The George Guida Sr. House in West Tampa

The George Guida Sr. House is the newest home in the first group of this series, but it is already an important West Tampa landmark. Completed in 1952, the residence stands at 1516 N. Renfrew Street beside Macfarlane Park and is recognized for both its Art Moderne design and its association with George Guida Sr.

The City of Tampa describes Guida as a businessman and civic leader respectfully known as “Mr. West Tampa.” He designed the house himself, and his construction company built it.

A 1950s House That Looked Different

The National Register nomination emphasizes how distinctive the house was in a neighborhood dominated by more modest middle-class residences. Its Art Moderne vocabulary included streamlined forms, banks of windows and curved walls, while Guida added highly personal decorative elements such as broken-color tile surfaces and ornate ironwork.

That makes the house a useful reminder that historic preservation is not limited to Victorian mansions or 1920s Mediterranean Revival homes. Mid-century Tampa is part of the preservation story too.

Who Was George Guida Sr.?

Guida was active in business and civic life and devoted significant energy to West Tampa. Preservation records connect his significance to the development and welfare of the community, which is why the house was recognized not only for architecture but also for its association with him.

The home also functioned as a social place. The City says it hosted gatherings, celebrations and civic events, giving the building a community role beyond being a private residence.

The $3.9 Million Restoration

In July 2026, the City of Tampa announced the start of a $3.9 million restoration project. The plan is not simply to preserve the building as an object; the first floor is intended to become a community gathering space with rooms for events, meetings and programming.

The City says the restoration will preserve or reconstruct defining features including the original fireplace, tilework, cabinetry, murals and the property’s heart-shaped driveway. Staff are also using Guida’s original hand-drawn architectural renderings to guide the work.

Why It Closes the First Map

Beginning this series in the 1880s and ending the first group in 1952 shows how much Tampa residential architecture changed in less than 70 years: pioneer farmhouse, Victorian cottage, Neoclassical estate, Mediterranean Revival boom-era houses and finally a highly personal postwar Art Moderne home.

The Guida House also gives the series a preservation story that is happening now. It is not only a home Tampa looks back on; it is a place the city is actively investing in for its next chapter.