Bayshore Gardens Building, 2909 W Bay to Bay Blvd

Bayside Office Building-, 909 Bay to Bay Blvd- from the south. 1962 . Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Bayshore Center Building, 2909 Bay to Bay Blvd- from the south 2024. © Chip Weiner

Bayshore Garden Building, 2909 Bay to Bay Blvd- from the south 2025. © Chip Weiner

The nearly 35,000 sq ft Bayside Office Building began construction in 1959. The structure at 2909 Bay to Bay Blvd. was built by the Alfred S. Austin Construction Company and opened in 1960. One block from Bayshore Blvd., it was five stories tall with a smaller 6th-floor penthouse office. The original lobby featured teakwood and laminated finishes. A cantilevered concrete canopy protected passenger loading and unloading on the front drive. The Bayside Restaurant opened in the building in 1961.

Austin constructed the Boulevard Building next door at 2907 Bay to Bay Blvd in 1963, in front of Bayshore Gardens, to meet demand for additional office space. The 45,000 square-foot, half-million-dollar structure, adjoined to the Gardens Building to form Bayshore Center. In addition, a garden courtyard with a 40-foot reflecting pool between the two structures added to the aesthetic.

Al Austin 1962 . Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Bayshore Buildings Associates, Ltd bought the complex in 1982 for $5 million, with plans for a major renovation. Austin sold it to devote more time to projects on Westshore Blvd and Dale Mabry.

In 1983, Al Pach — the former manager of the Hawaiian Village — and his wife opened Pach’s Place on the building’s first floor, serving hearty breakfasts and casual lunches. The restaurant quickly became a Tampa favorite, known for its friendly neighborhood vibe. Pach’s Place remained a local institution until 2018, when it closed (Al Pach had passed away in 2005) and relocated to another Tampa landmark, the Tahitian Inn on Dale Mabry.

In 2019, acclaimed Tampa chef Jeannie Pierola transformed the Pach’s space into Counter Culture, a 3,700-square-foot restaurant celebrating contemporary flavors and wood-fired grill specialties.

Al Austin 1962 . Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Pach’s Place, 2909 Bay to Bay Blvd., 2009. © Chip Weiner

Counter Culture, 2909 Bay to Bay Blvd., 2022. © Chip Weiner

Charlotte-based real estate investment firm Asana Partners purchased the complex in 2021 for $21 million. Since then, the company has undertaken a significant redevelopment project, including a modernized exterior façade and a reimagined mixed-use concept combining retail, restaurant, and office spaces. The complex is now known as Bayshore Gardens.
Among the new dining destinations are The Barcelona Wine Bar —with a Mediterranean-influenced tapas menu—Maru Rooftop Nikkei—a rooftop cocktail bar occupying the space where the penthouse office stood—and the soon-to-open O-Ku Japanese Restaurant.

Bayside Office Building-, 2909 Bay to Bay Blvd- from the north. 1962 . Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Bayshore Center Building, 2909 Bay to Bay Blvd- from the north 2024. © Chip Weiner

Boulevard Building 2907 Bay to Bay Blvd. 1962 . Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

Bayshore Gardens Building aerial. 1962. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection

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