YBOR CITY, Fla. — Another link to Ybor City’s past was unearthed this week with the discovery of an underground tunnel by demolition crews.
- Underground tunnel discovered in Ybor City
- Entry to tunnel found on 12th Street and 6th Ave.
- Use of tunnel remains a mystery
Crews were tearing down a warehouse on 12th Street and Sixth Ave. on Tuesday when they spotted an entry to the tunnel. The area was sealed off from the public.
Gerry Curts, the president of the Curts Gaines Hall Jones architecture firm, wasn’t surprised by the discovery. The building which houses his firm, which is just a block away from the site, has an entry way to another tunnel believed to part of the same underground system.
“One of the theories is this was done by the City of Tampa, but actually used by the mob and used for illicit purposes,” Curts said.
Curts took news crews to the basement of his building where the opening to the nearby tunnel could be seen through a hole in the wall. Casey Corwin, who works nearby, tagged along to get a glimpse of Ybor City’s underground past.
“We were always very curious so when we tore down the building, I got here as quick as I could because I wanted to know,” Corwin said. “It's so much history and trying to determine what these tunnels are for, I think, is key.”
No one has said for certain what the tunnels were used for and that remains the subject of much debate.
“When we know exactly when they were built, then we'll be able to figure out exactly what they were used for,” said Greg Milton, a tour guide with the Tampa Bay Tour Company.
“They’re a part of Ybor City history,” said Curts. “We should be happy that we found them.”