Emergency repairs are now underway at the historic Jackson Rooming House in downtown Tampa, days after a portion of the east wall collapsed — and just as long-awaited plans to restore the 124-year-old building were finally gaining traction. “It has held up this long,” said Carolyn Collins, chair of the Jackson House Foundation. “We can’t ask it to do anymore.” The Jackson House, built in 1901, once served as a safe haven for African American travelers during segregation, hosting legendary figures like James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s been closed since 1989 and has steadily deteriorated over the decades. But last week, the Tampa City Council approved a long-awaited 10-foot easement around the building, clearing a critical hurdle that had stalled restoration efforts for years. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/jackson-house-tampa-emergency-repairs-partial-collapse/67-7a051ae2-ca50-4ef9-a493-c584f2f250b5