Casa Ybor is proud to be one of the driving forces behind the exciting revitalization of the Ybor City National Historic Landmark District of Tampa, Florida.

For decades, Ybor City has enjoyed a reputation as a nationally renowned entertainment district. Casa Ybor is focused on contributing to “The Renaissance of Ybor City” as a diverse, vibrant and sustainable business and residential community.

Our properties include a former cigar factory, 7th Avenue storefronts, new mixed-use properties, historic office and retail spaces, warehouse spaces, and contemporary apartment homes for lease in ideal, walkable locations throughout the District.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Darryl has a passion for seeing the Ybor City historic district revitalize back into one of America’s great neighborhoods.

He is the driving force behind Ybor City’s Gas Worx development – a five million square feet mixed-use project that will link downtown Tampa, the Channel District and the Latin Quarter.

Darryl was Co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of BluePearl Specialty & Emergency Hospital for Pets. He led the company starting in 1996 when he and his brother Neil, a board-certified veterinary internist, opened their first hospital in Tampa. Eventually the pair took BluePearl national, with more than 100 locations. In 2022 Darryl stepped down as CEO to focus solely on Ybor City.

Darryl received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the State of Florida, and was named to the Florida 500, as well the Tampa Bay Power 100 by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Born in South Africa, Darryl is a graduate of Brown University with a degree in international commerce. He also has an MBA in both finance and marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and is a retired Certified Public Accountant.

VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT

As Vice President of Development for Casa Ybor, Avi leads the company’s new real estate development projects and other investments.

Prior to joining Casa Ybor, Avi was a Senior Associate at Magellan Development Group in Chicago, IL where he was responsible for oversight of a master-planned urban development, assessing new opportunities, and other existing projects across the US. Prior to Magellan Development Group, Avi served as Investment Manager at Pangea Mortgage Capital, where he underwrote, closed, and managed structured real estate debt investments. He started his career as an Analyst at Huron Consulting Group.

Avi holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis.

VICE PRESIDENT

Tee Ann Bailey manages operations for Casa Ybor’s commercial and residential properties.

Before joining Casa Ybor, Tee Ann was COO/President for two divisions of Inland Homes, a Tampa-based homebuilding company where she was responsible for overall operations, land acquisitions and strategic management. Prior to that she was the Vice President – Residential of The Wilson Company where she successfully managed a portfolio of over 9400 multi-family units.

Tee Ann graduated from the University of Florida with a BS in Marketing. She holds a Florida Real Estate license, has served on the board of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, and as past Chair of the Board of the Children’s Cancer Center of Tampa where she presently serves as an Executive Board member. A Tampa native, she is passionate about the preservation of the city’s history and culture.

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Zach Murtha works in managing operations and overseeing our commercial divisions. He conducts all in-house renovations and manages all maintenance and vendor partnerships for the company. He is also responsible for obtaining grants from the local jurisdiction for façade repairs and remodels of the company’s historic buildings.

Prior to joining Casa Ybor, Zach held several leadership roles across the country. His primary role prior to joining was managing student housing properties in Tampa, FL, Eugene, OR, Chicago, IL and floating roles that brought him to multiple locations in the US. He was successful in the development of marketing, policies, procedures, and personnel management while continually exceeding metrics year over year.

Zach earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from the University of South Florida, Tampa after serving his country for four years in the United States Navy. While in the Navy, he was responsible for the management of the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, overseeing a team of over 250 sailors and executing daily flight plans for over 100 flights per day.

CORPORATE CONTROLLER

Emily Vinz oversees the accounting and finances for the Casa Ybor’s real estate portfolio.

Before joining Casa Ybor, Emily held several leadership roles for hospital and non-profit healthcare systems overseeing the finance and accounting functions. Emily has had a successful career building strong teams, helping turn around a non-profit healthcare system and overseeing the accounting for some major healthcare real estate transactions. Overall, Emily has over 22 years of accounting, finance and real estate experience.

Emily grew up in California and Colorado but now happily resides in Florida. She has a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Metropolitan State University of Denver.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES DIRECTOR

Carisa Erion is Director of Commercial Properties for Casa Ybor, where she serves as a steward of Ybor City’s historic spaces while overseeing a portfolio of 7th Avenue storefronts, distinctive offices, retail and restaurant locations, industrial properties, and warehouses.

Before joining Casa Ybor, Carisa spent more than 20 years with BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, where she held leadership roles in construction, real estate, and operations. She led teams responsible for new hospital development, major renovations, and equipment installations, while also guiding the growth of multi-specialty and emergency practices. Carisa holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and an MBA in Finance from Wright State University.

Passionate about community and purpose-driven work, Carisa is especially committed to animal welfare, economic empowerment, education, and the environment. A lifelong equestrian, she finds joy and balance in caring for and riding horses, and she brings the same dedication and discipline to her professional and civic endeavors.

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES DIRECTOR

As Residential Properties Director for Casa Ybor, Laura Vince oversees the company’s multifamily portfolio, leading operations, lease-ups, and resident experience initiatives across Tampa’s historic district. With nearly two decades of experience in residential property management, Laura brings both strategic vision and hands-on leadership to every community.

Over the course of her career, Laura has advanced through diverse leadership roles with national and regional property management companies, specializing in new development lease-ups. Her experience spans student, luxury, and mixed-use housing, giving her a broad perspective on market trends and resident expectations. Known for building and leading high-performing teams, she has guided multiple communities from pre-leasing through stabilization while driving occupancy growth and enhancing the resident experience.

A Florida girl through and through, Laura was born in Jacksonville, studied fine arts at the University of Florida in Gainesville, and now calls Tampa home.