The historic Sanchez y Haya building in Tampa is nearing a new chapter, as J.C. Newman Cigar Company has begun the final phase of its restoration. The building—once a hotel for cigar workers more than a century ago—has long sat in disrepair but is now being revived with plans to reopen as a hotel and cigar-oriented space in November 2026.
The site traces its roots to 1910, when Serafin Sanchez and the Sanchez y Haya real estate company opened it to house workers from the cigar factory across the street. Christian Klein, great-great-grandson of Sanchez, said the project has required meticulous work. “This all had to be done by hand by a lot of people,” Klein noted. “A lot a love went into this building.”
J.C. Newman Cigar Company, which now owns the factory, has led the effort to preserve the building’s place in Tampa history. “We realized that if we didn’t try to go in and save it and restore it and preserve this piece of Tampa’s history, nobody else could or would,” said company owner Drew Newman.
The building’s past includes chapters as a speakeasy, grocery store, and bar—and even less glamorous stories of crime over the years. The restoration aims to move it into “a wholesome era,” maintaining original character while preparing it for its new role.
“Our only goal for this project is to bring the Sanchez y Haya building back to life so that it looks, and it feels, and it smells just like it did when it opened 115 years ago,” Newman added.
Backed by public funding—including $600,000 from Hillsborough County’s preservation board and $5 million from the Tampa CRA—the $18 million restoration continues to move forward. The building will include a hotel and gift shop when it opens in late 2026.
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