2 West Tampa cigar factories get new life as apartments, winery
TAMPA, Fla. - Plans call for the Bustillo-Diaz factory on North Albany Avenue to be converted into apartments tentatively named Cigar Lofts on Albany. The developers say the century-old construction will make it a unique place to live.
"We’re looking at potentially 13-foot ceilings with exposed brick walls," says Omar Garcia, of West Tampa Development Group. "That’s not something you see so much in Tampa. We think that’s going to be a very unique product."
It’s virtually next door to the Pendas-Alvarez factory where a company called Wine Stream is already operating a winery and plans to open a wine bar and cigar room.
Both new owners say the West Tampa location was a major factor in purchasing the cigar factories.
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"It’s close to downtown Tampa, close to employment centers, close to educational centers like the University of Tampa and the USF Medical School," says Garcia.
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