TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – City and project leaders broke ground on the ‘Gas Worx’ development, Monday.

Kettler Inc. developers said the 50-acre multi-use project is designed to connect Tampa’s Channel District to Ybor City.

“When you think about it, the Channel District terminates at Adamo Drive,” explained Graham Tyrrell with Kettler Inc. “Ybor City really picks up on the other side of Gas Worx. We’re really trying to fill in that gap and make that urban fabric seamless.”

Renderings include nearly 5,000 new apartment units, 500,000 square-feet of office space, and 140,000 square-feet for retail. A food-hall is also planned for a portion of the development.

According to Tyrrell, the new construction will incorporate elements honoring the area’s past.

“Ybor City has this great history and authenticity about it, and we really want to honor that in the new development,” he said. “We want to respect that. Obviously, it’s going to be new construction, but we want to do new construction that reflects Ybor’s history.”

He said the timeline for construction lasts approximately 10 years. Developers expect the first apartment building to open in 2024.