Well, I like the overall idea, but the street level open parking is pretty bad for a downtown building. They could at least cover up the street side of it with something better than fences.

Oh, and the Franklin Residences building is actually 9 stories, not 8. There are public spaces (a gym, a kitchen, two baths, a reading room and a big deck with jacuzzi) up there on the 9th floor.

that's good, but they still need to cover that parking up from the sidewalk. That sucks.

Since I'm such a swell guy (lol!), I went ahead and rendered the building out a little.


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/8residences_on_franklin_st_rendered.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tampasmiles/images/franklinproject1.jpg



I think I did ok...

The overall building is just mediocre, but the fences are TACKY. Someone should be ripped of his architecture liscence for that.

NIcely done Jasonhouse. I like the building overall, if they would just cover the parking (at least most of it) so that you aren't looking at parked cars as you walk down the street. that is absurd.

The lack of any real street interaction is a real shame. But I do like the overall style of the building. I think that it will be different, yet generally in context of its surroundings. And remember, my colors are probably off. The real thing will surely look better.

Except for when you are choking on fumes out front.

I still don't like the spot, but I guess I have no choice:
History Center Updating Digs
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com BY: By JANIS D. FROELICH
Published: Feb 19, 2004







TAMPA - A longtime dream of history buffs and museum browsers is nearing reality as the Tampa Bay History Center prepares to build a $17 million permanent home on the banks of Garrison Channel.
At 11 a.m. Feb. 26, a $6.3 million grant check will go to the city to purchase additional property at Cotanchobee-Fort Brooke Park for the new history center. The center will occupy about one-third of that 2.4 acres, the rest will go to the park.

It won't be any staid check passing.

``It will be a celebration,'' said Rob Blount, president of the center.

The celebration will culminate in the construction of a three-story museum at the Channel District park in the next two to three years. The total cost of the project is about $19 million.

It has been a long journey for the history center, which has moved from place to place, always with the goal of having its own building.

In the history center's library in an annex of the Tampa Convention Center at 225 S. Franklin St., Elizabeth L. Dunham points out the worn red carpet squares.

``We bought this at a bargain basement price never dreaming it would have to do for so many years,'' said Dunham, the center's director of collections and exhibitions.

Dunham was referring to the suitcase existence of a place where 30,000-plus historic objects are housed.

The Tampa-Hillsborough County History Museum wasn't incorporated until 1989. After starting on Harbour Island, it moved to TECO Plaza before moving to the Convention Center in 1996.

Meanwhile, the gems from people's closets and garages have been trickling into the 6,000-square-foot center. The items range from yellowed paper programs to antique motor vehicles with the larger pieces in storage off premises.

``We have a lot of pioneer families in the third and fourth generations living in Hillsborough County,'' said Blount.

``But what we accept isn't willy-nilly,'' Dunham said. ``We have a collecting plan in the works. While people do drop things off here, they must be items very specific to our mission.''

The museum's inventory is 100 percent Florida- or Hillsborough County-related.

The staff has found inventive ways to display what isn't stored in various warehouses. One example is a wall hanging of cigar boxes at the entrance.

Opened individually, the boxes each contain a photograph from Tampa's past as a thriving cigar manufacturing hub. Next, one can pull out drawers and go through about 100 years of the Tampa Bay area's past.

One drawer includes a cigar cutting tool, a 1890s crumb tray used to freshen up dining tables at the Plant Hotel, Spanish American War belt buckles, and a Florida Brewing Co. water bottle.

Other drawers hold such items as a Floridian Hotel guest care package filled with personal grooming products, a 1943 Western Union telegram about a World War II missing soldier and a Super Bowl XXXVII pin.

``We live in an eclectic county,'' said Rodney Kite-Powell, curator at the History Center. ``We use anything to tell the story.''

Walking to moveable shelves filled with a collection of cameras, Kite-Powell chuckled, ``We have about 10 times more old cameras in storage.''

The center also has lots of early Florida souvenirs. Dunham finds the sewing thimbles, shot glasses, spoon rests and other kitschy things a reflection of the state's tourism traffic through the years. ``That's what so perfect about our staff,'' she said. ``We bring our interests into the collection as well, so in many ways we're just like our visitors.''

For example, Dunham said when the Cracker Village wooden shanty was erected in the middle of the center, Kite- Powell insisted on playing Florida folk music. ``Rodney has an interest in music, where I wouldn't have really thought about that touch,'' Dunham said.

Dunham said a fine arts mover will be involved after the center's staff does the initial packing.

The staff is also going through items to refresh their memories. ``You forget what you have when it's been in a box for so long,'' said Dunham.


Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.

http://centraltampa.tbo.com/centraltampa/MGAQ1PX2UQD.html

Any one know where i can get some info on that amphitheater being built on the fairgrounds? BTW you guys ready for the night parade?:drunk: :dooby:

lol... I am stuck working at the night parade. I have to supervise the Palm Garage. Bletch... At least I get the other major events off, like the Gasparilla invasion and parade, Gauvaween and New Years Eve.




Regarding the History Center. I guess it's a good location in that it will really help to span that dead spot behind the Forum with activity spilling over into the park. And at least the Lightning control the last available parcel at Meridian and Channelside (currently a VIP surface lot). They could easily build a sizable retail base, with a condo or hotel tower above. With logical tie-ins to the Forum and the events held there, the marketing would be a cinch. Hell, if they were smart, they would market something like that right when the Lightning are hot (like now), and give away like 4 season tickets with each reservation or something... Real fans would buy in, just for the free parking...lol

Construction pics of a couple Intl Plaza projects...


The new hotel...
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/514/8tampa_rennaissance_hotel_intl_plaza.jpg


Corporate Center 3 on the right, finishing up...
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/514/8tampa_corp_center_2_3.jpg

Maybe a bit off topic here, but I spoke with a supervisor of the trolley line. He said they have budgeted and are going to extend the trolley line 5/8 of a mile up to Whiting st. He said it is going to be done this year. There is a second phase that extends it up to Polk. all of it running straight up Franklin.

Only thing I don't like about this, is that they are going to tear up that really nice pedestrian area just north of whiting to run the trolley through. It is not a very large area, so I think they will have a hard time making it as nice as it is now, once the trolley runs through there.

Also, the trolley's scheduale now, is they have to run from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes. Once the line is extended they will still have to get from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes.The trolleys are just going to run a little faster. He claims most of his guys can run the entire line, as it sits now, in 12 minutes.They will speed the trolley up once the line is extended. So at least they are not adding time to the already slow trolley.

He also stated that the federal gov't approved our light rail system. Not really sure what that means, but it sounds "Good"

Can't remember the gentleman's name, but he was very cool to talk to to. He was very pro urban development and mass transit. It's nice to know there are a few people out there that want to see Tampa mature into a "city".

It's really more like 5/16 of a mile up to Whiting, if that. They must be using that "doubletrack" math again.

I was also a little concerned about ripping up that nice brick landscaping from Whiting to Jackson, but the trolley has to go somewhere, and there's no better place than right up Franklin.

By no means should they ever tear up that plaza - that is the only decent place in all of downtown to hang. That is not a price anyone should be willing to pay.

These idiots from the trolley (and mind you I have supported it from the very begining) are going to cut off their noses to spite their faces. They can easily go up Florida or Tampa (probably Florida, and save that area.) They will never be able to fix downtown if they have that idiotic do-it-on the-cheap mentality - and I think I should start writing annoying letters to the city council telling them so.

If not Franklin, then it should clearly go up Tampa St. I don't feel that Florida should even be a consideration, given that it is already sandwiched between Franklin and Marion.

The thing is, if the trolley runs up any other street besides Franklin, then that means yet another N-S rd in DT will be sacrificed for pedestrians and mass transit. Does anyone want to see 3 of DT's roads effectively closed to vehicular traffic? Remember, it's not like that little area along Franklin couldn't be redone. I'm sure they would only run a single track from Whiting to Kennedy anyways. I'm sure they can snake a 16ft ROW through there without trashing the place, and without breaking the bank.

(if they do send it up Tampa or Ashley St, hopefully they would be smart enough to align the tracks on one side of the ROW, and hopefully 2-3 car lanes on the other. Running the trolley right down the middle would be the worst option IMO)

I'm sure teh surface parking lot will be less of an eyesore.

Historic shopping mecca due for fall
By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published February 27, 2004


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAMPA - Once hailed as the greatest shopping mecca south of Jacksonville, the Maas Bros. building at 612 N Franklin St. now is viewed by the city as a historic eyesore.

"It is a hazard. It is a public nuisance. It should be demolished," Curtis Lane, Tampa code enforcement director, told the City Council on Thursday. "It cannot be rehabilitated."

The city condemned the building in 2000 after an inspection found the ceilings and roof falling.

"If there's a fire, firemen won't go in for safety (reasons)," Lane said.

To demolish the home of one of Florida's legendary retail giants will cost the city $450,000, Lane said. That's in addition to $24,000 for an asbestos survey and $200,000 to remove the asbestos, he said. The city has spent $19,500 to remove awnings that posed a hazard.

German brothers Isaac and Abe Maas came to the United States in the mid 1870s. Abe moved to Tampa in 1886 and opened the Dry Goods Palace at Franklin and Twiggs streets. Isaac soon followed from Ocala. The two created Maas Brothers.

In 1991, Maas Bros. closed when its parent companies, Allied Stores Corp. and Federated Department Stores Inc., went bankrupt.

"It's a heartbreak," said council Chairwoman Linda Saul-Sena. "You can't go up and down Franklin Street without feeling like its negative energy pulls it down."

The property owners said they can't afford to demolish the building, Lane said, so the burden falls on the city.

Council members agreed to explore what legal options they have for a judge to order the owner to demolish the building or pay a fine. The city's legal department will look into what steps must be taken for the city to acquire the deed for the property and move forward with demolition.

Saul-Sena suggested asking the city for money from the sale of city property known as the 12th Street Yard, along Twiggs, to help pay for the Maas Bros. building demolition.

She said "look at it as an investment to improve downtown."

The city would get a return on its money after selling the lot, she said.

"Our city money could get tied up on that impending lot for years," said council member John Dingfelder.

"We are stuck right now and we need to get off the dime," Saul-Sena said. "This building is a blight on our downtown."

The council plans to discuss the demolition again next week.

[Last modified February 27, 2004, 01:31:31]

Can't you repair a roof? Something sounds very fishy about this whole thing. What does the city have planned for this area that includes the Maas Brothers site. The roof was falling in on old Regency Tower in Lakeland too, the city wanted to demolish it and called it an eyesore too. Fortunately, thousands of residents protested it and force the city to fix the roof and market it for redevelopment. Now its being restored into a 77 unit apartment building with street level retail space. Even the huge Book-Cadillac Hotel & the Michigan Central Station in Detroit, both of which have been vacant for decades, are now on the verge of being restored. The only reason they still stand today is because that city didn't have the money to pay for their demolitions.

This whole thing will be a setback for that area. Franklin Street is already an empty shell of what it once was. Its weird to look an older city the size of Tampa, with loads of historical significant buildings in its neighborhoods, but hardly any in its downtown core.

As for the trolley.

Its definately time to expand it into the downtown core. However, if their going to extend it up Franklin, then why the hell does the new streetscape project on Franklin not allow room for future trolley tracks? It seems like a big waste of money to rip up the newly laid sidewalks, concrete & landscaping. That seems very shortsighted and I'm suprised no one in the Tampa area seems to care.

I also don't see a problem with running it up Tampa or Florida Streets. Just close of one of the 4 lanes and use it for the line. How difficult and expensive is that?

Running it up Florida would be asinine, because the Marion St busway is only one block away. If that was the case, just run the trolley up Florida and have it terminate on Whiting, between Florida and Marion. People could transfer to the busses then.

I think that it should either run up Franklin or Ashley. I think the best option would really be Ashley, but linking up with the existing line is much more cumbersome. I hope at a later time they run a second spur up Jefferson, across Washington a block, and then up Marion all the way to the bus terminal.

I say run the trolley over the Kennedy Bridge towards U of Tampa. There needs to be more of a connection from that side of the bridge to downtown and Channelside.

If they run it throught the Franklin fountain area, I will oppose it. There is no law that you can't go up Florida or Tampa. As far as I am concerned, if they run ste street car up through downtown, the Marion Street thing should go. They should probably run the street car up marion - the road is already closed.

If you have ever sat at the Marion street thing, you surely know how much it sucks.

That's been my thoughts about it for a long time... If they've got the cash and the forsesight, run it up Ashley and Marion, using those Marion bus funds to help offset the costs.

But, if they're going to cheap out and only run one spur into the core, then I think that it must be up Franklin. They can shut down the Marion St thing as soon as the trolley is extended up into DT, so far as I'm concerned.

Just like with Maas Borhters and so many other things - how many times will Tampa allow itself to detroy what is already known as good to chase a rainbow instead of working how to integrate what is good with the future. You take out that plaza on Franklin and you are crazy. If they need to spend a littl moeny to go around it, they damn well better otherwise they might as well have a street car runing by all the surface lots where all the buildings onece were because no one will be around.

OK, then go with one up Franklin-Whiting-Ashley. It hits most of the tourist friendly attractions, while also passing close enough to UT to lure a few riders (pedestrian bridge sure would help. hint, hint), and within a block of several office towers. That path would also allow for stops proximal to thousands of garaged parking spaces.

I asked why they couldn't run the trolley up Ashley. I was told that they couldn't do it because of the glass overhang for the Art museum.(you know, the one that was supposed to be started two years ago).
I don't know why they couldn't go up the east side of Ashley . I don't think the over hang goes that far east.

^That's a poor excuse, since the trolley already runs under the Lee Roy Selmon. Since the Museum is still on the drawing board, that canopy could easily be modified to accommodate the trolley or they could just run it up the eastside, like you said.

They won't change the route because it is easier to destroy a nice space in Tampa than change the route and the people backing the streetcar are too singleminded to see the idiocy of their ways. They would rather screw up downtown than make it better. They think the streetcar is the panacea and they will jsut make a mess.

just drove down Meridian. they are tearing up the landscaping right now, on the block north of Channelside.

though I don't agree with what they are doing with the trolley, I think the Meridian project is going to be great for Channelside. just wish they could have gotten ALL of the RR tracks removed.

Reassess Con Agra's land, thus jacking thier property taxes to the roof. No more mill, no more tracks.

As it is, I don't see them going anywhere for at least 10 years, as they have no financial reason to. Thier plant is sitting on land which will only become more and more valuable, why leave now?




Also, I thought that the only future alignment in place for the trolley was that it will soon be extended up to Franklin/Whiting? I thought after that point that they hadn't yet identified which ROW they will use to go up through the core?

Perhaps they have identified Franklin as the ROW, which would explain developer's sudden interest in parcels along it. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that I was behind on my info. :)

Factory Could Become Lofts


HYDE PARK - Lofts could rise where bread once baked.

Hyde Park's Wonder Bread factory, closed since January 2003, likely will be refurbished and converted into 33 lofts. The building was constructed in 1926.

``It has some historic significance. It's a landmark structure,'' said David Smith, who will represent the developer of the nearly 70,000-square-foot factory at 420 S. Dakota Ave. ``The building also has some nice character to it.''

But LandCraft Development, the company spearheading the project, is proposing more than just lofts: near the factory, LandCraft also hopes to build 12 town houses, a 16-unit condominium building and four single-family homes.

In all, 65 units would be built on 3.033 acres, Smith said.

The matter will come before city council tonight, as the site must be rezoned to allow for the use.

Melicent Brams, who lives just a few doors from the project, said the developers have ``gone out of their way to meet with neighbors and try to bring them up to date.''

LandCraft representatives met with Hyde Park homeowners Feb. 17 to discuss the project. The only major concerns involved traffic and parking, Brams said.

``I'm very, very aware of the inherent problems in the neighborhood as far as traffic and parking and things like that, but you can't expect one developer to solve all the problems,'' she said.

As many as 115 parking spaces may be available for the 65 units, enough to satisfy requirements without needing waivers or variances for the site, Smith said.

He also said that traffic problems were worse when the factory was in operation and that now Hyde Park won't have to deal with bread trucks rumbling through.

Jeanne Holton Carufel, president of the Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, said that as a whole, the project is positive for the neighborhood.

``I think they've done a beautiful job in design and layout,'' she said.

The lofts would vary greatly in size, at a minimum of 1,000 square feet, and cost $200,000 to $400,000, said James Landers, LandCraft's chief executive officer.

The four-story condominium building would be at the corner of Horatio Street and Oregon Avenue. Units would be anywhere from 1,400 to 2,600 square feet and would cost roughly $250,000 to $350,000, Landers said.

The four single-family houses would be located on Dakota, just south of the factory. They will be two stories each, average 2,500 square feet, and cost $500,000 or more, Landers said.

Meanwhile, Landers said, the 12 town houses on Oregon would average 1,850 to 2,000 square feet and cost about $300,000.

That project seems to have evolved into something a littel bigger and better than what it origionally was going to be. Either that or the details have gotten better in each successive news story about it.

I have two thoughts on the mill. First, their assessment will get jacked soon enough. Let them develop it.

Second, I have a feeling they might want to leave the tracks just in case some light rail (which as presently planned is supposed to run on preexisting tracks) ever gets built - it will shoot the line near the Forum and Channelside - a nice spur if you ask me.

I agree. Leave the tracks for now. They are too costly to replace at a later time.

I'm still wondering when the city of Tampa will wake up and realize...most young people can't afford $300,000 townhomes. I mean, they're turning downtown, channelside, and hyde park into a glorified country club. This is absured!

The city does not set the price. IF the market will bear it, then it will bear it.

Anyway, there are a bunch of project for 150K-250K, you just have to look.

The city does have influence during the approval process. Things could be changed a little, if they really wanted to. The real key to keeping prices reasonable, is to encourage larger projects, which help keep demand down to a reasonable level.

I see no reason why the city should restrict the development. What city does not want a zone of expensive, dense development to tax and grow? There are other areas where such development can occur. Moreover, like I said, there are condos between 150-250k in Channelside. Cheaper condos will be smaller condos, if the market wants that, they will come, but the market - land prices, taxes, development costs, mortgage rates, consumers, will determine that. I would be shocked if the city intentioanlly forced developers to build cheaper stuff in Channelside.

That's what the Tampa Heights developments are for. Civitas anyone?

The point I'm making Smiley is that the city wants desperately to shape its self for the future. They want to attract young professionals and creative types so Tampa can compete with cities like Austin, Seattle, San Fran, and Boston.

Sure, the weather is great, but what do those cities have we dont? Urban neighborhoods full of young, hip, and creative people. If we keep developing our urban areas with $250k condos, we're pushing our young and creative people to other places. How many people in the bars in clubs on Friday night do you think can afford a $250k condo? And even if they could afford the 150k joint, why would they if it's no bigger than my walk-in closet!

I'm saying Tampa needs more rental development. More apartments over businesses, urban rental communities, and lower costs to bring in the artists, musicians, writers, etc. These are the people that bring the urban vibe so many cities desperately want! Tampa needs to cater to that, or they will never have it and 20 years from now be wondering why all the young people choose Orlando or Jacksonville over here.

Sure, urban development, but I doubt it will be in Channelside. Moreover, Tampa is not Austin - it is not a state capital and home of the biggest University in the state. It is not Boston, which is an old city or SF or Seattle which have different topography. I am not opposed to the idea, I doubt it will be in Channelside. Like I said, Tampa Heights or north Franklin or somewhere is a possibility. Civitas anyone?

By the way, have you seen how much Boston and SF cost? Tampa is very cheap by comparison. Try finding a $150k apartment that is not a closet there

University of South Florida, to my understanding, is now the largest university in the state of Florida.

But anyway....the point I'm making is that the city of Tampa would love to compete with other major cities to lure people, companies and jobs. But most people don't move to new cities because of jobs anymore. Society is now moving to places they see the most opportunity for creativity and places they can live a certain lifestyle. For example...you don't move to Austin for the great beaches and pro sports. You go there because it's funky, it's urban, and it's very tolerant. Call it the Greenwich Village of Texas. They move there because maybe they like the urbanity of NYC, but would rather be in the warmer climates of Austin.

Tampa could very well compete with these places. We have great weather, great beaches, great sports teams, and the largest university in the state. Maybe the civitas thing was the answer. I'm not sure what is. Sure, it doesn't have to be in Channelside. But I'll say it again, we need more rentals in our urban communities. We need places young professionals who go out every weekend can live. Places these young professionals can walk to, enjoy coffee, mingle outside of restaurants. I don't deny the demand for upscale housing. But I suggest a stronger demand for affordable and rentable housing.

As for San Fran and Boston living expenses, sure, some parts are out of control. But there are those funky urban neighborhoods that have controlled rental rates and have become the "hip, hot spots" of those cities because they are the most diverse neighborhoods in those cities. A great example is the Upper East Side in Manhattan. Near Columbia U. Great neighborhoods, very urban, and still affordable by NYC standards.

Anyone know where that hotel in downtown is gonna be built?:dunno:

on page 1 it says groundbreaking in march.:?

^ that 20 story Westin Hotel is supposed be constructed on a vacant lot, on the SE corner of Franklin & Channelside, right in between the Convention Center and the St. Pete Times Forum.

I work next door, overlooking the site. There is no work of any kind going on right now. In fact, they are still parking monthlys, meaning that no site prep is happening until at least next month. Groundbreaking is already put off until at least mid-May IMO.

This may be a good thing, as perhaps the Convention center folks are realizing that the land in question is the lynchpin to any worthwhile expansion of the center.

Originally posted by dvstampa

More apartments over businesses, urban rental communities, and lower costs to bring in the artists, musicians, writers, etc. These are the people that bring the urban vibe so many cities desperately want! Tampa needs to cater to that, or they will never have it and 20 years from now be wondering why all the young people choose Orlando or Jacksonville over here.

Right now Tampa is trying to develop an artists community in Northern Ybor. North of I-4 area. They want to have rent control, so that as the property values go up, the artists will still be able to afford it. the city wants to start the program and offer it to artists of all forms, painters, writers,sculpters, musicians. I don't have a whole lot of info on it, I just know about it from watching the city council meetings and seeing the organizers of the program present it to the council.

Maybe you could write the city council. Let them know you are interested in the program, and get more info if this sounds like something that might interest you.

I am trying to run down info on the Hotel, but I am not getting much response. I will update that when I find out. Same with the Meridian.

AS for other things - they are driving pilings at the Alagon, Victory Lofts is about at the 4th floor, One Bayshore seem to be at about 7 or 8th floor, there is a sign up at the lot for the Franklin Residences and at CCX. I have not gotten to teh Art Center Lofts to see how far they are. I also noted a whole lot of sand and equipment all over Channelside. I am not sure if they are leveling lots for construction or putting in utilities or what. Very odd.

Fianlly, I can confim the work on Meridian, which is really bizarre looking after so many years of it being blocked off. I think it will make a huge difference when it is done. It changes teh geography of downtown completely and will easily integrate Channeslide and downtown, especailly when the Kennedy bridge comes down, even if some of the Channelside stuff does not get built yet, the entire mindset will change. There are government offices one block off Meridian on Kennedy and Twiggs - it used to be the end of downtown, now it will not.

About the Meridian:

They expect to start work in april with 10 month construction time. Excellent.

Still working on the other stuff.

Art Center Lofts is one story up and very odd - it is a cinder block building so far - odd for five stories.

You can go 5 stories on cinder blocks, but I think that the walls have to be reinforced (rebar)and have the webbing filled with concrete.

I wonder if the floors/ceilings will be poured or precast?

Did you walk around the Victory Lofts site, or just drive by?

I walked over from work one Sunday afternoon, and snuck my way into the site. Very cool. The one interesting thing I noticed was that there are post-stressed steel cables run all throughout each floor/ceiling slab. I really dont' know if this is a common thing in this type of construction, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

Just drove by and they were working.

I know you can go 5 floor with cidner block, but why? Sure, it they do it in Pakistan or something and fits in nicely, but in the US?

A final note for now, the Seaport Town Center project is apparently still alive. They tell me they are shooting for breaking ground in about a year (they are dragging along) - and note - it is all rental.

Hey Smiley...what is the Seaport Town Center project? I have not heard of that one yet.

Have you or Jasonhouse had the chance to check out Ybor lately? They look like they've started work on a Hampton Inn on the western edge of 7th Ave. Do you guys think this is a good idea? Also, I was given word that the city council is trying to change Ybor to 21 and up. Again, good idea? or not?

Haptom Inn has been U/C for a few months actually.

There are several small projects around Ybor underway, mostly towhouses and shotgun houses in southern Ybor.

I think making Ybor 21 and up is counterproductive, unless they are also going to quit handing out liquor liscenses.

That Hampton Inn has been under construction ofr liek a year - I don't know why it is taking so long.

I don't understand what you mean by making Ybor 21 and up - how can they stop people with kids walking teh street.

Make all establishments after like 9pm be 21 and up only. Or maybe fence it off Guavaween style? It's a half-cocked plan either way.

No...no...no... They are talking about making all the bars and clubs 21 and up. Meaning, that's the only way you can keep your liquor License.

Part of me likes the idea... Most of my friends complain that the crowds tend to be young. But the other part of me is afraid that it would push even the good and successful clubs out. My suggestion is to add more police, maybe even on horseback. And stop the young thugs from loitering. I don't think the problem is inside these places...I think the problem is on the street, walking from the parking lots to your destination.

I think a bar is a bar and unless it is just a neighborhood bar it should be 21 and up (if that is the drinking age, which I oppose but that is another argument).

In any event, all this handwrining about Ybor is silly. Why don't they just let it grow organically. You can have more than one entertainemnt district in town and you can have more than one kind of entertainemnt, but it helps to have people living nearby - that's what they really need.

a final note: 1000 Channelside is allgedly set to start within a couple of months.

The only way I support making Ybor 21 and up is if they allow people to take drinks into the street, like Bourbon st. Maybe extend last call till at least 4am as well. If you are going to take something away, you have to give some thing in return.

Personally I wish they would let you take drinks into the street now. As I am a bit older than most Ybor patrons, I don't enjoy clubs. The bars are ok, but mostly I like to go people watch and enjoy the atmosphere. Ideally, for me, would be to get a drink, sit on a bench, smoke a cigar and people watch. If they don't want you drinking on the street there should be more bars with open fronts like King Corona.
At least that way I could be outside enjoying Florida's beautiful weather while "taking in" Ybor

Had a chance to stop on Bayshore and take a couple of pictures today (couldn't get to Channelside - maybe some other day)

First up is One BAyshore - for those of you who do not know where it is, this picture will not help that much but on the extreme right of teh consturction, there is a building in the background - the Beige 400 N. ashley - One BAyshore is very near downtown but my battery died before I could take a context shot)
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tampasmiles/images/bayshore%20one%203-3-04.jpg

The second shot is across that little bay between DT, Bayshore, Davis Is., and Haroub Is looking at harbour Island - you can see the Parkcrest construction nicely here, I think (please note that One BAyshore is right on the water across from all that
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tampasmiles/images/harbour%20island%203-3-04a-resize.jpg

I just have to say that if they build three condos right behind the Grand View (the tall one on Harbour Island) htat place is going to fill out nicely.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that.

But not as much as seeing those six 300 footers go up in Channelside.

So I was looking at this architect website listed in a Miami thread and I found this:

//. Imperial Towers Condominiums

• Two 21 Story luxury condominium towers
• 3 level parking garage
• Health/Fitness Club
• Conference Rooms
• Restaurants
It is macromedia so you have to go here:
http://www.borgesarchitects.com/Boges_index.html

and keep clicking till you get it.

Yes, that particular project completely evaded my radar screen.

I have no idea what this project might be - it is waterfront which means it must be Channelside or Harbour Island, but where - no clue. MAybe it was there and then gone . . .

Perhaps this is the project the port is working on for north of its HQ, that has yet to be released to the public. I heard about that, along with the fact that they are looking into filling in parts of the moorings along Ybor Channel, so that they could develop the land. They're also supposedly working on widening the shipping lane in some manner, and are getting ready to get the ball rolling on the next cruise terminal.

2 Developers Will Make Franklin Street Home
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Mar 10, 2004
TAMPA - A pair of residential developments are planned for downtown, bringing a glimmer of hope to efforts by the city to attract more people to live in the central business district.
The two developments would comprise fewer than 50 units, but both could help revitalize a section of North Franklin Street that long has been ignored by residential developers.
The smaller development would convert the Badcocks Home Furnishing Centers at 1219 N. Franklin St. into the Arlington, a restored complex of 11 residences upstairs and 10 mixed-use units downstairs.
Architect Stephanie Ferrell, whose offices are nearby at 1110 N. Franklin St., is the developer. Arlington prices are expected to range from $140,000 to $320,000, with construction scheduled to begin this summer after the lease expires for the furniture store.
The larger project, the Residences on Franklin, would have 34 units. It's being developed by accountant Luciano Prida, who has restored offices next door at 1106 Franklin St.
``It will be a melting of the old with the new,'' said Dallas Coffield of Smith & Associates Realtors, which is brokering the sales for both developments. ``Franklin has always been a natural to have residences because it is away from the bustle of downtown offices.''
For the Residences on Franklin, construction is planned for this summer on two levels of parking plus six levels of residences. Prices are expected to range from $215,000 for a one-bedroom unit to more than $300,000 for two bedrooms. The site, a vacant lot at 1108 N. Franklin St., now is a parking lot for the employees at Prida's accounting firm.
The two developments represent the latest step in a hoped for rebirth of living space in downtown. The 42- unit Art Center Lofts is under construction near North Doyle Carlton Drive and West Laurel Street near the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.
http://tampatrib.com/businessnews/MGAFG65WMRD.html

Can someone give me an idea where these "Art Center Lofts" will be located? I drove around Laurel St. the other day and couldn't find any development going on...except for what looked like an addition to that condo tower already there next to the Holiday Inn. Can someone point me in the right direction?

The Art center lofts are next to the condo, between it and the river. It is right before you go under the interstate. They are about at one story now - cinder block construction.

There is also the school being built on the side of the PErforming Arts Center donw near there.

I am more enthused about the renovation of the Badcock building. Finally, a building being renovated for a new use.

Ah...I noticed that construction, but it seemed to be more of an expansion of that pink building. Speaking of which...what is that pink building? I know they are condos, but are the nice? One would think, with the views of downtown, they would be the hottest selling residencies in town. Aside from the waterfront property already on Bayshore and Harbour Island.

I'm excited about the Franklin St. development as well. I think this street has some real potential to bring more streetlife to downtown Tampa.

That building is called Laurel Place or One Laurel Place. I forget which.

It was built back around 1980 I think, and was supposed to have a second tower (which is now where Arts Center Lofts is going).

A couple of updates:

1) Embassy Suites downtown - no ground breaking date set because apparently there is some issue with right of way for the street car andthe site plan. They are working on it now and hope to have it resolved soon

2) twin 9-story condos in Channelside - doing the preconstruction work (final drawings and stuff) Hope to be done with that in 4 mths.

Cool. I was actually kind of hoping that the hotel was stalled because of potential expansion plans, but I'm fine with it either way. I just hope that the base includes some retail and a few restaurants that open out onto Franklin and the transit plaza. I thought it was tremendously stupid not to require this of the design for the Marriott.

It's been quite here, so I thought I would just throw out an update.
They are starting to take apart the buildings at the Fogarty Van property(NE corner of Channelside and Beneficial). There are four metal roofed buildings there, Three have had the roofs taken off. Hopefully the buildings will be down in the next week or so.

Sorry, I don't have more exciting news!

Building Developer, Neighbors Come To Terms On Complex
By JOSH POLTILOVE jpoltilove@tampatrib.com
Published: Mar 20, 2004




BEACH PARK - Two seven- story office buildings soon may be built in Beach Park.
Attorney David Mechanik, who represents developer Highwoods Properties, said the project will be more aesthetically pleasing than what is there now. The 210,000- square-foot buildings would replace four smaller offices on Bay Center Drive. An eight-level parking garage also would be built.

Margaret Vizzi and Emmy Purcell Reynolds, president of the Beach Park Homeowners Association, met March 4 with Highwoods representatives. Reynolds said she thinks the neighborhood probably will support the project.

Reynolds said she and Vizzi left the meeting with positive impressions - something she didn't expect.

``We think that they are trying to make a really nice office complex for the site,'' Reynolds said. ``They're not asking for any increase in density.''

The site's zoning allows for the buildings, but Highwoods is heading to Tampa City Council next month to request reduced setbacks. The reductions will make the project more attractive, Mechanik said.

Among things Reynolds asked to be added to the project's final site plan: that no business there be allowed wet zoning, that pressure washers not be used late at night on the garage and that construction trucks not rumble through the neighborhood.

The plan originally was to come before the city council in February 2003. Highwoods had requested the vacating of a section of Bay Center Drive, west of West Shore Boulevard and south of Interstate 275.

There was neighborhood opposition. About 100 area residents were ready to stand before council and oppose the plan. Residents felt traffic would increase due to the new businesses and that Bay Center is necessary when Mariner Street floods.

Mechanik met with some residents and then-Mayor Dick Greco to plead his case. He told them plans called for a 25-foot public walkway along the bay and a new road to snake between the garage and the office buildings.

But many were not appeased.

Some, said Carlos Duque of 5700 Mariner St., were skeptical about the developers keeping promises. Others were upset about their road being taken away.

The vacating won't be requested by Highwoods this time.

``This design is not dependent on that,'' Mechanik said.


Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 835-2105.

http://tampatrib.com/News/MGAO34D01SD.html

Urban Developers Reveal Housing Plans
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Mar 18, 2004




CHANNEL DISTRICT - The two largest residential projects in the district are firming up plans, each releasing their latest architectural renderings.
Grand Central at Kennedy recently razed an assortment of run-down warehouses to begin preconstruction sales. And Seaport Town Centre will seek city council approval today for its land purchase.

The Channel District has emerged as the leading area for urban development. Its three main streets in a former warehouse neighborhood near the Port of Tampa are slated for a dozen residential projects.

Here's an update on two:


Grand Central At Kennedy

Billed as the first fully integrated urban Main Street, Grand Central plans 60,000 square feet of office space, 127,000 square feet of retail, plus a 2,000-square-foot art gallery and a 4,500-square- foot theater. About 370 condominium units are planned, down from the original 500 announced to make room for more commercial space, co- developer Ken Stoltenberg said.

Grand Central features a 14- story building connected to another 12-story building where there are plans for a rooftop swimming pool.

A model two-bedroom loft will open in April on the 4.35- acre site between Kennedy Boulevard and Madison Street.

The project backs up to the Kennedy Boulevard viaduct, which the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority plans to remove in the summer of 2005 as part of the Meridian Street gateway project.

Wearing a Grand Central ball cap, Mark Huey, the city's economic development administrator, told a small crowd recently that he's a fan of the Mercury Advisors development.

``I'm excited about this vision of combining retail, residential and the arts. This sets a standard in the neighborhood and hopefully will be a a catalyst for future development,'' he said.

Grand Central doesn't require tax dollars, Huey said.

Frank Bombeeck, Stoltenberg's partner, said the project is looking at numerous possibilities for a grocery store.

``This is the location to be,'' he said. ``People who live here will need a grocery store, as well as those in Ybor City and downtown.''

Occupancy is slated for late 2005 or early 2006. For information, visit the Web site notthesuburbs.com


Seaport Town Centre

This mostly rental development may take as long as 2 1/2 years to complete, said Doug Weber, president of developer Synergy Properties Inc.

Tampa City Council today will consider the $5.5-plus million Synergy has offered to pay for the 7.5 acres of city-owned property known as the 12th Street Yard. It is where traffic signs and lights were stored.

Synergy plans a five-story complex with 404 residential units facing Twiggs Street. More adjustments will be made to the architectural rendering because the city suggested all parking be hidden from view.

Rents are estimated at $990 for a one-bedroom to $1,700 for a three-bedroom, Weber told the February Channel District Council meeting.

Weber said another 40 units on the east side of 12th Street will be sold as condominiums.

Two swimming pools will be available for residents. About 11,000 square feet of retail will include a 3,000-square-foot exercise facility and facilities such as a bank, dry cleaner and gourmet food shop, Weber said.

Thirty days after the city council approves the land sale, Weber expects to begin an environmental clean up of the property, which should take about a year.

For information, visit www.synergyproperties.com.


Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.
http://tampatrib.com/News/MGAD9XXZXRD.html

Council Approves Building Rezoning
By IVAN J. HATHAWAY ihathaway@tampatrib.com
Published: Mar 18, 2004




SOUTH TAMPA - Club Atlanta on West Kennedy Boulevard - a loud nightspot that generated a stream of neighborhood complaints - is long gone and soon to be replaced by a new office building that symbolizes planners' dreams of revitalizing the business corridor.
The future home of the Solomon Tropp Law Group and a number of other tenants, it is among the largest new construction projects in recent years along the oldest section of the Kennedy strip, between downtown and MacDill Avenue.

It adds to a flurry of recent renovations of commercial buildings on Kennedy and the construction of several luxury town houses within one or two blocks of the boulevard.

Last week, Tampa City Council members approved the necessary rezoning to move ahead with the four-story office building on the northeast corner of Kennedy and Fremont Avenue.

Preservation-minded council Chairwoman Linda Saul- Sena, recently disheartened by the imminent demise of two historic but deteriorated downtown buildings, was delighted by the project.

``It's going to be an enormous improvement,'' Saul- Sena said. ``The entire block is going to be transformed.

``The property owner is really investing a significant amount in a professional building that will be attractive and contribute to the redevelopment of the whole street,'' she said.

The project architect, Jon Moore, said that in addition to the 57,930-square-foot, four- story building, a 22,000- square-foot, two-story building is being planned for the northwest corner of Kennedy and Fremont. Work will proceed with that project based on the progress of pre-leasing agreements, he said.

``With both buildings, this could become a gateway into North Hyde Park, which would be great,'' Saul-Sena said.

Demolition of the Club Atlanta building should begin in about two weeks, Moore said, and work on the office building's foundation should follow in another two weeks.

The new building is expected to be ready for occupancy by mid-2005, he said.


Reporter Ivan Hathaway can be reached at (813) 835-2103.

http://tampatrib.com/News/MGA72QNZXRD.html

That's all awesome news.

The office buildings going up along Kennedy are especially encouraging. Once the area between DT and Westshore starts densifying in a meaningful way, then LRT from the airport to DT becomes a no brainer.

Mar 22, 2004

City Plans Enclave For Artists

By SHANNON BEHNKEN
sbehnken@tampatrib.com

YBOR CITY - Genie White, 63, has seen what happens when artists cluster in shady neighborhoods.
``The neighborhood gets better and the artists are priced out,'' said White, who rents studio space to artists at her Artists Unlimited Inc. business in the Channel District.

It happened years ago in Ybor City and Hyde Park, and there are signs it's beginning to happen in the Channel District, where condominiums are selling from $200,000 to $400,000.

Now, the city has a plan to bring back artists to Ybor City and to make sure they can afford to stay. The proposed East Village of the Arts - north of Interstate 4, between 12th Street and 19th Street - would begin with five houses and four apartment units that would be leased to artists at a fixed low rate.

The houses are among the 33 moved and rehabilitated by the Florida Department of Transportation for the expansion of the interstate. The houses are being deeded to the city, which is selling some and forming a nonprofit organization to maintain and manage the village. That organization would consist of art leaders, who would choose the tenants.

This is the first large-scale project overseen by Paul Wilborn, whom Mayor Pam Iorio named the city's creative industries manager in May. He hopes luring artists to the V.M. Ybor neighborhood will help to improve the overall image of the entertainment district, known mostly as a weekend party place for young people.

The Tampa City Council embraced the initial plan, but it is not without controversy.

Some question whether it is fair to give artists a break on their rent and to restrict who can live in the neighborhood. And there are many unanswered questions, such as how the artists will be chosen to live there and how the city will define ``artist.''

``Why not teachers and firefighters?'' asked Edward Giuanta II, a real estate developer. ``Artists are very important to the community, but everyone is important. I just don't understand how you could use tax money to subsidize rent for one group.''

This plan is worth it, Wilborn said, because the city will get something back - a better atmosphere in Ybor City.

``It doesn't make much sense to create a cluster of teachers,'' Wilborn said. ``We already offer housing assistance programs for people who need it.''


Working Artists

Artists lived and worked in Ybor City's historic buildings until bars moved in in the early 1990s. As Seventh Avenue became a party strip and rents increased, artists were forced to leave.

The village, Wilborn hopes, will be a catalyst for development in the V.M. Ybor neighborhood. Artists can't afford to move to most parts of Ybor City on their own, he said, and most wouldn't move alone to this rundown part of the neighborhood. As the neighborhood improves, businesses such as grocery stores and cafes will follow, he said.

The village will start with five houses on 15th Street and one building that can accommodate four apartments on Columbus Drive, a block from the Academy Prep Center of Tampa. The private school for low-income students opened in August, and art is a big part of the curriculum.

The houses are expected to be ready by the end of the year. Wilborn has created a 15- member advisory committee that probably will morph into the nonprofit that will manage the housing and chose the tenants.

White, a committee member, said it's important the artists chosen have ``day jobs.'' There is a misconception, she said, that artists will get subsidized rent so they can live on the profits from their art alone.

``We have to make sure the artists we select can pay their rent,'' she said. ``Most artists have other jobs.''

White added that many artists she has spoken to want to own houses in Ybor City, not rent them. That way, she said, the houses would be cared for and the artists will have assurance that they won't be pushed out again.

``Artists aren't stupid,'' White said. ``If there is going to be a profit made on them gentrifying the neighborhood, they want to profit from it, too.''

Selling some of the houses to artists is a possibility, Wilborn said, and the city is working to acquire additional houses and properties for the village. In addition to city-owned houses, Wilborn wants to talk to banks about offering mortgages to artists interested in buying in the village.

Wallace Wilson, director of the University of South Florida's School of Art and Art History, hopes to get in on the village concept early.

The school would like a large building that can be used for art exhibitions and six to 10 efficiency apartments to be set aside for students and rented for $400 to $500 a month.

``If you tell students they would be in an art district with other artists and art galleries, I don't think you'll have a problem finding tenants,'' Wilson said.

The university doesn't have money to buy a building, Wilson said, and he hopes an investor would let the school use it for 10 years.


Other Villages

Arts districts are not a new concept. Minneapolis, Chicago, Washington and Toronto have similar programs.

Wilborn came up with the village idea after visiting Bradenton's Village of the Arts. Five years ago, the city targeted an economically depressed area and installed lighting and sidewalks and increased police presence, but it didn't subsidize any of the housing.

Bill Theroux, executive director of the Bradenton Downtown Development Authority, said the city invested $100,000 and recently spent an additional $650,000 in improvements to public infrastructure in the village.

``We waited five years to make sure it would work,'' Theroux said.

On the first Friday and the second Saturday of the month, the district of 51 properties opens its streets and galleries to the public.

Unlike the Ybor City proposal, none of the housing was reserved just for artists. In five years, Theroux said, property values have increased 40 percent to 50 percent.

That worries Wilborn, who wants to make sure Ybor City's artists aren't priced out again.

Theroux says that could happen in Bradenton, ``but if [artists] get in early, they'll have a good investment.''

Wilborn said the advisory committee will continue to meet with the community and work on the village.

``It's a little early to judge what we're doing,'' Wilborn said. ``Let it play out and then determine whether we did the right thing.''

These guys would have liked my solution to a past school project. We had to "redevelop" a chunk of property mid-block along Franklin St into a structure of any hieght, so long as it contained an art gallery and a cafe (the parcel in question is 27'x100' lol). I wound up doing a 12 story, 155ft tall building which had a sizable cafe/bakery on the first floor, while floors 2-4 housed a spiraling art gallery. The top 8 floors were subdivided into 3 floors of live/work studios, while the top floors were reserved for high-end market rate condos which would help to basically subsidize the live-work units. My design also required a significant variance from City Council, and the negotiation for use of air rights for the parcel next door. (lol, so utopian!)

Looks like they are finally getting somewhere with this thing. At least they updated the website (doesn't look bad)
http://www.synergyproperties.com/images/SeaportRendering.jpg
Seaport Town Centre at Channelside is currently in the pre-development phase and totals approximately 445 high-density multi-family and 40 for-sale loft units. The project will help transform the northern boundary into an extension of Tampa's Channelside urban renaissance and become a cornerstone in the redevelopment of the area. The development plan embraces an urban, high-density, mixed-use development that includes 445 residential units, retail, professional office space and a specialty grocery store. The plan provides for a small downtown commercial feel with high-density residential units supporting the commercial uses and allowing for open space. The site plan concept establishes a true downtown urban feel within the central core of the development. The Architectural style of the building and streetscape is envisioned to have an intimate personal downtown feel with ornamental streetlights, wrought iron tree wells, awnings and decorative ornamentation to the building featuring brick, stone and stucco.
http://www.synergyproperties.com/portfolio.htm

Mar 24, 2004

Modeling Downtown In Image Of Others

By DAVE SIMANOFF
dsimanoff@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - A leading urban planner says a residential renaissance is all but inevitable for downtown Tampa, and city leaders and private developers need to work together to create an urban community.
Maureen McAvey, the senior resident for urban development at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, said the nation's growing population and the changing demographics for households will send more people in search of downtown housing - both here in Tampa, and across the country.

She called on government groups and private-sector partners to set reasonable objectives for housing, retail and commercial development, and to pursue those projects passionately with input from the entire community.

``You can do this,'' she said. ``It's rolling up your sleeves and having good models from around the country.''

McAvey was the keynote speaker at the 8th Annual Downtown Development Forum, hosted by the Tampa Downtown Partnership at the Hyatt Regency Tampa. The event drew about 270.

McAvey cited Chicago, St. Louis and Denver as cities that had improved their downtowns, adding more homes and more development opportunities, through good planning and strong cooperation between government and private businesses.

Her speech comes as the Tampa partnership considers revising its strategic plan for downtown. Partnership President Christine Burdick said they want to help identify private and public projects, while also showing prospective downtown investors what to expect in the future.

The partnership could begin accepting proposals from urban planning consultants next month, and may have its plan in hand by midsummer, Burdick said. The price tag will likely be between $100,000 and $130,000, she said.

Burdick said McAvey's comments Tuesday morning validate a lot of the efforts the partnership is taking.

``It's good to hear from an outside perspective that [these efforts] can be done with leadership and focus and commitment, which we have in downtown,'' she said.

McAvey said downtown Tampa probably would evolve into several separate neighborhoods, each with its own identity and public spaces. Government can help spur development with subsidies and by building infrastructure. She said private companies will bring expertise, funding ``and a healthy level of impatience.''

``This all works when there are common objectives,'' she said. ``Focus on getting it done.''

I wish that Seaport project had even one highrise though. The two Grand Central towers and that other 9 story project will be kinda lonely on that end of Channelside.

Bayshore One -- taken from a distance...

http://www.florida-usa.net/gallery/ts/TPA40120.jpg

I know this is somewhere else but I thought I would keep this thread uptodate - by the way, 51, 50, 37, 37, 30, 30, 30, 30, 27, 21 - i'll believe it when I see it.

Tampa's skyline set to gain towers
The City Council approves plans for one of two residential projects planned for downtown.
By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN and KEVIN GRAHAM
Published March 26, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TAMPA - Downtown Tampa could get a double-shot of high-rise, luxury living, with one proposal unveiled Thursday and another that gained unanimous approval from the City Council.

Swiss investors want to build a 51-story, 472-unit urban residential tower at 602 E Whiting St. Keith Bricklemyer, an attorney for the developer, told the City Council on Thursday night during a zoning hearing that the project promises to "dramatically change the skyline of Tampa."

Earlier in the day, officials announced that a yet-to-be-named residential high-rise will be built on the Hillsborough River next to the Brorein Street bridge in early 2005, also making it among the tallest structures on the west coast of Florida.

The lawyer for that developer, Ron Weaver, said all the initial paperwork has been completed for the 50-story building, putting an end to the controversy over a part of the site's ownership.

The proposed name for the tower along Whiting Street is Four Seasons Residences. Plans call for residential dwellings to range from a simple 715-square-foot apartment with one bedroom and one bathroom, to a sprawling two-story, 4,041-square-foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom penthouse. Developers plan to outfit the tower with retail stores, a coffee shop, restaurant, health club, dry cleaning and day care for residents, said Peter Gottschalk, the project designer, who works for the Architectural Practice.

"This is very exciting," said council Chairwoman Linda Saul-Sena. "This is the first residential proposal for downtown in decades."

Bricklemyer presented the council with a letter from the Tampa Downtown Partnership, which said while the partnership members don't endorse specific projects, "they endorse these kinds of projects," he said.

Tampa Downtown Invest Ltd. has owned the property for the proposed Four Seasons Residences since 1998, Bricklemyer said. The property had been zoned for a 50-story, 700,000-square-foot office building. Years ago, the lot was a car dealership, city officials said.

Council members unanimously approved the rezoning Thursday to allow building the 700,000-square-foot Four Seasons.

Bricklemyer said the next step is to find a joint venture partner and "move forward on an expeditious basis."

The maximum height of the proposed Four Seasons is 630 feet.

The second project is along the Hillsborough River and includes a site that was the subject of some controversy last month, when broker Alexander Miran advertised plans to build a high-rise called the Presidential Tower along S Ashley Drive. Questions arose about the background of Miran, his financial backing and whether he had title to the property.

New owners now have acquired the land and plan a similar project. Weaver said his client, Whiting & Ashley LLC, bought the property last week.

"This is a project that is very real," he said.

A managing partner of Whiting & Ashley LLC, Dr. Howard Howell, is an orthodontist with offices in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, Weaver said.

The architect is Alcides Santiesteban, whose firm has an office on S Howard Avenue and has designed high-rises in such cities as Bonita Springs, Naples and Clearwater.

The plan for the riverfront condominium calls for 213 units with views of South Tampa, the Hillsborough River and the University of Tampa.

"This will be world-class," Weaver said.

Nine of the condominium units will be classified as luxury and take up the 44th to 50th floors. They will range from 5,600 to 7,700 square feet each, and cost from $1.5-million to $2-million.

The remaining units will feature 2,300 square feet of space. And an outdoor pool is planned on the 10th floor.

There are also plans for a restaurant that will seat 300 to 400 people and lush landscaping along 356 feet of riverwalk that runs 25 feet wide.

Construction will begin in early 2005 and take about two years to complete, Weaver said.

The site of the project includes a slice of land along the river that was the subject of some dispute over ownership after Miran announced plans to build condominiums there. The property was owned by the family of the late Michael Scionti, former chairman of the Hillsborough Democratic Executive Committee.

Whiting & Ashley purchased the plot for more than $2-million, Weaver said.

Howell, the managing partner of Whiting & Ashley, said they have owned land adjacent to the plot for years, and decided to buy the rest.

"It complemented what we were doing well," he said.

[Last modified March 26, 2004, 01:20:43]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/03/26/Hillsborough/Tampa_s_skyline_set_t.shtml

http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2004/mar/0325cnd2.jpg

Developer Plans To Take Condos To New Heights
By DAVE SIMANOFF dsimanoff@tampatrib.com
Published: Mar 26, 2004




TAMPA - A local development group wants to reshape downtown Tampa's skyline - and redefine the phrase ``living the high life'' - with a 50-story, 213-unit condominium tower along the Hillsborough River.
Whiting & Ashley LLC, headed by Clearwater orthodontist Howard Howell, is putting together plans for a 593-foot-tall riverfront building between Whiting and Brorein streets. Tampa's tallest building today is 100 North Tampa, at 579 feet; its neighbor, Bank of America Plaza, is two feet shorter.

The top floors of the condominium tower would be reserved for nine penthouses, which would range in size from 5,600 square feet to 7,700 square feet. Price tags would run from $1.5 million to $2 million.

Beneath the penthouses, the average condominium unit would have 2,300 square feet of space. Prices haven't been determined for those units.

A slew of condominium projects have been proposed for the city's Channelside district, but Howell said his firm chose a site that's closer to the downtown core, where more than 70,000 people work.

``We feel very, very comfortable with the location, a prime spot on the water next to the financial district,'' he said.

Howell said he's already discussed the condominium tower with city leaders, including Mayor Pam Iorio and Economic Development Administrator Mark Huey.

Iorio said she favors the condominium tower, but pointed out that the project still hasn't been reviewed by the city council or the community.

``From every thing I have heard about this particular project, it would be quality, it would be an asset for our downtown, and it would bring people into our downtown core as residents, and that would be positive,'' she said. ``The more people we have living downtown, the healthier downtown will be.''

Whiting & Ashley LLC bought the office building at 102 Whiting St. and the neighboring parking lot last June for $6.3 million, Hillsborough County records show. The development group's attorney, Ronald L. Weaver, said the group also has recently purchased the vacant land south of the office building, and owns all of the property it needs for the condominium tower. The office building will not be torn down to make room for the tower.

SimDag Investments LLC, a privately held Largo company that invests primarily in luxury waterfront developments, is backing the Whiting & Ashley project.

The development group expects to file its plans with the city on Wednesday. The group won't disclose what it will cost to build the condominium tower, and it's still talking to contractors and real estate brokers, Howell said. The group also hasn't settled on a name for the tower.

The design by Tampa-based Smith Barnes Santiesteban Architecture includes 3,000 square feet of retail space and a restaurant overlooking the river on the ground floor, topped by eight levels of parking with a total of 517 spaces. The tenth floor features an outdoor pool.

Howell said he expects construction to begin in early 2005, and the tower will take between 24 and 30 months to complete.


Reporter Dave Simanoff can be reached at (813) 259-7762.

http://www.tampatrib.com/MGAUBI6N9SD.html

Here's a prediction - they are going to get cuaght up in a debate about "walling off" the river - which is a legitimate concern. I am not sure exactly what difference that ebate will make, but it will happen.

http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2004/mar/0326arc2.jpg
Taking Up Residents
By DAVE SIMANOFF dsimanoff@tampatrib.com
Published: Mar 27, 2004
TAMPA - Soon, you won't have to look far to find proof that baby boomers and young professionals are rushing to return to downtown.
But you will have to look up.
Very high up.
Two developers have unveiled plans for high-rise condominium towers downtown, joining a slew of other proposed condominium projects in Tampa. Both of the newly announced towers eschew sites in the up-and-coming Channel District in favor of locations closer to the existing core of office buildings. Both promise to be two of the tallest buildings in the downtown skyline.
Tampa Downtown Invest Ltd., a Swiss-owned firm, described its plans Friday to build a 51-story, 472-unit condominium tower at the northeast corner of Morgan and Whiting streets. A request to rezone the property from office to residential use got its first nod Thursday from the Tampa City Council; a second and final vote is scheduled for April 8.
On Thursday, local development group Whiting & Ashley LLC announced plans for a 50- story, 213-unit condominium tower along the Hillsborough River, between Whiting and Brorein streets.
The Tampa Downtown Invest tower tentatively is named the Four Seasons Residences. No name has been selected for the Whiting & Ashley tower.
The two proposals join a slew of other planned condominiums for the city's central business district. The developers here, like their peers across the country, say they're hoping to capitalize on pent-up demand for urban housing from two growing demographic groups: young professionals who seek out urban environments and empty-nest baby boomers seeking to trade in suburban digs for a taste of city life now that their children are grown and gone.
Mark Huey, Tampa's economic development administrator, said two other factors, besides the demographic changes, drive condominium developers downtown. First, there's little land left for development on the periphery of downtown, and second, city officials, including Mayor Pam Iorio, stress the need for downtown housing, he said.
``South Tampa, Davis Islands, Harbour Island - all of the neighborhoods around our downtown core are at or near capacity build-out,'' Huey said.
At 630 feet, the Four Seasons Residences promises to be downtown's tallest building - taller than the 593-foot, 50-story Whiting & Ashley project. In comparison, 100 North Tampa, the area's tallest building today, stands at 579 feet, or 42 stories. Its neighbor, Bank of America Plaza, is 577 feet tall, or 42 stories.
Tampa Downtown Invest bought the land for its condominium tower in 1988 for $1.9 million, county records show. The site is zoned to accommodate an office building up to 630 feet tall and with as much as 700,000 square feet of space. Tampa Downtown Invest is owned by Dr. Schrobsdorff & Dr. Herrmann International, a 120-year-old Swiss company.
Four Seasons Residences will have four penthouses, each with two stories and 4,100 square feet of space. Other units will start at 715 square feet; the average unit size is about 1,000 square feet. Prices have not been set.
The building will feature about 10,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and, possibly, more retail space on the second level. A lobby on the 10th floor will serve as the building's main entry. Amenities, including two pools, are planned for the 10th floor.
``It's going to feel like you're home in the middle of downtown,'' said Tampa architect Peter Gottschalk, who is designing the Four Seasons tower. ``You can walk to work; you can pick up your necessities downstairs. It's a real urban residence.''
The price for the development project hasn't been figured out yet, but probably will be about $140 million, said Gottschalk, of The Architectural Practice. The developer is considering forming a joint venture to fund the project, he said.
A start date for construction hasn't been set, but the tower will take 18 months to two years to build, he said.
The condominium tower planned by the Whiting & Ashley group would reserve its top floors for nine penthouses ranging in size from 5,600 square feet to 7,700 square feet and priced from $1.5 million to $2 million. Excluding the penthouses, the average condominium unit would be about 2,300 square feet. Prices for those units haven't been determined. Largo-based SimDag Investments is backing the project.
Clearwater orthodontist Howard Howell, who heads the Whiting & Ashley project, said the riverfront site is at downtown's core, where more than 70,000 people work. Construction should begin in early 2005, and the building should be ready for residents in early or mid-2007, he said.
In both condominium towers, parking for residents and guests will be built on the lower levels; stand-alone parking decks won't be needed.
Reporter Dave Simanoff can be reached at (813) 259-7762.
http://www.tampatrib.com/MGA3MV58BSD.html

By the way, the Bellamy broke ground yesterday (April 1 - odd day I know, but so be it)

Some random density

EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
From the March 26, 2004 print edition
Projects rebranding high-end Hyde Park
Ken Salgat
Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Hyde Park's Wonder Bread factory, closed for about four months, is one of two new projects planned in the area that could significantly change the look of the upscale neighborhood.

The 50,000-square-foot building at 420 S. Dakota Ave, originally built in 1926, is part of a $14-million development that will add approximately 65 residential units to a 3-acre parcel.

Near the factory, Tampa-based LandCraft Development Inc., which paid $3.4 million for the property, also hopes to build 12 townhouses, a 16-unit condominium building and four single-family houses. The bread factory itself will be converted into 33 lofts.

"Keeping the historic aspect is a very important part of the project," said James Landers, co-owner of LandCraft. "It's going to be sort of like a neighborhood unto itself."

The Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association last week gave its blessing to the project. Association President Jeanne Holton-Carufel called it a "benefit to the community."

"From what I understand, they plan to restore the factory to the way it looked when it was first built," said Holton-Carufel. "This, along with keeping parking off the streets, should be a welcome new feature to historic Hyde Park."

Landers said the factory originally was called the Seybold Baking Co. The developers plan to brand the entire project utilizing the Seybold lineage.

"We've kind of taken that and are developing a brand," said Landers. "Underneath that moniker, we'll have the Seybold Flats (the condos), Seybold Lofts (the lofts) and Seybold City Homes (the townhomes)."

LandCraft representatives met with Hyde Park homeowners Feb. 17 to discuss the project. The only major concerns involved traffic and parking.

Landers said that traffic problems were worse when the factory was in operation, and now Hyde Park won't have to deal with bread trucks.

"We think that changing the zoning from industrial to residential will decrease, not increase, traffic in the area," said Landers. "No longer will there be huge moving trucks racing in and out of the area."

In addition to lessening industrial traffic, the development also will move much of the resident parking off area streets.

As many as 115 parking spaces might be available for the 65 units, enough to satisfy requirements without needing waivers or variances for the site, said Landers.

The lofts would vary in size, at a minimum of 1,000 square feet, and cost $200,000 to $400,000.
The four-story condominium building would be at the corner of Horatio Street and Oregon Avenue. Units would be from 1,400 to 2,600 square feet and cost about $250,000 to $350,000, Landers said.
The four single-family houses would be located on Dakota Avenue, just south of the factory. They will be two stories each, average 2,500 square feet and cost $500,000 or more, Landers said.
The 12 townhouses on Oregon Avenue would average 1,850 to 2,000 square feet and cost about $300,000.
In addition to the Seybold project, Gaspar Properties Inc. in Tampa submitted plans to the city commission on March 18 for a 24-unit condominium, seven-unit townhome project within blocks of the Seybold.

The seven-story condominium will have 54 parking spaces, with units averaging 2,000 square feet and costing $400,000. The townhomes will be three stories and range in price from $300,000 to $400,000.

The Gaspar property looks similar in design to the Seybold project and would add yet another monument to the area's marketing stamp.

Landers said the two projects, although separate, would add to the diversity of the area.

"We think the projects will complement each other," he said. "We think we have a particular gem that we're going to take advantage of. You have some of the most expensive property in the area surrounded by some of the most modest-looking properties. From a developer's standpoint, property like this doesn't come along very often."

LandCraft plans to break ground on the project in July, with a 10-month build-out. The units will go on the market for pre-sale in June.

ksalgat@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2477

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/03/29/story3.html

I like how the city council is totally ignoring these people. IF only they would do that for bigger things

'Townhouseville?' Yes, it looks that way
Critics can't stop the high-density tide in South Tampa, not with the appetite for townhouses and the cost of land.
By RON MATUS, Times Staff Writer
Published April 2, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Times photo: John Pendygraft]
Jose Hurtado, 21, center, works on the 35-unit Thomas Townhomes in Port Tampa. The neighborhood association chief says, "There's a prevalent feeling that townhomes don't fit in."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



SOUTH TAMPA - It's a fact of life in the evolution of cities: When land prices go up, buildings do, too.

In South Tampa, condominium towers are rising from West Shore to Bayshore.

Everywhere in between, townhomes are gobbling turf.

"South Tampa has always been single-family-detached suburbia," City Council member John Dingfelder said last week. "Now it's becoming more urban."

Despite protests from pockets of critics, the boom of townhome development in South Tampa shows no signs of fizzling. Hundreds have been built in recent years. Hundreds more are planned.

At least 300 are under construction.

The demand is so great, many units are selling before land is cleared.

"Lifestyles have changed," said architect Chris Kirschner, a partner with a development company building 45 townhomes in Port Tampa. "I don't think people want the white picket fence and the yard anymore."

Townhomes are usually two-story residences that are individually owned and interconnected.

Some owners like having no lawn to maintain.

Many like the price.

In South Tampa, some new townhomes start at $150,000, with many available for less than $200,000. Given South Tampa's white-hot housing market, that's a megabargain.

The prices are especially attractive to singles, retirees and young families who want both a home of their own and the advantages that come with living south of Kennedy Boulevard.

Developers say rising land values in South Tampa make townhomes inevitable.

They could build single-family detached homes on the same parcels, they say, but those homes would have to be big and expensive to cover the land costs and still net a profit. In many cases, those big houses would be out of character with the neighborhood.

And, they'd be harder to sell.

"It's a simple matter of economics," Kirschner said.

Opponents aren't feeling pity over developers' lost profits.

In some neighborhoods, an antitownhome mood simmers. This year, residents in Gandy/Sun Bay South went so far as to ask city officials to cease rezonings to stem the townhome tide. The city didn't oblige.

One of the residents, Shirley Adams, has lived in a single-story house on laid-back Wallace Circle for 37 years.

When the 68-year-old retiree envisions the 139 townhomes planned for across the street, she can't help but think the worst: More cars. More flooding. Declining property values. And who knows? Maybe even peeping Toms.

With townhomes next door, "How do you know people aren't looking down into your windows?" Adams said.

The reaction to townhomes has been particularly strong south of Gandy Boulevard, where the pace of construction is feverish. A headline last year in the Ballast Point neighborhood newsletter summed up the sentiment: "Townhouseville?"

"There's a prevalent feeling that townhouses don't fit in," said Scott Davis, president of the Port Tampa Civic Association.

Developers say townhomes won't cause the problems many critics fear. On some points, local planners and development experts agree.

- On stormwater: City rules in place since 1982 prevent virtually all major new developments, including most townhome projects, from allowing more stormwater to run off site than did before the development was built.

- On traffic: Studies nationwide show that townhomes typically generate far fewer car trips per unit - almost half as many - as regular houses. The reason: Townhomes cater to smaller families with fewer cars.

That means in many cases, townhome projects aren't likely to create many more car trips than the single-family detached houses that could have been built instead.

- On property values: In many cases, new townhouses in South Tampa are selling for more than the older houses around them - and are likely to increase surrounding property values.

In Port Tampa, the Thomas Townhomes under construction near West Shore Boulevard start at $215,000 - more than twice the going rate of houses across the street.

On Davis Islands, some townhomes are selling for $700,000.

Near S Howard Avenue, developers are asking $1.2-million.

"I think people sometimes mix up the townhouse concept ... with apartment buildings," said Warren Weathers, Hillsborough County's deputy property appraiser and a South Tampa townhouse owner himself. "I don't think they'll hurt the values unless there's something intrusive like flooding, noise, garbage."

Some critics grumble that townhomes will become apartments - the beginning of a slippery slope, some fear, that will leave renters bringing down the neighborhood.

Given the high cost of most townhomes in South Tampa, Weathers said that's unlikely, too.

Other concerns about townhomes are harder to define - or dismiss.

Concerns, for example, about a neighborhood's character.

Ballast Point residents have fought rezonings that allow townhomes because the neighborhood is dominated by single-family detached houses, said Gene Wells, president of the neighborhood association.

They want to keep it that way.

"We're talking about established neighborhoods," Wells said. "I'm not against townhouses. I'm against putting them on single-family lots."

In Port Tampa, civic association members have raised the character issue, too.

Port Tampa is a hodgepodge of housing types, but many residents want to see more Victorian throwbacks, not high-density townhouses, said Davis, the civic group president.

Some developers say the problem isn't townhomes. It's change.

And some sympathize.

For residents south of Gandy, townhomes are "taller than their houses," said Sharon Thomas, co-owner of Thomas Townhomes. "It's intrusive to them."

She likened townhome scraps to fights in other South Tampa neighborhoods over McMansions.

"I can't blame them," she said of upset residents. "They're looking out their back door at these things."

Thomas is trying to win over her neighbors.

In one case, neighbors who initially threatened to move because they hated her townhomes later told her they were repainting their house - and wanted to know what color would match the townhomes.

In other parts of South Tampa, residents remain sore.

In Gandy/Sun Bay South, Adams and her neighbors fought the rezoning that Phillips Development of North Carolina needed to build 139 townhomes on 14 acres between West Shore Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue.

They gathered petitions. They even waved protest signs. But the City Council voted 5-2 in February to rezone.

The developer is expected to close on the land this week and start building by early 2005.

-Ron Matus can be reached at 226-3405 or matus@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 1, 2004, 13:19:17]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/04/02/Citytimes/_Townhouseville__Yes_.shtml

The Westshore Yacht Club project getting underway off of South Westshore Blvd will have two towers which are about 15-16 stories each... Since these will eb by themselves, there will be no real "skyline inpemct". However, though they are a long distance off, the condo's vistas will capture Bayshore and DT Tampa in basically the same line of sight. Plus, Dt St Pete will be reaonsably visible as well to the west. It's a great location for a few highrises that aren't too overpriced.

HEre's the details:

EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
From the April 2, 2004 print edition
Westshore Yacht Club takes shape
Walking trails, nature parks and a clubhouse are included in plans
Ken Salgat
Staff Writer
SOUTH TAMPA -- A $40-million mixed residential development is under way after years of planning.

WCI Communities Inc., a Bonita Springs-based developer, plans to turn 68 acres of land just south of Tyson Avenue and South West Shore Boulevard into an upscale subdivision called Westshore Yacht Club.

Westshore Yacht Club will include three acres of walking trails and nature parks and a clubhouse complete with fitness center, restaurants, ships store and rooftop patio.

It also will be the home of a deep-water marina with a minimum of 149 slips.

"Docks and slips are always a highly sensitive issue when it comes to the approval process," said Rob King, a senior project manager for WCI. "We have the luxury of the channel being extremely deep near the property, and we expect to have 149."

The development's residential components will include:

225 townhouses
180 condo units in two towers
220 single-family and estate homes
WCI was one of the first developers to purchase industrial property in the South Tampa/Gandy area and rezone it for residential. Its development finally broke ground March 11.

The site, a former home to Westinghouse Electric Corp., was rezoned to allow for as many as 750 units, including single-family homes, condominiums and townhouses. However, WCI plans to build only 520 units.

King said WCI plans to scale down the number of residents to allow for more natural elements and to ensure that the units are large enough to attract the type of buyers the developer desires.

Demolition of existing buildings began in mid-March.

Pam Cox, public relations director for WCI, said two existing structures -- the Westinghouse factory in excess of 70,000 square feet along with an office complex that sits next door -- are coming down. The factory once manufactured turbine engines used on nuclear submarines.

"We're recycling as much of the material as we can to use in new construction on other sites," said Cox. "We can actually do some good with it rather than just throw it into some landfill."

Sales are projected to begin in late 2004, with first residents to move in by the end of 2005. Tower construction is expected to begin in late 2006. King said each tower would take approximately two years to build.

"We're still waiting for final determination but are looking for 15 to 16 stories with either four or five units per floor," said King.

Once the $16-million sale closed March 11, WCI wasted no time preparing the site.

"We started hours after the closing," said King. "We actually had some major equipment lined up at the entrance waiting for the go-ahead."

The more than $3-million worth of demolition work is expected to take six months. Then new infrastructure can be added, said King.

King expects to begin pouring foundations by March of 2005.

The project will be developed in three phases:

The first phase will include the construction of townhouses and single-family homes.
The second phase will include the construction of one tower and the continued building of single-family and townhomes.
The third phase will consist of the second tower and build-out of townhomes and single-family residences
Townhomes will be priced from the upper $200,000s to the $700,000s. Single-family homes will range from $500,000 to more than $3 million. Units in the two residential towers have yet to be priced.

ksalgat@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2477

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/04/05/story1.html

Please note the alleged intent to fast track this project:

EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
From the April 2, 2004 print edition
City wants more than just commercial in downtown central district
Ken Salgat
Staff Writer
TAMPA -- A new 50-story mixed-use project that would be one of Tampa's tallest structures appears to be on the fast track with city planners.

Tampa developer Whiting & Ashley LLC plans to build a riverfront condominium along the Hillsborough River on 1.5 acres. The project would bring 213 units to an area of downtown that has been predominantly office buildings. Just as important, and to some even more so, it will bring a ground-level restaurant, more than 3,000 square feet of retail and 517 parking spaces.

"In the past, we (city planners) planned for a commercial downtown, and now we're scrambling to correct that," said Wilson Stair, urban design manager in the city's land development coordination division. "We need to respect our waterfront, and that is why this project is important. We want residential downtown, and we're going to support it whichever way we can."

Nine of the condominium units will be luxury and comprise the 44th to 50th floors. They will range from 5,600 to 7,700 square feet and cost from $1.5 million to $2 million.

Beneath the penthouses, the average condominium unit would have 2,300 square feet. The price for those units has yet to be determined.

Ron Weaver, the attorney representing the developer, said because the project would be taller than the city's 120-foot height limit, the partners will need to receive site plan approval.

"We are filing tomorrow [March 31] and are required to have a hearing within 100 days," Weaver said. "We feel confident it will be approved. They've [the developer] invested more than $12 million to acquire surrounding properties to get this done."

Whiting & Ashley bought the office building at 102 Whiting St. and the neighboring parking lot in June for $6.3 million. Weaver said the group also purchased the vacant land south of the office building.

"We have 34.3-percent open space, so it's going to be a luxurious project," said Weaver. "There are really five buildings of this (height) ... nestled in the area. It's more of a continuation of the existing skyline than a reshaping."

If all goes well in the approval process, construction could begin in early 2005 and take about two years to complete.

Based on comments from Stair, the city doesn't appear to have a problem with it. Stair said it's a priority for Mayor Pam Iorio's administration.

"I don't see height as a problem here," said Stair. "When you review a building, you have to look at the base and how it relates to the street. If it has restaurants or other interesting things, architectural ornaments and not blank walls, it's more reasonable.

"Banks and travel agencies, just offices themselves, are very important to cities, but at street level they are not as interesting. We think this project has its place. The missing link in downtown is residential. Filling the downtown central district with people that are going to be on the streets after 5 p.m. is really a step in the right direction."

ksalgat@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2477

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/04/05/story8.html'

Yeah, I was reading those last night when they got posted. I was simply too tired and lazy to post them. Both articles are good news IMO, especially the news about the one DT, which suddenly makes it seem feasible, though the market is obviously going to have some decision making here. At minimum, a few of these projects are going to have to be shelved, as the market absorbs all of these units.

One thing I keep remembering in the back of my mind though is that alot of the real estate establishment figures that Tampa can handle absorbing around 2,000 of these rather pricy "urban living" projects per year. At that rate, just about all of these proposed highrise and midrise projects for the DT area could break ground within 5 years, which sounds just fine to me. (some of these units absorbed are being built in scattered pockets around the city, like along Bayshore, and over in Westshore.

Something that I personally find encouragin is the continue(though slow) pace of hotel construction going on in Tampa, when alot of US markets aren't really in the process of getting new hotels. That indicates that tourism and buiness travel are growing locally, which is nothing but good IMO. What's especially good here is that the city has been making a decent effort for several years now to get tourists circulating DT, enlivening the retail and hotel sectors. This, along with the reemergence of Ybor City and the new trolley makes it a compelling market for developers.


(so what I'm getting at here is that I really see no reason why the majority or even most of these proposals for Tampa won't be built within 5 years.)

I was talking to a friend of mine who works for Citivest, of the 400 foot Bayshore condo in Hyde Park fame, and he was telling me the condo outlook is still very good. What I find interesting is that a lot of this downtown/Channelside stuff is a completely new market and there is a lot of investing going on (not just people to live there). By my count, already the Meridian and 1000 Channelside are beyond the poitn of sales needed for consturtion. I don't know about Grand Central, but it is a bit cheaper. Th Art Center lofts sold without advertising and the Franklin thing seems to be going well. Grand Court also got built with little advertising, as did Bellamy and Alagon. In short, I think there is still a big market out there and I agree 75 % of this stuff should get built, most probably the bigger and more obvious, the more likely to get going at this point. I think the two 50 story jobs will get built. The attrition will be some of the Channelside projects.

As for hotels, I think I figured out what the problem with the Embassy Suites is: if they want an entrance on Franklin, they have to cross the street car line - which must be the site plan issue. i am sure they will wokr it out because, as you said, the city is pushing hotels and condos right now, which I am fine with.

Jasonhouse, I will send you a little rendering job I did.

A couple of little items here:
I updated my little diagram of downtown developments:
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tampasmiles/images/tourdowntown3-04a.jpg

And I did a little rendering of downtown with the new condos added (kind of bush league, I know, but . . .)
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tampasmiles/images/tpadt-messyfuture-sdcedit.jpg

not 5too bush league, Smiley... Thought I think you could ahve found a better picture to place those images in on...

Good job none the less

Isn't the Arts District Condo thing from Byrd dead now? I thought Iorio nixed it? (I'm kid of hoping she did, so that they can do something better, like knock down and redevelop the Poe Garage and Library sites.)


And what is going on with the old Federal Courthouse? Has anyone heard anything?

That rendering mock-up is ok, but I think the Four Seasons is made to be too tall. Plus, I think it's girth on the skyline will be a bit more impactful.

I'm still eager to see what they've got brewing for the Lindell Condo deal on Harbour Island.

On the pictures:

Yes, I think the Museum projects are dead, but I haven't taken them off - just lazy I guess. I don't see anything like what you want happening though, JAsonhouse. I see townhouses or 5 story condos going up there - like Iorio said she wanted. At this point I don't really care as I am more interested in developments elsewhere - the waterfront can wait until the build the museum - as they screwed up by moving the History museum to a Channelside lot that called out for something big - probably protecting the convention center hotels again.

As for the rendering, the reason I used that picture was the angle - most other pictures are from a difficult angle taht would not let you put the condos in properly. I think the Four Seasons will not be so narrow, but the rendering was that way. The real reason I messed with it - as low quality as it is - is that I really had a hard time envisioning the waterfront condo being taller than the AmSouth and I wanted to see what it might look like. As I said, not very good, but it gives an idea. Please, if you - any of you - can do better, do it - I would loveto see it (this is an honest statement, not sarcasm). same with Channelside, where the angles are also hard to do.

so are those two new skyscrapers final?? i never thought tampa would build again.

Yeah, the two most recently announced already appear to be solid IMO, because the financing is apparently already in place, so long as pre-sales go as they must always go. But as far as the approval process goes, it appears that both will sail through pretty easily.


I don't know if anyone has paid much attention to where the suburban stuff is active these days, but it's WAY out there, I can tell you. This in-city stuff is definitely starting to look very attractive to both transplants and locals sick of such a time consuming commute.

^that suburban stuff is really booming far out. When I posted the new 2003 population estimates, I noticed a +44,000 jump in population, since 2000, in Pasco County alone.

Yeah, the two most recently announced already appear to be solid IMO, because the financing is apparently already in place, so long as pre-sales go as they must always go. But as far as the approval process goes, it appears that both will sail through pretty easily.


I don't know if anyone has paid much attention to where the suburban stuff is active these days, but it's WAY out there, I can tell you. This in-city stuff is definitely starting to look very attractive to both transplants and locals sick of such a time consuming commute.
well done tampa, well done.

four seasons is allright, i like the height. i cant be expecting chinese boldness. the design of the other one is better. hopefully, they will choose the right colors.

tampa isnt going to stop here. they will probably keep adding to the skyline. jasonhouse, arent you studying arch. at USF? i expect you to work on the building for tampa one day. make one like the BoC in hong kong. :)

SOmeone pointed out that the second building looks like a planned apartment building in Las Vegas and pointed to the renderings of those apartments...

The similarities were bothersome....

I stopped Arch studies basically in the midst of my third year, and am now wrapping up an Associate's in a related construction AS, which transfers for a BA in Construction Management (so that I can be a general contractor at some point in the next few years, and be a residential contractor by the end of this year). Depending on what kind of decent entry-level type job I can get later this year will likely determine whether I then continue for my Arch master's, or the Construction Managament BA first. Odds are, it will be the BA first.

I'm personally interested in doing multi-family projects, like townhouses and hopefully some midrise type apartments and condos (like 3-6 stories). of course, I know it will take me years to build up what's needed to pull off such sizable deals/jobs. In the mean time, I hope to get a decent job doing something that will give me alot of "know-how" for a few years, and just do a few houses a year as more of a side item (I have family just DYING for me to get that GC liscense, so that we can get to work. These are career guys from up north, who look at the quality of what's available in this market and they LAUGH, knowing that we could rake in decent margins, specializing in houses that are actually built right, one at a time, by the company owners, not just some migrant help. There are ALOT of transplants who move here and can't stand the shoddy housing stock. I hope to start out in this not-saturated-yet niche.)

^^^

good deal. just make sure when you make it to mid-rise residentials, its in downtown.

I was thinking about other areas, actually.

EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
From the April 9, 2004 print edition
Spain Restaurant's loft space project fits into city's residential plan
Downtown venue to renovate top two floors
Ken Salgat
Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Residential lofts are planned as new neighbors for a downtown restaurant.

The Spain Restaurant and Toma Bar at 513 Tampa St., which relocated from a building on Twiggs Street, went through an extensive renovation in October. The next step is to remodel the Tampa Street building's second and third floors into six rental lofts.

The building is owned by the Castro family, which is originally from Spain and has operated restaurants in the Tampa area since 1980. The family hired Ken Garcia of Abell Garcia Architects in Tampa, the architect who designed the restaurant, to create a similar style for the lofts.

"We are hoping to be very modern and have a very similar design," said Maria Castro, who owns the restaurant. Her children -- Alfredo Castro, Susanna Alcaraz and Maria Sansone -- own the building. "Ken (Garcia) is working on getting the permits and the rezoning in place (for the lofts)," Maria Castro said.

Garcia's restaurant design incorporated a modern theme with traditional Spanish accents, she said.

The design is predominately white -- white tables, white ceilings, along with numerous arches and columns, all white. The colors of Spain's flag -- bright blocks of red and yellow -- dot the otherwise sparse white walls.

Garcia plans to make the lofts look similar but also incorporate traditional loft features -- exposed structural elements and industrial materials such as brick and ventilation tubes.

"One of the things that happened on the second and third floors is that they were never really developed. They were primarily storage area," said Garcia. "We're doing something very minimal that emphasizes the defining characteristics of the place. It will be monochromatic, with simple, open space."

Wilson Stair, urban design manager in the city's land development coordination division, said the city wants unique residential units downtown and that the Castro's plan to build lofts above the restaurant is a novel idea for the area.

"To build lofts with a similar look to what they did with the restaurant would be a benefit to the city," said Stair. "It also benefits Tampa because it utilizes space that before was unused. That's the biggest challenge of a city planner -- get the maximum density into the smallest space."

The building originally was to be a mixed-use project that included office units on the second and third floors. However, because of a less-than-enthusiastic response from the business community and the city's desire for more residents downtown, the owners decided to go with residential.

Castro said the redesigned restaurant has been successful since its reopening and that to add residents above would add a built-in clientele.

"We're waiting for residential downtown, and we're hoping to cash in on that, both with the lofts and with the restaurant," she said.

The rental units will range from 1,000 to 1,200 square feet and cost from $1,000 to $1,500 per month, Castro said.

Based on her discussions with Garcia, Castro doesn't expect a long wait before beginning renovation. "We anticipate starting within the next few weeks and to be finished by July," she said.

ksalgat@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2477

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/04/12/story4.html

IN DEPTH: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
From the April 9, 2004 print edition
Buildings in the line of fire
Fate of landmark structures lies in the hands of owners, officials
Carl Cronan
Senior Staff Writer
Landmark buildings provide as strong a link to a city's history, much as a beloved elderly relative gives us to our own past.

As is the case with people, hard decisions sometimes have to be made regarding what must become of those aging structures. The perception in commercial real estate is that at some point a building's usefulness expires and a choice has to be made between historic preservation versus "highest and best use" of the property.

Many of downtown Tampa's smaller historic buildings have been successfully converted to modern use, such as law offices and sports taverns. But the debate continues over the fate of two of its larger structures, the Floridan Hotel and the Mass Bros. Building.

One other historic downtown landmark, the Albany Hotel at 1100 N. Franklin St., was recently marked for demolition. It was determined that the two-story brick building, which dates back to 1926 and was given a contemporary Mediterranean-style facade later, would cost far more to restore to office condominiums than new construction.

City officials and other interested residents say it's important to maintain as many of Tampa's landmark buildings as possible. Yet they point out that the final decision on such matters lies with the property owners who sometimes wind up in a tough position between making profitable use of their buildings and giving the majority of the people what it wants.

Doing nothing is often the worst choice, say local building preservationists.

"Neglect progresses deterioration so much that the building can't be saved," said Stephanie Ferrell, a Tampa architect who has been professionally and personally involved in restoration efforts around the city. "If the ownership remains the same and their attitude (toward the building) remains the same, and the summer rains come along every year, you know what's going to happen."

Besides being subject to moisture -- which leads to mold, an increasingly serious issue plaguing commercial structures of all ages and sizes -- and other natural elements, aging buildings also fall victim to human neglect. Owners must do all they can to keep out vagrants and vermin, and code enforcers' lives would likely be made easier if a wrecking ball was eventually brought to a given block.

But getting permission for demolition isn't always easy. Buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places are somewhat protected by federal or state law, and the Tampa Historic Preservation Commission conducts its review of buildings at least 48 years old to determine whether they should be blocked from being torn down.

The Maas Bros. Building at 612 N. Franklin St. is an example of a building for which the wrecking ball quite literally could swing either way. The city's Historic Preservation Commission previously assessed the building in 2000 and determined that it should be condemned, but now it seeks to update that assessment, said Annie Hart, commission administrator.

"The interest in downtown is coming to the forefront now, and it would be a shame to lose those buildings," Hart said, noting that two other structures in the same block as the Maas Bros. Building have similar historic significance.

Maintaining pieces of Tampa's structural and architectural history can help draw additional visitors to the city, she said, pointing to the success of similar revival efforts in the central business districts of other major metropolitan areas.

"We really need to save what we have," Hart said. "Tampa has a rich history, and I think that's a real draw to the city."

The six-story Maas Bros. Building, built during the 1920s, served as the flagship of the statewide department store chain founded in Tampa in 1886. Once a prominent piece of the city skyline, it has essentially been boarded up since the downtown location closed in 1991.

Developer Greg Hughes bought the building in 1998 with an eye toward rehabilitating it, as he had done with another old office structure nearby, now known as Gold Bank Plaza, and two other elderly buildings in Lakeland.

"During our due diligence we found out there was no way the (Maas Bros.) building could be restored," Hughes recently told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. "Economically there was no way that it could make sense."

Hughes originally planned to have Maas Bros. torn down in 2002 to make way for a high-rise office project dubbed Renaissance Tampa. But his plans were halted by factor including a depressed demand for office space and lack of a primary large tenant.

Hughes said his company, Chesapeake Atlantic Holdings, has fallen on "difficult" times in recent years but denies that the building is near foreclosure.

Although it appeared initially that the Tampa City Council was ready to give final approval to the demise of Maas Bros., some council members are rethinking their position and believe it could be gutted and converted to residential units.

Linda Saul-Sena, city council chair and a staunch advocate for historic preservation, isn't convinced that the building is doomed. "There was a building in Cleveland that was in worse condition" yet was successfully restored, she said, also pointing to other nearby successful restorations of seemingly dilapidated buildings in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Lakeland.

Hughes, meanwhile, contends that the city government shouldn't tell building owners what they can or cannot do with their buildings, especially after his company has already invested "millions" of dollars into Maas Bros. and other buildings. He said he is trying to reach a compromise with the city to pay for demolition.

As for other local attempts to save historic structures, economic feasibility is the bottom line, said Ferrell, who teaches a course on architectural preservation at the University of South Florida. While plenty of tax credits and other incentives are available to property owners, the numbers still have to work just as well on rehabbing as building new, she said.

"It takes some vision, but ultimately it's an analytical process," she said.

ccronan@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2468

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/04/12/focus1.html

If the city somehow took over the Maas building, perhaps no longer having the need to run a profit margin would make restoring the building "doable"...They could convert it to flats or lofts, and sell them off at market rate to recoup the cost.

I think Hughes should sell the Maas Brothers building to the city. He pulled the same thing in Lakeland a couple of years ago with the 9 story New Florida Hotel in downtown. However, the city purchased it, saw that there was interest in redeveloping it and now its being converted into upscale apartments with street retail.

I've also seen a couple of older highrises in Jax, that have been converted into lofts. Many sat vacant for years and looked to be in worse shape than Maas Brothers is.

If the owner doesn't have any concrete plans to put something better on the site after demolition, then the city of Tampa should do everything in their power to work towards its renovation.

Whilet he city council's interest in this matter is a little late, it sure is welcome. I am sure they could salavage the facade, build condos/lofts and get a premium for it.

IN DEPTH: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
From the April 9, 2004 print edition

Floridan Hotel owners wait for the right buyer to come along
City's first high-rise building faces possible renovation

Carl Cronan
Staff Writer
TAMPA -- The Floridan Hotel stands prominently in most archive photographs showing the downtown Tampa skyline in the early 20th century.

The old iron lettering atop the 19-story structure can still be seen amid the office towers that sprang up over the past three decades, only now the seemingly misspelled sign presents more of a windstorm hazard than identification.

Other than that, the city's first high-rise building still stands tall and solid, waiting for a developer with fair amounts of vision and cash to restore it to its former glory.

The current owners of the Floridan Hotel apparently are seeking a buyer for the brown brick building at 905 N. Florida Ave. An investment group called Capital LLC, led by investors from Boca Raton and Menlo Park, Calif., bought it for $2.7 million in July 1997 with plans to renovate the once-stately hotel with 400 rooms.

Capital LLC hired The Beck Group, a major contractor in the Tampa Bay area, to rehabilitate the Floridan in March 2001. The contract remains active, but restoration efforts were halted when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that year took a heavy toll on the nation's hospitality industry.

Lately, the emphasis has been on selling rather than rehabbing the old hotel.

"We are showing it to prospective buyers at least once a month," said Casey Ellison, Beck's assistant development manager in Tampa.

Recent visitors to the Floridan say the building remains in solid condition and could be converted to apartments, condominiums or assisted living space. The only drawbacks are lack of parking spaces near the hotel and, in the rooms, ceiling heights that are shorter than most in newer construction.

"The building is definitely savable," Ellison said. "It's just a matter of time before the right person with the right formula comes along."

It might also be a matter of whether that person is willing to pay fair market value for a building that was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 then condemned five years later. Condemnation doesn't doom the building to be razed, but it does mean the building cannot be inhabited in its current state.

Hillsborough County property records list the building's taxable value at $4.8 million, yet Capital LLC is asking a much-higher price, according to local historic preservation leaders. Efforts to reach the Floridan's owners were unsuccessful.

The Floridan, which opened in 1927, was considered one of Florida's finest hotels and certainly its tallest at the time. Elvis Presley slept there, as did many other visiting celebrities such as Jack Dempsey and Gary Cooper. Well-heeled visitors from northern states called it home during those winters prior to World War II, at which time it became a favorite among soldiers training in Tampa.

As emphasis shifted from downtowns to suburbs during the 1960s, so did the Floridan's opulent status. By the time it closed in 1989, it was only recognized as a cheap place to spend the night.

Commercial structures, regardless of their cultural value, will only sell for whatever the marketplace deems it is worth, noted Annie Hart, administrator of the Tampa Historic Preservation Commission. Buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places are entitled to a 20-percent federal tax credit, and those built before 1936 get a 10-percent credit.

However, a buyer must still factor in costs beyond the price paid for the property to determine whether a rehabilitation project is worth the expense, Hart said. "There has to be a meeting of the minds."

Sell it if you aren't doing anything with it. Let is be redveloped - which I think will happen - they could get a premium for those units in a few years if they renovate it properly

Ecellent - they chose my preferred extension of Franklin St.

Goody Goody Restaurant Brings 1st Taste Of Change To Downtown
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Apr 10, 2004





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TAMPA - With a newly spiffed-up restaurant dating to 1930, Goody Goody is looking ahead to better times.
There's new green and yellow paint inside and out. A restored neon sign once again will flash a hamburger tied to the most popular menu draw - $3.50 burgers topped with a secret tomato-based sauce. And the neighborhood can only improve.

Owner Yvonne Freeman, who was a car hop in the 1940s at the once-popular drive-in, expresses hope for Goody Goody's north end of downtown.

``The stores around here have been deserted for years,'' Freeman said of the once- thriving business district that included the now-closed Maas Bros. Department Store. ``Shopping just got spread out over all creation. No one came downtown anymore.''

She has noticed, however, a positive difference in the past year.

The neighborhood has been a scene of trash piles and boarded up buildings, she said. But on the day Freeman took a break to talk about the cosmetic rejuvenation of Goody Goody, city work crews were sweeping up and collecting litter.

Getting rid of discarded fast- food containers and used coffee cups is the small stuff, though, of what's happening in a downtown area starved for a major overhaul.

Property owners are eager to link to the national urban lifestyle trend, whether it's minimalist lofts or office space combining work with living areas. This area has two planned projects, The Arlington and Residences on Franklin.

In addition to the colorful Goody Goody sign, a city of Tampa postcard mural brightens the corner of East Royal Street and Florida Avenue, where city offices are located. The brick Martino Mortgage building at 1207 Franklin St. is getting a facelift. And Nodarse & Associates, an engineering firm, recently took over an empty 1950s Western Auto store at the corner of Tyler and Morgan streets.

A North Franklin Street Historic District earmarks a handful of buildings with long histories. ``We could include more,'' said Becky Clarke, executive director of Tampa Preservation Inc. ``But we felt we had to start somewhere.''

Then there are the plans by summer 2005 to extend Franklin Street to Interstate 275, which ends at Fortune Street. Franklin would curve around the Florida state office building, taking some parking lot property, and continue under the interstate to connect places such as Stetson University law school to the downtown area.

These elements have triggered such hope in the area that a Downtown Theater Association is being formed, named for the neighborhood's beacon Tampa Theatre. It would be a community group of merchants, office workers and future residential prospects similar to nearby Channel District, a warehouse area where a dozen residential/commercial projects are in various stages of development.

Andres Prida is organizing the group, applying for nonprofit status with the state. He and his father, Luciano, own an accounting firm at 1106 N. Franklin St. The two plan to build Residences on Franklin, a 34-unit residential complex where a parking lot now stands, beside the CPA firm.

``I absolutely don't think we're taking a risk in putting in residential here,'' Luciano Prida said. ``Try walking to work downtown from the Channel District. This area has not only the best views of downtown, but we are conveniently near the interstate.''

Prida said the city of Tampa has done its share in replacing sidewalks and adding planters and trees.

``We can't expect city hall to carry us 100 percent in redevelopment. But the city has been very cooperative,'' he said.

Prida's neighbor, architect Stephanie Ferrell, who works out of the top floor of a building she restored for the Cohn & Cohn law firm at 1110 N. Florida Ave., is close to fulfilling a longtime quest. The historic preservation expert wants to live downtown.

In August, she and her partner, commercial real estate agent Russ Versaggi, known for the conversion to lofts of the Tampa Heights Methodist Church, will begin construction on The Arlington. This restoration project at 1219 N. Franklin St. will have 11 residences upstairs and 10 mixed- use units downstairs.

``Can't you just imagine how wonderful it will be to sip coffee on the balcony?'' asked Ferrell during a recent walking tour of the north end of downtown with Clarke.

The former Arlington Hotel, a building housing Badcock Home Furnishings Center, has amazing light, Ferrell said. The former 1920s hotel, which had 52 rooms, has nine original sky lights, and each room had two windows. In addition to the front balcony, she plans to add another at the rear of the building.

Ferrell said it's time for Tampa to catch up with other cities in redeveloping its downtown. ``Parking lots don't add a whole lot of character,'' she said. ``The new [city] administration has made downtown housing a priority.''

She said benefits such as a 10-year freeze on property values are available for those restoring old buildings.

Freeman, of Goody Goody, has a novel theory on why the restaurant's drive-in went belly up. She said the restaurant, which once employed 35 staff members and is down to two, is where women, in a more formal time, used to sit and eat in their cars when they weren't properly fixed up to dine in a restaurant.

Now she would welcome casual diners, especially regulars such as new residents and office workers. ``Anything that happens nice for the neighborhood will be good for us,'' she said.


Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGARA0YLUSD.html

A few months ago, the Trib ran an article saying that it would be replaced by a multi-level strip mall. There would be a Target and several other stores stacked on top of each other with a parking garage of some sort. Supposedly they have such projects in Atlanta and I think Orlando, too. I don't know if it's changed plans, but if it is still what was promised it should be an interesting spin on the typical strip mall.

Indeed, you are correct. I am not sure if the parking garage will be in the back or on the side, but it is to be a multiple story bigbox thingy - like there is in Dadeland in Miami, though not quite as big

A few months ago, the Trib ran an article saying that it would be replaced by a multi-level strip mall. There would be a Target and several other stores stacked on top of each other with a parking garage of some sort. Supposedly they have such projects in Atlanta and I think Orlando, too. I don't know if it's changed plans, but if it is still what was promised it should be an interesting spin on the typical strip mall.




Where are you talking about in Tampa? There was such a project proposed for Westshore over at the old Jim Walter HQ. It was going to be 4 stories, with a 7 story garage. The plan got stalled by the economy, and then scrubbed when Home Depot backed out of building an Expo Center there as part of the development. But now it will be built as 2 or 3 stories (guess depends if they get another tenant or something?), with a Bed Bath and Beyond, and some nature grocery store having already signed on. I think it will have a 4 story garage, and a couple restaurants out towards Dale Mabry.

Apr 15, 2004

County Backs Plan For Civitas Parcel

By SHANNON BEHNKEN
sbehnken@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - Part of the Civitas redevelopment plan, derailed in January by critical county commissioners, is proceeding with special financing given ``a positive spin'' by the county administration.
The Civitas company has turned over its $2.7 million contract to buy about an acre at Cass and Morgan streets in Tampa to The Gatehouse Group, a developer planning to build a $20 million low-income housing complex.

Hillsborough County administrators have pushed the deal forward by working around a missed deadline to find $300,000 in public financing and then trying to smooth the political path ahead, an indication of challenges posed by Civitas fallout.

A letter from County Administrator Pat Bean's office outlining terms of the proposal was rewritten twice to allay staff concerns that supporting a project connected to Civitas would ``be seen as a circumvention of an action taken by the board.''

The letter, sent in similar versions to the county commission and the city of Tampa, called the project a ``great first step'' in redeveloping Tampa's Central Park area.

Bean said Wednesday that the financing and editing of her lower-level staff square with her understanding that commissioners who opposed Civitas were not opposed to future work in Central Park. They rejected a city-backed plan to create special taxing authority to help the company develop 157 acres between downtown and Ybor City.

``The issue the board had with Civitas was ... not that they rejected developing that area,'' Bean said. ``Staff is trying to say the board thought Civitas is bad and we shouldn't allow anything Civitas wanted to move forward. I don't think that's the case.

``The reality is that the city has so many problems now that they don't have the money to spend [on the project]. Why shouldn't the county help develop that area?''

The project, called The Prado Apartments, would be a nine-story, 146-unit building with some town homes and a parking garage. It is strikingly similar to what Civitas proposed for the site, owned since 1986 by a company in Jupiter.

The property, next to the Tampa Housing Authority's Central Park Village public housing complex, was slated to be part of a land swap between Civitas and the authority - until that deal fell through when the county balked at tax support.

Ed Turanchik, the former county commissioner leading Civitas, said steering the land contract to Gatehouse, a Massachusetts company, was the best way to guarantee affordable housing downtown.

``There are so many high- end condominium projects planned,'' Turanchik said. ``There is a need for work force housing downtown, and these guys do great work.

``We have no financial connections with [Gatehouse]. All we will get out of this is the satisfaction that high-quality affordable housing will be built in downtown Tampa.''

Civitas, which worked secretly for two years on plans that extended beyond Central Park, owns or has contracts to buy many properties in the target area. Turanchik said the company is ``weighing its options'' about what to do with the other sites.

Gatehouse President Mark Plonskier said his firm worked with Civitas on the Central Park plan and would have built some replacement homes for public housing residents if the original deal had gone through.

Gatehouse still wants to get in early on plans to redevelop Central Park, Plonskier said.

``I have no idea what more there is to do with Civitas,'' he said. ``Hopefully, this will be the start of something great.''


County Finds Financing

Civitas and Gatehouse finalized their deal in late February. By mid-March, Plonskier said, Gatehouse decided on its plans for the site - and they included state tax credits that hinged on a commitment of at least $200,000 from local government.

Plonskier turned to Don Shea, a man he knew as the former director of the county's affordable housing and code enforcement office.

Under Bean's predecessor, Dan Kleman, Shea was demoted to the solid waste department last spring after he falsified a government report.

Two weeks ago, Bean promoted him to a new post in her office, manager of community services, planning and resources.

Plonskier said Shea advised him to apply for $200,000 in impact fee relief from the county. That hit a roadblock when the application arrived March 17, more than a month after a deadline for such requests.

Mike Rowicki, a county executive planner, said he explained to Shea that the impact fee money already had been allocated. Rowicki said he also was concerned that Gatehouse had not paid the standard $1,200 application fee.

Rowicki said Shea told him to ``find another way to make the deal work'' and suggested using grant money typically reserved for county projects.

Rowicki's boss, Dexter Barge, who succeeded Shea in housing and code enforcement, said he also had concerns because the money had been promised to other developers for at least two years.

Barge was on vacation when Bean signed off to give Gatehouse $86,000 in impact fee relief, which does not have to be paid back, and a $214,000 low- interest loan.


City Money Not Sought

Bean said she checked to be sure there are no legal problems in using such money on a project that's not in the unincorporated county, and her staff reassured her.

``It wouldn't be right for us to not help this project, which is good for the city, just because it's in the city limits,'' she said. ``The city is still in the county, you know.''

Mark Huey, Tampa's economic development director, said the city was not asked to support the project financially. The county asked only for a letter supporting its plan to provide financial aid. Mayor Pam Iorio signed such a letter.

Shea said he took charge of editing the subsequent letter prepared by county staff for approval by Bean, which outlined the project. It was sent to commission Chairman Tom Scott and then from Scott to Iorio.

Shea said his goal was to assure the writing reflected the tone sought by Bean and Assistant County Administrator Bernardo Garcia.

``I was told by Pat and Bernardo that we wanted to send something to Tom and the mayor that had a positive spin to it,'' Shea said. ``This is not some great conspiracy. This is a good, positive project.''

Some commissioners still hadn't heard about the project Wednesday.

Commissioner Jan Platt said she would seek details today, and Commissioner Ronda Storms called it ``very troubling,'' saying, ``I am absolutely going to look into this.''

"The Civitas company has turned over its $2.7 million contract to buy about an acre at Cass and Morgan streets in Tampa to The Gatehouse Group, a developer planning to build a $20 million low-income housing complex."

What do they mean by low-income housing?
I hope they don't mean a housing project. I don't think that will be any good for the city. If they mean affordable housing, where, either the developer or the city provide help with financing for lower income families to BUY these units, I think that would be great!!

The units have to be owner occupied by people that are willing to work hard to have something. I don't think subsidized housing will work at any level. People don't appreciate things they haven't had to put any "sweat equity" into.

Subsidized housing should only be temporary(for healthy working aged people), for the elderly and for the disabled.

helping people of lesser means to obtain a home would work well. giving housing to people will only cause the area to stay in it's present condition.

A few things - I am not sure what low income housing is but a nine story building probably is more lower end affordable housing rather than a project - especailly since it is not public housing. It will be good to fill some of those lots too.

Second, teh ARC rejected the Citivest (Hyde Park) 24 story condo building again. I watched a lot of the hearing and basically they relied on the height argument again. My personal opinion is that they will be sued and they will lose, but we shall see. In any event, right now I like the fact that that building is not on the market as I would rather see the other condos downtown built first - even though it is a very nice design from what I could see.

I also saw the proposed Bern's parking lot project which is pretty nice for Howard. I am not sure if it was approved or not, but I think it was.

Then there is stuff like this, which is smaller, but good [the more the merrier]- hoepfully the parking will be in the back

Redevelopment Would Raze Longtime Kennedy Fixture
By IVAN J. HATHAWAY ihathaway@tampatrib.com
Published: Apr 15, 2004




SOUTH TAMPA - Sal Italiano remembers hanging around the big gray building on Kennedy Boulevard as a boy in the 1950s, watching his father and other family members run Anthony Distributors.
The Miller beer sign still sits atop the street-front warehouse and office space, which runs the length of the block between Rome and Packwood avenues on property the Italianos bought in 1942.

The building is basically all that remains of the operation. The company distributed Miller and several imported beers.

If Tampa City Council approves a rezoning, scheduled to be heard today, the end of the old warehouse will be drawing near.

Italiano, 61, and his father, Anthony S. Italiano Sr., 83, plan to join forces with John Lum of The LIST Group to replace the structure with a two- story retail and office building fronting Kennedy.

The plan doesn't stop there. Twelve town houses would be built on the L-shaped property south from Kennedy toward Cleveland Street, Lum said.

Italiano said the project should be a major improvement to a Kennedy Boulevard commercial strip showing strong signs of revitalization after decades of remaining a stagnant corridor between downtown and the West Shore business district.

The Italianos moved their distribution business from Kennedy in the '70s, first to what is now the Channel District and then to Ybor City. They sold the business in 1997 and deal mostly with real estate and investments, Sal Italiano said. The warehouse was leased for the past 30 years to various businesses, he said.

``I was raised on this block, and there is a lot of attachment to this property,'' Italiano said. ``But it's time to do this. At this point in our lives, it becomes a financial decision.''

The offices and retail spaces will be sold to individual owners, he said, except for about 2,000 square feet that the family will keep for its investment division offices.

Lum, a main partner in The LIST Group and its marketing arm, LIST Realty, is involved in several other Kennedy corridor projects, including town houses on Moody and Melville avenues.

His commercial projects involve replacing Cafe Pepe on Kennedy with an office and retail building, constructing a similar structure on the south side of Kennedy near Fremont Avenue, and a proposed office building at Kennedy and Willow Avenue. That parcel has yet to be rezoned.

The Italiano project is a prime example of a viable mix of uses, Lum said.

``I have had the feeling all along that people need to live on the 100 blocks south of Kennedy: people using the bus system, walking to restaurants and shops, making it more pedestrian friendly,'' he said.

``In my opinion, the [Italiano project] is a perfect use,'' Lum said. ``It is a great utilization of the land and helps clean up the area, which is the whole idea.''

If the rezoning goes smoothly, Italiano expects the warehouse will be history by the summer and construction could begin in the fall.


Reporter Ivan Hathaway can be reached at (813) 835-2103.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGAJOCW02TD.html

Some background on this low-income Gatehouse company - they seem reputable enough (also saw some MAssachusetts articles.)

Motivated renters
Working parents flock to these apartments for much more than a roof overhead.
By JACKIE RIPLEY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 31, 2002


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CARROLLWOOD -- Before the ribbon was even cut, 122 families were calling the Villas at New Port Landing home. In fact, by early this year, the complex on Henderson Road was already full. "They were advertised for rent and it was first come, first served," said Don Shea, director of the Hillsborough County Community Improvement Department.

The 26-acre complex just south of Gunn Highway is a joint venture between the Boston-based Gatehouse Group and the Alliance for Affordable Housing, a state initiative that provides low-cost housing for lower-income families.

"It's been a fabulous success," said David Canepari, president of Gatehouse Management Inc., which, among other things, is counseling renters about how to purchase homes. "It really empowers working people to strive for home ownership."

Gatehouse has six other affordable apartment communities in the county for working families or seniors. But "this is our first attempt to put single family environment" in an apartment complex, Canepari said.

The county provided a $1.5-million low-interest loan and the state contributed about $1.5-million to lower the developer's costs enough to keep rents affordable while still allowing for a profit. In return, Gatehouse will keep the rents lower than the going rate for the life of the 30-year loan.

The units are rented to individuals or families whose yearly incomes are no higher than 60 percent of the median for the Tampa Bay area. They cost up to $605 for two bedrooms, $699 for three bedrooms and $783 for four bedrooms. That means someone whose income is, say, $18,000 a year can rent a two-bedroom unit and use the clubhouse, fitness center and swimming pool. The community also has a children's playground and a multipurpose recreation court as well as resident programs to meet the health, education and social needs of residents.

"There's nothing like this in Tampa, nothing like this around," Shea said.

The complex includes 122 villas, 106 townhomes and 16 four-bedroom single-family homes. It was conceived with the idea of providing purchase options to some of the renters. But when financing for that type of project became too difficult, the developer decided to provide home ownership counseling instead.

The company will "provide home ownership training and down payment assistance at the time of the lease," Shea said. "The ability to transition into home ownership is the goal."

Canepari also had to sell the concept to surrounding homeowners, whose preconception of affordable rental housing consisted of "three stories and tons and tons of children."

"We clearly had some neighborhood meetings," Canepari said. "There was no resistance because we were willing to make a high quality community with gates, walls and a high-level interior and exterior."

Amenities include two full bathrooms, wood cabinets, designer kitchens, washer-dryers, miniblinds and ceiling fans, and high efficiency heating and air conditioning, including double paned windows to minimize utility bills.

Residents can stay as long as they wish. But "they do have to maintain income eligibility, which is constantly monitored on an annual basis," Shea said.

- Jackie Ripley can be reached at (813) 269-5308 or ripley@sptimes.com.
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:C-rk2QzxqMkJ:www.sptimes.com/2002/03/31/Northoftampa/Motivated_renters.shtml+The+Gatehouse+Group+tampa&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Law Firm To Build On Florida Avenue Downtown
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Apr 17, 2004






TAMPA - R. Wade Wetherington has a good idea for a name for the north downtown area where he and his partners plan to build a new law firm.
``Call it the Goody Goody District,'' he said jokingly, referring to the landmark hamburger place at 1119 N. Florida Ave.

Wetherington Hamilton & Harrison will raze a former barbecue place at the southwest corner of Florida Avenue and Harrison Street. They plan a two-story, 10,000- square-foot structure combining traditional brick with a modern glass-walled conference room on the northeast corner.

Groundbreaking should take place within a few months, said Wetherington. The property, purchased in May 2003, is less than half of a city block.

About 15 staff members will move from the firm's location in the downtown Lykes building, 400 Tampa St.

Wetherington said the property was slated for a residen- tial/office complex by its previous owner. But when his firm purchased the land, it decided not to do the residential portion.

``That area is coming along, but it just didn't seem the right time for us to try such a venture,'' he said.


Wetherington said he already has been asked to serve on the board of the Downtown Theater Association forming to represent the area around the Tampa Theatre.


Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.

http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGATIXF85TD.html

Light Rail Plan Sputters Amid Doubts Over Funding


TAMPA - The Tampa Rail Project dodged a bullet this month in a vote some transit leaders say could have proved fatal.
Just how alive the light rail proposal is, however, remains to be seen.

``I have grave concerns,'' said Jan Platt, a Hillsborough County commissioner on the board of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority.

``We really don't know what's going to happen,'' said Lucie Ayer, head of the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization.

After years of studies and public hearings, the transit board voted in October 2001 to build a 20-mile light rail system connecting downtown Tampa and Ybor City with the West Shore business district and the University of South Florida.

The HARTline vote didn't open any checkbooks, though, and funding for the $1.4 billion project is elusive.

Half of that money, more than $700 million, is supposed to come from the Federal Transit Administration, which approved the project a year ago. The agency has not specifically recommended funding the project, however, citing a lack of local support.

HARTline suggested that more than one-third of the project's cost could be funded with a local sales tax increase that has not reached a public ballot for consideration.

In an annual report, the national agency warned that the project could lose its shot at federal funding if ``progress is not made on improving its financial status.''

Falling off the government list, behind dozens of other communities seeking a limited pool of start-up dollars, would be fatal, HARTline officials and rail supporters fear.

Jan Smith, who chaired the HARTline board that approved the project in 2001, said local leaders must not let years of work languish.

``We are going to be sadly lacking if we don't have the chutzpah to step up to the table and try to get these funds,'' Smith said. ``If we have forward-thinking, visionary people in places of political influence, we will. If we don't, we won't.''


Worth The Investment?

The HARTline board was nearing the close of its April 5 meeting when member Steve Polzin raised the question: Why was the agency planning to spend $65,000 on consulting work for a light rail system that appears light years away?

``I'm trying to make this board make a very deliberate decision on whether or not they want to continue to invest in it in light of the prospects of local funding being available to do something with it,'' said Polzin, a USF transportation researcher.

HARTline Executive Director Sharon Dent argued that the consulting work, including $15,000 worth now and an additional $50,000 through 2006, was necessary to keep Tampa's rail project in good federal standing.

The consultant would be paid to prepare annual project updates for the federal agency, including one due in August. Failure to meet the deadline would be a fatal flaw, Dent warned.

``If you tell me not to authorize this task order, you've just killed the rail project, and you made that decision today, so you need to understand it,'' she said.

Platt balked at Polzin's suggestion, saying, ``I'm concerned that some little motion like this could put the brakes on rail.''

Ultimately, board members approved the first $15,000 of work, given to Gannett Fleming of Camp Hill, Pa. They also signed off on the second phase with the caveat that they could cancel the rest of the contract at any time.

Beyond that money, though, is the billion-dollar question of what will become of light rail. Platt anticipates a full-bore discussion soon.

``I think the future of rail is going to be decided in the very near future,'' she said.


Long-Range Planning

If it's not decided by HARTline, it could be decided by the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The organization is updating its long-range transportation plan, a document that includes the rail project at this point. It's time again to revisit the plan, and some rail supporters worry that the planning board will target their effort for elimination.

Such a decision would erase several million dollars worth of work and thwart any hope of opening by the plan's horizon date of 2025, said HARTline spokesman Ed Crawford, an avid rail proponent.

``If you get bumped out of the queue, if this thing somehow falls off the feds' radar screen, and if our report doesn't remain updated ... it's highly likely that those kind of time horizons go way out the window,'' Crawford said.

Tampa deserves rail of the type that works in Salt Lake City, Denver, Houston, Dallas and Portland, Ore., Crawford said, even if some question whether Tampa is in the same league.

``You by no means have compelling community consensus,'' Polzin said. ``They want strong, viable projects. They don't want laggards. This is not a slam dunk by any stretch of the imagination.''

HARTline has predicted about 30,000 people would ride the rail daily.

There is also the matter of HARTline's credibility, though.

Dent recently took a verbal beating from county commissioners, who expressed ``no confidence'' in her leadership. A county auditor found questionable spending practices on the agency's other rail project, the TECO Line Streetcar System. Federal transit investigators have been asking questions about the streetcar woes.

Some of the loudest critics of HARTline leadership have been among the vocal opponents of the streetcar.

Crawford acknowledged that the agency's credibility could play a role - ``I haven't been living under a rock,'' he said - but he also wondered whether recent criticism is part of a concerted effort to derail light rail.

``Is this all part of the plan?'' he said.


http://news.tbo.com/news/MGACKVOI6TD.html

Light Rail Route Map
http://media.tbo.com/maps/images/040418m2rail.gif

Am I reading this right? At best, this thing won't be operational until 2025! That sounds pretty rediculous, that's just as bad as Orlando rejecting their proposed light rail system a couple of years ago, when the federal & state governments were already on board to provide 2/3's of the funding.

I hope light-rail passes for Tampa. It adds millions to Miami's economy and it creates a real urban feel. Plus, if this passes it will lay a foundation for commuter rail in the Tampa Bay area over the next thirty or fourty years. Without it, Tampa will end up like L.A. and building mass transit system when its too late and for too much money.

Why don't you email the Tribune with your opinion. I can't hurt.

Wind Back In Sail Of Riverwalk Plan


TAMPA - As sure as the Hillsborough River's dark water flows south toward the bay, another Tampa mayor trumpets plans for a downtown riverwalk.
Bill Poe, Bob Martinez, Sandy Freedman and Dick Greco all played roles in developing the riverfront, but plans to finish the riverwalk ended up gathering dust on city hall shelves.

Now Mayor Pam Iorio plans to build off her predecessors' efforts to complete a waterfront walkway along the east side of the river linking Tampa Heights to the Channel District.

The river Iorio remembers walking beside and canoeing on as a girl in Temple Terrace would be used to lure people to parks, museums and other downtown attractions.

Unlike her predecessors, Iorio said, she ranks the riverwalk as the No. 1 city project to complete - and she wants it done in five years.

``It's about opening the river to the people,'' she said this month. ``We do have a string of assets along the river. We just don't have a way to connect them.''

Work scheduled to start this summer on two waterfront parks includes sections of the 15- to 20-foot-wide walkway.

Iorio plans to hire an engineering consultant to update riverwalk designs and cost estimates. Over the years, the projected price tag has ranged from $7.5 million to $12 million.

The city would carve out room in its budget in coming years by paying for the project one section at a time.

Iorio said she also plans to lead a private fundraising effort, and she intends to ask her mayoral predecessors to help find money for the effort.

``Every mayor has tried to do something,'' she said. ``We're dusting it off ... to take what's left and turn it into a real gem.''


Building On History

City riverwalk efforts date at least to 1976. That's when more than 1,700 wooden planks bearing the names of donors were used to build a walkway across the water from the University of Tampa's Plant Park in honor of the nation's bicentennial.

The planks started being pulled out 10 years later to make room for construction of the the 31-story cylindrical office tower known as ``the beer can building,'' now called 400 North Ashley, at Kennedy Boulevard and Ashley Drive.

The rest of the planks were yanked in 1994 and replaced with a concrete and steel walkway beside Curtis Hixon Park between the Tampa Museum of Art and the Poe parking garage.

Iorio proposes incorporating planks that were saved into the latest riverwalk, which she envisions including mosaics and other artwork to help tell the history of Tampa.

Iorio's plan adds to existing riverwalk sections such as those beside Hixon Park, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the Tampa Convention Center and the Tampa Marriott Waterside.

The city would build a section at its proposed Waterworks Park, behind the new Stetson Law School building, where Iorio envisions adding a canoe launch.

The section beside Hixon Park may be revamped as part of a redesign of the park that will accompany construction of a new art museum, which could begin this year.

By June, the city expects to start a $1.3 million project to build sections of the riverwalk, as well as parks, in two spots near the Brorein Street Bridge. One site is north of Whiting Street; the other is closer to the Platt Street Bridge.

The land was acquired under Greco's administration, and the money comes from city proceeds from the Community Investment Tax, a sales tax increase Greco championed.

``What we are looking for is progress forward, making pieces come to life and getting people access to them,'' said Steve Daignault, Iorio's public works and utility services administrator, who is leading her riverwalk effort.


Sections Pose Challenges

The city owns submerged land along the route of the riverwalk, allowing portions of the walkway to be built over the river to avoid structures built at the water's edge.

The city plans to require new development along the river to build sections of the walkway, or at least to supply the land.

That includes a 300-foot section to be built by developers proposing a 50-story, 213- unit condominium tower between Whiting and Brorein streets.

The new Tampa Bay History Center also is expected to build a section to be connected to the walkway passing through Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, east of the Marriott hotel.

Current plans show the northern end of the walk starting at a riverside development proposed by Bank of America. Plans call for a 300-unit condominium and about 70 town houses off West Palm Avenue, North Boulevard and Ola Avenue.

The bank project provides land for the walkway, but the city would be responsible for building it, said Marybeth Storts, a senior vice president for the bank.

``It works in very nicely with our plan,'' Storts said, but ``it will be a while.''

The city approved the bank's project in 2002; Storts said the company is still acquired land, and no construction date has been set.

The city could opt to start the riverwalk farther south, at Waterworks Park, and could add other sections in the future, Iorio said.

The biggest hurdle, according to the city, would be getting walkway sections under the bridges that cross the river.

The sections must be high enough above the water that they don't end up submerged, yet low enough that joggers and walkers don't bump their heads under the bridge.

Another wrinkle could be a pedestrian bridge Iorio wants to consider, linking the University of Tampa to the redesigned park planned beside the art museum.

``I would like to see the university community more integrated with the west side of downtown,'' Iorio said. ``It would be great for the students and the cultural life.''


Trying To Push Ahead

Within a month, the city plans to hire a consultant for a still-undisclosed fee to address issues such as the pedestrian crossing and passage under the existing bridges.

An updated riverwalk plan could be available by the end of the summer, said Jack Morriss, Tampa's public works director.

Creating a waterfront gathering place appeals to downtown business leaders, but fundraising and land acquisition typically takes a long time, said Christine Burdick, president of the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

``We're well on our way, but it's not something anyone should expect within a year or two,'' Burdick said.

``We think it's a great idea,'' said Barry Hanerfeld, leasing agent for 400 North Tampa. ``Most of the downtown community thinks it's a great idea.''

However, ``it's been talked about since before I came to Tampa,'' said Hanerfeld, a 13- year resident.

Environmental groups such as the River Roundtable and Friends of the River have supported riverwalk efforts.

Making the river a stronger tourist attraction might make the city more committed to cleaning it up, said Lynn McGarvey of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club.

``Up until now, [the city] said, `We are going to ignore it because it is too expensive to clean up,' '' McGarvey said. ``The more people who are exposed to the condition of the river, the better it will be.''


Reporter Andy Reid can be reached at (813) 259-8409.

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGAFKHJZ7TD.html

http://media.tbo.com/maps/images/041904m2riverwalk.gif

I like the idea of a Riverwalk in downtown. It would be a great outdoor urban asset to have and would provide a scenic car-free corridor from Tampa Heights to the Channel District.

Review Commission Says No To High-Rise Condo On Bayshore

BAYSHORE - A land-use attorney, an architect and a developer trying to build a Bayshore Boulevard condominium have spent hours designing and reconfiguring plans so the high- rise could fit on a 1.2-acre site at DeSoto Avenue - but, thus far, in vain.
It's too tall, the city's Architectural Review Commission said at a public meeting Wednesday night, bringing applause from a gallery of Bayshore and Hyde Park residents.

Although the parcel is zoned for a high-rise, a 24-story building of nearly 350 feet doesn't fit the character of surrounding properties, or the Hyde Park Historic District, the commission voted.

Because the corner lot falls just within the historic district boundaries, it must meet strict district guidelines in addition to city zoning codes.

The commission refused to issue a certificate of appropriateness that would allow the project to proceed.

Since the project surfaced more than a year ago, residents have fought it every inch of the way. The building's height has been their biggest objection.

During a four-hour meeting at city hall, a string of residents repeated comments many made at previous hearings. They were unswayed by a reduction in the tower's size and larger lawns around it created by greater setbacks from the property lines.

``I can't think of one good reason why we'd allow something like this,'' Bayshore resident Rosemary Henderson said. ``If this goes through, it would set a precedent for all the other historic districts in the country.''

Michael Villa told the commission he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars renovating his Bayshore home immediately to the east of the tower site, and then was limited to building a one-story garage to keep it in character with neighboring properties.

``If I had to restrict my garage to one-story, I don't see how someone could put up a 24- or 30-story building,'' Villa said. ``I took the design guidelines literally. I still do, and I hope you do.''

Plans filed in March 2003 showed a 31-story structure of more than 400 feet. Regulations requiring additional setbacks from Bayshore and DeSoto sent local developer Bill Robinson and New York architect Frank Williams back to the drawing boards.

The current plan shows a cupola, and 50-foot-wide lawns on two sides of the tower. It also includes preserving a grand oak near Bayshore.

Attorney John Grandoff said Thursday he and Robinson are discussing which avenue of appeal to pursue.

As I have said before, the building is very nice, but I would rather it not get built for a while so that the downtown stuff can be filled up.. THe Bayshore building just will not contribute any pedestrian life or cool street level activity, while downtown and Channelside stuff will. although, it would be nice if eventually something got built there after Channelside and Downtown get closer to merging and being established as really residential.

(edited by Jasonhouse: double post)

I was just browsing around the tbinsterstates site when I cam across the renderings for the new overpasses in Ybor on I-4. Normally, overpasses don't do much for me, but these:

http://www.tbinterstates.com/urs/content/design/i4-ybor/images/DS-4.jpg

http://www.tbinterstates.com/urs/content/design/i4-ybor/images/DS-3.jpg http://www.tbinterstates.com/urs/content/design/i4-ybor/images/DS-5.jpg

http://www.tbinterstates.com/urs/content/design/i4-ybor/Diagrams.asp

I saw the I-4 website a couple of months ago, and I'm very impressed by the look of these overpasses. They should visually fit in with the character of Ybor City as long as the city, state, or whoever, maintains them after construction is complete.

I'm sure tehy'll get a worn look, and an architect I know already pointed out some less than top notch materials, but I think they will be ok. Centrainly better than regular overpasses. What I like, actually, is that the state and local guys are trying. That is encouraging.

Those are pretty nice. Certainly way better than the typical overpasses. Materials are always cheaped out on these days, so at least getting something that looks good is a plus.


Also, I'm pretty sure that the I-4/Selmon Expwy connector was funded the other day. I know I read something about that somewhere (could already be posted, who knows)...

New law office builiding and some info. on the new residences in the heart of dowtown. From Tampa Trib.

TAMPA - R. Wade Wetherington has a good idea for a name for the north downtown area where he and his partners plan to build a new law firm.
``Call it the Goody Goody District,'' he said jokingly, referring to the landmark hamburger place at 1119 N. Florida Ave.

Wetherington Hamilton & Harrison will raze a former barbecue place at the southwest corner of Florida Avenue and Harrison Street. They plan a two-story, 10,000-square- foot structure combining traditional brick with a modern glass-walled conference room on the northeast corner.

Groundbreaking should take place within a few months, said Wetherington. The property, purchased in May 2003, is less than half of a city block.

About 15 staff members will move from the firm's location in the downtown Lykes building, 400 Tampa St.

Wetherington said the property was slated for a residential/office complex by its previous owner. But when his firm purchased the land, it decided not to do the residential portion.

``That area is coming along, but it just didn't seem the right time for us to try such a venture,'' he said.

Two residential projects are in the works, Residences on Franklin, a 34-unit complex next to 1106 N. Franklin St., and The Arlington, 1219 N. Franklin, which will house 11 residences upstairs and 10 mixed-use units downstairs.

Wetherington said he already has been asked to serve on the board of the Downtown Theater Association forming to represent the area around the Tampa Theatre.

^its good to see redevelopment finally making its way to North Franklin Street.

I am going to go out on a limb here, and say Tampa is ready for urban living!!


I just stopped by "The Towers of Channelside" reservation office, which has been open since yesterday, and they have reserved every unit , except three. They have not advertised, or even listed on the MLS. They sold the units from people calling the developer ahead of time and friends of people involved.

These are only reserves and cost $5k. Deposits will be in July or August, which costs 10% down. The units have had two price increases already. The cheapest units I saw were $265 a square ft.

It sounds like this one will definately get built.

Here is their website http://www.towersatchannelside.com

that is excellent news. I also like the very large footprint of the project overall - when looking, keep in mind the pool is on the roof of the base (As far as I know):
http://www.towersatchannelside.com/flash/pictures/TowersIMAGES_036.jpg

Do you know anything about Downtown Channelside (the Byrd waterfront thing)?

I haven't heard anything about that in a while. The developer is in the process of developing a water front community in north St Pete called Mangrove cay. I would imagine once he is done with that development, we will hear more. Here is the web site for that project.
http://www.mangrovecay.com/

I'll email tehse guys and see what they say.

Holy shit. Only three units left and it is just now being "actively" marketed? I dont' see how that can be anything but good news for competing projects. I'm starting to think that the PInnacle Project is probably already a done deal. Even though I object to the hieght of the tower, it is easily the most well received plan of any for DT. At least with the folks I've talked to about DT.

Downtown: Buildings to breathe life into district
Three developments in north downtown, including the Arlington Hotel, will bring hundreds of new residents.
By RON MATUS, Times Staff Writer
Published April 23, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


On the north rim of downtown, ghosts must be howling: The once-bustling Franklin Street business district is again showing signs of life.

If current plans pan out, hundreds of new residents will call it home by next summer.

Some will be living in lofts under construction on Carlton Drive.

Some in the historic Arlington Hotel.

Still others in the Residences, a proposed eight-story tower.

"This is the first time I've seen movement here," said accountant Lou Prida, who in 1980 bought the vacant lot now slated for the tower.

The city has been hoping for a renaissance. Last year, city officials declared several buildings in the area local landmarks, including the Arlington. The designation offers developers one-time credits on federal tax bills and a 10-year exemption on local property taxes.

Now, timing might be the biggest incentive.

"There's a general trend in the country to have living in the downtown core," Prida said. "Atlanta went through it. Charlotte went through it. I believe we're there."

North downtown is especially prime for urban housing because vacant lots are plentiful and old buildings are still healthy enough for renovation, said Dallas Coffield, a real estate agent with Smith & Associates, which is marketing all three projects.

Developers expect shops, offices and restaurants to follow.

Last week, the Wetherington Hamilton & Harrison law firm announced plans to build a 10,000-square-foot office on a nearby stretch of Florida Avenue.

"You have to do residential first," Prida said. "That should be the lesson of Ybor City."

The old Arlington Hotel, 1209 N Franklin St., was built about 1913. It's owned by architect Stephanie Ferrell and Bob Harrell, the city's former housing chief. Ferrell and Russ Versaggi, the man behind the Sanctuary Lofts in Tampa Heights, are developing it.

In a month or so, work will begin to knock down walls, install kitchens and bathrooms, and transform 52 hotel rooms into 11 one- and two-bedroom condos. The new Arlington will also feature 10 mixed-use spaces, with some future tenants planning a coffeehouse and a pub, Coffield said.

Construction should be complete by early next year.

A block south on Franklin, the Residences will offer 34 one- and two-bedroom units, from $220,000 to the upper $400,000s. Work should begin this summer and take about a year. Units are already selling.

On Carlton Drive, 42 one- and two-bedroom units at Arts Center Lofts went on the market for $150,000 to $280,000. Residents will move in this fall.

Prida isn't worried about competition tripping his tower. "The market's deeper than 87 units," he said.

Much deeper, evidently.

All but two of the Arts Center lofts have been sold.

And last weekend, Smith & Associates sold all 21 units at the Arlington.






That's pretty stinking cool. So right now in Tampa the notable residential stuff is the Bellamy, Alagon and One Bayshore U/C along Bayshore. And Victory Lofts, Arts Center Lofts, the ParkCrest (Harbour Island) around DT U/C right now... And the Meridian, the Arlington, the Residences on Franklin and Downtown Channelside are effectively sold out. That's freaking amazing IMO.

Does anyone have pics of the new developments on the north end of downtown? I've seen the pics for the Arts Center lofts, but not the Arlington, the new 8 story tower or the Franklin residences.

On another note, the St. Pete Times today said that the new art musuem will break ground sometime this year. Hopefully it will fulfill its promise of being a new city landmark... what does everyone else think about it? Design and impact wise.

There is a rendering of the Residences at Franklin somewhere several pages back. I scanned a crappy b&w elevation, and just quickly colored it in. I got the colors from another crappy rendering we had.

I haven't seen anything for the Arlington.

I don't think teh Arlignton will change the outside of the building substantially. It is teh badcock building on Franklin, I beleive - two story brick - now painted white (maybe they will take the paint off)

I emailed the Downtown Channelside people, but they have no written material yet.

Does anyone have any info on the Grand Central project- they have advertised quite a bit, but their website is far from inforamtive.

A final note - the Meridian Website says they have their "foundation permit" - I am not sure if that means they can go ahead and lay it or if that mean their foundation is laid and accepted.

I think that means they can build it. Afterwards, it is inspected and signed off on by the city. ( I thought you knew all about that stuff. I only know a little)

No, sadly, my omniscience is overstated. :)

Actually, I know a decent amount but, to be honest, I had never even heard of a "foundation permit" - I was under the impression you got the permits and had a checklist in that permit that the inspectors signed off on to go to the next stage

I think that means they can build it. Afterwards, it is inspected and signed off on by the city. ( I thought you knew all about that stuff. I only know a little)

Read your PMs. I have been trying to contact you for weeks.

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/04/26/story8.html?page=1

Downtown Tampa lofts fueled by past success stories
Ken Salgat
Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Franklin Street Lofts, a new $10-million, eight-story project in downtown Tampa, is in its final review with the city.


Spearheaded by Franklin Street Developers LLC in Tampa, the 34 units will be larger than what currently exists in the area and will cost a bit more. However, the target market, empty nesters and young professionals, remains the same.

"I've been down here 20 years, so there always was an anticipation that the city would move in this direction (towards new residential)," said Lou Prida, managing partner in Franklin Street Developers.

Franklin Street Lofts, located at the southeast corner of Franklin and Royal streets, will include:

72 parking spaces on two bottom floors, with the residential units taking up the top six stories
12 one-bedroom and 22 two-bedroom units
units ranging from 1,050 to more than 2,100 square feet
units priced from $221,300 to $450,350
Prida plans to break ground on the lofts Oct. 1 and expects a nine-month build out. Fifteen of the units already are under reservation, he said.

"I always thought this was going to be strictly commercial, but there is a window of opportunity now for residential, and I figured now was a good time to take advantage of the market," Prida said. "The lessons of Ybor City tell us you have to have residents first before you can develop commercial, especially in an urban environment."

Ybor City's atmosphere changes like day and night, literally.

The Ybor City Historic District, centered along Seventh Avenue, draws crowds on weekends and evenings, yet a typical weekday still sees a sparse mix of tourists, students, businesspeople and the homeless. Because there are few residents in the area, local businesses for years have suffered.

Wilson Stair, Tampa's urban design manager, said Franklin Street Developers is benefiting from the market created by a successful "base-amenity" loft project completed almost two years ago.

"(Channelside) Lofts 212 really primed the pump for this market," said Stair. "That's really what showed that the loft market could sell in the Tampa Bay area."

Before Channelside Lofts 212, speculation swirled about planned housing developments in Tampa's downtown and in the Channel District. Stair said there was a concern that new residential units in the heart of an urban setting wouldn't sell. In April 2002, those concerns were dispelled when the first phase of the 28-unit loft project between Washington Street and Kennedy Boulevard sold out in only two months.
Marica McKeel, at the time an intern architect with RBK Architects in Tampa and project director of Channelside 212 Lofts, said loft-style apartments had been very popular in other markets throughout the country, especially Atlanta and San Francisco, but that they hadn't caught on yet in the Tampa area.


That perception appeared to change after the $3.2-million project sold out within its initial six-month construction period. The units, of which no two are the same, ranged in price from $155,000 to $305,000.

"You can really see where the market is now," said Stair. "People with families and children are probably going to opt for the suburbs, but there is a growing number of empty nesters and young professionals who want to live within an urban area."

Maureen L. McAvey, senior resident fellow in urban development for the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C., echoed these sentiments during the Tampa Downtown Partnership's annual Downtown Development Forum on March 23.

McAvey said that while household size continues to shrink, the country's population is projected to grow by 60 million during the next 20 years. Most of this increase will be felt in 17 states, Florida being one.

"By all accounts, throughout the nation, the need for housing units will skyrocket as the number of households without young children continues to climb and young professionals move back to the city," said McAvey. "Tampa has the infrastructure to succeed in its transformation to a 24-hour, urban city. You've defined the bones through its amenities. Now it is time to add the frame, which includes housing."

She said tomorrow's cities would incorporate population density, economic diversity, well-thought-out design and public support.

Stair said density is not expected to be an issue with developments downtown.

"We're not anticipating a lot of open space in our developments," he said.

I love reading articles like that, because it makes my career choice look wiser and wiser with every passing month.

IMO, there are only three "bulletproof" industries in America for the next 20-30 years, and that's architecture/construction (my career choice), Law enforcement/security, and healthcare. For my generation, I am of the opinion that these three broad fields offer the best combination of job safety, growth and decent pay.

From TBO.com:


Possibilities Hold Court
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: May 1, 2004







TAMPA - Two things about the renovation of the classic federal courthouse in downtown Tampa are known for sure, said Trent Green, University of South Florida architecture and urban design professor:
The chillers have to be relocated because the air- conditioning boxes block atrium space. That will reopen skylights, now covered by a wooden ceiling in Courtroom A.

And, Green said, hunched over architect drawings of the courthouse's floor plans, ``This will be an expensive undertaking.''

Green, a consultant on the courthouse redevelopment, was among about 80 developers, historians, architects and the public who toured the courthouse April 20.

The invitation to visit the building, empty since 1998, was extended by Mark Huey, administrator for redevelopment for the city of Tampa. It was the first step toward asking developers for proposals, due June 4.

The city bought the building at 611 N. Florida Ave. from the U.S. General Services Administration for $1 last summer. During its history, which includes a 1931 addition, the building served as a post office, customs house and, since 1984, the U.S. District Courthouse.

Leftovers from its court days - red jury chairs, gold water pitchers, microphones for judges, wanted posters on a basement wall - join the soaring gray marble walls, brass light fixtures and fancy crown moldings. Overall, the building possesses an eerie presence.

``What a gorgeous place!'' said City Council member Linda Saul-Sena, stepping into the first level.

Huey concedes the building needs special attention.

``We're wide open on what can be done here,'' he said, surveying the richly appointed corridor. ``Financially, the private sector could be very creative.''

Because the building is a national historic monument, as well as a local landmark, renovations would have to follow preservation guidelines.

Huey wants public access on the basement and first levels. That could mean shops and restaurants. A hotel, residences and offices could go on the second through fourth levels.

He said he has been contacted by about 10 groups and has sent 250 mailings to nationally known firms specializing in historic preservation.

Huey ruled out the city using the 100,000-square-foot building.

``With public use, there could be no private use,'' he said. ``I really see this building being a catalyst for this part of town.''

Huey said he isn't open to any flashy ideas. ``Show me the money,'' he said is his approach. He is firm about the city not bearing any operating costs.

Byrne Litschgi, a lawyer appointed to the Classic Courthouse Committee, remembers coming to the building to join the Army. ``Instead, the Navy took me in 1941,'' he said.

Litschgi said he will take a good look at how financially sound proposals are.

Deborah MacArthur and Mark Van Summern, architects at Interarch Design Inc., took an intense look at the building's various rooms. With floor plans in hand, MacArthur said, ``We're just trying to figure this out.''

Viewing the cumbersome chillers, both are reassured by Annie Hart, administrator for the city's Historic Preservation Commission, that those will be hidden.

``That's good,'' said Van Summern, who added natural light will be a must.

Lonnie Homenuk, executive vice president for Chesapeake Atlantic Holdings, said it was his first visit to the Beaux-Arts style site. ``It's interesting. The possibilities are certainly here,'' he said.

Along with the old city hall, some downtown churches and the minaret-topped Tampa Bay Hotel, now part of the University of Tampa, the courthouse signaled Tampa's arrival as a city at the turn of the 20th century.

``This signature building could reopen this whole neglected area,'' said Rodney Kite-Powell, curator at the Tampa Bay History Center. ``But this has to be done right.''

I had a studio class taught by Prof Green. He's a smart guy...

Well, master plans are nice and all, but Tampa masterplans too much and executes plans too little. The area is primed to take off, give it some very general ideas, lift height limits to give developers ample opportunities, make sure there is street level action, plan for mass tranist, and let them be.

Imgaine turning the old Fed courthouse into a Hearst Tower (nyc) type of historic redevelopment....

The problems with that building are that there is no open land near it to integrate it into a bigger development and parking is an issue. On the other hand, I would like to see the trend of saving old Tampa buildings get underway so at least teh Floridan and Kress will be saved, even if some idiot thinks the Maas Bros. should come down - though I am not sure that will happen either. I get the feeling that a backlash is building.

New art museum within reach
Fundraisers have nearly 90 percent of the private funds needed to break ground this year along Ashley Drive.
By DAVID KARP, Times Staff Writer
Published May 5, 2004

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TAMPA - For months, there was no news.

No buzz about millions being raised to build Tampa's new art museum downtown.

No excitement.

Then Tuesday, the Tampa Museum of Art issued a two-paragraph release:

They had quietly accumulated $27.5-million, putting their final goal within reach this summer, they said.

"The momentum is there," said A. Gerald "Jerry" Divers, a banker who is chairman of the museum's fundraising drive. "The museum is going to happen."

Donors need another $4.5-million to finish off the task and begin construction on Tampa's biggest public works project since Raymond James Stadium.

City leaders hope the new museum will be an architectural wonder that will enliven downtown and elevate the city's cultural presence.

The new museum would reign over Ashley Drive with a canopy, designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Vinoly. It would replace the current museum, whose building is so conventional that many people miss it when they drive by.

The new museum should cost about $62-million - although the price may go up, Divers and Mayor Pam Iorio warned Tuesday.

They said they didn't know how much yet.

The price of steel has doubled in some places, because China went on a steel-buying binge. There's also a shortage of concrete, making construction more expensive.

"I think the truth is it will cost more than originally planned," Divers said. "But I don't think it will cause us not to do it."

The city has pledged about $30-million from a half-cent sales tax for the museum. Private donors must come up with the rest, about $32-million.

Once construction starts, Divers will begin raising money for an operating endowment. He hopes to secure another $15-million.

Iorio was pleased Tuesday, but she wasn't celebrating yet.

City officials want to redesign the park and Ashley Drive, but they've set aside no money for construction of those projects yet. Iorio also plans a review of the museum's operating expenses.

"Once we put the shovel in the ground and get the bulldozers going, we want it to go well," Iorio said.

She predicted construction crews will break ground this year.

"We will see you at the ribbon cutting," Divers said.

- David Karp can be reached at 813 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 5, 2004, 01:00:41]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/05/Hillsborough/New_art_museum_within.shtml

From St. Pete Times:

TIA struggles with recovery
Passenger counts are up, but new security measures are clogging the airport and will require improvements officials never anticipated.
By JEAN HELLER, Times Staff Writer
Published May 6, 2004

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TAMPA - Tampa International Airport is a victim of its own success.

As one of a handful of airports to recover financially from the trauma of 2001, TIA officials should be able to relax. But the recovery, coupled with the demands of stringent post-9/11 security, has created problems that couldn't have been imagined three years ago.

Now, airport officials say they will need to make changes they never anticipated to the Landside terminal and two airsides. And even then, they could be spending billions of dollars years earlier than planned to build a second terminal complex.

"We want to put that off as long as we can because it's so much money," said Louis Miller, executive director of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. He said the airport needs to look hard at what it can handle.

"During our busiest time, this place is packed," he said. "Where do we put the people? What kinds of aircraft do we need to be ready to serve?"

To get those answers, the Aviation Authority has hired a consultant, Ricondo & Associates, to help develop a new master plan. The old one is only halfway through its 10-year life and is already obsolete.

Some of the problems the new plan will address:

The third level of the Landside terminal, where passengers shuttle to the airsides, is so crowded it can be like trying to cross Times Square on New Year's Eve.

Marathon waits of an hour or more are not unusual for passengers trying to thread their way onto a shuttle and then through as many as three mazes of rope lines at airside security checkpoints. One day recently, the line of passengers waiting to catch a shuttle to Airside A stretched to Airside C and around the corner to Airside D.

Airside E, open just 18 months, already needs two new security lanes, going from six to eight. Building them will mean slicing into several shops. Airside A needs one more, even though it recently went from four to six lanes. The TSA recently approved both alterations. Airside A should have a new lane within a month, though Airside E will take a little longer.

The new Airside C, which will open in 11 months, is designed for a maximum of 10 lanes. Miller planned initially to open with six. Now he plans to open with eight. Asked if 10 ultimately would be enough, he said, "We think."

To deal with similar problems at Airside F, TIA tore out the international arrivals waiting room and used the space to double security lanes from two to four.

The last master plan concluded that the current buildings would not max out until the airport was serving 25-million passengers a year, possibly by 2020.

"Now, under current circumstances, we could be looking at a maximum of 20-million passengers, and we're not that far away," Miller said.

In 2000, the year before the terrorist attacks, TIA handled about 16-million passengers. Last year, it was 15.5-million, but the airport has been setting new records for passenger counts since November and should easily get back to the pre-terrorism numbers, or higher, this year.

That's the good news. The bad news waited with Stephen Vant in a long line to catch a Southwest Airlines flight. One of the two shuttle cars from the terminal to Airside A had been shut down, leaving only one running, an effort to keep the airside from becoming dangerously overcrowded with people waiting to get through security.

On top of that, outbound passengers were allowed only on every other trip.

Once he got to Airside A, Vant had to shuffle through one rope maze that stretched out beside the shuttle exit doors, then a second, bigger one that ran the length of the lobby between the two shuttle stations, and then a third that wound back and forth in front of the security checkpoints.

"If you have to fly, you'd better reconcile yourself to this, build it into your day," said Vant, a computer programmer from Chicago. "It's pathetic. The people who designed the security systems have to find a way to speed up the process without sacrificing safety. This is just nuts. I hate it."

Dario Compain, the TSA's federal security director at TIA, said the problems were sporadic, but real.

"You know the problem is the airport's experienced some real growth," Compain said. "There are times when the crowds exceed capacity. We're looking at ways to improve procedures to help these situations. But there's been a significant increase in the volume of traffic."

One lane screening carry-on baggage and passengers can handle 200 people an hour when it is operating smoothly.

Also of immediate concern is the congestion on the third level of the Landside terminal. It was at its worst during March and April, TIA's two busiest months, the peak for snowbirds and spring breakers.

Multiple factors converge to create a human clog.

First, because people meeting or seeing off travelers no longer are allowed at the airsides, they congregate on the third level of the terminal. Rows of seats were installed to accommodate them. But that takes up space, and often there aren't enough seats for everyone. So a lot of people wind up milling around.

Add to this the long lines at Airside A on the east side of the terminal and at Airside E on the west side of the terminal, and the constant disgorging of shuttle cars from four airsides with arriving passengers, and you have a recipe for a mess.

Which is why airport officials know they have to keep that second terminal complex in mind. It would be a duplicate image of the terminal and airsides in use today, set to the north. It might be needed as early as 2016.

"It's not something we can just pick up and do," Miller said. "It will require a lot of planning because it will require the relocation of everything at the north end of the airport property, including Hillsborough Avenue."

Miller has other, more immediate concerns.

Baggage carousels aren't long enough to accommodate crowds. To make more room, the authority is moving the rental car companies out of the terminal and across the street to free the space consumed by counters and rope lines. This has been done on the blue side; it is pending on the red side.

Airport officials hoped the new baggage delivery system that takes luggage directly from checkin to the airsides would allow them to move back interior walls and squeeze the baggage work space between the red and blue sides of the terminal.

But then came the need to incorporate the large baggage scanners into the system, and suddenly the walls had to stay where they were.

"The bag claim has me nervous," Miller said. "I think we can make it bigger. Can we make it big enough?" He shrugs and points toward the terminal's exterior glass walls. "There might be a way to push these out without interfering with traffic flows."

In addition, TIA's parking problem, long a perennial, is now chronic. The long-term garage sometimes fills up at mid week with no holidays or spring breaks to explain it. The remote economy lots aren't enough. The garage that will be built next year is a temporary solution, likely to meet the need for only a decade. The Post Office facility will have to go, but that won't be enough, either.

Pete Ricondo, director of Ricondo & Associates, the master plan consultant, is charged with figuring it all out. And he conceded it won't be easy.

"We have to look at the existing facility, project demand, patterns of travel and determine how to make maximum use of what's there now," Ricondo said. "We'll reach out to the TSA, the FAA, the airlines and try to understand what they see coming."

In developing a master plan, it's important not to lock in anything, Ricondo said.

"An airport can't say, here's the plan, especially as you go out in time," he said. "It's more of a series of potential opportunities to react to changing conditions. Nothing can be set in stone."

I was in Ybor City last night for all the craziness, great time! I only noticed one sign on a side street for a small townhouse project, does anyone know anything else going up in the area?

Ybor has to be one of the coolest spots in FL, but there is so much potential to make it into a livable neighborhood. I would go back in this list and look but I'm too lazy. Making someone can update me.

THere are a number of little projects around Ybor, but nothing major. Most of that energy is being spent in Channelside. I think the party reputation puts some people off.

n the other hand, a lot of the warehouse owners south of 7th keep talking about major developments, though those are a few years away from being anything, in my opinion. Eventually as Channelside gets going, it will get southern Ybor going. I am personally happy to get Channelside really eastablished first, though I wish the projects that are sold out would get built faster.

There are quite a few small projects going on in Ybor. At least a half dozen or so, probably more. All are south of seventh. Most are along fifth and a couple along fourth.
I recently put a down payment on a commercial space on 20th. It is new construction. The exterior walls are all up. The building runs in an "L" shape, along 5th ave and 20 th st.The residences were going for around $160k for 1000 sq/ft, 2 bed/2 bath. It is three stories. condos on the second third floors on 20th, with retail on the first, and on fifth ave there are flats on the first floor and two story lofts on the second.

That sounds quite cool.

I have a question for folks.

Which, if any of these proposals will actually be under construction within the next 12 months?

^That's a good question. What's going on with the Westin Hotel? I thought they were supposed to begin construction in March.

Not sure which projects you mean, but here's what I know:

Alagon - u/c

Bellamy - u/c

One Bayshore (part 1) - u/c

Art Center Lfots - u/c

Victory Lofts - u/c

Hampton Inn Ybor - u/c

Renaissance Hotel Westshore - u/c

Parkcrest at HArbour ISland - u/c

The MEridian - u/c or very close to it

1000 Channelside - ready to be u/c - don't know why it is not yet

CCX (Channelside) - ready to be u/c

Towers at channelside - apparently selling well

Grand Central at Channelside - really don't know excatly, but I signed up for info so hopefully that will help
The Place at Channelside- no idea. I think this might bte the one to fade

Downtwon Channelside - they do not have written materials to send yet, but I think they are still moving it

Pinnacle - no written material (at least that's what they told me) but I am on the list to get them - hopefully they will indicate "remaing units" so we can see what the deal is

Franklin residences - supposedly selling well, but I am not sure

The Arlington - no idea, but it won't take much

The lofts next to teh Spain in downtown - moving forward, but not sure status

Seaport Town Centre (with that silly spelling) - not scheduled to get really underway until 2005, I think, but site work is being done

The Emabssy Suites (not Westin - I think) - last I heard it had some site paln issue regarding the streetcar - I would assume that would be access to Franklin street which the street car would block - inclduing crossing the street to get to teh convention center. That was about 2 months ago. I am presedntly trying to get more info, but am not getting much help.

The Four Seasosn Residences - approval of something. Too new to be a real issue right now

Whiting& Ashley building - everyone loves it but can't find out who represents it, so no idea

One Bayshore (PArt II) - not sure what is going on

Tampa Bay One - I doubt this will get built for a while if ever

That Affordable Housing building in north Downtown - not sure what happened with it. Was out of town when the hearing occurred

That twin 9-story condo in Channelside - not sure what is going on. I think it will lag a bit, but probably get built. It is a nice lot with unobstructed views (a least for now)

Here I want to note that the project proposed for the Berns parking lot on Howard which has not gotten lots of press but has been at a lot of hearing on City TV looks great. It is perfect infill - about 6 or 7 stories. stores on the street - an arcade, parking garage in back. Excellent

Then there are a host of small townhouse projects and the like. Hope that is of assistance.

You know Smiley, since I kept the thread that you origionally created, you can also update the beginning of this thread with edits...;)

Jasonhouse - no idea how to do it, but it is an interesting idea especially to update teh list.

I think this article is interesting:
Tampa mayor sees dynamic business growth developing
By DAVID KARP, Times Staff Writer
Published May 9, 2004

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During the race for mayor last year, the business community wasn't sure what to expect from Pam Iorio, a former elections supervisor and county commissioner who wanted to succeed one of the most pro-business mayors in memory. During her campaign, Iorio pledged to redevelop downtown and east Tampa, a low- to middle-income part of the city.

After a year on the job, Iorio sat down with the St. Petersburg Times to discuss her business agenda. She spoke about luring companies to the region and improving transportation. She also talked about the financially troubled St. Pete Times Forum and a developer's failure to rebuild the low-income Central Park neighborhood.

Q. What are the most important issues you see facing the business community in Tampa?
I see a very dynamic business growth in development. We have seen just in the past couple of months, for example, with DTCC (the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp.), where it's come down between Tampa and Atlanta for the expansion of a major business out of New York. When you start off with something like DTCC - and they start with 25 cities across the United States where they could expand - and it comes down to Atlanta and Tampa, I think that says a lot about what we have to offer.

Our challenges: . . . We have to make sure that as we grow, that we do so in a quality way. I think that we're going to have to address, in a very serious way, our transportation needs for this county. . . . We need a better mass transit system. We need to make sure our road system is developed in the best way possible, and I think we have to make sure we have good linkage between us and Pinellas County because as we continue to grow, that division between us and Pinellas is going to become less and less.

I say in many of my talks that we really need to reinvent our downtown. While our downtown will continue to be a major business center and governmental center, I do believe that making our downtown a residential community and neighborhood will actually help foster business growth because people will see a more vibrant community. They'll see a community that's 24 hours in nature. And that, I think, helps foster further economic growth, and that's a very positive move.

The whole concept of a River Walk, a museum and park and defining us as a city with a lot of cultural activity, I think is a challenge for us, but it's a good one. Because I think in defining us in that way, we become all that more appealing to people from across the nation who are looking at us for a possible relocation.

Q. You just spoke about a major mass transit system between Hillsborough and Pinellas. Is there any headway on that?
There has not been, I think, any major planning for that to occur. We need to lay the groundwork for that to occur over the next many decades. It's hard to give a timetable for that because I think it's going to really involve some kind of state and possibly even federal cooperation in order for us to have a mass transit system that's effective between Hillsborough County and Pinellas.

But you know, I look at it this way: If we could spend $52-million on a trolley that involved a lot of state and federal money - and, you know, it's an asset to our city - I think that same kind of partnership could perhaps . . . create some kind of a mass transit system between Hillsborough and Pinellas that could be an asset to the region.

Q. You have talked with the mayors of St. Petersburg and Clearwater a lot about regionalism. How are the three of you working together to attract businesses? Do you find yourself competing with them for these companies that are coming in?
So far, I have found it to be completely cooperative. We have met twice to tape public service announcements on two topics, and one of them airing right now is on art and cultural amenities that the whole region has. Our first one was on tourism, and we've agreed that we should continue to tape public service announcements that are aired throughout the region that talk about our strength as a region.

I think the best thing we can do as mayors is, first of all, never compete. There's no need to compete. Businesses look at the region and the assets of the region, and then they will decide which city or county is absolutely the best fit for them. But it all creates a synergy that helps us all. . . . And I really have enjoyed working with them.

Q. You have an initiative to revitalize east Tampa. (The area is a historically black, low- to middle-income section of Tampa.) How are you dealing with the issues of housing trends and economics that might make that area a tough sell for developers?
I think every area in Tampa has its own particular personality, and the great thing about Tampa is that each area has its own selling points. . . . I look at east Tampa, and while it may not develop in the same way as other communities, it has a great geographic location. I think that our 40th Street road project, which will be done over the course of this decade, will assist greatly in a road network that is already a positive. I think our challenge with east Tampa is going to be job creation. . . . The other thing about east Tampa that has some limitations is the lack of large undeveloped acreage, where a company could locate. So we're going to work with all of those constraints, but I still think that we can . . . build east Tampa to be a very vibrant neighborhood.

Q. There have been two business issues, one involving the revitalization of the Central Park Village area, and the other, completely different, the St. Pete Times Forum and its challenges. Do you ever feel as if you've been too cautious about championing those issues?
Civitas (the company that wanted to rebuild the Central Park area) was a development that came out of private sector plans and was given a very short time frame for governments to analyze and to champion, if that would have been appropriate at the appropriate time.

I truly believe that if Civitas had not had the time constraints attached to it, that it would be going through the regulatory governmental public participation process right now. . . .

The history of the state of Florida shows as long as you can go through the process and involve the public and give government time to absorb the details and work through the details, most development in Florida gets approved. . . . I think we did what we could to help (that particular development) move forward through the process, but the difficulty was the extremely short time frame in which to absorb all the information and put together the developmental safeguards for the city.

The St. Pete Times Forum is still a work in progress. Here, on the city's side, we are more than willing to look at having the county take over ownership so that they don't have to pay property taxes. But that does take an affirmative vote of the county.

We would like to know whether or not that's something that the county administrator is going to be positive about. It's really going to take a partnership for that to happen, and we haven't completed talking with County Administrator (Pat) Bean on that to really see where the county might be in any final recommendation. But we've been pretty straightforward as a city administration. We think that that would be a positive move, and one that . . . sends a positive message to the Forum and to the Lightning as important assets to our community.

Now, any other plan to assist the Lightning we just have not deemed to be financially feasible. We have encouraged them to go to the state Legislature and to get any legislation passed that might be helpful to them.

- Times staff writer Olivia Gifford contributed to this report.

[Last modified May 9, 2004, 01:39:25]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/09/Business/Tampa_mayor_sees_dyna.shtml

I don't know how positive of a sign this is, but "The Place in Channelside" has billboards all over the warehouses it plans on tearing down on Channelside dr. They also have been advertising in the paper and have a website, though still under construction, you can sign up for further information.http://www.theplacecondos.com/flashSite.html

Also on the interstate(275 southbound) is a billboard advertising "Tampa Bay One". I don't remember ever seeing that sign previously.

Excellent. I hope that is a good sign. I did not realize the the Place (a stupid name, but whetever) will take up so much space on the block. I like it.

As for edits - I tend to look at the end of these long threads and then refer back for specific info, so I kind of like to leave the updates at teh end.

I am trying to find out if there is any fact to couple of rumors I have heard.


First, one is that Six Flags is looking to build a theme park just over the Hillsborough county line in Pasco.

The second rumor is that Disney is going to build a theme park, or resort in The Port of all places. I have also heard that disney's cruise line will be leaving out of Tampa, so maybe this is all part of the same rumor getting twisted around.

Anyway, I have heard both these rumors several times and was curious if anyone else has heard these.

I would love to find some Facts to the rumors. Thanks!!

Let's see - very interesting.

I know Disney listed Tampa as a port hey wanted to sail out of from the beginning, but started at Port Canaveral, so I would not be surprised. The Cruise business is pretty good in Tampa these days. As for a theme park by Disney - that would be crazy, but, what the hell.

I know nothing of the Six Flags concept, but I would not be surprised. Pasco comes up a lot about various theme park ideas, probably out on 75 somewhere - an hour from Disney.

Hell, why not. More tourists mean lower taxes.

I just want to point out, I don't think any theme parks will be built around here for a while, but I might be wrong. I do think the cruises may start relatively soon.

If you do a search about Six Flags and Florida, it seems that everyone and no one seems to think that six Flags is coming to their town.

Smiley, you just hit the "edit" button of any thread that you created. Then, you can edit the body of that post.

What you may have heard about a Disney theme park in Tampa might have come from someone who misunderstood a piece of local history. When Walt first came to Florida to look for land to build the parks, he considered locales in both the Apollo Beach area and in eastern Sarasota so that he could be closer to beaches and water, but the land was too expensive and the local climate was not very good for that kind of development in those communities, so he headed for Orlando (and it had a better geographic location anyways, at the then future interstate crossroads for the state). So maybe the rumor originally came from that.

I heard that Disney earmarked the Ocala area, but that Marion County officials refused to grant incentives because Disney would not reveal the nature of the project.

I have a feeling the rumor stemmed from talk of Disney putting a cruise ship here. That seems to be the only reasonable possibilty. I have heard the rumor of a hotel, resort, theme park, several times. It just came up again recently though. My wife takes the Trolley home from work and the trolley conductor told her this stuff. It is very possible he just said a cruise line was coming here and she heard Disney and just assumed he meant theme park. English is her second language , so No telling what he actually said.

As far as Six flags I have had several firefighters from Pasco tell me that. They live in Pasco as well. Maybe Some truth to that rumor!!

Ok, so someone finally responded to my questions about the Embassy Suites in downtown. THe Downtown Partnership said their info said construction is scheduledto start in June. But, they noted, that there are conflicting reports about when it is actually going to start - so I guess they are saying they heard June, but they heard others say some other time. In any event, a month here or there is of little consequence - it is still moving forward, which is nice to here.

I have a note on this - I drove by the lot yesterday (almost everyday actually) and noticed there are a bunch of trucks parked out there related to the lightning. I would not be surprised if the owners ofthe lot decided to wait until hockey season was over so they could make some extra money of parking fees and the like.

lol... I found out it was starting soon today too. At work this evening, I happened to run into the manager from 717 (parking management for that lot), and asked him if they stopped taking new monthly customers yet, and he said yes, that the company was done with that lot in a few weeks.

Of course, the parking revenues the actual property owner would make over an additional 90 days would be maybe $5-7k at most? (most revenues obviously go to the company managing the parking). I think it's quite clear that excuse is just a PR smokescreen, but it's not like anything should be read into that. Until a shovel hits dirt, secrecy is the best policy.

BTW, I also heard through the "grapevine" that Disney gave Tampa about a 30 second glance, and was considering working something out with the port to get a new cruise terminal north of the port authority HQ, with the possibility of it being tied to a themed resort style hotel. From what I heard, they almost immediately were turned off by the ghetto type conditions of nearby nieghborhoods, as well as the persistent raucous nature of Ybor City... What I also heard was that the "real" reason they "gave up" on it is because they are waiting to see what happens with the rail amendment thing. Supposedly if that gets built Disney will try to work out a deal to build a hotel here and moor a cruiseship to send a warning salvo to Orlando, reminding them who butters who's bread... I tend to imagine that if they were looking at Tampa for cruise ships, it would be on merit, not to send some message to Orlando residents. Besides, this would be a dream come true for Disney. Remember that Union Station, the Tampa terminus for the HSR would literally be like 500 ft from this rumored site, and a dedicated ROW for shuttles and pedestrians could easily be developed (very easily) ... At that point, Disney could whisk people from Orlando Intl to thier property, and from thier property, to thier own hotel and cruise terminal without ever even getting the chance to set foot in another entertainment venue (and yet they would also be firmly anchored in two sizable metros, which offer up millions of residents to be repeat business. This is way better fiscally, than mooring in BFE, like they do now)... Maybe this has something to do with the Garrison Seaport Center proposal suddenly stalling? lol... That land is basically the only thing between Union Station and this port authority site which has been known to be getting increasing interest, regardless of the Disney comedy...



Like all Disney stories, I don't really buy a word of it (I think Disney rumors are becoming a Floridian style urban legend)... However, I actually lend this one a little credence, as this one makes a little sense, and comes from my busybody cousin. She works in the Port Authority HQ in the offices of Wilson Miller, which is a sizable project management firm with its local offices there.... Quite honestly, I don't know if she would have heard about it because her company was approached about a potential job, or if it cropped in the office from someone simply tossing out development fantasies around the water cooler.



I tell you what though, I still wish the damn City/County would have gotten off of thier pathetic, sorry little asses and worked something out with the Seminoles for the land north of the port authority HQ several years back. Could you imagine the vibe in downtown if the Noles had been able to pull off a deal like that? Thier current casino is almost on the fringe of the metro, well away from much of the county's population, and yet it draws several thousand patrons every day, and has instantly become the new "hot spot" for alot of folks. I can only imagine how much more active DT and Ybor would be with so many people milling around. Oh well, thank God that we have maniacal jackasses like Rhonda Storms to mother us, and make sure that we don't become a community rife with sinning and debasement. (hint: we have been that for at least 15 years. Only LA's porn industry is bigger than Tampa's. Tampa is also #2 to LA for the nation's largest illegal drug imports by water)... Sorry, but I never agreed with the sentiment that bingo and poker slots was going to bring in a high crime element. It's already here. :bash: :drunk:


:wallbash:





And speaking of the 12th st yard site (Garrison Seaport Center), I don't understand why the city is allowing that parcel to get developed at a woefully low density, considering its proximity to Union Station and the trolley. At the very least, they should ensure that the property can be "upsized" by doing something as simple designing the parking structures to have future development built above them, or simply leaving some land as parks or plazas to be developed later. (or even occupy it single story structures, which can be put up and taken down with reasonable cost effectiveness over only like 10-15 years.)

From my understanding the Seaport TOwn Center thing is moving forward. They are doing utilities and I think they are waiting for Meridian to get worked out as it will have an effect on their site plan. I think it is envisioned as a transition between downtown and Ybor type project, leading to its denisty level.

On another point, once Meridian is doen and the Speaportthing gets going, and the other Channelside stuff, I think you are going to see a mad scramble by developers to get the lots on the northwest side of the Ybor channel, right near the streetcar stops, as they will have access to Ybor, water, Channelside and the convention center. It will get done.

Here's a blurb from the 5-13-04 Trib

Land Deal In Works

The Tampa Port Authority on Tuesday is scheduled to consider selling a 3.6-acre site at Channelside and Beneficial drives for $10.2 million. The Downtown Channelside LLP intends to build 250 condominiums and 88,000 square feet of retail, commercial and restaurant space. The port and the developer, which presented the proposal in July, have reached a preliminary sales agreement.

http://www.tampatrib.com/Business/MGAG8Q576UD.html

BTW, if you haven't checked out the Meridian project, you should. ripping up the tracks (they have started laying out the curbs, but I figure they will not really do anything until the Kennedy bridge comes down) really changes the area. Plop in some condos and some offices, link the grid, and it will be a complete transformation. I really don't see the air going out of Channelside for a while.

BTW, if you haven't checked out the Meridian project, you should. ripping up the tracks (they have started laying out the curbs, but I figure they will not really do anything until the Kennedy bridge comes down) really changes the area. Plop in some condos and some offices, link the grid, and it will be a complete transformation. I really don't see the air going out of Channelside for a while. I also note that if you drive around you will notice more renovated buildings with buisnesses in them than it initially appears.

BTW, if you haven't checked out the Meridian Street project, you should. ripping up the tracks (they have started laying out the curbs, but I figure they will not really do anything until the Kennedy bridge comes down) really changes the area. Plop in some condos and some offices, link the grid, and it will be a complete transformation. I really don't see the air going out of Channelside for a while. I also note that if you drive around you will notice more renovated buildings with buisnesses in them than it initially appears.

The Six Flags talk is a long standing urban legend...

This thread shows a lot of talk about Six Flags in Florida and everything gets debunked (http://www.themeparksonline.org/tpoforum3.asp?threadid=165&forumid=3)

Back to the Embassy Suites - another person told me this:

No set groundbreaking date, but they are in permitting and the streetcar thing seems to be worked out. He also does not have firm info. Whatever, it looks like ti is going. So that is nice.

"The Place at Channelside" is already tearing down buildings on the site. I guess it will be getting built.

What's up with 1000 Channelside? The developer announced his plans about a year before anyone was even looking at Channelside. I know he had to change the plans once, but it's taking forever to start.

Last I heard, 1000 Channelside was pretty much sold out, but htat was a while ago. I have no idea what is taking so long. Maybe I will contact them.

Does anyone know the population of Harbour Island or at least where I can find it. I have Been looking for some time.

I read an article last week in the Trib that stated there were 2800 residents . That has to be wrong. The Post Harbour Island apts have 784 units. That alone is over 1500 people and that is only a small portion of just the north end of the island.

I thought it was more like 4000 or something thereabouts. I thought that I read an article somewhere about it surpassing that number a while back.

Damn. Four more condo towers proposed for SOG, and the zoning is basically already approved. This makes 6 towers down there, with all of them apparently around this 200ft hieght limit.




Marina Development Shored Up


By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS and DAVE SIMANOFF The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 19, 2004




TAMPA - A St. Petersburg- based developer wants to turn the Imperial Yacht Basin on Gandy Boulevard in Tampa into a $350 million, high-end residential development and marina.
Grady Pridgen bought the yacht basin for $25 million Tuesday and announced plans to build as many as 500 homes there over the next eight years.

``I think this is the best site in Tampa Bay,'' Pridgen said. ``Within 15 miles, there are 500,000 jobs. It's an opportunity I couldn't pass up.''

The site has been approved by the county for up to 500 homes, as well as buildings up to 200 feet high. Pridgen said his firm is still shoring up its plans and hasn't filed for building permits.

The firm wants to meet with local residents about the development.

``We'd like to be good neighbors,'' the developer said.

Pridgen said he anticipates building a mix of town homes, low-rise condominium buildings and four high-rise towers. He also plans to renovate the existing marina and add retail space.

Pridgen said home prices haven't been set, but he expects most condominium units will sell for $300,000 to $600,000. Construction of a retail building could begin this year. Construction on the first condominium tower is expected in about a year, he said. It should take eight years to complete the development.

Gandy Civic Association President Al Steenson said he has seen preliminary plans.

``I told him, `You're going to have a very tough sell with everything else going on down here,' '' Steenson said he informed the developer.

Pridgen said Jimmy Mac's Waterfront restaurant, near South West Shore and Gandy boulevards, will remain.

Notice of the land sale hasn't made it into Hillsborough County's property records yet. The property appraiser's database lists Imperial Yacht Basins Inc. as the owner of the yacht club, and pegs the site's market value at $3.1 million.

Pridgen said he's been working on the Imperial Yacht Basin deal for five months. He's not the first developer to eye industrial sites in South Tampa for high-end residential development: WCI Communities Inc., based in Bonita Springs, has announced plans to convert 68 acres last used by Westinghouse Electric Corp. into a community with nearly 500 homes, two highrise condominimium towers and a marina.

Grady is on a nice little roll. I hope he can get his tower in DT St. Pete and his park in Gateway built as well.

There is a nice little rendering in the Trib today. I think this will fly. That Ganday area (on both sides of the bay) is going to take off quite a bit. It is too centrally located not to.

HEre's the project (I got a scanner - yeah baby)
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/tampasmiles/images/pridgengandytampa5-19-04.jpg

HEre's teh other project:

EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
From the April 2, 2004 print edition
Westshore Yacht Club takes shape
Walking trails, nature parks and a clubhouse are included in plans
Ken Salgat
Staff Writer
SOUTH TAMPA -- A $40-million mixed residential development is under way after years of planning.
WCI Communities Inc., a Bonita Springs-based developer, plans to turn 68 acres of land just south of Tyson Avenue and South West Shore Boulevard into an upscale subdivision called Westshore Yacht Club.
Westshore Yacht Club will include three acres of walking trails and nature parks and a clubhouse complete with fitness center, restaurants, ships store and rooftop patio.
It also will be the home of a deep-water marina with a minimum of 149 slips.
"Docks and slips are always a highly sensitive issue when it comes to the approval process," said Rob King, a senior project manager for WCI. "We have the luxury of the channel being extremely deep near the property, and we expect to have 149."
The development's residential components will include:
• 225 townhouses
• 180 condo units in two towers
• 220 single-family and estate homes
WCI was one of the first developers to purchase industrial property in the South Tampa/Gandy area and rezone it for residential. Its development finally broke ground March 11.
The site, a former home to Westinghouse Electric Corp., was rezoned to allow for as many as 750 units, including single-family homes, condominiums and townhouses. However, WCI plans to build only 520 units.
King said WCI plans to scale down the number of residents to allow for more natural elements and to ensure that the units are large enough to attract the type of buyers the developer desires.
Demolition of existing buildings began in mid-March.
Pam Cox, public relations director for WCI, said two existing structures -- the Westinghouse factory in excess of 70,000 square feet along with an office complex that sits next door -- are coming down. The factory once manufactured turbine engines used on nuclear submarines.
"We're recycling as much of the material as we can to use in new construction on other sites," said Cox. "We can actually do some good with it rather than just throw it into some landfill."
Sales are projected to begin in late 2004, with first residents to move in by the end of 2005. Tower construction is expected to begin in late 2006. King said each tower would take approximately two years to build.
"We're still waiting for final determination but are looking for 15 to 16 stories with either four or five units per floor," said King.
Once the $16-million sale closed March 11, WCI wasted no time preparing the site.
"We started hours after the closing," said King. "We actually had some major equipment lined up at the entrance waiting for the go-ahead."
The more than $3-million worth of demolition work is expected to take six months. Then new infrastructure can be added, said King.
King expects to begin pouring foundations by March of 2005.
The project will be developed in three phases:
• The first phase will include the construction of townhouses and single-family homes.
• The second phase will include the construction of one tower and the continued building of single-family and townhomes.
• The third phase will consist of the second tower and build-out of townhomes and single-family residences
Townhomes will be priced from the upper $200,000s to the $700,000s. Single-family homes will range from $500,000 to more than $3 million. Units in the two residential towers have yet to be priced.
ksalgat@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2477
http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/04/05/story1.html?page=2

Jeez, so that's like 6, 200 footers and 2-3 midrises all within a few blocks by the looks of things. That'll be its own little "skyline"... Tampa is starting to remind me of Houston a bit, with all of these little "skylines" all over the damn place. Of course, in Houston the buildings are quite a bit taller, and there are many more of them.

Well, tehy're not built yet, but I think they probably will be, if not exactly on schedule - the centrality and waterfront thing will sell them -but yea, I like the clusters - and this is a perfect place for a cluster. I also think that they will sprout much faster now (as long as teh economy is ok) because the idea has finally been acceptaed by a large part of teh populace.

I have to say though, while the rendering is not that good and there are not set plans I know of, it does not look too pedestrian friendly, which is a shame.

It looks like a nice development, I just wish it was designed to be a little more pedestrian freindly. The rendering reminds me of Miami's Brickell District.

Well allegedly he is already funded and does nto need to much review:

Builder buys marina, plans condo project
By STEVE HUETTEL, Times Staff Writer
Published May 20, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAMPA - One of St. Petersburg's most active developers has purchased a marina on Gandy Boulevard in Tampa and plans to build a $350-million residential project with pricy condos overlooking Old Tampa Bay.

Grady Pridgen paid $25-million this week for the Imperial Yacht Basin, where he wants to build 500 homes over the next eight years, a mix of high-rise towers, low-rise buildings and townhomes. The development, not yet named, will also have a neighborhood retail center and 150-slip marina.

The location will appeal to home buyers looking to avoid a long commute. Some 500,000 people work within 15 miles of the site - in such places as the West Shore district, downtown Tampa and the Gateway area north of St. Petersburg.

Tampa has already approved the site for up to 500 homes and structures as tall as 200 feet, or from 10 to 14 stories, Pridgen said. He expects condos in the development to be priced from $300,000 to $600,000.

Pridgen said he intends to submit building plans for the retail center first and begin construction by the end of this year. Wachovia has agreed to finance the entire project, he said.

The development could get opposition from neighbors. Al Steenson, president of the Gandy Civic Association, worries that the area might be too congested to handle more growth. Just to the south on Westshore Boulevard, WCI Communities plans to build a 500-unit development called Westshore Yacht Club on the old Westinghouse Electric site.

"What I'm concerned with is that the city is playing a constant game of catch-up," Steenson said. "They have not kept up with the infrastructure ... transportation, utilities. The water pressure in South Tampa stinks."

Pridgen got his start locally with Barger Builders-Developers, for years the Tampa Bay area's top seller and lessor of warehouse and industrial space.

He started his own company in 1993, developing industrial projects in the Gateway area. They included the 40-acre Gateway Business Park at Gandy Boulevard, home to Jabil Circuit Inc., and Gateway Business Centre, which houses Lockheed Martin, Hunter Douglas Fabrication Co. and Airborne Express.

Pridgen has moved into residential projects with mixed results. Cypress Park, a 70-lot project in Tarpon Springs, and Portofino on Venetian Bay in St. Petersburg, with 48 home lots, are under construction, he said.

In October 2001, he paid St. Petersburg $4.9-million for the 122-acre tract known as the "sod farm" on 28th Street N between 94th and 102nd avenues. Pridgen planned to build manufacturing buildings, offices, parking garages, restaurants, shops, condominiums and apartments on site. But he suffered a setback in March when Pinellas County commissioners passed an ordinance essentially creating a 2,000-foot separation between the county landfill in the Gateway area and any future apartments or homes.

- Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or 813 226-3384.

[Last modified May 20, 2004, 01:02:41]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/20/Business/Builder_buys_marina__.shtml

I also want to note that those "long time" Gandy residents are as annoyng as Lutz ersidents and should be ignored on almost everything they say. They are just upset that big money is coming to their less than stellar neighborhood.

I forgot to mention that the Port decide to sell the land to the Byrd company for the downtown channelside twin tower thingy. I will hoepfully receive info when they get ready to sell the things.

I have also heard, though I can't confirm, that the Pinnacle project is taking reservations now or soon.

I should get info whenever The Pinnacle info gets sent.


I agree about SOG residents. I lived down there for a year and a half, and that was enough time to understand that most of them are indeed "jealous" of the newbies moving in, more than anything. It drives up thier property values, which drives up thier assessments, and thus tax payments. That's what it all comes down to. Most people get pissed because they have to shell out a few hundred extra a year for taxes (even though thier property is typically worth 50% more than it was just 5 years ago). People who want to live in a small town, trailer trashy atmosphere should free to cash out thier profits and move to one.

BTW, with these SOG condo towers, I actually kind of wish that they would stagger the hieght, even if that meant one or two of them wound up being like 250-275ft tall.


Otherwise, those four towers will look like an oppressive mass on the skyline from further away.

You have a point, but I am sure tehre are FAA issues. In nay event, should they get built, even some of them and the hotel, and the other project, it sure will make coming in on the Gandy Brdige much nicer. It will also be interesting to see if the St.Pete end keeps building its little condo projects. Like I said, it is a very logical area to build condos. I am sure they will sell, as long as teh economy stays ok.

HEre's some info on the Place - no idea what they are doing. I registered but have gotten no info yet.

http://www.coldwellbankeratlanta.com/Newhomes/maps/278.gif

Bigger footprint than I thought

http://www.intersoft.ca/crmclients/keydev/theplace/imgs/map.gif

Well, looky here, ParkCrest on Harbour Island was supposed to be apartments, but apparently they went condo.

http://www.parkcrestharbourisland.com/images/rendering_bigger.jpg

http://www.parkcrestharbourisland.com/files/home.htm

Grand Central really updated their site - it is kind of serious now, but it is macromedia so I can't pull stuff off of it.

http://www.notthesuburbs.com/

I note in the renderings, the right hand building is now a bit sorter than the left. Not sure why, but I don't really care. The way it is now will still be great if they can build it.

GrandCentral tweaked thier plan a bit, I don't know why either. The one tower is 12 and the other 14 now SFAIK.


That's not too suprising to see the ParkCrest go condo, but it is quite surprising that they didn't figure this out before, so that they could do a purpose built project.

I checked out the Parkcrest at work tonight (1st time working back DT in a few weeks, as I was training folks at another site)... It actually looks better in person than in the rendering IMO. The style seems very muddled to me but it's a nice building that has that "solid" kind of look to it. I bet the units will sell pretty well, so long as the units aren't comically small.

You have a point, but I am sure tehre are FAA issues. In nay event, should they get built, even some of them and the hotel, and the other project, it sure will make coming in on the Gandy Brdige much nicer. It will also be interesting to see if the St.Pete end keeps building its little condo projects. Like I said, it is a very logical area to build condos. I am sure they will sell, as long as teh economy stays ok.



If there's one thing I would really, really like to see get built, it's the Crosstown/Gandy bridge connector. I guess at this point, they will have to double deck Gandy, but that's fine with me, since that's apparently what the NINBYs want (since they refuse every other option, thus they must prefer the last resort). Not only will that be a vital evacuation route as Pinellas inevitably densifies, but it will also take thousands of cars off of Gandy Blvd during rush hour now and in the future, which should be fine news for locals. (I don't know why they oppose this??)...

Grand Central really updated their site - it is kind of serious now, but it is macromedia so I can't pull stuff off of it.

http://www.notthesuburbs.com/

I note in the renderings, the right hand building is now a bit sorter than the left. Not sure why, but I don't really care. The way it is now will still be great if they can build it.

I lov etheir campaign ads -- Not the Suburbs

And you can post the demolition pictures but that's about the only ones you can take from their site...

Yes, be sure to click on "media" and then "campaign gallery"... bwahahahaa!!!!



Here's some of the new renderings. Yes, I know I'm slick...;)


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/8Grande_Central_rendering1.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/8Grande_Central_rendering2.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/8Grande_Central_rendering3.jpg



I like most of what I see (very Euro for Tampa!), but the silly compass "medallions" on the elevator core need to go. Also, I pray that anything which appears gray in these renderings will actually be another complimentary color in the final outcome. Don't dull the building with that gray shit, liven it up and tie it together visually. Sometimes I see the products of architects, and wonder what school they went to, because it must have been a lousy one.

Is The Place going to be two buildings, or one apparently huge one? Also, notice how this appreas like it will completely wrap around the second building from Victory Lofts. I hope the people who bought there didn't think that they would have a view, because they won't for long, if at all.

Yea, Channelside is going to be full of people who have at least one window blocked. Hopefully the developers are not so stupid as to put the main window facing anything but a street. I think the Place is one big building, but it may be two. I can't remember and it seemsto have morphed somewhat

HEre is some stuff on the Arlington from teh realtor site:
http://images1.e-net.com/smith/Development/full/168.jpg

* 11 Condo Units
* 10 Work/Live or Mixed Use Units
* 14' and 15' Ceilings
* Wood Floors
* Large Common Area Balcony
* Gated Parking


(It is about a block from the Franklin residences site)

Is the "not the suburbs" project a renovation of older existing buildings or brand new construction of new buildings on the site?

Is the "not the suburbs" project a renovation of older existing buildings or brand new construction of new buildings on the site?


They have torn down at least one older building, a Pepsi distribution plant, and the Grand Central buildings will be entirely new once built.

The Grantral Central at Kennedy project is all-new construction. Plus, it's not in the burbs! yay!

Any one know the name of the general contractor working on the Project? that is the grand central at kennedy?

The Beck Group, if I'm not mistaken.

thanks for the info

Construction costs rise for museum
A decision to hold off on starting the new Tampa Museum of Art adds $6.8-million to the price tag.
By DAVID KARP, Times Staff Writer
Published May 28, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TAMPA - It seemed to her like a prudent decision.

Last year, Mayor Pam Iorio decided to wait to start building the new Tampa Museum of Art until philanthropists raised their share of the project's private money.

She did not want taxpayers stuck with a multimillion dollar bill if donors did not come through with $32-million in pledges.

"I have to look at the upset limit to the taxpayers," Iorio said then.

Ten months later, private donors have come tantalizingly close to Iorio's goal, by raising about $28-million. But the finish line just got pushed back.

In the past year, the rising cost of construction has added an estimated $6.8-million to the final cost of Tampa's new art museum.

That means fundraisers will need to raise millions more than expected - simply for concrete and steel, which costs more today than it did in August.

If Iorio had begun construction earlier - as former Mayor Dick Greco planned - the city would have locked in a fixed price for the project.

Of course, Greco's approach came with a big risk.

If donors did not come through with all the money during the two years of construction, taxpayers would have been stuck with a $10-million balance.

Thursday, Iorio defended her approach, saying it may slow construction but would guarantee the museum's long-term success.

"I know you have to have a snapshot now - a shovel in the ground," Iorio said. "But there is another snapshot. It's 2010. It's 2015. It's a healthy, successful museum that is making money."

She said the city did not have the plans ready earlier to build the museum nor the park that will surround it.

"You can't start a project when you don't have the money for it," she added.

The city has already committed $30-million to the project, now expected to cost at least $67-million. Private donors must come up with the rest.

Iorio still doesn't know what the final price tag will be.

The $6.8-million overrun is an "educated guess" but could be as low as $5-million, said Skipper Vaughan, director of pre-construction at Beck, which is part of the partnership building the museum.

"The market continues to escalate on us," he said.

China caused the boom in steel prices with huge construction projects, such as the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River and stadiums for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Prices could conceivably drop. Iorio said they may be an "artificial high" and "could be lower six months from now."

But some museum boosters feel pressure to begin construction soon - and lock in today's prices.

"I do believe we should go ahead and get started, or else we should say we are going to do something else," said Don Wallace, a philanthropist who has given millions to charitable causes. Wallace's wife, Erika, is on the museum's campaign steering committee.

"We should have started a long time ago," Wallace said. "We would have saved money."

"I believe if we start," he added, "it will fall right into place."

Other donors said they understood Iorio's early caution but think the campaign has raised enough money to move ahead.

"I certainly think the sooner we get going putting a shovel in the ground, the more interested folks will be," said Barbara Romano, who is on the campaign steering committee. "They will see it is happening, and they will step up and help make it happen."

Either way, "I feel confident we will be able to do this," Romano said.

Sara Richter, vice chairman of the museum's board, agreed that Iorio had acted wisely last year to protect taxpayers. But now, speaking as one art supporter, Richter said it's time for progress.

"At some point, you have got to say, "We are doing it,"' Richter said. "If you keep waiting, that carrot keeps getting pulled further and further away from you."

A former Tampa business icon had a relevant expression, she said: "You have to get that first olive out of the jar."

"We can't break ground fast enough," she added.

James Pappas, chairman of the museum board, said he's working closely with Iorio to make sure the city feels "comfortable" with the private fundraising.

"I do believe we are getting very close," Pappas said. He said he expected a decision from Iorio "very soon."

The campaign will need to raise at least the original goal of $32-million, he said. But he didn't think Iorio would require the extra $6-million before groundbreaking.

"We all recognize that you can't wait until all the money is in-hand, or we will be chasing the inflationary cost increase forever," Pappas said.

Iorio wouldn't say whether she's considering speeding up the pace.

"I think we are going to find a solution," Iorio said. "We will get it done."

She would not elaborate.

Iorio said she was talking to the private group about its commitment to raise more money and "what financial arrangements they are prepared to make."

She refused to explain what she meant by that, other than to say: "We will have a game plan that is businesslike."

- Times staff writer David Karp can be reached at 813 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/28/Hillsborough/Construction_costs_ri.shtml

Developer thinks big in his first Tampa deal
Grady Pridgen plans to transform the Imperial Yacht Basin off Gandy into a $350-million mix of towers, townhomes and condos.
By TOM ZUCCO, Times Staff Writer
Published May 28, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


GANDY/SUN BAY SOUTH - Grady Pridgen's first real estate venture into Hillsborough County is anything but ordinary. If built as envisioned, the project will forever change the landscape at the east end of the Gandy Bridge.

The St. Petersburg developer plans to transform the Imperial Yacht Basin off Gandy Boulevard, one of the last, large, developable waterfront properties in Hillsborough, into a $350-million mix of residential towers, townhomes and low-rise condominiums and a marina. He agreed to buy the property for $25-million several weeks ago and closed on the sale last Friday, the day before his 45th birthday.

"This is the best site in the Tampa Bay area - the perfect opportunity for a waterfront and mixed-use environment," Pridgen said Monday. "It has an existing marina with covered slips, and it's right in the middle of four major employment centers."

Pridgen said Jimmy Mac's Marina restaurant on Gandy will remain. He also plans to renovate the existing marina, which will remain a public facility, and add retail space. The site is approved for 500 residential units.

"There are very few virgin sites left because it's very difficult to redevelop properties," Pridgen said. "It's expensive and cumbersome. That's why you're seeing more and more developers contributing to urban sprawl."

His project, which has not yet been named, would add an upscale feel to a mostly industrial area, he said.

"When you drive by today, it's just a marina. But if you actually see the property, there are over 15 acres of land there and about 1,000 feet of waterfront."

Pridgen has not filed for building permits yet but said construction is expected to begin in about a year and take about eight. Condominiums would be priced between $300,000 and $600,000. Townhouse prices have not been set.

Plans for financing the construction have not been finalized.

"We're exploring our alternatives," he said. "We just purchased the property. It's still very early in the process."

Pridgen has already become one of Pinellas County's most active developers. His company, Grady Pridgen Inc., has extensive commercial holdings in central Pinellas, concentrated mostly in the Gateway area in north St. Petersburg.

He also is planning several residential projects, including the proposed $50-million Bayway Lofts, a 42-story residential tower two blocks from St. Petersburg's waterfront that would be the city's tallest building.

Since announced last June, the Bayway Lofts project has drawn criticism from some residents who argue the proposed height would detract from the waterfront.

At least one St. Petersburg City Council member has questioned another property his company owns, the First Congregational United Church of Christ on Fourth St. N. Pridgen's company bought it in 2000 for $400,000 and, for a time, Pridgen lived in part of the complex with his family. He now lives in the former St. Petersburg home of Major League baseball star Dwight Gooden, and the church remains empty.

"I have growing concerns about where all the money and backing is coming from," said council member Virginia Littrell. "He's got a 42-story condo project proposed on Fourth Avenue N. Meanwhile, the church project has had a construction fence around it since before I was on the council. And I'm in my third year.

Pridgen said delays are not unusual, and that he is working to move his projects forward.

"You have to walk before you can run," he said. "With the Bayway Lofts, we're looking at trying to acquire the rest of the block to spread the project over a larger area that will allow us to lower the height of the building.

"We look to be good neighbors."

Tampa City Council member John Dingfelder, who represents the Gandy area and had dinner recently at Jimmy Mac's, said he had not seen plans for the Imperial Yacht Basin project and didn't want to pass judgment.

"I would have a lot of questions and some concerns about the impact on the surrounding neighborhoods, especially the traffic impact," he said.

"But I'm optimistic. I know nobody's going to let him build at an inappropriate height."

Dingfelder said he opposes developers who buy land, particularly in urban areas, and sit on it for years.

Pridgen's company is scheduled to make a presentation to the Gandy Civic Association's board of directors Tuesday and to the general membership June 14. The association represents the more than 5,000 people who live in the 1,900-acre area bordered by Gandy Boulevard, West Shore Boulevard, MacDill and Bay avenues.

"It looks like they do some pretty nice work, and I get the impression they want to be involved in the neighborhood," said association president Al Steenson. "But one of my concerns is that it's going to be right on top of all the other development going on down here. I honestly don't know how the membership is going to react."

Also of concern is how the city would handle the traffic and parking needs of the hundreds of new residents and shoppers. Historically, the city has not kept up with the area's infrastructure, Steenson said.

Flooding is a constant threat. In a major storm, people from the area, as well as those from Pinellas beach communities, would have trouble evacuating.

"When you have a heavy rain and a high tide, like we did on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve two years ago, you could not get out of South Tampa," he said.

Steenson told a Pridgen representative that he thought the company is going to have a tough time selling the project to residents.

"We've got an open mind on this," Steenson said. "We can't bury our heads in the sand.

"But let's try to get a grip on the growth and do it in an orderly fashion."

- Tom Zucco can be reached at 226-3405 or zucco@sptimes.com
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/28/Citytimes/Developer_thinks_big_.shtml

He also is planning several residential projects, including the proposed $50-million Bayway Lofts, a 42-story residential tower two blocks from St. Petersburg's waterfront that would be the city's tallest building.

Since announced last June, the Bayway Lofts project has drawn criticism from some residents who argue the proposed height would detract from the waterfront.

.
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"You have to walk before you can run," he said. "With the Bayway Lofts, we're looking at trying to acquire the rest of the block to spread the project over a larger area that will allow us to lower the height of the building.

"We look to be good neighbors."

Lowering the height...not what I would like to hear, but I figured that the building's height would eventually come down to something like 30-stories. At any rate, I hope he can get this project built. The St. Pete skyline needs some new, modern-looking additions; and with the proposed pricing of units, it would sell fast.

He does have a lot of sizeable proposals on the table at one time. I think this new proposal would make 4 large projects proposed by him in the metro area, with this latest one the largest or second-largest of them. Intersting.

I am not clear as to what the height problem is. It is not like there are a bunch of buildings that have views that would be blocked and it is not like there is a ton of single family homes right there. It is just an example of St. Pete being St. Pete. Most of the height above the Bank of America height would be taken up by that weird thing on top anyway. In any event, 30 stories would be ok by me.

I also think the Gandy people should shut up. 15 stories is just not that tall and will not swamp the streets. It is as though the City Council doe not want to increase the tax base to provide services. I feel a letter coming on.

Changing the topic --

How close is One Bayshore to topping out? I couldn't believe how much it's grown since I was last out their (March)

I sent a couple letters to the Mayor and City Council this week (one about the Bayshore plan, the other about NIMBY pacification, and how it is hurting us all), making like 5 I've sent this year now. I had better watch it, or they are going to start recognizing me.


Things I checked on within the past 3 days:

One Bayshore is one floor and about 30ft from topping out as best I can tell. The Alagon and Bellamy are still fooling around with the foundation type work.

In DT St Pete, McNulty Lofts is finally in full swing with construction. So is the first Opus condo, which has the cores rising about 20ft now.

In DT Tampa, Victory Lofts and the Parkcrest are topped out and in the process of doing the curtain walls. Arts Center Lofts are very nearly topped out. The Rennaisance Hotel at Intl Plaza is nearing completion.

Any News On Bayway Lofts Project 42 Floors?

Yeah, it's either dead or being remade into something more "palatable" to the NIMBYs. As others said, nobody really knows what shape it will now take, but logic tells us it will come back around 28-33 stories.

Sports hall plan hailed as catalyst
An $80-million downtown development could swivel on the arrival of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.
By SHARON L. BOND and CARRIE JOHNSON
Published June 2, 2004

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ST. PETERSBURG - The Florida Sports Hall of Fame would move to a new building near Tropicana Field as part of a larger development that would include 320 condominiums, restaurants and offices.

Grady Pridgen is the developer of the $80-million project, which would cover more than 3 acres on Central Avenue east of 16th Street S. He said it is the largest contiguous piece of available property in downtown St. Petersburg.

If the project is completed, it would re-energize an area that has not benefited as much from baseball as city officials once predicted. It also would provide new life to the hall of fame, which closed its Lake City site in 2001 and has kept memorabilia in storage from such sports stars as tennis' Chris Evert, drag racing's Don Garlits and football's Bobby Bowden.

The unnamed project is still in its preliminary stages. Pridgen said he has purchased one small parcel at the northeast corner of 16th Street and First Ave. S, where a restaurant now stands. He is scheduled to close on the remainder of the property in July.

Pridgen, who has announced several residential developments in the Tampa Bay area recently, is planning to build three interconnected five-story buildings. The first floor of each would be retail and office space.

The development also would include 40,000-square-feet of retail space featuring two or three restaurants and an art gallery. A pedestrian plaza would overlook Booker Creek, Pridgen said.

The condominiums would be priced between $150,000 and $250,000, considerably less expensive than other recent residential developments in downtown.

The Florida Sports Hall of Fame, which announced last year that it wanted to move to St. Petersburg, has a signed letter of intent from Pridgen and plans to build a new 20,000-30,000 square-foot facility on the site, said Darrell Brandimore, the hall's development director.

The hall's building will be paid for through a $4-million capital fund-raising campaign. Details will be discussed at the 2004 induction ceremony Sunday at Tropicana Field.

The building probably will be shaped like a cylinder to complement Tropicana Field and provide more natural light, Brandimore said.

Inside, he said, there will be an emphasis on educational information and interactive materials for children.

The project is planned for the Dome District, which connects downtown to the economically struggling area known as Midtown. City officials hoped the arrival of Major League Baseball in 1998 would encourage development, but it did not do as well as they had hoped.

Pridgen's project would sit next to Ferg's Sports Bar, which has built a good business while others trying to take advantage of the crowds from Tampa Bay Devil Rays games have not been as successful. Many restaurants and clubs have opened and closed.

"We're hoping this project will spur additional development in Midtown," Pridgen said.

Kevin Dunn, managing director of development for St. Petersburg, said a project of the magnitude Pridgen is considering for Central Avenue would be a shot in the arm for the area.

"We certainly would be delighted to see some new project evolving out there," he said.

Mayor Rick Baker said he has not seen final plans for the project but was cautiously optimistic.

"It's still fairly preliminary," Baker said. "But obviously there are a lot of good things going on in downtown right now."

Pridgen was known primarily for commercial development in the Tampa Bay area until recently, when he announced several residential projects. One is Bayway Lofts, a $50-million project that would be 42 stories high, downtown St. Petersburg's tallest building. The project now is being redesigned.

Pridgen also plans to build a $350-million mixed-used development on the Imperial Yacht Basin off Gandy Boulevard in Hillsborough County.

Two years ago, he bought land in mid-Pinellas from the city of St. Petersburg for just under $5-million and plans to build businesses and homes there. Pridgen also owns a vacant former church and parish hall in downtown St. Petersburg, where he lived for a while and planned to develop a restaurant.

Last year, he bought baseball star Dwight Gooden's custom home in Pinellas Point for $1-million and moved his family there.

Pridgen is buying the biggest chunk of the Central Avenue land from Low Investments, a group of about 35 investors. Some of those investors are connected with Derby Lane, the greyhound track on Gandy Boulevard.

Closing on that land is set for July, according to a spokesman for the investment company. The land now is used for a parking lot.

Some City Council members expressed concern Tuesday that Pridgen may be overextending his reach.

"I think what he's doing is acquiring more and more projects and he's not going to complete them," said council member Virginia Littrell, who has been critical of Pridgen in the past. "He's just trying to leverage them."

Pridgen dismissed those fears and said he will complete the development.

Council member Earnest Williams, whose district includes the proposed project as well as portions of Midtown, said he's waited a long time to see investment in the area.

"People sometimes want to see things happen right away," Williams said. "But you've got to wait for the right project. I think this is going to be a positive step for the city."

It's yet another Grady Pridge project. I think this one has a great chance of being built, though. That section of Central Avenue surely needs this kind of development. I hope it gets done.

Just a note: this should eb in teh St.Pete thread, but anyway . . .

I jsut wonder if Grady has the power to build anything he has nice drawings for. his ideas all seem pretty good, but until the dirt is moved on some of it, I am a bit skeptical.

Actually, I posted it in both threads. I agree with the skepticism. I'd like to see the dirt turned on at least one of these projects. With the Hall of Fame on board with this one already, it might have the best chance of all of them to actually get built.

As I have said, I liek this project, but I don't mind it getting held up a bit so downtown can grow. What annoys me is the idiotic reasoning being used by the elitist Hyde Park types.

Builder won't give up on Bayshore condo plan
Citivest is "not done" trying to build something on Bayshore in Hyde Park, its attorney says after city officials stick with a rejection of a 24-story plan.
By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published June 4, 2004

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TAMPA - Even after the City Council agreed with residents that plans for a Bayshore Boulevard high-rise don't fit the historic neighborhood, the developer's lawyer vowed to press on.

"We're not done," said John Grandoff, attorney for Citivest Construction Corp., which wants to put a 24-story condominium at Bayshore and De Soto Avenue in Hyde Park.

At Thursday's council meeting, Grandoff appealed the Architectural Review Commission's April decision to deny a certificate of appropriateness for the proposed project at 2101 Bayshore Blvd. The ARC said the scale of the project was inconsistent with and inconsiderate to the Hyde Park Historic District, and the building's height didn't blend well.

The plan calls for the building to cover 43 percent of the 1.1-acre lot. A decorative cupola would sit at the top of the condominium, making the structure 346 feet tall.

The Stovall condominium along Bayshore, which sits outside the Old Hyde Park Historic District, is 255 feet tall.

As many as 50 Hyde Park residents came to the meeting to support the ARC's decision.

"Let's protect our historic district once and for all," said Jeanne Holton Carufel, president of the Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association. "This developer doesn't want to play by the rules, he wants to change them. The petitioner has had more than a fair share of our time and attention. Please tell him so."

Council member John Dingfelder suggested that Citivest "lop off the top" of the building, capping the height at 14 floors. That would still allow for about 48 units.

"I believe that that's a reasonable use of property," he said.

Hyde Park residents, several of them lawyers, brought binders of research to the meeting and presented renderings to the council of what the 60-unit high-rise would look like against the neighborhood.

"If it were a question on the FCAT, which one of these buildings does not belong?" asked Lyla Haggard, a Hyde Park resident.

Citivest has several options to consider, including fighting to get its current plans approved, which could lead to a court hearing, or returning to the ARC with substantially different plans.

Grandoff declined to say what options his client will consider.

[Last modified June 3, 2004, 23:58:18]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/04/Hillsborough/Builder_won_t_give_up.shtml

I think the solution is clear. The city needs to buy back some or all of the development rights to this property. Whatever the bottom line would have been for the units which cannot be built due to the NIMBYs, can be paid to the developer during the sale of some/all of the development rights. All they have to do is figure out what the theoretical maximum buildable structure is, according to the existing laws/zoning. Then, if the city wants Citivest to build a 14 story, 48 unit building, then the city can literally purchase all of the other units, which the city will of course "decide" not to have built. Of course, they would only pay a reasonable portion of what the bottom line profit would have been... Say the building could have had 200 units, but now it will have 48... The profit per unit would have been at least $25k-$200k. We'll just pretend that 1/3 would be $25k, 1/3 would be $75k, and 1/3 will be $200k... Roughly 150 units, times those numbers comes out to...$15 million.


So, if the NIMBYs and/or City can come up with an amount somewhere in the realm of say $10-15 million, then the developer will sell them some development rights, and build the smaller building. My numbers might be way off, but this is perfectly reasonable to me. Each side has something the other wants. Clearly they can either meet in the middle, or they can go to court. This really chafes me, because I think that Citivest has been pretty reasonable. It's not like people haven't known that lot would be developed or something. It's had the same zoning for a long time. Towers have been consistently going up on Bayshore for years. The city is inevitabley growing vertical, as this is the natural progression of a city...

Frankly, I would like to know what the heck is wrong with these NIMBYs? If these people want to live in an isolated, "perfect" little enclave, then move to New Tampa.

^or Plant City, there won't be anything near 10 stories built in that place for a while. Its a shame what the developers of this site have to go through. Your idea about the city/NIMBY's buying the developmental rights sounds pretty interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing the developers throw that out on the table. I would like to see and hear the responses.

Evem more interesting that the factual text are the attitudes that the people have - both ways.

Tampa's Trolley Looks To Join The Night Life
By JOE HUMPHREY jhumphrey@tampatrib.com
Published: Jun 6, 2004




TAMPA - The downtown trolley, which stops running at 6 p.m. weeknights - much like the downtown often criticized as lifeless after closing time - may soon keep rolling way beyond sunset.
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority is seeking permission from its board to keep the Monday- through-Friday Uptown- Downtown Connector on the streets until 10:30 p.m. beginning this fall.

Hotel and convention officials have told HARTline they favor the move, saying it will improve transportation for visitors trying to move around downtown and connect to the TECO Line Streetcar System.

Mayor Pam Iorio supports the later hours because it would help bring more people to the downtown areas the city wants to revitalize.

``It's a reliable, low-cost way of providing mass transportation in the downtown core that is really needed,'' she said.

The HARTline board will accept public comment Monday morning on the proposed change to the trolley service and more than a dozen bus routes. No decision on the plans are expected until the board's August meeting. The changes would go into effect this fall.

If completely enacted, the plans would free up more than $1.2 million to reinvest in service improvements, HARTline spokeswoman Jill Cappadoro said.

The later service downtown is expected to cost HARTline about the same to operate but will come at a price to riders, who have been getting free rides.

HARTline plans to begin charging 50 cents per trip. Frequent riders would also have the option of purchasing a monthly trolley pass at a deeply reduced rate of $5.

Trolley riders expressed mixed reactions to the proposal.

Ken Thomas works as a stagehand at venues such as the Tampa Convention Center and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center at gigs that often stretch into the night. He likes the idea of later hours and said 50 cents is an acceptable price.

``Sounds fair to me,'' he said. ``Beats a cab.''

Others also didn't mind the fare but were skeptical about later service helping create a more vibrant downtown.

``Downtown's dead,'' George Wilson said Thursday as the trolley circled Harbour Island. ``What's there to do downtown?''

``With visitors, it might work,'' Oksana Pastor said. ``But for the regular 8-to-5 work force, they may leave at 5.''

The downtown circulator service began in 1999. It costs about about $685,000 a year to run, including contributions from the city and county governments.

The bright yellow cars circle downtown for 12 hours a day, five days a week, with stops near most downtown hotels, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the Tampa Convention Center and the Marion Transit Center.

A trolley comes every 10 minutes.

That, too, would change under the proposal.

Ten-minute frequency would continue from 6 to 9 a.m. and resume from 4 to 6 p.m. The rest of the time, riders can expect a 15-minute wait.

``We're not spending any additional money on this route,'' said Ed Crawford, a HARTline spokesman. ``We're trading off some of that midday service in exchange for seeing if there is a market for evening hours.''

Michael Kilgore, vice president of marketing at the performing arts center, said patrons would probably be well- served by the extended hours Tuesday through Thursday, when curtains rise at 7:30 p.m. Friday's 8 p.m. show starts would probably push standing ovations past 10:30, meaning riders could only benefit from preshow excursions.

Kilgore, a frequent rider who often has meetings downtown, said he likes the longer hours and doesn't mind paying for what has been a free service since its inception in 1999.

Five dollars for a month's worth of service?

``It seems reasonable to me,'' he said. ``I would pay that taking my car and going to a lunch and meeting, and parking it once.''


Reporter Andy Reid contributed to this report. Reporter Joe Humphrey can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGBXO6YF4VD.html

From TBO.com:



Blues Venue's Amphitheater Plans In Ybor Fall Through
By SHANNON BEHNKEN sbehnken@tampatrib.com
Published: Jun 5, 2004







YBOR CITY - The details were secret, but Ybor City folks were excited when the old Badcock Furniture store was gutted to make room for an amphitheater.
Although no company officials would confirm it, word on the street was the House of Blues planned to open there this fall - right around the time Hampton Inn & Suites is scheduled to open.

Annette DeLisle, president of the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce, was thrilled because the two businesses would bring life to the entrance of the entertainment district's famed Seventh Avenue.

Two business locations behind the new hotel at 13th and 14th avenues - totaling 4,200 square feet - are now vacant. The former Tahiti Joe's bar, also for sale, was rumored to be included in the renovation for the House of Blues.

``It was a great disappointment to us,'' DeLisle said. ``It would be great to have a well- known entity there.''

Ybor City Development Corp. President Vince Pardo said the 321 Entertainment company had planned to open the franchise but backed out because the House of Blues corporation decided to open only corporate-owned locations. Ybor City would be too close to the Orlando venue, Pardo said.

``They said it had nothing to do with Tampa or Ybor and that they liked it here,'' Pardo said. ``Of course, we're still very disappointed.''

Calls seeking comment from representatives of 321 Entertainment, based in Rockledge, and the House of Blues were not returned.

Phil Gerardi of Gerardi Construction said he was hired by 321 Entertainment to conduct a structural evaluation and some demolition of the inside of the building. Work has halted, he said, but he is hopeful the entertainment company will open some kind of venue at the location.

Gerardi said he had signed confidentiality agreements and could not confirm whether the House of Blues was involved.

``I think an amphitheater would work well there,'' he said. ``I hope something works out.''

Regardless of what business buys the building, Gerardi said, it will need a lot of work because of termite damage. Because it is a historic building, the outside walls would be saved and a steel building built inside of it.


Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7146.

Bummer. I've bene hoping for things to pick up at both ends of 7th in Ybor, but it look slike it will be a while, since most businesses in Ybor are in a bit of a "trough". The city simply isn't doing a good job with changing Ybor's "image", or whatever it is they are trying to do via artificial means. I wish they would have left it alone, and allowed it to evolve naturally. The market will decide for itself when things need to change. Now that the city has meddled, Ybor is stuck in limbo, between being known as a hip party spot for the young crowds, and being a sedate, yuppified enclave for those who have money, but are complete dorks (for lack of a better word). These crowds DO NOT mix AT ALL, and Ybor and its businesses are suffering because of it.

Old oak at site forces changes to dorm plan
The University of Tampa will present updated plans to the city that call for a trim of the south side of the tree.
By GRACE AGOSTIN
Published June 11, 2004

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An old oak tree is forcing the University of Tampa to change plans for a new residence hall along Kennedy Boulevard.

Originally designed as a seven-story building, the dorm at 404 W Kennedy Blvd. must grow to at least 10 stories, said Erick Kreher, of Kreher Architects Inc. in Ybor City.

Construction is scheduled to begin in July on the as-yet unamed dorm .

"We're going to go out there and show the arborist where the building would have to be and see if it's acceptable to trim the south side of the tree," Kreher said. "There's not much room left."

An abandoned building at the intersection of Kennedy and Hyde Park Avenue, across from Plant Hall, will be demolished to make room for the residence hall. Because of the tight location, Kreher said, the building will house slightly fewer students than the original plan, which called for 200.

Accommodating the tree is expected to increase the cost of the project by $5 to $10 a square foot, Kreher said. At 55,000 square feet, that's up to $550,000.

Environmental lawyer Andrea Zelman submitted a rezoning application to the Tampa City Council meeting last month and has been working with the university and Kreher to come up with a workable plan.

"One of the things that the city asked us to do was explore the possibility of designing a building around the tree," Zelman said. "We have come up with a plan that will enable them to save the tree and not to slow down the university's plans."

She expected to present the revised site plans to the city of Tampa zoning staff sometime this week. UT spokesman Grant Donaldson said relocating the huge tree would probably be too costly.

"We moved a couple of trees in 2000 and it was quite expensive. The removal of this tree, as I understand it, would be a lot more complicated process than what we encountered," he said. "I think the root system encroaches under Kennedy, so it's a little different challenge I think for the developer."

- Grace Agostin can be reached at 226-3434 or at gagostin@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 10, 2004, 13:29:16]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/11/Citytimes/Old_oak_at_site_force.shtml

has anyone heard anything on when they hope to start work on phase 2 of the Trolley? (from the Southern Transportation Plaza up to Kennedy)

has anyone heard anything on when they hope to start work on phase 2 of the Trolley? (from the Southern Transportation Plaza up to Kennedy)


According to HART's budget plans, it should be completed in 2009 (to Kennedy). While that could change, the budget doesn't show any construction funding until 2006.

Just an update - I had read that the Meridian in Channelside had some issue where the soil testing showed construction would be more expensive and the contracts were all cancelled. The website a few weeks ago showed all the unit for sale again. I just checked and now there are only 13 left - that is 35% or so LEFT. So, despite the scare on teh issue, I think it will get going soon.

According to HART's budget plans, it should be completed in 2009 (to Kennedy). While that could change, the budget doesn't show any construction funding until 2006.

right now the county commission isn't going to help.

I think Iorio's been warming up to the Street Car though.... So expansion plans may move forward faster still but, probably not.