trinity Cafe program into Pinellas County. The cafe program is essentially a hub where people can enjoy a hot, plated meal and have access to prepared to-go meals, groceries and benefits assistance screening.

The organization is working with Religious Community Services, St. Petersburg Free Clinic, The Sheppard Center, Helping Hands and other partners. While the cafe model originated in Hillsborough, the plan is to expand it across the 10-county service area.

“We know Feeding Tampa Bay has been looking for a site like this for quite some time. We are so proud to work with them, they serve a great cause,” Ken Morin with Legacy Development Partners told the St. Pete Catalyst. 

The Tampa-based Legacy Development Partners, headed by Morin and Bryan Sykes, are the master developers and owners of the 62.5-acre site. 

Morin told the Catalyst the plan is to build 550,000-600,000 square feet of warehouse space on the massive site. 

Morin said they plan to continue to build the remaining 300,000-plus square footage of warehouse spaces on spec; however, they are in negotiations with several other end-users. 

The group is working with JLL Inc. Managing Director Julia Silva.