PORT TAMPA - In its heyday, Port Tampa was a bustling city with a railroad station, post office, library, city hall and jail.

Through the years, it has changed to become more of a residential haven tucked between MacDill Air Force Base and Old Tampa Bay, with a mix of heavy industrial businesses on the fringes leading to Picnic Island and the port.

Neighborhood leaders for years have been begging for more businesses in that part of town, and two developers recently have heard their cries.

Keystone Homes is planning a retail and residential development near the Port Tampa library building, and the West Shore Commerce Center is planning to build a car wash, gas station, convenience store and strip center along the railroad tracks at Interbay Boulevard, West Shore Boulevard and Commerce Street.

"I am very hopeful," said Jill Buford, president of the Civic Association of Port Tampa. "I don't have any expectations at this point."

She said both projects are at least a year away from breaking ground.

Camille Roberts, a partner with the West Shore Commerce Center group, said the convenience store will feature a deli, wine and coffee shop. There also is room for a 6,750-square-foot strip center that hopefully will house a restaurant, dry cleaner and bank, Roberts said.

A railroad depot and fire station once occupied the property, and residents want the new buildings to be reminiscent of that, Buford said.

"It would fit right in," she said.

Roberts said the group is open to trying that.

She said they are trying to develop the property without waivers or variances to avoid a zoning change and going before the city council.

"We are still at the site-planning stage," she said.

"We want it to be a gathering place," she said. "It is not going to be truck-friendly. It is a very tight site. They will not be able to get trucks in there."

Wayne McClain, president of Keystone Homes, said he plans to build Port Tampa Village, a smaller version of Hyde Park Village, on about 2 acres at 4930 Commerce St. The development will include 10 town houses and nine residences above 10 commercial tenants. He is expected to ask the city council to rezone the property in the fall.

It will be designed to complement the renovated Port Tampa Library, he said.

"We are looking to attract some kind of neighborhood shops," McClain said. "A coffee shop, a restaurant. We want it wide open for neighborhood use."

He hopes residents will walk to the village as opposed to driving to Gandy Boulevard and further clogging the roads.

"Port Tampa has a need," McClain said.

Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109 or msamuels@tampatrib.com.