Located in Ybor City, once celebrated as the “Cigar Capital of the World,” the Buckeye Apartments honor the legacy of the smaller cigar-rolling shops from that era. Drawing design inspiration from the original wood cigar factories of the late 1800s, this development seeks to seamlessly blend the district’s historic character with contemporary design elements.

The Buckeye Apartments consist of a new three-story building housing 90 residential units, marking a significant milestone in the revitalization of an underutilized area within the Historic Ybor City District. This urban infill project extends the district’s historic charm into the surrounding neighborhood, contributing to the area’s ongoing transformation.

The design is characterized by three wings that enhance the urban fabric along Palm Avenue, echoing the nearby historic Oliva Cigar Factory. The building’s massing and forms strengthen the architectural character of the area, reinterpreting traditional masonry and wood detailing through a modern lens. The structure is expressed as two three-story wood-framed buildings connected by a central masonry volume, celebrating Ybor City’s tobacco-rolling heritage with features like porches, balconies, and dormers.

While the buildings are designed to complement each other, their distinct massing and detailing break down the development’s scale, creating a more intimate pedestrian experience along a busy road. This design approach respects the neighborhood’s history while introducing innovative features that offer a vibrant, layered expression of past and present.