Councilmember Viera Criticizes Delays in Fire Station 24 Construction

TAMPA — Tampa City Councilmember Luis Viera is raising alarm over continued delays in the construction of Fire Station 24, calling the timeline “completely unacceptable” and a failure of city priorities.

Speaking during Thursday’s council meeting, Viera criticized the city administration for pushing back the groundbreaking of the North Tampa fire station to September 2026 — six months later than the already-delayed March 2026 projection. Council approved funding for the project in early 2024.

Viera emphasized that the location for Station 24 had been chosen in coordination with Tampa Firefighters Local 754 and city officials to speed up construction by using city-owned land. “We already owned the land so that it could be built faster,” he said in a statement posted to Facebook.

The project is part of a broader effort to relieve pressure on overburdened fire stations in the area. Viera pointed to the successful conversion of an existing building into Fire Station 25 to provide relief for Station 13, which serves the Busch Boulevard area and was one of the busiest stations in the nation.

Station 24 was intended to be the next step, but Viera said the city has shown a lack of urgency. “There is literally no way to explain this other than this station is not a priority,” he said, noting that a project manager was hired earlier this year to help move the process forward.

“This isn't politics,” Viera added. “This is about doing the right thing for our firefighters and the working class communities of North Tampa.”

Fire Station 24 is expected to serve residents in North Tampa, a fast-growing area of the city. Councilmembers have previously expressed concern that current coverage levels pose risks to both public safety and firefighter well-being.