Nope. I think it's owned by Redner? Someone above mentioned making it live-work lofts for artists or something... Kind of a wierd spot for that.

I don't know of any plan for it. The lot is not that big for lofts and it truly is in an odd lcoation for residential - probably the worst spot in all of downtown. Maybe he just does not want to pay taxes on the strcuture anymore - that's how we lost most of our historic buildings in the reign of Sandy Freedman.

Maybe it's 23, maybe it's 20, who knows? (I think it is 23, if you count on the picture) - Love that crazy Tiki hut design - I would not say it is Med revival - it is tiki hut moderne (it's French polynesia, you know) - show me to the bar. - My guess is 250 ft, which is respectable. I also like how Platt will now become relatiely built up from the Publix to the Forum, and, soon, beyond. A nice second East-West axis for downtown (other than Kennedy)

For reference:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/514/8tampawestin_front.jpg

Embassy Suites Hotel To Break Ground Next Week
By RANDY DIAMOND rdiamond@tampatrib.com
Published: Jul 30, 2004




TAMPA - Ground will be broken Monday to begin building a 23-story Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown across from the convention center, the developer of the delayed project said Thursday. It would be the first new lodging establishment downtown in more than four years.
``It's a definite,'' said Richard Parks, vice president of WPM Construction, the hotel's developers and owners. Parks said the groundbreaking will be at 11 a.m. Monday.

WPM officials had disclosed they were building the hotel in November and said groundbreaking would occur in March. But as the spring deadline was missed, questions arose among some in Tampa's tourist industry about the project's status. Only last week at a meeting of the Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association, tourism and hotel officials publicly discussed the project as a big if.

But Parks said Thursday that his company was ``intent on doing it right,'' and needed time to ensure that the project would be a success.

The hotel will be on a 1.21- acre site bounded by Franklin Street, Florida Avenue and Channelside Drive. Parks said WPM is negotiating with a restaurant company, but he could not disclose details. He said there also will be retail space.

Parks said the hotel will be connected to the convention center by an enclosed bridge, so those attending events at the convention center would not have to cross heavy traffic on Franklin Street.

He declined to say how much the hotel would cost to build but said that once opened, the establishment should have a market value of $100 million. Parks said his company doesn't keep the hotels it develops and that it plans to sell the hotel to new owners at some point, possibly even before the hotel is open. He said that WPM has 12 other projects in various stages of development in other cities, including Louisville.

The last major hotel built by the convention center was 717-room Tampa Marriott Waterside, which is the largest hotel in the Tampa area.

Hotels in the Tampa area have said that 2004, so far, is the best year they have experienced since before economic downturn in 2001 and the Sept. 11 attacks. Through May, hotels in Hillsborough County had an overall 71.9 percent occupancy rate, compared with 62.5 percent for all of 2003 and 62.2 percent for all of 2002, show statistics from Smith Travel Service, which tracks room occupancy.

Still, the number of rooms booked this year for future conventions through 2009 is down 9.2 percent from the previous year, officials said Thursday at a meeting of the Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau.

But John Moors, administrator of convention facilities and tourism for Tampa, said he expects short-term bookings will help fill in the gap.


Reporter Randy Diamond can be reached at (813) 259-8144.
http://tampatrib.com/businessnews/MGBGHI6Q9XD.html

i though it was 24?????

Looks like something that would be at home in China, though I'll take a highrise.

I'm not sure how the finished product will come out, but I kind of like to complete oddness of it - like BoA in St. Pete. I would much rather have this than a simple boxy hotel of 20 stories. It will be interesting to put this next to the Marriott.

I take it that's a restaurant up top ?

That is unclear. I bet it is a suite or a conference room/ball room, maybe with a restaurant feature

That is unclear. I bet it is a suite or a conference room/ball room, maybe with a restaurant feature

probably

At least it should be over 250ft. I still think it's a misuse of the land around the TCC. They could have done much in here.

TECO may pick a new home
The company, a downtown fixture for decades, is seeking offers for a new headquarters somewhere in Hillsborough.
By STEVE HUETTEL, Times Staff Writer
Published July 31, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/31/photos/TECO.gif



TAMPA - TECO Energy is seeking offers from developers and commercial real estate companies for a new corporate headquarters somewhere in Hillsborough County.

The company or its predecessor, Tampa Electric Co., has been in downtown Tampa for more than two decades. The lease on its nine-story building expires in March 2007, and TECO Energy wants to compare the options of leasing a new building, renting existing space and staying in the same location, said spokeswoman Laura Plumb.

"It is in our interest, our shareholders' interest and our customers' interest to make sure we're handling the headquarters real estate in the way that is most efficient," she said.

TECO wields enormous clout in downtown Tampa. The company is a major contributor to downtown causes, employs about 750 workers at the headquarters and owns three square blocks near the building.

"They're almost a heritage piece of downtown Tampa, as well as an employment base," said Christine Burdick, president of the Downtown Tampa Partnership.

TECO prefers to remain in downtown, said spokesman Ross Bannister. An option the company presented to developers is building a new structure on two of the three square blocks TECO owns near the current headquarters. Those two blocks are now parking lots.

The company also must consider office space across the county to make sure it gets the best deal, Bannister said. Proposals are due from brokers and commercial real estate companies Aug. 20 and from developers Aug. 27.

Franklin Street Associates Ltd., a private partnership that owns TECO's headquarters, also has been asked to offer a new lease deal, said Peter Carey, spokesman for UBS Financial Services. UBS represents clients with shares in the partnership.

TECO isn't in a rush to evaluate the proposals, Bannister said. Although the 25-year lease expires in 2007, he said, the company can exercise a five-year extension. But TECO is under pressure to cut costs.

When former chief executive Robert Fagan arrived in 1999, TECO jumped into the unregulated wholesale energy business with both feet. Soon after the company began investing heavily in construction of out-of-state power plants, the market for wholesale power headed south. TECO's stock price plummeted, and its long-term debt rating was downgraded to "junk" status.

The company slashed its dividend by nearly half. TECO wrote off a $762-million investment in its two largest wholesale plants and reported a $909.4-million loss in 2003. On Thursday, it reported a second-quarter loss of $101.9-million.

In its proposal to developers, TECO is asking for 212,000 square feet of space - nearly 30 percent less than the current building provides.

The commercial real estate and building markets are unfavorable for a new office high-rise in downtown Tampa, said Robert Abberger, head of Florida construction for Trammell Crow Co. A developer would have to build more space than TECO wants for the economics to work, he said.

But Tampa's downtown office market is soft, with about 18.5 percent of space unoccupied. A new building would need to fetch about $30 per square foot - more than $10 higher than the average asking rents for existing downtown space, Abberger said.

Finally, the cost of construction materials such as steel and concrete continue to skyrocket, he said. "I can't imagine a worse window to build a downtown high-rise, build-to-suit (structure)."

It would be a disaster for downtown to lose TECO, Abberger said, calling the company "the longest-standing, most involved corporate citizen for every major initiative."

Mayor Pam Iorio has promised to turn dormant north downtown into a bustling neighborhood. She understands why the publicly traded company has to look at cost-saving alternatives, she said, but she wants TECO to remain downtown.

"We want as many people as possible to live and work downtown," Iorio said. "It's good for the life of the core of the city."

Times Staff Writers David Karp and Jeff Testerman contributed to this report. Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or 813 226-3384.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/31/Business/TECO_may_pick_a_new_h.shtml

They'll stay put, or move to Westshore, like everyone else has been doing lately. There's almost zero chance of a new tower coming out of this IMO.

They will stay put, sort of - I think they are looking to develop those lots - which are good lots and will be better once the museum is built. You may get some residential. I agree, no office towers.

You know, I think that once teh residential gig gets going the moving to Westshore will slow a bit. It downtown becomes truly a neighborhood, people will want to be there.

To be honest, I like their building now, though it could have more retail. It is one of the few bildings that makes Franklin Street a nice place to Walk - lots of shade and place to hang. It is well done - and they won't get a cheaper deal with new construction or parking, since they own it.

Med Revival crap

OK, saw the design for the Westin. Looks like it belongs in Westshore, maybe by I-Mall. Not good for downtown. Would have been much better if one 40+ floor hotel with a sweet design had been built by the conv centre, instead of a couple of midrises.

I don't know if this has been posted, but according to their website, construction for the Meridian starts August.

http://www.meridianlofts.com/

It has not been posted. Thanks, I would have seen it eventually, but now I know. Looks like we are getting a decent month.

By JOSE PATINO GIRONA
jpatino@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - In the end, nothing got done for George Washington Junior High. Instead, it will fall to the expansion of Interstate 275 and Interstate 4.
Beginning Monday, Johnson's Excavation and Services of Plant City will begin knocking down the 1915 brick building.

For some, the school is victim to the area's growth and development. Others see it as a failure to preserve what some considered a local landmark.

``It's a sad, sad thing to do that,'' said former Tampa city councilman Charlie Miranda. ``I am disappointed because they are taking the easy way out.''

Miranda attended seventh to ninth grades from 1954-56 at George Washington Junior High.

Built between Tampa Heights and Ybor City, many students at the school were the sons, daughters and grandchildren of immigrants. The teachers and administrators at the school helped several generations learn and to get a bearing on life, Miranda said.

``This is what happens when you continue to cater to the automobile,'' Miranda said. ``They add another lane and in 10 years they add another lane.''

Three years ago, the Florida Department of Transportation bought the property from the Hillsborough County School District for $380,000.

The 50,000-square-foot building was used as a school until 1979. The building's first floor was last used in 1998 for adult education.

Over the years, the building at 707 E. Columbus Drive became dilapidated and an eyesore in the community. Homeless people would break in and spend the night.

Two years ago, DOT offered to give away the building to any person or group that would pay to move it from the site.

Several private and nonprofit agencies looked at the building, but no one made a formal proposal, said Elaine Illes, a DOT consultant.

``We have had it for three years, and no one has paid any attention to it,'' Illes said.

Opponents of demolishing the building say DOT set too many rules to entice anyone to make an offer.

DOT would not help pay to move the building, critics said. DOT opposed allowing a business to rehabilitate the building and keep it there until it needed to expand the interstate. DOT doesn't know when it would need to expand, but estimates it would be 15 to 20 years from now.

Vivian Salaga, owner of Atelier Architecture of Tampa, said DOT never made a concession to help preserve the building.

``They had a specific plan in mind, and they didn't want to divert from it,'' Salaga said.

Her group had considered refurbishing the school at its current location and turning it into residential property.

Salaga said DOT offered a five-year renewable lease for someone to rehabilitate the property on site, but she said no bank would give a loan with that stipulation on the contract.

Salaga said she is saddened that not only a historic building is being destroyed, but memories and history that helped define generations of Tampa natives will be gone.

``Once those buildings are gone, they are gone forever,'' said Salaga, who estimates refurbishing the building would cost $2.8 million. ``You can't put it back together.''

Illes said DOT didn't want someone to refurbish the building on site because when the land is needed for interstate expansion, DOT could be responsible for moving the people who live there and may have to compensate the lessee for improvements to the building.

Illes said that DOT considered moving the building, but there was no reasonable property in the area. The agency has a finite amount of money to preserve historic buildings. For this area, it invested $8 million refurbishing and moving old homes in Ybor City. It was a better idea to preserve a historic district than one building, Illes said.

``You can't save every historic building,'' Illes said. ``You got to choose how to spend your money.''

DOT will build a 24-foot monument with a historic marker at the George Washington Junior High site. It will use bricks and a metal cupola from the school to build the monument, which will serve as a bus stop. Sod and some trees will be placed on the site of the old school.

HARTline will receive a metal cupola from the school and bricks to build a bus stop in the city. The city has also requested bricks for a park project that the Tampa Heights Civic Association is working on.

Salvageable wood floors from the school were donated to Woodrow Wilson Middle School, 1005 Swann Ave. The middle school also received metal and wooden banisters from the junior high.

Carrol Josephs-Marshall, president of V.M. Ybor Neighborhood Association, said neighbors wanted the school restored to help the neighborhood. She said she talked to developers and wrote letters to government leaders, but nothing came together, she said.

Josephs-Marshall said she didn't attend the school, but has lived in the area 15 years. She said redeveloping it would enhance to the area.

``Once it's down it's going to be an empty spot looking at us in the neighborhood,'' Josephs-Marshall said. ``So far, it seems we lost and DOT won again.''

You know, it would have been nice to save - the facade was relatively nice -, but that school has been boarded up and an eye sore for a long time now. They just didn't know what to do with it.

Yeah, it would have been nice, but you when some, you lose some.

BTW, "The Plaza" at Harbour Island claims that they will break ground on the first phase of their project by the end of this year. And the tower won't be 17 stories, it will be 20, just as origionally announced.

Personally, I have little doubt that will start when they say they will, or damn close to it. Harbour Island definitely has a reputation, and yuppie types flock to it as they do 'Bayshore' or 'Avila' or 'Cheval'...

I don't have the article, but I read about it in the Tampa Bay Business Journal which comes out tomorrow.

That would be this - they have a picture of the entrance (I have no idea why people do that, like the entrance - which I have not scanned yet - is what will make you buy a unit) but not hte building.

IN DEPTH: RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
From the July 30, 2004 print edition
Developer plans luxury project for remaining Harbour Island sites
Ken Salgat
Staff writer
TAMPA -- Patrinely Group LLC has purchased the last two remaining residential real estate sites on downtown Tampa's Harbour Island, with plans to begin construction on the first phase of its luxury residential project, The Plaza Harbour Island, by the end of the year.

The first phase, on the eastern half of the 3-acre parcel that formerly housed Stallone's Market, will feature a 20-story high-rise luxury condominium encompassing 100 tower residences priced from the $300,000s to more than $2 million. Resort-like villas and townhomes at street level will surround the residential tower.

The development's Palm Beach, Mediterranean-style architecture will replicate designs found in high-rise oceanfront residences in South Florida, and this will compliment the prestige of Harbour Island, said C. Dean Patrinely, managing principal.

"For this level of sophistication and luxury, we seek 18-hour' urban mixed-use locations that cater to those who desire such living experiences like those on Harbour Island," said Patrinely.

Carl Lindell, an investor who headed family-owned automobile dealerships for 35 years, controlled the last development sites on Harbour Island and has become Patrinely Group's partner in this effort.

Patrinely said his company's research shows a substantial demand for upscale urban living in the Tampa market, especially on Harbour Island. Hence, the development's amenities will include a pool terrace with cabanas, gardens and manicured lawns, a destination spa, concierge services, 24-hour doormen, valet parking, and fitness, business and media centers.

Marvin Rose, real estate market analyst and principal of Rose Residential Reports, agreed with Patrinely's assessment saying, "Of all the condominium projects proposed in and around downtown Tampa, The Plaza Harbour Island is unique. Harbour Island is undoubtedly the best residential location in the downtown area. The Plaza promises to deliver true luxury condominium residences and services to a degree not yet seen in Tampa."

Patrinely said that he expects the first phase to be complete by 2006, and that while plans for the next two phases are still under development, he expects the project to ultimately have more than 300 luxury residences and possibly a personal luxury hotel when it is complete.

A Florida native, Patrinely said his firm is very familiar with the Florida market, having developed over the last 15 years the original Miami Arena and Class A office properties in Coral Gables for IBM and in Fort Lauderdale for Hewlett Packard.

Another project is under construction in Plantation, at Patrinely Group's 575,000-square-foot Cornerstone campus, where the company has one of its six national offices. The Texas-based firm is establishing a permanent office in Tampa, as well. Other offices are in Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Bethesda and Princeton.

"We have been quietly seeking a stellar location for our initial luxury residential project in Florida," said Patrinely.

The Plantation project is a 12-story development with 86 condominiums priced from $550,000 to $2.5 million that just began construction.

ksalgat@bizjournals.com | 813.342.2477

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/08/02/focus2.html

I will not miss that stupid little strip store that did not even have a sidewalk connection. How idiotically out of character for Harbour Island. I als bet the people who build Harbour Island Office Building II wish they had put retail on the bottom floor now.

InTown Tampa for August 2004
http://tampasdowntown.com/intown080304b.htm

Plotting The Riverwalk's Course
Catherine Mitseas

http://tampasdowntown.com/email/intown080304b2.jpg

In envisioning where the Riverwalk stands today, it is best to think in terms of a complicated jigsaw puzzle. First you complete the easy sections, and then you ponder the tough pieces, trying to determine a strategy that will allow you to finish quickly. Right now, the city is at that point - the end is in sight; the question is how to get there.

The Riverwalk is a dream begun by previous mayors and recently upheld by current mayor Pam Iorio as one of the key components to Tampa's continued growth. Targeted for completion by 2010, the two-mile walkway will run in an "L" shaped pattern along the Hillsborough River's eastern side, connecting the new Waterworks Park north of the Stetson Law School with Harbour Island and all points in between. The walkway ends at the proposed site of the new history museum.

Logically, there are two primary challenges in creating a seamless walk around the city: money and bridges. The remaining construction carries a hefty tab - an estimated $15 million - created, in part, by the city's four bridges and one over-water railroad crossing.

"What do you do around bridges? You have to go out over the water at that point. You have to maintain head height" of about eight feet, said David Vaughn, contract administrator for the Department of Public Works.

Yet building under or around these bridges is key to the walkway's connectivity, said Dave Parkinson, deputy director of redevelopment for the City of Tampa. The knottiest point is at the CSX Railroad bridge adjacent to Cass Street, "probably the most challenging, from a physical clearance and construction perspective," Vaughn said.

No point of the project is insurmountable, though. "It is a matter of agreeing on design solutions and balancing design options with costs," said Parkinson.

Funding for the project is another part of the puzzle. Mayor Iorio hopes to rely on more than federal dollars. She is considering what private sector opportunities might be available, Vaughn said.

The Riverwalk is one of the most important public investments underway downtown, Parkinson explained. It will improve pedestrian access to the River and connect a variety of adjacent cultural and commercial centers, stimulating economic development. In addition to offering a safe and enjoyable way for individuals to walk around downtown, the Riverwalk provides walkers with links to public transportation. Currently walkways exist at the Performing Arts Center and behind the Marriott Waterside Hotel. Besides the two existing paths, there are five segments in the planning or funding phases, as shown on the Riverwalk Segment Map prepared by the Department of Public Works. Two of the funded sites include the Ribbon of Green waterfront parks on property owned by the city. That leaves 10 segments for the future.

Private ownership will complete some of the walkway. The developers of a residential tower planned for north of Brorein Street will build a segment, Vaughn said.

At the same time, economic elements are accelerating to ensure the Riverwalk's success, explained John Moors, administrator of Convention Facilities and Tourism with the City of Tampa. In his four-and-a-half years in Tampa, Moors has witnessed the rising of the new Marriott Waterside hotel and the renewal of Channelside, and has watched the population of Harbour Island swell to more than 6,000 people. Over the same time period, the number of weekly cruise passengers has more than doubled, from 3,000 to nearly 8,000.

Like others, Moors feels downtown residential development is critical. More people mean more commerce -- and increased opportunity for business to flourish along the water.

"Imagine walking from home to the arts center or from home to a hotel for a fireworks display," he said. "The pedestrian and residential element will help the city take off."

See, now it is done:

Hotel Breaks Ground

Ground was broken Monday morning for the first new downtown hotel in four years, the 360 room Embassy Suites Hotel Tampa on South Florida Avenue across from the convention center. Officials of WPM Construction, the hotel's developers, say they expect the 20 story lodging establishment to open in the second quarter of 2006. Financing for the project, is being provided by Wachovia Bank.

http://tampatrib.com/businessnews/MGBL2YBBFXD.html

20 and 23 stories...I little journalistic confusion I see. :)

20. 23. As long as it fills the empty lot a few stories either way is fine by me. We have had enough false hopes (see the brochures I sent you)

PSA Announces Financing for Pinnacle:

http://southeast.construction.com/news/florida/#1

Construction on both residential towers to begin "this summer" (must be imminent), while groundbreaking for the observation tower is set for "late 2004".

Could post the actual news, you know. :)

PSA Constructors Announces Funding for $300 Million Pinnacle Project in Tampa

Orlando-based PSA Constructors announced that two development teams have put together funding for the $300 million Pinnacle of Tampa Bay project. PSA will serve as the owner's representative for developer Frank DeBose and his company, Pinnacle Group Holdings.

Pinnacle Group Holdings will develop the 624-ft. tower complex, which will feature an observation deck, revolving restaurant and meeting space. At the tower's base will be a 4,000-seat amphitheater and entertainment venue and structured parking.

Expected to break ground by the end of 2004, PSA indicated completion of the tower is planned for 2006.

Pinnacle Place Partners, a joint venture between DeBose and Tampa developer Ken Morin, will break ground this summer on two 37-story condominium towers containing 330 units. Resident parking will be built beneath the condo towers, and another 70 units built above street-level retail. The condominium towers are being designed by Morris Architects of Orlando.



Holy shit if it pans out. Tampa will be inundated with cranes on the south side of DT.

It's from F.W.Dodge, a very reputable construction mag.

I fixed the link btw. It was missing the 'A' in 'southeast'...:)

Thanks ! Exciting, ain't it ?! Three structures ranging from 460 to 624 ft. breaking ground this calender year.

My info is that, as I said above, buidling one is pretty much reserved. building 2 is less clear. They plan of starting building 1 by Jan 2005, which is about the same time Towers at Channelside and Grand Central plan on starting is all goes well. With the hotel and Meridian, that will be a lot of stuff going on. Who knows what will follow that too.

Moer importantly - the finally actually bought the land:

Condo Land Bought

Pinnacle Place Development Partners LLC said Wednesday that it has purchased the 6 acres of land it needs in downtown Tampa for its two-tower condominium development. The price tag was $14.5 million. The project includes two 40-story towers, each with 170 condominium units, plus additional condominiums in low-rise buildings and 100,000 square feet of retail development. Units will cost from about $350,000 to more than $2 million.

http://www.tampatrib.com/Business/MGBWIYQ6IXD.html

This would be sweet if it happens - helping move Platt to a different type of street.

Pub owner, partners file hotel plan
If approved, the 110-room, six-story building would be built on one of the bar's parking lots.
By DAVID KARP, Times Staff Writer
Published August 5, 2004

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TAMPA - Colin Breen, owner of the Four Green Fields pub, has been serving pints on Platt Street for more than a decade.

Now, Breen and some business partners want to branch out.

They filed papers at City Hall this week requesting approval to build a 110-room, six-story hotel on Platt Street.

The business-class hotel would be run by a nationally known hotel management company, said consultant Stephen Michelini, who is handling the project.

It would be built on the parking lot on Platt Street and Plant Avenue, where customers of the Irish pub park now. (The pub has another lot behind it, as well.)

"This is not a roadside motel," Michelini said. "This is for business people that want to be close to downtown, but want a little atmosphere."

The hotel, if approved, would be near St. John's Episcopal Parish School, One Bayshore condos and Publix supermarket on Bayshore Boulevard.

The hotel would include four levels of parking within the site, which is approximately an acre, Michelini said.

He said the hotel could be anywhere between 110 and 150 feet high.

"It's early in the process," he said.

Breen could not be reached for comment. Michelini declined to identify the other business partners in the project.

The project is scheduled to go to City Council for approval on Oct. 28.

Times staff writer Janet Zink contributed to this report. David Karp can be reached at 813 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 4, 2004, 23:56:21]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/05/Hillsborough/Pub_owner__partners_f.shtml

Sweet. I would love to see the development begin to stretch between DT and the Howard/Armenia corridor. The whole east-west corridor from Platt up to Cypress is all just dying for some redevelopment and some gentrification. If I can ever get my ducks in a row, I might take a crack at this area myself with some townhouses or something.

Ok, so it is Feb 2005 - that's cool

3:44 PM EDT Wednesday
Pinnacle completes condo land buy
Developers of a twin-tower condominium project in Tampa's Channel District say they assembled at least six acres to create the city's largest contiguous land parcel.

Pinnacle Place Development Partners LLC said Wednesday that the purchase closed July 30, with the acreage acquired from three different owners at a purchase price of slightly more than $14.5 million.

The partnership includes Corvus International, based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and Sarasota, and Pinnacle Group Holdings Inc. and Morin Development Group, both based in Tampa.

The project will consist of two 40-story condo towers containing approximately 170 units each, priced from $300,000 to at least $2 million. Plans also include three floors of low-rise units and 100,000 square feet of retail space.

"We plan on unveiling the name of the new project and beginning our marketing campaign within the next 30 days," said Timothy J. Morris, a Corvus principal, in a media release. Construction of the first tower and retail space is scheduled to start in February 2005, he said.

Pinnacle Place has hired Morris Architects of Orlando to oversee the architectural design and site planning, with Skanska USA Building Inc. in Tampa serving as construction manager. The Toni Everett Co. in Tampa will handle sales and marketing for the project.

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/08/02/daily28.html?t=printable

Wow, that conflicts significantly with the F.W.Dodge article.

Yep. Sure does, but it is consistent with what I have heard from realtors and others.

For all her bitching you would have thought she was a poor artist - looks liek she is damn rich:
Channel District: District pioneers stake out new claim
But before they can move into their new homestead, the Markhams will be without a home, at least temporarily.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published August 6, 2004

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


Kim and Richard Markham are about to become homeless.

Temporarily.

The Channel District pioneers are selling their 14,000-square-foot home and building a loft on a vacant lot two blocks away.

They didn't dream of going far. They've lived in the area for more than a decade, long before developers declared the industrial, downtown enclave perfect for condos and trendy urban living.

The couple must vacate their home, a converted warehouse, by Sept. 10. Trouble is, construction on their new residence won't be done until at least early next year.

"We need a place to live while our new loft is under construction, so if you know of any space for rent, let me know," Kim Markham wrote in an e-mail to the Channel District community.

The Markhams and their daughter, Lilia, have lived in the Channel District since 1993. Key players in the area's redevelopment efforts, they owned a 20,000-square-foot warehouse on N 11th Street for a few years, then bought their current place on Meridian Avenue in 2001.

The warehouse provides plenty of space for their artwork, two boats, books, art supplies and cars. It has an indoor swimming pool and room out front for roller skating.

"We're stuff people," Kim said. "We're forced to live in warehouses because of our stuff."

But now that their daughter is off to engineering school at Harvey Mudd College in California, the Markhams have decided it's time to downsize. A few weekends ago, they unloaded many of their possessions at a garage sale.

"We're older now," she said. "We're getting to the point where having so much stuff isn't so important."

Wes Jones, an architect from the South California Institute of Architecture, designed their new home, also on Meridian. Built of concrete, metal and glass, it will have 6,000 square feet, a "drop-dead gorgeous kitchen and great bathrooms," Kim said.

"The bottom floor is a warehouse and the top floor is a loft, and it's built with industrial materials. Our current house is like that. So we're replicating what we have on a smaller scale."

If all goes as planned, the Markhams hope to have all the building permits in about two months. Construction will take at least four months.

The Markhams have a contract on their current house with someone who plans to use it for a residence and home-based business. She declined to name the buyer.

"He says he's going to use it just like it is," she said.

The couple want to rent a temporary home in the neighborhood until their new place is built. They also bought land in Hawaii, where they used to live, and plan to retire there some day.

Janet Zink can be reached at 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/06/Citytimes/Channel_District__Dis.shtml

Gandy/Sun Bay South: Pridgen's Gandy request goes to council Thursday
By SHERRI DAY
Published August 6, 2004

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GANDY/SUN BAY SOUTH - Real estate developer Grady Pridgen's plans to transform land east of the Gandy Bridge goes to the City Council for a rezoning request Thursday.

Pridgen has asked the council to approve the land around the Imperial Yacht Basin at 5000 W Gandy Blvd. for a mixed-used development with 70 percent more housing than the current zoning allows. He has also asked to take control of portions of Paul and Price avenues.

Pridgen, who bought the property for $25-million in May, has proposed building 15,000 square feet of retail space, a 200-room hotel, offices and 850 residential units.

The council first heard his requests last month but postponed the issue for a few weeks after civic and environmental associations voiced concerns about the project.

Al Steenson, president of the Gandy Civic Association, said overcrowding and insufficient infrastructure would likely cause problems for residents if the development proceeds according to plan. But he doubts the council will deny Pridgen's requests.

"I'll grant you they do beautiful work, and it'll make a nice gateway coming off the Gandy Bridge" Steenson said. "But my contention is why is it so large? If we can't stick to the original, then just see if we can negotiate and bargain down."

The council meeting starts at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Tampa Convention Center, 333 S Franklin St.

[Last modified August 5, 2004, 10:58:11]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/06/Citytimes/GandySun_Bay_South__P.shtml

I wonder about the traffic too, but not from Pridgen's request for zoning, but for the whole area.

South Tampa had better get on the LRT bandwagon, prepare to send a few hundred neighbors packing to make way for new roads and widened roads, or get prepared for some SHITTY traffic in the coming years.

There will be shitty traffic, obviously. So what. South Tampa is nirvana. You can get anywhere in 5 minutes. Didn't you hear?

Hey, now they added a hotel
High-Rise Condo, Hotel Project Claims Last 2 Harbour Island Sites
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Aug 7, 2004




HARBOUR ISLAND - The Patrinely Group of South Florida is coming to Harbour Island to build a 300-unit complex of high-rise condominiums and a hotel.
The first phase, with construction expected to begin in December, is a 20-story condominium named The Plaza Harbour Island. It will be built at the mostly empty plaza that formerly housed Stallone's Market, 410 Knight's Run Ave.

The group plans to build 100 residences there, Patrinely's Managing Principal C. Dean Patrinely said.

The Plaza prices will be from the $300,000 range to more than $2 million. The Palm Beach-style architecture will replicate oceanfront high- rises, Patrinely said.

Market research showed a need for luxury living in the area, he said. The developers, who have projects in Miami, Coral Gables and Fort Lauderdale, purchased the last two sites on Harbour Island from Lindell Properties.

``Harbour Island is the most desirable address in Tampa Bay,'' he said.

The 3-acre site eventually will have three condominium towers with more than 300 units, plus a hotel.

Resortlike villas on an upper plaza and town homes at street level will surround the tower. A landscaped pool terrace with cabanas, gardens and lawns, plus a spa, and fitness and business centers are planned.

Sales will begin in late September. For information, call (813) 229-6200 or go to www.plazaharbour island.com. island.com.


Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBI9YHFJXD.html

I woudl assume then, that one of those last two towers is going to be tall, as I personally don't see the land on that site for 4 towers, plus all of the other outdoor amenities. I wouldn't be surprised to hear about one of the last towers being 25-35 stories, to accomodate some condo units and the hotel portion.

This is great that a good bit of hotel space is going up. That will help the whole area, especially the TCC, the Shops @ Channelside, and the museums in the works.

O gotta say, I think they will stick with 20 and, I think Harbour Island has restrictions because of the Peter O. Knight runway. The planes going north thend to fly just to teh east of the office buildings (I used to watch them out of my old office window downtown) I can't imagine you can go much higher right there.

In any event, I am kind of happy settling in with a bunch of buildings around 20 stories (don't forget the 2nd Crescent project on Bayshore) as our filler. I'll take that any day, and we need filler more than just a couple of really big ones - though we may get those too.

I just don't see the square footages adding up to make the space for all of that. It's a luxury place, clearly claiming to eclipse other large places like the grandview, Stovall and so on. The units will have to be big to make it work, and to get the level of luxury they're touting. The hotel will almost undoubtedly be an all-suites type place, meaning they'll be big too. Size always equals quality in America. then they've got the townhomes, pools, spas, parking, retail and all of that to shoehorn in there. it's still only 3 acres, and I don't even think they can use all of it, because they also need to provide for drainage.

I'm not saying that we're going to see a 400 footer, but I will be impressed to see 2 20 story towers contain 200 units and 110 hotel rooms, and maintain the unmatched level of luxury they're touting.

Ok, a generic article, but so what . .
Living the high life
With a surge in popularity, condos are appreciating at a faster pace than houses for the first time.
By KRIS HUNDLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published August 8, 2004

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[Times photo: Chris Zuppa]
Nick Martinez of Tampa checks out the balcony, complete with a backdrop of clouds, in a model condo at The Place at Channelside. With him is his daughter, Emily, 5, who delivers her verdict: "This is like a home."
Condo owner profiles

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A condominium sampler
New condo projects clustered along Tampa Bay's coastal fronts are adding thousands of high-rise homes to the region. Three distinct markets, Clearwater Beach, downtown Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg have been especially active. Here is a quick look at some projects.
Clearwater

Tampa

St. Petersburg

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Buyers camped out for two weeks to reserve high-priced condos last year at the Belle Harbor project on Clearwater Beach.

At Tampa's ParkCrest on Harbour Island this spring, 336 condos still under construction sold out in six weeks. In Tampa's Channel District, groundbreaking for the Towers of Channelside isn't until January but all 257 units were reserved within 13 days.

And in downtown St. Petersburg, an investor who bought a unit at McNulty Lofts sold it again before the place was built, and made a 25 percent profit.

Condo fever, fueled by historically low interest rates, a double-barrelled demographic boom and scarcity of open land, is raging in the Tampa Bay area. Once considered the stepchild to single family homes as a sound investment, condominiums are appreciating faster than houses for the first time.

What's more, demand for condos in the Tampa Bay area is largely being driven not by out-of-staters, but by locals looking to change their lifestyle, giving this spurt an air of durability.

Consider Joe Martin, a 63-year-old retired commercial builder. He lives in a townhouse in downtown St. Petersburg, owns a condo downtown as an investment, plans to close on a loft in Tampa's Channel District by year end and has reserved a unit in a project across the street.

"I'd rather have my money in condos than in the stock market," said Martin, touching upon yet another powerful force propelling the real estate market. "It's not like a tech stock, which can go bankrupt."

In addition to being a condo investor, Martin has launched a second career as a condo salesman with Grand Central at Kennedy, the Tampa project in which he has reserved a unit. There, he has a ringside seat at one of the hottest condo markets in the region, with more than 3,000 units expected to come on line in Tampa's downtown - from the Channel District to Harbour Island to Bayshore Boulevard - within the next three years.

The Grand Central's sales office beckons buyers with a big striped balloon; inside is a model two-bedroom condo decorated in art deco. The project's web address says it all: www.notthesuburbs.com

Around the corner, The Place invites buyers into its sleek "Discovery Center," with a one-bedroom model designed for the urban sophisticate. Next door, a banner on nearly completed Victory Lofts touts "Only 4 Left!" A billboard above the fray promotes yet another project, Ventana, with the tagline "More refined than lofts."

Market forces are more subtle but no less powerful in downtown St. Petersburg and on Clearwater Beach, where mid- and high-rise condos planned or under construction will permanently change the region's landscape, creating a well-heeled, tightly packed populace demanding everything from parking spaces to pedicures.

Ralph Stone, until recently the assistant city manager of Clearwater, said the transformation of Clearwater Beach from low-rent mom-and-pop motels to high-end condos will impact restaurants and retail on the beach's commercial strip for years to come.

"There's going to be a lot more wealth on the island than historically," said Stone, who is now city manager of Treasure Island. "And it's slowly going to be converting to a more permanent place for people as they retire. How many people can afford a $750,000 condo that sits empty?"

Dramatic appreciation
Though condos remain less than 20 percent of the nation's housing stock, their boom in popularity is echoing nationwide, particularly in high-demand housing markets on both coasts. Sales of existing condos set a record in the second quarter, nearing an annualized rate of almost 1-million units, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Once considered an affordable alternative to traditional housing, condos have surpassed single-family homes in median sales price nationwide.

More importantly, condo prices are appreciating faster than single-family homes, moving up at an annual average rate of 13.9 percent for the past three years, compared to 6.9 percent for single-family homes.

And it's not just new condos that are seeing appreciation; existing condos in the Tampa Bay market are also enjoying a startling price increase as demand booms. Paul Traxler, an agent with Re/Max Metro in St. Petersburg, said that even 30-year-old units are selling at 25 percent above a year ago. "All the new stuff is so much more expensive, they're way beyond a lot of people's reach," he said.

Such appreciation has led to a giddy feeling among many buyers and developers that the sky is the limit. It has also led observers like Jack Phelps, regional research manager for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in Atlanta, to warn that an adjustment in housing prices is inevitable.

Phelps said condo development in Florida is of particular concern.

"We think it might be a leading edge, sort of a canary in the coal mine," he said. "We have reports that condo activity is becoming very frothy. A lot of people are investing in Florida real estate who are not living in the state. Some want second homes, some are buying retirement homes in advance and some are speculating on price increases."

Though there is speculation in Tampa Bay's condo market, developers and others say it's to a much lesser extent than in a market like South Florida's Broward County, which leads the state in condo development.

Local market optimists are buoyed by the fact that the vast majority of people buying condos here are coming from the immediate market. Buyers in Tampa's Channel District are mainly young professionals and longtime homeowners from South Tampa. Downtown St. Petersburg projects attract a large number of empty nesters from the Northeast section of town. Clearwater Beach appeals primarily to locals looking for a second home on the water.

Those bullish on the region's market also say that although the current burst of condo construction looks unprecedented - with about 1,000 units coming online on Clearwater Beach, about 2,000 in downtown St. Petersburg and more than 3,000 in Tampa - it is small compared to earlier building booms.

(And while glitzy condo towers draw attention, they account for just a fraction of new housing in the Tampa Bay area, which has nearly 75,000 new single-family homes either on the drawing boards or actively selling.)

Marvin Rose publishes Rose Residential Reports, which tracks new home construction in the Tampa Bay area.

"For all the condo proposals you read about, there are still not a lot of cranes downtown," said Rose, who warns that many more projects are proposed than ever come to fruition. "Along the Pinellas beaches in the early 1980s, there were 10,000 units going up."

During previous condo booms, Rose and others say, banks and savings and loans were too eager to throw money at projects and too lax about presale requirements. Speculators, with little if any money at stake, created an illusion of demand. When interest rates zoomed to 20 percent, investors walked away. The building boom suddenly went bust and, for many years, condo prices stagnated or declined.

"There were very few abandoned buildings," Rose said of previous condo building cycles. "Because if something gets built, someone will live in it. But the original developer can lose a lot of money."

Lesson from the '80s
Though interest rates are edging up, most people predict a soft landing rather than a bust this time around.

For one thing, economists believe mortgage rates would have to reach about 8 percent before they have a significant impact on home purchases, and they aren't expected to climb that high for at least a couple of years.

Lenders also are tougher now than they were in the 1980s, demanding a higher percentage of a condo development be presold - with nonrefundable contracts - before a project breaks ground.

In addition, local developers say they try to limit the number of investors in a project to about 20 percent, favoring buyers who intend to make the condo their home.

To dampen speculation, most developers now require contract holders to close on the property, prohibiting them from selling the contract for a profit before the project is complete. There is nothing, of course, to prevent sales immediately after the close.

Nick Pavonetti, whose Beck Development is developing Victory Lofts in Tampa's Channel District, said he learned firsthand the dangers of letting investors run amok in the reservation line. His project, which will have 89 units in two buildings, was an instant hit with speculators, who could reserve up to five units each.

But when the developer tried to turn those reservations into hard contracts with nonrefundable deposits, about 60 percent of the reservations evaporated. But new buyers came along and the project will be complete by Christmas, with all but four units under contract.

Pavonetti is now working with the developers on the nearby Grand Central at Kennedy project. "I recommended they put more controls in place," he said of the project, which is now 75 percent reserved. "We weren't as worried about speculators as we should have been."

Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wachovia Corp. in Charlotte, N.C., thinks simple laws of supply and demand will keep propelling condo sales, particularly in Florida. While supply is constricted by the scarcity of land, especially in desirable urban or waterfront areas, demand continues to grow.

The baby-boomer generation, which has accumulated value in the family home and often inherited wealth, wants to downsize and eliminate yard work. After years of raising kids in the suburbs, they're often eager to live in an urban area where they can walk to restaurants and movies.

At the same time, baby boomers' children, young marrieds or singles in their 20s and 30s, are demanding the same low-maintenance lifestyle. And low interest rates are making homebuying, rather than renting, a viable option.

"The demographics are very favorable, not just now, but over the next decade," Vitner said. "And there's a much broader, stronger base of support for the current boom than in the past. Florida's population has tripled since 1975."

Vitner said he's further encouraged by the timing of this real estate boom - in the early stages of an economic recovery with job growth strengthening.

"If we were seeing heightened signs of condo development in the latter stages of a recovery, that would be different," he said. "But we have a long way to go."

The wide range of condo products and prices in the Tampa Bay market is also seen as a plus. A tiny penthouse in St. Petersburg's converted-to-condo Snell Arcade sold for about $100,000. A few blocks down the street on Beach Drive, a penthouse at Parkshore Plaza, now under construction, went for $3.5-million.

In Tampa's Channel District, the entry price for loft space is under $200,000, but rising quickly. Across Garrison Channel on Harbour Island, developers just announced a 20-story tower with $2-million penthouses.

Finding the soft spots
If pressed hard enough, some market watchers admit there could be weaknesses in certain segments of the market. Housing specialist Rose said he has some concerns about an oversupply of smaller, low-end condos, which typically have been slower to appreciate in price.

Jerry Shaw, senior vice president of Opus South Corp., which is developing St. Petersburg's Parkshore Plaza, said he worries about inexperienced developers proposing too many grandiose projects.

"Not everybody can afford a $1-million home," he said, adding that his project is 90 percent sold. "There is some softening at the higher end in some markets like South Florida and Naples."

And Ken Cherven, chief executive of First Community Bank Corp. of America in St. Petersburg, thinks investors are driving condo prices to unsupportable levels.

"I was born and raised here and I've seen bubbles before," said Cherven, who said his bank has declined to do several condo financing deals. "When I see condo values go up 30 percent a year, I just don't think that's sustainable."

As if to underscore his concerns, Cherven recently sold a waterfront condo he had owned since 1986. "The guy who bought it paid 25 percent higher than the appraised value," he said. "I banked the money and paid the tax."

Cherven believes condos won't work as investments at current price levels because they won't generate enough cash if rented out. "Investors would never be able to carry the debt load at current valuations," he said. "They'd have a negative cash flow."

That's true, says Joe Martin, the St. Petersburg resident who owns two condos and is in the process of buying two more. Though he fully expects to have a negative cash flow while renting out his Channel District condos, he thinks he'll more than make it up when they're sold.

"If you go in needing your money in a year or two after the project is finished, that's not a good way to look at it," he said. "But if you can hang on in there, you're not going to get hurt. Condo prices may not go up as dramatically as they've gone, but I don't expect them to go down or level off at this point."

-- Times staff writers Sharon Bond, Shannon Breen, Helen Huntley, Judy Stark and Clearwater assistant city editor Katherine Lee contributed to this report.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/08/Business/Living_the_high_life.shtml

I read that article this morning, almost fell asleep in my Rice Krispies. The article didn't really say anything new, besides pointing out the increasing presence of condos in the national real estate market. I wish we could have seen more detailed pics of the interiors of some of these condos though.

Well, it didn't say anything new to you, because you've been privy to the 800-post gorilla we've had going here for a year. :)

Trust me, the VAST majority of people still have no clue that Tampa is in the midst of an unprecedented highrise condo building boom.

Well, Jasonhouse, I would say we are on the CUSP rather in the MIDST, but yea, pretty much what you said.

Well, Jasonhouse, I would say we are on the CUSP rather in the MIDST, but yea, pretty much what you said.

I hope youre right Smiley, it would be great if this is only the beginning. But I doubt that the national or local real estate market can continue its unprecedent boom in construction, sales, and apprecation; and that goes for single family homes and multifamily developments. I hope things continue on the upswing, but just like the huge gains in the stock market of the 90's, what goes up must come down.

I hope youre right Smiley, it would be great if this is only the beginning. But I doubt that the national or local real estate market can continue its unprecedent boom in construction, sales, and apprecation; and that goes for single family homes and multifamily developments. I hope things continue on the upswing, but just like the huge gains in the stock market of the 90's, what goes up must come down.

Well, I would expect it to moderate eventually. On the other hand, we're dealing with an unusual demographic change, a reversal, of sorts, of the flight of the suburbs (though not quite so dramatic), and this coupled with a growing attachment to highrise living.

I would not be surprised to see Tampa add dozens of downtown highrises by 2020. :)

And do any of you Tampans envision office finally coming back downtown in the wake of the residential resurgence ?

Well, my actually point is that very little has begun coming out of the ground yet. We have a bunch of things getting ready to go but they haven't gone. I eagerly awaiting seeing what the place will look like in three years or so and seeing if it is a trend or a spurt.

I also think that there really will be a trend, even if not steady, toward developing the downtown area. That will include some office, but in most cities it seems office is just not as big a draw.

And do any of you Tampans envision office finally coming back downtown in the wake of the residential resurgence ?

I think that's quite likely in the next ten years.

I think that's quite likely in the next ten years.

Ten years sounds reasonable.

Not he best explanation but, having read it now a number of times, I get it.

Expect delays on roads in and out of airport
By the numbers: six years, 18 phases and $200-million. By the end: clear access to the airport and smooth flow on the connections.
By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN, Times Staff Writer
Published August 9, 2004

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[Times photos: Thomas M. Goethe]
Tampa International Airport's entrance ramp is being rerouted from eastbound Memorial Highway to southbound Interstate 275. Lane closures will be timed to avoid rush hours, but motorists are warned to watch exits, which might change overnight.

Along a utility corridor, seen from W Cypress Street, crews are relocating utility lines. Road closures have been limited to one or two lanes at night in the area.

TAMPA - The roads around Tampa International Airport are being prepped for major surgery.

Construction crews have been in the area for months, filling potholes, rerouting a ramp and moving utilities in preparation for perhaps the area's biggest road project since the Sunshine Skyway bridge.

Florida Department of Transportation officials expect to begin work on the $200-million project by next spring, hoping to ease traffic flow on the now-clogged Memorial Highway for hundreds of thousands of motorists.

They will rebuild everything from the Courtney Campbell Parkway to Interstate 275, including access in and out of the airport and the connection to the Veterans Expressway.

Today, the area can be a confusing hodgepodge of lanes linking traffic to and from St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa and the airport.

"Right now, if you drive that area, you cross several lanes to get to an exit ramp or a roadway," said John McShaffrey, spokesman for the Interstate Construction Office. "The new project is going to basically separate all those lanes so that you make your decision before you get to the heart of all that."

The job, called the Tampa Airport Interchanges Project, consists of 18 phases and is expected to take six years to complete, he said.

"It will look more like a bowl of spaghetti from the air, probably more that it does now," he said. "But it will be clearer. There will be dedicated pathways to get you from one place to another."

Before the transformation can begin, the DOT must complete a number of alterations.

Three projects under way should be finished by fall, McShaffrey said.

They include:

* A utilities corridor project. Crews are relocating items such as underground telephone wires near Memorial Highway between the southern end of the airport and the Courtney Campbell Parkway. Road closures have been limited to one or two lanes at night.

* Repavings. Workers are laying down asphalt along Memorial Highway between the Courtney Campbell Parkway and I-275 and down to the Spruce Street area, and the on and off ramps to the Veterans Expressway near the airport. Crews will repave parts as a temporary fix until the major project can begin.

"The road is in very bad shape," McShaffrey said. "There are a lot of potholes. Our maintenance crews are constantly going out there."

Single lanes will be closed only between the hours of 8:30 p.m and 5:30 a.m. Double lanes will be closed between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

* The rerouting of an entrance ramp. Crews will remove part of the existing eastbound Memorial Highway ramp to southbound I-275. It will be extended and connected to the existing Cypress Street-to-I-275 southbound entrance ramp.

"That ramp from Cypress Street can take more capacity than it does now," McShaffrey said. "Traffic on southbound 275 won't have to worry as much about merging traffic."

This rerouting of the ramp originally was part of the main project, but the DOT saw it as relatively easy construction that would provide benefits sooner, he said.
To avoid high-traffic periods, officials will close lanes there only from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Once the big project gets under way, DOT officials said they expect road closings, lane shifts and detours.

"It's going to look much like it does today," McShaffrey said. "The lane closures and the impacts to traffic will also be at nighttime. There's just no way we can shut down lanes in the middle of the day out there. It's just too heavy."

McShaffrey did warn of sudden changes to the routine.

"Where you may exit to the right one day, you may exit to the left as we shift phases," McShaffrey said. "We're going to have to be really alerting the public to that."

Dong-Phuong Nguyen can be reached at 813 226-3403 or nguyen@sptimes.com

I don't understand that rerouting of the ramp.

I think what he meant to say was soemthing like this (based on looking at the construction as I drive by):

The ramp from Memorial (Hwy 60) to southbound 275, which presently enters 275 just off of Memorial will be changed so that, instead of an immedaite merge, the ramp will be connected to the Kennedy on ramp to southbound 275 and you will go from Memorial all the way to the Howard Franklin where it is 4 lanes before mergin into 275, avoiding having to merge onto a two lane highway.

In other words they are stretching the ramp to make it part of the Kennedy ramp (where you have to get on the bridge)

I think.

The article is relevant to the airport, which that they are going to take the ramp which merges into Memorial Hwy, just before the Memorial-I275S ramp, and are going to take it to the Cypress on-ramp, which actually merges witht he Kennedy on-ramp, and THEN merges into I-275S... But I sure as hell hope that folks leaving the airport can still merge with Memorial, so that they can get to Kennedy and I-275N. The article is a bit confusing.

I would assume that the Memorial to I-275S ramp accessed by Memorial drivers will remain untouched.

Whatever the case, they're going to have ALOT of really pissed off people who get confused and stuck going across the bay, only to get stuck in the construction tangle at the 4th,9th and Ulmerton exist over there, before they can turn around to get back to Tampa... This will put people out of their way by at least 30 minutes, and that's if they're driving in GREAT traffic, which just doesn't exist anymore.

I think the entrance to the ramp is still going to be on 60 after you leave the airport - though I hope they change all that weird merging crap. In any event, so they drive a few more miles - just a little more gas tax for the roads. That's ok.

Hey, well the St. Pete Times had this headline:

Rocky Point site losing inn, Iguana
Plans call for a Westin Hotel plus a 14-story condo, a restaurant and marina, and a boardwalk.

but the article on the webpage had nothing to do with that.

This is actually kind of old news... The Days Inn and Green Iguana were reported to have been bought and are being redeveloped a few months ago. I guess maybe now it has been approved, or perhaps closing of the businesses and demolition is looming?

BTW, I think this is also bad news for Tampa Bay One. If Westin is signed on to build a hotel on Rocky Point, I doubt that they are still committed to building a hotel at Tampa Bay One, which would effectively serve the same district.

I suspect that we will either hear that TB1 is dead, or is being reworked to have a much heavier retail and/or residential component in the coming months.

You're probably right, Jasonhouse. I never really had much faith in this project. I think it would be plausible though if it became all residential, with some ground level retail.

I was also under the working assumption that TB1 was either dead or going to be changed. They could also get another hotel company. I don't mind that much, though I would like something of a decent size built there.

Ok, what the hell is this? The website link to MapQuest puts it on Hyde Park Ave, just oof the Davis Island Bridge. Anyone know?

http://images1.e-net.com/smith/Development/full/176.jpg
Now taking reservations on these fabulous new townhomes and condos scheduled to be completed winter 2005. Only 22 units in this luxurious boutique opportunity. Christiansted is conveniently located between historic Old Hyde Park and downtown Tampa, only minutes away from the best in arts, culture, shopping, sporting venues, restaurants and entertainment. Take a stroll along Bayshore, enjoy fine dining at SoHo, or go for a night on the town in Channelside. It’s all at your fingertips when you acquire his true residential work of art.
(conveniently) Priced from $580,000
http://www.tampahomes.com/newhomes/development.asp?PRM_DevelopmentID=176


Not that I mind infill, but it could be a bit better.

The name alone is bad.

Regardless of one's religion, I agree. It is a silly name. the only thing I can think of is that it is being beuilt either by a churhc or on church proeprty - tehre is that one church right near the bridge on Hyde Park. In any event, I would thinkt hey could come up with something better. I alos like the gaping garage entrances - not one, but two. Bravo.

I drove through Ybor yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see the developments on 5th avenue near completion (the ybor village lofts phase 1 and the big complex on the corner of 5th and 20th). There also seem to be at least 5 new developments planned on 4th and 5th:

1. The lofts on 5th next to the 3 completed cool-looking loft units (no name?).
2. Las Casitas townhomes on 5th
3. "Las Ybor" townhomes , really nice looking 4 story building on 4th avenue
4. Ybor Village Lofts phase 2 on 4th and phase 3 on 5th
5. An unnamed townhouse project on 4th

The other lofts being contructed on 4th near the trolley warehouse also seem to be coming along but they still have a ways to go.

I am still looking forward to when those Ybor projects get a bit denser. To me, they are very 'suburban' in that they are exclusively residential, and simply aren't big enough or dense enough to be anything but exclusively residential at this point.

I know that there is a strict hieght limit, but there is still plenty of vertical space and existing infrastructure to support some nice 4-5 story projects, with ground floor space for retail, office or entertainment.

HEre is an explanation - now it is not so bad:
Danish treat in South Tampa
Eschewing the common Mediterranean style, a developer looks to the Virgin Islands and their Danish heritage for an architectural direction.
By MICHAEL CANNING
Published August 20, 2004

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CHRISTIANSTED CONDOS: The name is kind of unusual, but developer Jim Smith offers no excuses. The name of his condo and townhouse project holds a special place in his heart.

Christiansted is a charming city on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands that Smith has visited. The city was founded by the Danish in 1734 and retains a lot of its old Danish colonial architecture. That style will influence the design of his pending five-story condo-townhome project on De Leon Street and Hyde Park Avenue at the foot of the Davis Islands bridge.

That's right, Danish. Which means that a new building in South Tampa won't feature the faux Mediterranean style. For that alone, Smith deserves a big tak (Danish for "thanks").

"We didn't want to do stucco. Everybody's doing stucco," said Smith, from his office in Charlotte, N.C.

Listing agent Jim Walters of Smith and Associates says Christiansted will have 20 condo units and two townhouses.

Condos will range from a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with 1,960 square feet to a three-bedroom, three-bathroom unit with 2,285 square feet. Prices will range from $580,000 to $770,000.

The townhomes will have Bayshore Boulevard views, three bedrooms and 31/2 bathrooms.

The property, which Smith bought in July, is the former home of Farrior Ear Clinic. Construction should begin by Nov. 1, Smith said.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/20/Citytimes/Danish_treat_in_South.shtml

C'mon Smiley, that's marketing cover for an obvious play on words.


At least it won't be yet another Med Rev clone.

how are the high-rise condo towers in DT Tampa selling? The real estate community acts as if its exploding....yet not a single large crane in Tampa, other than the new hotel site near the convention center.

Well, there is the crane at One Bayshore. The crane at PArkcrest on HArbour ISland came down just recently. Victory Lofts did not require a big crane and I don't thnk the Mediain will either. The taller buildings which are pretty much all reserved are set to go around January 2005. Then, of course, there are two 20+ buildings going up on Bayshore.

My investigations really (surprisingly for me, to be honest) shows a very good market where buildigns are being completely reserved without advertising - especially the big ones. It seems that the shorter the building the more they need to advrtise - which is an irony I kind of like.

As for this:
"C'mon Smiley, that's marketing cover for an obvious play on words."

While the name does not flow and, as I have said, I am not a big fan of it, I am not offended either. It takes all kinds.

I'm not offended either, but there are all kinds of other Carribean towns they could have named. I think it's a rather transparent ploy on the coverservatism running rampant these days. Like calling a new car the "Jeep Liberty", or renaming French fries "Freedom fries"... It just turns me off, because I'm not drawn to kitchy marketing like that.

Four Seasons? Whiting Condo Tower? Pinnacle Place? Downtown Channelside? Towers At Channelside? At least 8 towers soon? Sometime early 2005 groundbreaking! That would be amazing for the skyline, the change would be on the scale of the late 80s boom :)

Any word on the one bayshore apartment tower?

I know its been nice to see the Parkshore, McNulty Lofts cranes in downtown here.....but still lots of lofts, mid-rise condos filling in the spaces.

Yes, it will be on that scale. Two of those towers are still in the approval process, another just recently bought the land...So they're not all going to be starting up in January. Nobody is saying they will.

But it appears that Towers at Channelside, Pinnacle and that Lindell project on Harbour island will all break ground in the spring. I personally have little doubt that DT Channelside and Grand Central will break ground later in the year.

I've been wondering...

Did the hurricane scare cause any rumblings in the condo boom? My thought was that most of the buyers in tampa seem to be locals so they probably understand the dangers to begin with.

It's one of my biggest fears for Miami. Another big storm comes through and all the investors run scared.

Not a lick as best I can tell. It may have some impact on materials pricing though (regionalized pricing on materials and labor is spiking), and thus delay some of the projects that weren't as far along. But I can't say for how long if at all.

This is my info:

Towers at Channelside - will both go at the same time in early 2005
Pinnacle - At least one condo and observation tower in early 2005, likely both towers
Grand Central - will both go early 2005
Meridian - will go this month

(ad the hotel now under way and Bellamy and Alagon, and that is nice)

The other towers I am not sure of simply because they still haven't really advertised, but you have to remember htat the Alagon sold out without any advertising at all except a sign Bayshore and like two ads in the real estate section of the paper - not even a sale center.

The other thing to remember is that, while it seems kind of open and large, the space between teh Towers and Pinnacle is literally one block. IF you toss up four of five towers simultaneously in that area, it will be quite impressive.

No money to enlarge convention center
City and tourism leaders fail to find ways to finance the $150-million needed to double the size of the Tampa Convention Center.
By MARK ALBRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
Published August 27, 2004

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TAMPA - Plans to double the size of the Tampa Convention Center have been dealt a lethal blow.

A committee of city officials and tourist industry leaders came up empty-handed in a six-month search for city or county revenue sources big enough to bankroll a new $150-million government debt issue to pay for the project.

The Hillsborough County Tourist Development Council, which paid for a $147,000 convention center expansion feasibility study last year, took no action Thursday after hearing the news in a project update.

Some council members asked convention center officials to check with more investment bankers. But so far no one has suggested that the council embark on the next stage of the feasibility study, which would be to settle on a revenue source and secure the funding.

"The project is not going to go forward without a revenue source," said Gene Gray, county economic development director. "And we don't have one."

Mayor Pam Iorio's current priorities of spending millions on a downtown arts district and riverfront improvements pushed the convention center down the list.

"We're continuing to look at how to do it, but it's not a top priority for this administration," said John Moors, the convention center director. "We don't want to rush this project. We'll probably be looking now at some sort of public/private partnership."

The fact that the city and county don't have enough unclaimed bonding capacity - without pledging the city's property taxes - leaves project proponents staring at a doubtful scenario: persuading city government officials to take on new debt that is guaranteed by property taxes, which is the same source of funds used to build the original convention center that opened in 1991.

The original bond issue, which still soaks up $13.4-million a year in taxpayer-financed debt payments, was refinanced to be less of a load on the city's property tax collections. But payments continue through 2015, so the issue probably cannot be refinanced again.

"The project is not dead yet," said Steve Hayes, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau. "But this means we are going to have to get creative."

The initial part of the feasibility study was to evaluate the market for an expanded convention center. But there were some very big ifs attached. For one thing, the market demand would not be generated without a new downtown convention hotel the size of the 714-room Marriott Waterside. That would be in addition to the new 371-room Embassy Suites now under construction next door to the current 279,000-square-foot center that is considered a moderate-size facility in the convention center industry.

Another was that expansion would have to either jut out over the Garrison Channel or somehow be built east of the current convention center to avoid the high cost of building over the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway. Environmental permits for building over the water would be very difficult, if not impossible, to get, according to the feasibility study.

In an unrelated development the tourist council learned that Hillsborough County's hotel business recovered faster than forecast in 2004. So agencies that get money from a resort on hotel bills will share in an $810,000 windfall in the coming fiscal year. The Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau will be the biggest beneficiary.

After resort tax collections slumped dramatically after the terrorist attacks in 2001, the county imposed a conservative zero growth budget on tourist tax spending. Instead, tax collections rebounded to 2001 levels. So the council increased its budget by $810,000 to $9.6-million for this year and $10-million in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

Mark Albright can be reached at 727 893-8252 or albright@sptimes.com
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/27/Business/No_money_to_enlarge_c.shtml

I was just perusing the Channel District Council website and saw that at their next meeting, in Sept, they are supposed to have this:

"We will resume our regular monthly meetings at The Florida Aquarium on Wednesday September 15 when we will see exciting initial concept drawings of a 32 unit loft residential development on North 12th Street."

Which is nice. I wish they put a name along with it, but we all know how Ms. Markham is.

Don't much like any of these ideas, but I guess it is not up to me. If I had to pick, I would go for the mixed use hotel idea:

Competitors Detail Plans For Old Federal Courthouse
By ANDY REID areid@tampatrib.com
Published: Aug 31, 2004




TAMPA - One plan turns the old downtown federal courthouse into a school that targets some of Tampa's neediest students.
Other plans turn the building into a hotel that caters to some of Tampa's most affluent visitors.

What three final proposals share is a promise to restore the courthouse, built in 1905, and help create a catalyst for downtown development.

The city's Classic Courthouse Advisory Committee heard detailed proposals from the three development groups Monday.

After a public hearing in September, the committee plans to make a recommendation to Mayor Pam Iorio.

City officials expect Iorio, as early as October, to decide which option to pursue and take before the Tampa City Council.

``We have to have a developer to find out which path we are going to go down,'' said Del Acosta, city historic preservation manager. ``It's an integral building to downtown.''

The federal courthouse building, 611 N. Florida Ave., has been empty since the U.S. District Court moved to a new building a block away in 1998.

The federal government turned the building over to the city last summer for $1.

The city last year started soliciting proposals from groups interested in renovating and leasing the building.

Preserving the building, creating reasons for people to come downtown and doing it without creating a financial risk for the city are among the goals.

The three finalists, narrowed from six in July, are:

* Vintage I Partnership proposes converting the courthouse to a 58-room hotel, with restaurant and cigar bar. The project would be financed by selling the units as condominiums, which owners would then rent out as hotel rooms.

* TBR Management Group proposes a 40-room hotel, educational technology center and arts spaces. It would be financed through a federal restoration incentive program that allows projects which qualify to sell tax credits to raise money.

* Pradip C. Patel, a managed health care executive, proposes opening two charter schools: one a middle school for the arts and the other to help dropouts graduate from high school. It would also provide a new home for the Tampa Gallery of Photographic Arts and offices for nonprofit groups. Patel would provide the $6 million needed to start the renovation.

All three proposals could require city help, including waiving building fees, tax incentives for historic preservation and covering operations costs if tenants come up short.

``I'm hoping to see some development downtown. My personal opinion is this is not the way to go,'' City Councilwoman Mary Alvarez said about the proposals.

The city can't afford to renovate the courthouse on its own and needs private sector involvement, Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena said.

``It would be a marvelous catalyst for redevelopment in that area,'' she said.

The committee plans to hold a public hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, to gauge community support before deciding which plan to recommend.


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

http://tampatrib.com/floridametronews/MGB7O44KJYD.html

I'm not to fond of any of these proposals either. If I had it my way, I'd like to see it house some type of public museum or organization that would become a huge cultural destination point in that area of downtown.

Designating much of the space to the Tampa Bay History Museum was the only possibility that made real sense. (With the space shared with a school or perhaps a boutique hotel, or even some office space, which would be attractive to lawyers and such wanting to be next door to the new Fed Courthouse)

ALL of these other projects are half-assed misfits into a space that does not lend itself well to the uses proposed. :nono:

id like to see them build some suburban style lower-middle class homes in that plot of land

Condos may fuel Tampa downtown makeover efforts


By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published September 1, 2004

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TAMPA - For the past two years, Mayor Pam Iorio has been talking about turning downtown Tampa into a bustling residential community.

Now she has the blueprint for a project she believes could make it happen.

Atlanta developer Novare Group and Tampa's Intown Group announced plans Tuesday to develop 400 high-rise condominium homes on the southeast corner of Ashley and Polk streets. They're buying the land from TECO Energy, which has a parking lot and garage on the property next to its headquarters.

TECO and the developers wouldn't reveal the sale price of the land or the cost to build the tower.

TECO has owned the city block for more than 20 years. The parking garage hasn't been used by TECO employees since early 2003 because it's unsafe, said TECO spokesman Ross Bannister.

Construction on the 31-story building is scheduled to begin in 2005 and finish by the end of 2006.

The one- and two-bedroom homes, with price tags starting at $170,000, should appeal to first-time home buyers in the 25-to-40 age range, said John Long, senior vice president for Novare Group. They will feature granite counter tops, 10-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass walls, reserved parking and upscale fitness and community centers. The building will have more than 12,000 square feet of street-level retail space.

It's the first major residential project on the north end of downtown, where city leaders are trying to encourage a cultural arts district. The condos will be within walking distance of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Tampa Theatre.

They also mark the entry of Atlanta-based Novare Group into the Tampa market. The company has had success with urban residential projects in Atlanta, and in the past year launched projects in Nashville and Charlotte, N.C.

Bannister said TECO talked with several buyers interested in the property, but sold to Intown and Novare because they were ready to move quickly.

"We are really excited about Tampa," Long said. .

The downtown area is still sleepy, he said, but his company is impressed with city leaders' efforts to wake it up. "They're starting to do the right things to make that happen," he said. "We want to be a part of it."

Iorio said she sees the project as a springboard for her plans to entice people to call downtown home. "It's in a price range that's going to appeal to a lot of younger buyers," said Iorio, who said she has been concerned about the high prices of homes slated for the Channel District. There, condominiums start at $250,000 and climb past $1-million.

"It's whatever the market will bear," she said. "But I'd like to see some greater diversity."

Janet Zink can be reached at 813 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com

http://stpetetimes.com/2004/09/01/Hillsborough/Condos_may_fuel_Tampa.shtml

Don't get me wrong - I think it would be great, but them's lots of units for a 31 story building right there. Hope they do it, but I will wait an see.

IF anyone gets the Times, see if they have a rendering or something. thanks.

Usually if there is a rendering, it will be online with the story too. There was none.

Note that the units are all 1 and 2 bedrooms. Still, at 31 stories, which must lose a few floors for parking and the lobby, retail, etc... There must be at least 15-17 units per floor.

Appraiser's site list the block at 710 N Tampa St... block 39 is broken up into 4 square parcels of equal size. I can only assume that they bought the whole block, and that this building will have a rather large footprint, to accomodate so many units per floor.

Trolley Route Might Connect Downtown To Hyde Park Village
By JOSH POLTILOVE jpoltilove@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 2, 2004




SOUTH TAMPA - A rubber- wheeled trolley route soon may connect downtown and Old Hyde Park Village.
A three-year trial run for Route 98 is slated to begin Dec. 5. The 50-cent route would have about 10 stops from downtown to the village, HARTline spokesman Ed Crawford said.

The city's budget for the 2005 fiscal year includes an allocation of $50,000 toward the route's roughly $300,000 annual cost. The state Department of Transportation would contribute $100,000 annually.

``Not only will this route assist with giving tourists another destination, another opportunity to see our fair city and to spend money in our fair city ... but also I believe that folks in South Tampa and perhaps even elsewhere could have the opportunity to come to Hyde Park Village ... and get on the shuttle to come to downtown events,'' Councilman John Dingfelder said.

The route would run 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. weekdays, noon to 11 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. Trolleys would pick up passengers every 20 minutes.

Although several Tampa City Council members spoke in favor of the route last week, Councilman Shawn Harrison expressed some opposition. He said some other areas of Tampa need HARTline connections worse.

``What we're really doing is assisting a commercial development there,'' Harrison said. ``And I'm all in favor of having that commercial development succeed, but should we be subsidizing that with taxpayer money? I'm not sure that that's the best use of our money.''

Harrison said one route of benefit might be a connection between West Shore area law firms and the downtown courthouse area.

Crawford, however, said that suggestion might not be a better use of city funds. ``If you look on the buses, they're not exactly overpopulated with lawyers.''

Councilwoman Rose Ferlita, a Hyde Park resident, said the route will bring revenue to the city and serve as ``a shot in the arm'' for Old Hyde Park Village.

``I can't tell you if this is your very best expenditure,'' HARTline Executive Director Sharon Dent told the council. ``But what I can tell you that you've got private partners and you've got other public partners that are willing to try to make this investment to help the city succeed in its efforts to bring jobs and tourism to this community.''


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

http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBXKMD1MYD.html

Channel Area Progress Is Bumpy Road
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 2, 2004




TAMPA - Christine Wey expresses frustration when she hears that the ``road closed'' signs have detoured another delivery to her Oceanwide International Trading Ship Supply company.
``What am I supposed to do? Run down the street after the trucks?'' she said.

Wey and other Channel District residents and business owners are hopeful of a quick completion to the Meridian Gateway street project.

The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway construction marks the downtown end of the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority's three reversible lanes plan.

The Channel District is the only neighborhood largely affected by the construction. A month ago, Kim Markham, Channel District Association newsletter editor, sent an e-mail to those in the midst of the construction: ``Channel District traffic will be a little weird for a few months but we are all going to enjoy greater connectivity when the ugly old bridge is gone.''

The removal of the Kennedy Boulevard bridge at the northern tip of Meridian Street has been delayed.

Perry Dawn Brown, spokeswoman for the expressway authority, said the delay isn't related to the problems with supports for the six-mile elevated road.

The Kennedy bridge demolition has been postponed until mid-November because asbestos has been found and must be removed before the bridge can come down, Brown said.

``The roadway work in the Channel District will then continue until mid-April,'' Brown said.

To quell fears of a prolonged construction zone, Mayor Pam Iorio assured residents that won't be the case.

``The authority has invested too much to let this Gateway project go,'' Iorio said at an open house last week for The Place at Channelside, one of a dozen residential projects on tap in the district.

``Certainly doing the Meridian end right is critical,'' she said.

Wey said it's not only trucks not reaching her property that poses problems.

Trucks arriving at Oceanwide at 1101 E. Washington St. must back in and out to deliver provisions for ships at the Port of Tampa. ``It can get very complicated,'' Wey said. ``But I guess we have no choice.''

Bill Ware, who plans an 84- unit condominium project, Ventana, at Kennedy Boulevard and Channelside Drive, said he would love to see the Gateway construction expedited.

``The road closings are causing problems,'' he said.

Ware plans to launch a sales drive for Ventana in October, ``but I don't think we'll lose any buyers over this.''

``There's piles of dirt everywhere,'' said Tom Zink, who plans a loft-condominium complex on 3 acres at Kennedy Boulevard and Meridian Street.

``This is a vital part of downtown with lots of residential going in,'' Zink said. ``It should look good as soon as possible.''

Dennis and Patricia Upton of Carrollwood Village aren't turned off by the barricades and bulldozers. They were among the first buying a condominium at The Place at Channelside.

``We saw something beyond what's here now,'' said Dennis Upton, who is looking forward to the urban lifestyle of walking to entertainment venues.

``This is the up-and-coming area,'' added Patricia Upton. ``We're convinced of that.''


Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBH17F1MYD.html

31-Story Condo Is Planned Downtown
By DAVE SIMANOFF dsimanoff@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 2, 2004




TAMPA - An Atlanta-based developer has set its sights on a new condominium tower for downtown Tampa.
Novare Group is under contract to buy the parking deck and surface parking lot at the northeast corner of Ashley Drive and Zack Street from TECO Energy for an undisclosed price. The company is proposing to build a 31-story tower with 390 condominium units, with prices and amenities geared toward first-time home buyers in their 20s and 30s.

John Long, Novare's senior vice president and chief investment officer, said plans for the condominium tower still are being hashed out, and that the number of floors or units may change.

The company, which still needs approval from the city's zoning board, would like to break ground early next year in order to have the tower ready for residents by the end of 2006, he said.

Prices are expected to range from $170,000 to $240,000 for one-bedroom units, and from $260,000 to $330,000 for two- bedroom units, Long said.

The project joins at least five other condominium buildings in the works for downtown Tampa. Most developers have focused their attention at the nascent Channel District near the Florida Aquarium and not the central business district. Three major high-rise condominium projects, each with two towers, are planned for the Channel area.

Downtown Tampa boosters said they welcome the Novare project.

``I like to see the validation that all of downtown is a valuable place for residential development,'' said Christine Burdick, president of the Tampa Downtown Partnership. ``Every bit of unused land that's put to good use, I think, is good for downtown.''

The downtown Tampa project represents Novare's first development in Florida.

``We've done projects in Atlanta, and when we were looking for various markets to branch out into. We kind of felt like Tampa was one of the next great cities that met our criteria,'' he said, citing the area's job growth, population growth, housing prices and demographics.

Long said it's too early to predict what the condominium tower will cost to develop, as plans are still being revised and changed. Neither he nor TECO officials would disclose the purchase price for the land.

As tenants begin moving in Novare's condominiums, employees at neighboring TECO Energy might be moving out of their office building. The utility company has asked developers for proposals for a new headquarters in the Tampa area, although not necessarily downtown. ``Our preference is to stay here in downtown,'' said Ross Bannister, a spokesman for Tampa Electric.

TECO officials are still receiving proposals.

Reporter Dave Simanoff can be reached at (813) 259-7762.
http://www.tampatrib.com/Business/MGBCU2C6MYD.html

Today the Trib ran the story about the 31 Story condo on Ashley/Platt that the Times ran yesterday. Has anyone else ever noticed the Times always seems to get the leg up on breaking stories about Tampa developments? I swear - I think the Trib reads the Times for their business section material.

Media General is more interested in just having a media presence in this market -- and focusing on Television -- than having a worthy news organization for the region.

Same reason people bitch at corporate media owneship -- they take off the focus on news and put it on profits.

The Trib used to be much like the TImes from what i have heard - being regional isntead of just confined to the city for the most part. There quality has fallen along with their amount of coverage over the years while the non-for-profit Poymer Institute own the St. Pete TImes and puts News first.

Housing coming to warehouse, lot
Townhomes and office space will transform a Channel District warehouse and a vacant lot near the Kennedy Boulevard corridor.
By MICHAEL CANNING
Published September 3, 2004

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Gaspar Properties, which restored the Palace of Florence and other apartment buildings on Davis Islands, is bringing new office space and townhomes to two of Tampa's most active redevelopment areas.

Yet another old, brick warehouse in the Channel District is getting a makeover. Located on the southwest corner of Twiggs Street and Meridian Avenue, the 16,000-square-foot building houses the WACO Associates air filter company. Once the company moves out at the end of January, Gaspar president Hamilton Jones said he will begin renovations to create offices.

Gaspar plans to remove the stucco exterior to reveal the original red brick. He will open windows that have been filled in and cut new ones from the facade. Inside, he'll double the square footage to 32,000 by creating a second floor from the 22-foot-high space.

Jones said the space will be built to suit in offices as small as 3,000 square feet. Construction should take about a year to complete. Offices will cost $250 per square foot.

Meanwhile, Gaspar also plans to turn a vacant lot near the Kennedy Boulevard corridor into townhomes and offices. Construction is expected to start within 30 days at the northwest corner of Cleveland Street and Delaware Avenue.

A three-story, Mediterranean-style building will have six townhomes. They will range from 1,700 to 2,100 square feet and cost between $290,000 to $349,000. Each will have three bedrooms, 21/2 bathrooms and two-car garages.

A couple of months after that, Jones said he will break ground on the adjacent one-story office building. The 3,000-square-foot building will be built to suit and cost $675,000, he said.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/03/Citytimes/Housing_coming_to_war.shtml

Channel District: Vision of 4-block village is spiced by Spanish city
Channelside Village would have about 400 homes and a vibrant street life.
By CHRISTOPHER GOFFARD, Times Staff Writer
Published September 3, 2004

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Hunting for inspiration for a sprawling new development in the Channel District, architect Stephanie December Gaines turned to Europe. In particular, she turned to photos of Barcelona, with its medley of architectural styles and pedestrian-friendly street layouts.

"People seem to spend a lot of time on the streets in those sorts of towns. That's what we're going for," said Gaines, of CGHJ Architects in Ybor City. "It's that street activity that's inspiring us."

Channelside Village developers envision it both as a mini city and a cornerstone in the continuing effort to vitalize the Channel District.

Gaines said the project would take up nearly four blocks from Meridian Avenue to 12th Street, and from Whiting Street to Cumberland Avenue. Plans call for nearly 400 units, most of them residential, ranging from lofts to 5,000-square-foot penthouses. There would also be shops and office space.

The "village" would have four main structures, each with a distinct style, Gaines said: urban Mediterranean, modern, historic warehouse, and a classical midrise with up to 15 stories.

Outside, the design would convey a "European feel where there's no barrier between the car and the people," Gaines said. In other words, no sidewalk. To guard against danger to pedestrians, she is considering a number of options.

"Maybe you do it with street furniture" such as benches, she said. "Maybe there's a clever way, such as potted plants, something that's less mundane and more creative" than sidewalks.

Roger Gatewood, the St. Petersburg developer behind the project, said he expects Channelside Village to cost $100-million.

"You need the residential (units) to support the retail," Gatewood said. "The more residential you get, the more retail you get, and the more vibrant the area will become."

The city has yet to green-light the project. Developers submitted plans to the city in August and are waiting to get through zoning and permitting.

Gatewood said he is under contract to purchase the property and plans to discuss the project with city officials this month. "Right now, it's just really preliminary," Gatewood said. "We'll be meeting with the city and moving the thing along and hope to have something more definite in about 60 days."

He said it was too soon to release an artist's rendering of the project, but hoped for a groundbreaking early next year.

If all goes well, he said, people could start moving in in early 2006.

Christopher Goffard can be reached at 226-3337 or goffard@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 2, 2004, 12:50:18]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/03/Citytimes/Channel_District__Vis.shtml

I don't really like this lady (and the Times always puts Tampa down and elevates the glories of St. Pete, just like the Trib does the opposite - and, while it often scoops the Trib, the Times also gets scooped. It seems that the Times tries really ahrd in Hillsborough and the Trib tries really hard in Pinellas - which is kind of ironic) but there is some useful info within her twaddle 9and for those of you who know not what twaddle is, it is clean).

The hip, hot place to live

What's Brewing

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SUSAN THURSTON
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By SUSAN THURSTON, City Times Editor
Published September 3, 2004

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I admit I've lost track of all the projects planned for Channel District. Towers of Channelside. Downtown Channelside. Channelside Village.

The names read like shades of white paint at Home Depot.

Every project claims to be the hippest, the most innovative and better than the rest. All seek on-the-go professionals looking for urban living amid, of course, granite countertops, hardwood floors and high ceilings.

Yet another project, the Place at Channelside, formally launched its sales center last week. Key Developers Group began selling the 243-unit complex at the end of July but held a grand opening party to invite new and prospective buyers.

And grand it was.

DEVELOPERS seemingly spared no expense trying to convince people that the Place is the place to be. Parking valets. A doorman. Were it not for the gravel parking lot, I would have thought I was going to a party at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club.

Inside bartenders poured blue martinis and Las Rocas wine. No surprise, the Place picked Mise en Place to do the catering. Guests nibbled on salmo n and capers while touring the sales center, designed in sunny yellow and blue.

At the exit, hosts handed out gold-ribboned boxes of Lindt chocolate. The only pimple: The air conditioning went kaput earlier in the day, much to the dismay of Key president Fida Sirdar, who quietly fumed in his dark suit.

Key Developers spent $1-million on the sales center at Channelside Drive and Whiting Street, dubbed the "Discovery Center." In a matter of months, crews will reduce it to rubble to make way for condo construction, scheduled to start by the end of the year and last a year and a half.

FOR NOW, mural-like photos of Tampa's skyline, cruise ships and downtown attractions adorn the walls. "The time is right, the place is here," cheers text on a photo of a perky, young couple in pajamas having breakfast in bed.

A large architectural model shows the project's two eight-story buildings with pool, spa, cabanas, fitness center and terraces, including one with a dog park. Retail space will take up the ground level.

The center's piece de resistance is a full-scale, decorated unit. Step through the bank-vault-like door and you're inside a virtual condo, with clothes in the closet, wine in the kitchen and a copy of Tampa's buzz book, The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida, on the bedside table.

Ryan Khouri, 25, says one look at the unit and he was sold.

"I was able to see it," he said at the party. "It was an easy sell."

A real estate investor who buys and sells houses, Khouri purchased a large, one-bedroom unit for $299,000 on the first day the sales center opened. He liked the look and the central location and figures it's a good investment. After living in the north Tampa suburbs, he was ready for a change.

AS OF MONDAY, the Place had sold 91 units - slightly more than a third. Initially, prices ranged from $159,900 to $1,249,900, but already they've climbed to $272,900 to $1,549,900.

Sales reps stood ready at the party to make a deal. Even invited guest Mayor Pam Iorio, wearing a sleeker-than-usual cream suit with black piping, was tempted to grab her checkbook.

"I wish I could live in a place like this. After I went into the model, I'm totally dissatisfied with my home," she said, drawing laughs from the audience of about 150 people.

The mayor's presence further cemented her commitment to developing residential downtown. Her mantra: Downtown needs to be a 24-7 city for living, working and playing.

And it starts in the Channel District.

"I think Channelside will be the place in Tampa to live in the next several years," Iorio said.

SO DOES David Boyum, 29, who bought a two-bedroom, eighth-floor unit. He moved to Tampa two months ago after dividing his time between Minneapolis and Huntington Beach, Calif. He bought a townhouse in the SoHo area but wanted something in the Channel District. He especially liked the fifth-level dog park, perfect for his basset hound, Maggie.

Soaking in the swanky affair, he had no regrets. "It seems to be the place to be."

He's banking on it.

THE LAST DROP: "Sweet on the lips, light on the hips," advertises a sign for the new NOLA Cafe and News Stand off Platt Street. Low-fat beignets? Nice try. But the coffee is goo d and plenty strong.

Susan Thurston can be reached at 226-3394 or thurston@sptimes.com.

[Last modified September 2, 2004, 12:50:18]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/03/Citytimes/The_hip__hot_place_to.shtml

Happy to see even more development in our fair CBD. I made a trek into the unknowns (unknown to me at least) of the Channelside area, and it kind of looks like an eastern European war zone. Hopefully that will change with the road construction completion.


To comment on the Trib/Times discussion, I personally prefer the Times. I think their writing is more professional and I enjoy reading the paper more for some undefinable reason.

Channelside seems to be doing very well, it is just taking so long for it to actually get stuff in the ground. I take it most developers are timing their projects so that their projects aren't done until after the Meridian project is. And that's pretty smart IMO.

The bigger towers take a lot longer to get completely organized. The smaller projects - I am not sure about, though there were a number of issues regarding construction costs and whatnot. Patience. 6 mnths here or there is of no consequence, unless the town blows away before then - which seems possible these days.

Can't remember if I posted this (got other things on my mind, but here):
Developer Describes His Vision Of District
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 4, 2004


TAMPA - Hamilton Jones stands by the CSX railroad tracks, looking at a dusty wasteland - a strip of land between downtown Tampa and the Channel District.

The South Tampa developer envisions how the Meridian Gateway project will enhance the two pieces of property he owns nearby.

The landscaped part of the reversible highway to and from Brandon will include wide sidewalks in a parklike setting for the Channel District, the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority's plans show.

Jones' properties at Meridian and East Twiggs streets will serve as bookends for this project.

Jones, president of Gaspar Properties, owns a red brick building at 1105 E. Twiggs St., on the border of the Channel District, where Bayside Engineers has been housed for five years.

He also bought a building across Meridian Street, bordering downtown at 1029 E. Twiggs St. Jones plans to build office condominiums next to the building.

``This should provide a spectacular view of all the residential life coming here,'' he said.

He plans to restore the large windows on the Meridian side of the the building that houses Waco Associates Inc., an air, liquid and gas filtration company. Waco plans to leave the building in January.

``This close to the Crosstown'' Expressway, he said, ``I just couldn't see residential. But this space would make great bare-wall lofts.''

Jones, 40, is known for renovations that include the 78- year-old Palace of Florence apartments, a landmark with its Mediterranean Revival towers on Davis Islands.

``The emphasis is definitely on residential,'' said Genie White, president of the Channel District Community Association. ``But a lot of the big developers are also including office condos in their plans. This will all work out at what the market will bear.''

Jones, who founded Gaspar Properties in 1995, is hopeful he can charge $250 per square foot for an office condo.

Mike Davis, a senior director for real estate service firm Cushman & Wakefield, said he couldn't speculate about sales prices for office condominiums here because there isn't enough historical data. He said office condominiums have been successful ``to some degree,'' most notably in South Florida.

``Given the low interest rate environment, the mortgage payments combined with tax benefits and the opportunity for ownership make office condominiums a viable concept,'' for business owners, he said.

Across the street from the restored Union Station, Jones' building also will have a view of the planned Grand Central at Kennedy, a condominium project. ``That's really going to be key to the Channel District, to get the residential firmly established,'' he said.

Reporter Dave Simanoff contributed to this report. Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.
http://tampatrib.com/News/MGB6J8DSPYD.html

Yeah, something like that was posted. :)


The Embassy Suites in DT is coming along. It seems that Frances delayed work by a few days, if that. I noticed that they are also working at night, as I saw crews out there boring for the caissons at 11pm last Friday night.

Does anyone have any updates on how the new projects in Channelside are doing sales wise? Haven't heard anything new, although with the hurricanes and all, I suppose that is to be expected...

Any news if Grand Central has started converting reservations to contracts? Just saw their optional features program, and was pretty disappointed with the standards (I think they spent all their money on the Viking appliances)... I guess I thought for those prices, everything would be top notch. I know the Viking stuff is nice, but that's about it...

How about The Place? I hear that they are nearing their 50% sold mark. That would be pretty impressive, considering the pricing and lack of mass advertising.

Also saw something about Channelside Village??? It's supposed to be in between The Place and The Parking Garage on Channelside Drive? Does anyone know the stats on this?

Thanks for any updated info anyone can post!

Channelside Villiage is generally west of the Place, not south.

TGH may buy Tampa parking garage
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published September 15, 2004

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

TAMPA - For years, Tampa General Hospital officials have wanted to buy the parking garage adjacent to their building from the city of Tampa.

Now they have an administration willing to entertain an offer.

"Nothing has been settled yet, but we are in negotiations with TGH," Mayor Pam Iorio said Tuesday.

Conversations about the sale began about a year ago, Iorio said. An appraisal put the value of the garage at $29-million, she said.

There are advantages for the city, she said. Selling it would let Tampa pay off bonds and, possibly, build a garage in the north Franklin Street or Ashley Street areas, parts of downtown Iorio considers a redevelopment priority.

It also would allow Tampa General to control its parking plans and set rates as other major hospitals do, Iorio said.

The parking garage was built when TGH was a city hospital. It hasn't always been a moneymaker for the city, but now generates about $1.2-million a year, Iorio said.

Still, the garage needs repairs and the city has more pressing parking needs.

"We have wanted to own this garage for quite some time," said hospital spokesman John Dunn. "It just makes sense. A lot of people think we own it already."

He said the hospital originally approached Dick Greco when he was mayor about buying the garage, which is used largely by TGH employees, physicians, patients and visitors.

"At that time, they were not particularly interested in selling the garage," he said.

TGH is conducting parking and traffic studies as part of a planned 280,000-square-foot, $120-million expansion. But Dunn and Iorio said the purchase of the garage won't affect those efforts.

"We've made it very clear to TGH through all of this that this is a stand-alone agreement between the city and TGH," Iorio said. "It does not relate to any future plans they might have."

If an agreement is reached, the sale would need approval of the TGH board and the Tampa City Council.

Janet Zink can be reached at 813 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 15, 2004, 01:08:22]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/15/Hillsborough/TGH_may_buy_Tampa_par.shtml

There is little known about Channelside village. I think the only mention it has ever had is the article above. And don't forget Seaport town center, which is slowly moving along (I saw something on it at a review meeting on cable)

Don't like to spread rumors but I heard there are plans for a new project in Ybor. Someone affiliated with the project asked my boyfriend to be part of a focus group to get feedback about what kind of features would "young, upwardly mobile professionals" are interested in as far as condos are concerned. They did not give out any info other than that it would be in Ybor. It sounded BIG. Has anyone heard anything similar?

I haven't heard about that project in ybor. Although, there are about 6 new projects going on down there and some more to come. many have already started building.

and as far as how sales are doing in Channelside. Last I heard Ventana was selling fast, they haven't released anything yet. They are still trying to go through there reservation list. Grand Central @ Kennedy was dissappointing. Each project has alot of similarities and standards, but they put there washer/dryer in the kitchen under the island. So, when you are cooking you can be folding your undies. Simply tacky!! Where was the focus group on that or even common sense.

Ouch. I didn't notice that on the basic floorplans I've seen.

My problem is, I in general don't like "airy loft" spaces, as they are typically a terrible waste of space. From my experiences (which are admittedly limited), a 2k sqft loft is about as useful as a 1500-1650 sqft townhouse or more typical condo plan. There simply isn't as much storage, places to put furniture and so on. People wind up with upwards of 20-30% of the place basically becoming circulation corridors between the spaces they have to carve out of large singular spaces.

As long as the parking is in theb ack, I don't much care . . .

Plans point to new future for site of city landmark
Malio's Steak House has served the stars, but now owners want the city to rezone the parcel for a bank and office building.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published September 16, 2004

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


TAMPA - For more than 35 years, it has been a place where power brokers meet, sports figures celebrate and Hollywood stars dine.

Malio's Steak House, a South Tampa restaurant and nightclub, has a past as colorful as a Florida sunset.

The monumental picture gallery on its walls says it all: Rudolph Giuliani, Muhammad Ali, Roger Clemens and George Steinbrenner, to name a few. Steinbrenner has his own booth equipped with a telephone at the restaurant.

Now Malio's future is in question.

James Shimberg Jr., an attorney for the restaurant, last week asked the city to rezone the property so a 40,000-square-foot office building and 4,500-square-foot bank can be built in its place. The Tampa City Council is scheduled to review the request Dec. 9.

Malio's owners wouldn't confirm there's a buyer for the property.

"Until there's a substantial agreement in place there's not too much we can say," Shirley Iavarone said Wednesday.

She owns the restaurant with her son, Derek; her husband, Malio; and two of his classmates from Hillsborough High School, Dennis and Ray Sanchez.

Rumors of a possible sale have been swirling for a year. There were talks with Walgreens, Shirley Iavarone said, but the company never came up with an adequate offer for the property, which the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser values at $1.5-million.

The zoning documents filed last week indicate something more attractive to Malio's owners might be in the works.

That prospect has the restaurant's faithful wondering where to go next.

"It's been an institution in Tampa for so long," said Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella, adding he heard the restaurant might reopen in a smaller place.

"Many of us have been going there forever and ever," said former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco. "That place, if it could write a book, many of us would have to move."

"Malio's is the best place in Tampa," said Phil Esposito, who said he made the decision to bring the Lightning hockey team to Tampa at Malio's and in June took the Stanley Cup to the restaurant. "The memories in there are unbelievable."

The Iavarone family has been in the restaurant business in Tampa since 1945, when Carmine and Frances opened an Italian place on Buffalo Avenue (now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard).

Their three sons went on to other ventures. Gene opened Carmine's Restaurant in Ybor City. Carmine Jr. launched Iavarone's Steakhouse in Carrollwood.

And Malio bought the Tropics Steakhouse at 301 S Dale Mabry in 1969.

It became a Tampa institution that's hosted a nonstop parade of veritable stars and local notables.

John Travolta and Michael Jordan have passed through its doors. Reputed mob leader Santo Trafficante was supposedly a regular. Tommy Franks recently took his in-laws there for lunch. Etched glass panels in the main dining room offer thanks to Edward DeBartolo Sr., who loaned Iavarone money for an expansion.

And Malio's is notorious as the place where an employee in the 1980s wooed Burt Reynolds away from Loni Anderson.

The stars give Malio's its glitz, but Shirley Iavarone said the Tampa folks whose faces never appear with news stories or in gossip pages matter just as much.

"That's what makes you," she said. "The regular people."

Over the years, Malio's has evolved to serve its customers.

When private clubs were in vogue in the late '70s and early '80s, a portion of the restaurant was open to members only. When Florida imposed an indoor smoking ban, Malio's built a patio around a lavishly landscaped fish pond so patrons would have a pleasant outdoor space for smoking.

Owners recently invested $40,000 in several high-definition televisions for their lounge and last Sunday began hosting weekly football parties. It was the first time the restaurant had been open on any Sunday other than Mother's Day, Shirley said.

Friday nights in the club, a disc jockey plays top 40 music for young patrons, and there's Latin music on Saturday nights.

If the zoning goes through and Malio's is sold, that would send the restaurant into the graveyard with other South Tampa dining landmarks - Cafe Pepe's, Palios Brothers Fried Chicken and the Old Meeting House.

That trend, it seems, is life in the big city, as the saying goes.

"The city is growing like crazy," Greco said. "The restaurant business - a number of years ago there were a handful of places that everyone went."

That's changing, he said. There's more competition, with more restaurants, more clubs in Channelside, Ybor City and along S Howard Avenue.

"If that place goes so will a lot of memories on the part of so many people," Greco said. "For many of us, it will be a chapter of our lives closed."

Staff writers Marc Topkin and Jeff Testerman contributed to this story.

[Last modified September 16, 2004, 01:30:23]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/16/Hillsborough/Plans_point_to_new_fu.shtml

Pretty much think the city will cave to these people, as it always does . . .

Gandy Group Opposes Yacht Basin Rezoning

Published: Sep 16, 2004




SUN BAY SOUTH - Gandy Civic Association President Al Steenson hopes up to 50 residents attend the city council meeting today to oppose a planned development.
Steenson hopes the residents speak out against rezoning the Imperial Yacht Basin near the Gandy Bridge.

Developer Grady Pridgen is proposing a mixed-use project at the yacht basin site that would include more than 850 town house and condominium units, a 200-room hotel, two restaurants and shops.

Pridgen bought the property for $25 million and needs a rezoning because his proposal ups the number of residences and property uses.

Steenson said the association opposes the rezoning because of a lack of infrastructure in the area along South West Shore Boulevard south of Gandy Boulevard, coupled with the many residences proposed for that corridor.

The council meets at 6:30 p.m. at city hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd.

Michael H. Samuels
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBZPUX06ZD.html

This civic group is adamantly opposed to any urban evolution in that area (Gandy/Westshore)......That marina/residential project could really be an anchor for that area's cleanup (along with WCI's). As you know, it is extremely difficult for a developer to get plans for any type of marina development, so this existing one is extremely attractive. I'm very interested to see how this project comes out. I'll be very upset if the commision bogs it down. This project and others in the area could go forward without the widening of Westhore north Gandy.

I suggest you send the city council a coherent, balanced, and well-thought out email.

Do you know their email?

IF you send your message from this page it should go to all of them:

http://www.tampagov.net/appl_customer_service_center/form.asp?strServiceID=43

Be sure to use a City of Tampa address.

Homes amid the shipyards?

The city likes the idea of condos near an industrial area. The state does not. A tete-a-tete is planned.

By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published September 17, 2004

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


The heavily treed land on the north side of Causeway Boulevard sits next to one of Tampa's busiest industrial areas.

But city leaders think the property is ripe for residential development.

The City Council and Mayor Pam Iorio in April approved changes to Tampa's comprehensive plan that would allow L.B. and D. Properties of Bradenton to build up to about 900 high-rise condominiums on land it owns across McKay Bay from the Port of Tampa.

The changes face a challenge from the state Departments of Community Affairs and Transportation and the Tampa Port Authority. Those agencies worry that building homes in the area would hinder commercial traffic and future industrial development.

City planners and the property owners don't see that as a problem.

"This property has been designated industrial for over 20 years," said Tom Pelham, an attorney for the property owners. "During that entire time, while the property has been for sale, there has not been a single offer to acquire that property for industrial uses, which suggests there is no need or demand for that land for industrial purposes. In fact, industrial zoning makes no sense whatsoever for this property."

In addition, he said, portions of the 37 acres are considered sensitive environmental land, which makes it even less appropriate for industrial development.

An administrative hearing on the issue is scheduled for Sept. 27 at City Hall, but the opposing parties hope to reach an agreement before then.

"We're meeting with the city and FDOT and DCA and property owners to see if there's some way to resolve our concerns acceptable to everybody," said Dale Bohner, attorney for the Tampa Port Authority, which manages the nation's eighth-largest port.

Any agreement must protect truck traffic access points along Causeway Boulevard and buffer the residential property from industrial areas.

Even though the vacant property is zoned for industrial uses, city planners see it as an appealing place for people to live because it's on the water and close to downtown.

Changing the zoning to make way for homes "furthers the city of Tampa efforts to bring more life and economic vitality to its urban core," reads the city's response to the state's objections. The city also considers it as a way to link Palmetto Beach and Palm River, two older neighborhoods with a strong sense of community.

Although shipyards dominate the view to the south of the property, the Tampa skyline rises in the background and the wide-open waters of McKay Bay fill the northern horizon. Not all homeowners would consider living next to an industrial area paradise, but city attorney David Smith pointed to the success of Harbour Island, which has similar views.

"People just really like being on the water," he said.

New Condo Complex Joins List

TAMPA - A Miami-based developer is proposing an 870- unit condominium complex at the northwest corner of Jefferson Street and Channelside Drive in downtown Tampa.

City officials say Channelside Development LLC wants permission to rezone the property, across the street from the St. Pete Times Forum. The rezoning proposal is expected to go before the Tampa City Council in November.

The proposal is the latest of several condominium projects planned or under construction in downtown Tampa.

For Channelside, major projects include:

* About 400 condominium units in Pinnacle Place, a complex that would include retail space, a hotel and a 624-foot observation tower.

* The Towers at Channelside, a pair of towers with 260 total condominium units, would sit on land now used by Fogarty Van Lines.

* Downtown Channelside, which would sit next to the retail center on Channelside Drive, is expected to have 300 condominium units in two towers, along with a grocery store and other retail space.

Condominium projects announced for downtown's central business district include a 51-story, 472-unit tower at the northeast corner of Morgan and Whiting streets; a 50-story, 213-unit tower on the Hillsborough River between Whiting and Brorein streets; and a 31- story tower with 390 units on the northeast corner of Ashley Drive and Zack Street.


http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBOP5V19ZD.html

With 800+ units I wish they would have mentioned how many stories some of the buildings would be :eek:

I know that area very well, and I assume it is probably 2 towers, which have to be at least 30 stories each. The site simply isn't very large at all.

This the block that is directly across the street from the Forum (to the north). The block is shared with The Outpost, and a small lawfirm or something. Assuming they didn't buy the whole block, they simply can't build more than two towers. If they bought the whole thing, then 3 is feasible.

There is the outside possibility that they bought land across Eunice tot he north, and want to close part of Eunice, but I doubt it. But in that case, it could be as many as 3-5 towers that are shorter, or more likely still 2-3 towers, with lots of lofts or stacked townhouses for ground clutter.

I am personally surprised to see that land being used for condos. I would have thought that a hotel or office space, along with considerable space for retail and entertainment venues (like Shops at Channelside) would be much more appropriate. In fact, if I was in city leadership, I would be hesitant about having residential across the street from the areana, in a part of channelside that si very much oriented towards tourists, conventioneers and arena patrons. (and soon museum patrons)

Oh, and Smiley should be stoked, because these would help alot with his dream of a "canyon effect" on the Crosstown...:)

IF they can build them, so be it, as long as there is retail on the bottom floor.

I amnot surprised about the condos because from about 7 floor and up you have water views (with the Marriott in the way of course) . . . anyway, the market is just crazy at the moment.

For decent views a unit needs to be much higher than 7 floors IMO. Arena, TCC, Marriott and Embassy Suites, new Bayshore towers. new HI towers and DT Core are in the way for most southern to northwestern views. Eastern views are a lost cause with the Channelside cluster a couple blocks away...North, NE and SE are the only clear views, unless you are above 25-30 stories IMO.

And now that I think about it, this is another compelling reason to go tall. And I bet they are. Miami developers know all about view corridors.

Huh? Groundbreaking . . . Huh? IF so, that's pretty low key . . .

Museum Building On A Dream
By KURT LOFT kloft@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 19, 2004




TAMPA - Twenty-five years ago, when the Tampa Bay Art Center and Tampa Junior Museum merged to form the Tampa Museum Federation, a synergy was born.
A quarter-century later, cultural leaders are banking on that synergy, hoping to establish a core for the arts in the heart of downtown. At the throne, they expect, will reign the Tampa Museum of Art, prominent between the Hillsborough River and Ashley Drive.

A newly expanded, redesigned museum, they say, will inspire the people of Tampa, artists, tourists and business.

A similar dream anchored the museum's early years and never fully took hold. Funded in part by the city, the museum nonetheless struggled for recognition and visibility. People called it an eyesore on the fringe of a ghost town.

All that is about to change. The Tampa Museum, which opened 25 years ago this week, is looking to its future with a $62 million expansion. Workers will break ground in January on the 150,000- square-foot project.

In essence, it will be a new museum.

``The new museum is the foundation that will allow us to do so many unprecedented things in Tampa,'' says director Emily Kass. ``It's really our beginning, because the new space and visibility are a starting point for us. We hope to be a destination that brings all downtown Tampa to life.''


Growing From The Inside

Museum officials are aware that bricks and mortar don't build culture. Critics say the facility needs to grow from the inside by beefing up its permanent collection, bringing more major touring exhibitions to Tampa, raising the bar on the area's cultural dialogue and education and investing in the endowment.

A more prominent building is a must, says Margaret Miller, director of the University of South Florida's Graphicstudio and Contemporary Art Museum.

``The new museum will help attract ambitious exhibitions, and that will help funds come their way,'' she says. ``It will allow them to do exhibitions of a scale that interest other institutions, and that kind of ambition will attract donors.''

A key to the success of the new museum isn't how glorious the building will be but how the collection evolves, says Andrew Maass, executive director of the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg. Maass was director of the Tampa Museum for more than a decade.

``The largest challenge is to build a significant collection,'' he says. ``You have to cultivate collectors in your area and in other areas. Cultivating collectors [who donate works] builds substance within the museum.''

Because of limited space - about 45,000 square feet - only a small percentage of the permanent collection can be on view at any one time. The new facility will give people a broader view of that collection.

``Right now, many things in the collection aren't out because they can't put them out,'' says Joan Jennewein, a member of the museum's board of trustees. ``There isn't room.''

By tripling its space, the museum will be able to better accommodate not only its own art but also blockbuster exhibitions and the crowds they attract.

``We fully expect to bring in high-profile, attendance- magnet shows,'' Kass says. ``And our challenge is balancing those with exhibitions we organize and travel to other museums.''

Still relatively young, the museum hasn't the budget or the reserve funds to become a big-time player. Its endowment - essentially a savings account that generates interest - is comparable to the museum's $3 million operating budget. Arts endowments need to be at least four times larger than the operating budget to draw sufficient interest, say arts industry experts.

``Our goal is to go to $20 million,'' Kass says. ``That's what you want: to have your core operations covered by an endowment. But it's hard to build an endowment unless you have something for people to endow.''


Seeking New Audiences

That ``something'' is art. At the moment, the permanent collection contains about 7,000 works, of which 6,000 are works on paper. Its two important collections are Greek and Roman antiquities, and modern and contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography and decorative arts.

With a few exceptions, the permanent collection is average at best, argues David Audet, a Tampa arts activist and performing arts collaborator.

``Quite simply, the Tampa Museum is boring,'' he says. ``I want to be inspired, and I don't think it's inspiring. I don't have a sense of the museum having a relationship with the arts community.''

Wendy Babcox, an assistant professor of art at the University of South Florida, says the museum's approach to art could stand to be more adventurous.

``As an artist, I'd like to see more exciting and challenging exhibitions, but I understand the problem with that,'' she says. ``They have a broad spectrum of things they're trying to do, which is good but hard to accomplish. It's difficult to balance patronage and the needs of the community. It's also difficult to educate the public without startling them.''

The Tampa Museum in some ways struggles with the same problem facing another local arts group, The Florida Orchestra. Both need to reach out to a wider audience without sacrificing their missions as champions of important art.

Without new people coming through the doors, the product becomes secondary, says Melinda Chavez, executive director of the Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts. Although she credits the museum for being ``instrumental'' in Tampa's growth, it must develop a following.

``It needs to make its exhibits and educational programs and facility more accessible to the public,'' she says. ``It needs to expand its programming in a way people will feel comfortable. It doesn't matter if you have the most esoteric art in the world if nobody comes to see it.''

Throughout much of its history, the museum has been criticized for being too conservative, partly the result of its ties to the city of Tampa, which provides nearly 35 percent of its annual funds. The city will spend about $30 million for construction of the new museum, using money from the half-penny Community Investment Tax, approved by voters in 1996 to provide city infrastructure and Raymond James Stadium.

The board must raise the remaining $32 million from private sources; it has $29 million in the bank.


Pedestrian-Friendly Design

When completed, the expansion will bring the building from the Hillsborough River all the way to Ashley Drive. It will emphasize pedestrian travel.

Architect Rafael Vin~oly's controversial design includes a massive, airy overhang intended to invite people inside. Vin~oly was paid $8 million for his efforts.

Cafes, shops and possibly small art galleries could become neighbors. The idea is to make it a place of social activity, to be part of an urban core, says Jennewein.

``We need to reach out and bring younger people in, to make the museum a place to go,'' she says. ``Right now, the museum is a catalyst for residential growth downtown. That's what we need here: people living downtown.''

Can a new museum help attract people downtown, to encourage the development of condos and apartments where empty buildings now stand? Paul Wilborn, Tampa's creative industries manager, sees the synergy just beginning.

``It will be a player in drawing people downtown,'' he says. ``It has the potential to be this great anchor for downtown, and that will say a lot about the direction of Tampa.

``St. Petersburg and Sarasota advertise their cultural landmarks, and I think the museum will give us a cultural landmark.''

Reporter Kurt Loft can be reached at (813) 259-7570.
http://tampatrib.com/floridametronews/MGBZGGAGAZD.html

Museum Of Art Celebrates 25 Years
By JULIE PACE jpace@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 19, 2004




TAMPA - Billed as an opportunity to thank longtime supporters and attract new visitors, a community birthday party was held at the Tampa Museum of Art to commemorate the museum's 25th anniversary. The event also marked the groundbreaking for a dramatic expansion and redesign; construction will begin in December.
Visitors enjoyed musical performances and guided tours throughout the day. The event also included hands-on art activities for children.

Meredith Elorfi, museum marketing director, said she was pleased with the turnout. Those who attended said they enjoyed the informal atmosphere.

``At some museums it's a formal event just to go, but everyone here is very relaxed,'' said Staci Williams of Tampa, who was making her first visit.

Williams and her friends came to the museum to view a photography exhibit highlighting the Tampa Bay Lightning's Stanley Cup victory. The exhibit is part of the museum's effort to diversify its collections.

``It changes your idea of art museums being so archaic,'' said Erin Doyle, another first- time visitor.

The celebration culminated with a ceremony attended by Mayor Pam Iorio and former Mayor Bill Poe, who was in office when the museum opened in 1979. Iorio said the new museum will have a stronger connection with the community.

``It will incorporate art into downtown,'' Iorio said. ``The museum will be a focal point, a place where we can gather in Tampa and celebrate.''


Reporter Julie Pace can be reached at (813) 259-7203.

http://tampatrib.com/floridametronews/MGBE2SCJAZD.html

A few small updates:

The Embassy Suites is coming along nicely. Doesn't seem like the hurricane stuff put them off stride at all - they are still pouring concrete into the ground. I figure in about a month of so they will be emerging above the sand.

The Meridian lot is finally really fenced off. They werwe supposed to start in Aug, but I figure they will go in a few weeks. Need more to get going in Channelside to give it a livelier feel, though I suspect by about March it will be pretty damn lively.

Haven;t heard much about sales at the other projects, though I think we would have heard if nothing was selling. IF anyone knows anything about the Four Seasons Residences or the other tower on the river, please let us know. I am lothe to bother Toni Everett too much, but I might just have to break down if there is no news soon.

Good, get soemthing better:

Ideas for old courthouse stir no passion
An advisory committee is slated to decide among three proposals Oct. 12. Some members say they may toss them all.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published September 22, 2004

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TAMPA - Two weeks before an advisory committee is scheduled to recommend a new use for the old federal courthouse downtown, key players have pulled out of one proposal, and two committee members say they may not pick any of the ideas put forward so far.

At a public hearing Tuesday, developer Mickey Owens, of Vintage I Partnership, said three people have withdrawn from his group.

Vintage I wants to turn the abandoned century-old courthouse into a 59-room hotel with a restaurant, spa and tea room.

Malio Iavarone, owner of Malio's Steak House on S Dale Mabry; developer Brian Taub and financial planner Ed Kaloust don't have the time to commit to the project, Owens said.

The proposal, though, is still viable, he said.

TBR Management Group wants to put a high-tech center in the building, along with an arts center, a small hotel and a culinary arts school. TBR would provide space at the center for the University of South Florida School of Visual and Performing Arts.

The final plan under consideration is for the P.C. Patel Center, which includes a $6-million pledge from Pradip C. Patel, a managed health care executive related to the donors of the Dr. Pallavi Patel Performing Arts Conservatory at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Patel wants to open a photography museum, a middle school for the arts and a life skills center for high school dropouts in the courthouse. The group also announced Tuesday it is considering dedicating space in the building to the Family Justice Center, which recently received a $1-million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to serve victims of domestic violence.

The Classic Federal Courthouse Advisory Committee is scheduled to make a decision on the proposals Oct. 12. But some committee members say it's possible they'll ditch all three ideas.

"Our recommendation could be nothing, we don't recommend going forward with any of these," said committee member and real estate executive William Bissett. "We're stewards of the building."

Committee member Scott Shimberg said whatever happens in two weeks, the discussions about what to put in the building and how they're being financed has been helpful.

"We want to have what's best in the long term for the downtown core," Shimberg said. "All the issues that are coming up, it's a good process to go through as a city."

[Last modified September 22, 2004, 00:17:21]

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/22/Hillsborough/Ideas_for_old_courtho.shtml

Just saw that Ventana at Channelside has revised their preliminary pricing to "from the $300's"

Their sales agent warned me that this would most likely happen as they get closer to their debut... She expressed that they would not make the same mistake that Meridian did by going to contract too early, or releasing pricing until all the bids were in...

Looks like the going rate for a one-bedroom upscale condo in Channelside will be going for $300k.... I suppose that's on par with One Bayshore, or even a bit lower.

It sure will be nice to see one of these new condo projects actually break ground soon :)

City to pursue funding to extend streetcar line
By Times Staff Writer
Published September 24, 2004

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TAMPA - The Tampa City Council on Thursday agreed to pursue federal funding to extend the streetcar line to Whiting Street.

The TECO Line Streetcar System now runs from Ybor City to the Channel District to the Tampa Convention Center. The next leg is planned to run north to Franklin Street through downtown Tampa to Whiting Street.

HARTline runs the streetcar, but Council member Shawn Harrison said Hillsborough public transit agency hasn't aggressively sought funding for the extension.

"Streetcar projects nationwide are huge," said Harrison, who recently returned from a public transit conference in Los Angeles. Competition for federal money to fund them is fierce, he said. Council member Linda Saul-Sena, a member of the HARTline board, said having the city behind the effort to get federal funding would give it an "extra oomph."

Most of the $53-million spent on the first leg of the streetcar system came from federal agencies, Harrison said. Tampa contributed $13-million to the construction, and Mayor Pam Iorio said she won't commit any money to the extension.

[Last modified September 24, 2004, 01:20:23]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/24/Hillsborough/City_to_pursue_fundin.shtml

Mayor offers new site for kids' museum
The plan calls for the Children's Museum of Tampa to build near where she aims to create a cultural arts district.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published September 24, 2004

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TAMPA - For nearly two years, the Children's Museum of Tampa has been looking for a new home.

The search may be over.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio on Thursday announced plans to give the Children's Museum land downtown.

If Tampa City Council approves the deal at its meeting next week, the museum, now on N Boulevard next to Lowry Park Zoo, would be built near the proposed Riverwalk along the Hillsborough River and just north of the future Tampa Museum of Art.

"It's probably the best real estate in the city," Iorio said. "They're getting a great location."

The property, adjacent to the Poe Parking garage and worth $3-million according to city officials, was approved for a condominium tower by the City Council in 2003. But former Mayor Dick Greco didn't sign the contract for the tower before the end of his term. When Iorio took office, she killed the project.

She said she prefers devoting the parcel to a project the public can enjoy.

Iorio said putting the Children's Museum at the riverfront location near the art museum and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center dovetails with her plans to create a cultural arts district in downtown Tampa and encourage people to live nearby.

"We want to make this whole area a destination point. We want it to be an area with constant activity and constant events," she said.

Land on Ashley Drive just north of the planned art museum was at one point considered for the Tampa Bay History Center. But Iorio said the 65,000-square-foot museum was too big for the site and would block views of the park and river from the street. Plans now call for that museum to go between Channelside and the St. Pete Times Forum.

Other than the land donation, the city will not provide funding for the Children's Museum, Iorio said.

The Hillsborough County Commission last year committed $250,000 to the museum, with that money contingent on the museum finding a suitable location, raising matching funds and creating a business plan.

All that's been accomplished, said Heidi Shimberg, who with state Rep. Sandra Murman, R-Tampa, will coordinate a capital campaign to raise money to build the museum. Shimberg said she estimates needing $10-million for construction, but won't have a solid figure for another six months.

The museum is expected to attract 100,000 visitors a year, Shimberg said.

It is scheduled to open in three to five years, said David Penn, president and CEO of the Children's Museum.

The current museum, next to Lowry Park Zoo on N Boulevard, has 5,000 square feet of exhibit space, most of it outdoors in a miniature village known as Kid City. Although a similar city-scape will be included in the museum, none of the Kid City buildings, which include a grocery store, fire station, city hall and library, will be relocated, Penn said. He said he doesn't know yet whether or not the existing Kid City will remain after the new museum opens.

The new museum will feature 15,000 square feet for permanent exhibits, 5,000 square feet for rotating exhibits and an education center that will offer information to teachers and parents as well as free tutoring in math and reading.

Planned exhibits include:

Arts and Crafts Village where children can choose from more than 100 different types of materials for their creations.

Music Factory where kids can experiment with musical instruments and take lessons.

A television production studio.

Ability Avenue, geared toward children with disabilities, and designed to teach other children what it's like to live with disabilities.

In the past decade, Penn said, more than 100 children's museums have opened across the country and 80 more are being planned, making them the fastest growing cultural institutions in the world. Penn attributes the growth spurt to recent research on the brain showing that people learn the most and best in the first three years of life.

Penn called the downtown location ideal.

"It's a little more central for us, and where better can you be than on Ashley Drive right off the interstate," he said.

He said he also looks forward to having the performing arts center, the museum of art and the John F. Germany Library as neighbors.

"We can more actively partner with them," he said.

Janet Zink can be reached at 813 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 24, 2004, 01:20:23]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/24/Hillsborough/Mayor_offers_new_site.shtml

Developer plans new lofts with old feel
Will what works in the Buckhead section of Atlanta work in the Channel District? A builder is already getting phone calls that indicate a "yes."
By SHERRI DAY
Published September 24, 2004

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Atlanta developer Michael Loia specializes in building new residential lofts that look like 1930s warehouses.

Loia, who has built lofts in Georgia's trendy Buckhead district, tells construction workers to leave holes in bricks and masons to make their work look sloppy and old.

Now he has set his sights on Tampa.

If the City Council approves his request for a zoning variance, he plans to erect a 39,000-square-foot residential building on a vacant lot at 210 N 12th St.

"I'm not interested in doing a contemporary project," said Loia, president of Loia Budde & Associates, an Atlanta architectural firm. "I'm interested in keeping the warm character of the brick and warm floors. I think that distinguishes me."

Loia and his business partners presented their initial design drawings to the Channel District Council on Tuesday night. The six-story building would house 28 to 30 lofts ranging from 1,000 to 1,600 square feet. One-bedroom to three-bedroom units would cost from $300,000 to the mid $400,000s, the developer said. The builders also expect to sell 2,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor. Fifty-six parking spaces would occupy the building's first two floors.

Loia and his partners expect to begin construction in May and complete the project in nine to 11 months. They sought the neighborhood's approval Tuesday night because their design calls for building 12 feet above the neighborhood's 60-foot height limit. The Channel District Council's executive board will vote on the project in the coming weeks.

"I'm pretty sure that we'll vote to support this one because it's one of the smaller ones," said Kim Markham, editor of the Channel District newsletter. "This is a no-brainer. It's a small building built by an experienced developer, a quality project."

Still, Markham said the group, which has voted to approve much larger structures, may ask for some concessions from the developers. She did not indicate what they might be.

Loia, who bought the property three months ago, is scouting additional sites in the Channel District.

"I just like that area," said Loia, who is already fielding calls from potential buyers for the 12th Street site. "I think it's got a great future."

Sherri Day can be reached at 226-3405 or sday@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 23, 2004, 12:47:10]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/24/Citytimes/Developer_plans_new_l.shtml

The lofts sound like a good project, something to sort of mix up the feel of the "newness" of the Channelside district. Hopefully it wont come off tacky. Sounds like he's just building a brick box with large windows.

Mayor offers new site for kids' museum


Yes, build a Children's Museum... with a 50 floor office tower on top and I'll be happy

Council Delays Decision On Imperial Yacht Basin
By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS msamuels@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 25, 2004




SUN BAY SOUTH - Residents south of Gandy Boulevard must wait another week for the city council's decision on the rezoning of the Imperial Yacht Basin.
Council Chairwoman Gwen Miller asked for a one-week continuance of the rezoning Thursday because she hadn't reviewed the videotape of the council's split vote last week.

Miller was absent for the vote Sept. 16.

The rezoning request has been before the council since July.

St. Petersburg developer Grady Pridgen bought the 16- acre property for $25 million in May and wants to build 850 residences, a 200-room hotel and 95,000 square feet of offices, restaurants and shops.

The current zoning allows 500 residences and 87,000 square feet of commercial space.

Residents oppose the rezoning, saying the proposed development is too big.

Council members Shawn Harrison, Rose Ferlita and Kevin White voted against the rezoning Sept. 16. Council members John Dingfelder, Linda Saul-Sena and Mary Alvarez voted against the motion to deny.

Al Steenson, president of the Gandy Civic Association, said Miller needs to review the tape before voting.

``That was the only fair thing to do,'' he said.

The council is scheduled to revisit the request Sept. 30.


Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109.

http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBG12LVIZD.html

Nice potential infill - that corner should eb bulldozed and rebuilt anyway:

Developer Wants Offices, Town Houses On Kennedy Boulevard
By JOSH POLTILOVE jpoltilove@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 30, 2004




SOUTH TAMPA - A proposed development may change the face of one of Tampa's busiest intersections.
Jim Mikes plans to construct a 100,000-square-foot, five-story building just east of Dale Mabry Highway on Kennedy Boulevard. He said the project would cost more than $20 million.

The property is next to a CVS pharmacy.

``This is the premier intersection in town,'' Mikes said. ``We'll make it look great.''

The first two floors would house restaurants and other businesses, and the top floors would have offices. A parking structure would be built in the rear with maybe 10 town houses above it, Mikes said.

He hopes construction will begin in about a year, with occupancy in a few years.

Mikes said his other projects include apartments in Plant City and an office building in Bloomingdale.

City Councilwoman Linda Saul- Sena said Kennedy needs properties with residential and commercial uses. Saul-Sena, who pushed for a 2003 technical report on the boulevard commissioned by the Metropolitan Planning Organization, said Kennedy is undergoing a resurgence.

The report on the 4.2-mile stretch of Kennedy from Memorial Highway to Ashley Drive determined congestion can be reduced and safety and appearance improved by, among other changes, adding a third northbound through lane on Dale Mabry at Kennedy.

The report also suggested Kennedy west of Howard Avenue needs an updated look.

Phil Graham, a St. Petersburg urban designer who worked on the report, said a one-block stretch near 4329 W. Kennedy Blvd. could get uniform signs and some curb cuts may be removed.

Mikes said renderings of his project should be available in about two months.

He owns the properties earmarked for the development, including the Faith Cafe, which serves free food to the needy. He said the cafe will move in about a year, but a location hasn't been chosen.

This year, Mikes bought the now- defunct Impressions Furniture business just west of the cafe. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's campaign has leased a local headquarters site at the former furniture store, 3710 W. Kennedy Blvd.

Mikes said the development will be ``very pedestrian-traffic friendly, very friendly to the overall community.''

Nearby resident Brad Krantz doesn't like the sound of the project.

``I imagine that would face some fierce opposition from the neighborhood,'' he said.


Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 835-2105.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGB6EJO1QZD.html

Is it about time to update the Projects page (the first post of this thread?)

As for yoru last post Smiley - I pass that intersection from time to time and this will be the third rebuilding at that corner of the intersection in as many years. They had just built (or rebuilt?) a gast station there before the property was bought by CVS and the new gas station was demolished in order to build the pharmacy...

I know it's not the CVS itself where the construction will occur but it just seems wierd that this project goes on the coattails of the two other projects on that corner....

^^^ agreed, an update on that first post would be good

I watched this hearing and the commissioners, especially Ferlita, were grandstanding for the association whcih, while complaining about bad transportation is the same groups that blocked the crosstown extension - I think they should have to eat it. In any event, I thought that paying up front was a good idea.

Developer to Tampa: Okay project, get $1-million
By SHERRI DAY
Published October 1, 2004

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TAMPA - Note to those with deep pockets: The City Council is not for sale.

Not even for $1-million.

It's a lesson developer Grady Pridgen learned Thursday after offering the council a check for $1-million if members approved his rezoning request for a project at Imperial Yacht Basin near Gandy Boulevard.

Pridgen put the check on a projector in council chambers and said his banker was there to back it up.

The check would have been an advance payment on impact fees that Pridgen otherwise could have taken eight years to pay.

"It's unprecedented in Tampa for a developer to pay for their transportation impact fees up front," Pridgen said. "The benefit is to have the money in advance so the city has the money to do infrastructure improvements. Even if we got into a recession and the project stalled for some reason, they still have the money. That can only be seen as a positive."

Some council members reprimanded Pridgen for his suggestion.

"The issue of the check up there is very distasteful," said council member Rose Ferlita. "It seems to me that everybody's interpretation will be different, but that's kind of dangling the carrot. You are not, out of the goodness of your heart, giving the city $1-million. This is the first time that I've ever seen this approach from any developer. And I wanted to tell you that I'm not impressed."

Other council members, while saying they were pleased with Pridgen's offer, did not endorse his development.

"If more developers were to say, "I don't have to do this but as a gesture of goodwill I'm going to pay my impact fees up front,' I think that we would be much further down the road as far as the type of development we want to see," council member Shawn Harrison said. "However, your project is asking for 350 more units. You're following on the heels of four hurricanes. The timing is absolutely terrible for you."

In a last-minute attempt to win approval, Pridgen agreed to reduce his proposed 850-unit residential development by 100 units. Neighborhood residents had asked that the development be downsized by 350 units. But because Pridgen's compromise amounted to a new proposal, the City Council voted to delay a vote until Oct. 14. They also encouraged Pridgen to meet with residents of Sun Bay South to discuss his revised plans.

Pridgen's actions Thursday represented the latest act in a nearly two-month saga pitting the developer against residents in the area. The Gandy Civic Association, which represents the neighborhood where Pridgen's project would sit, voted to oppose it in August. The association has cited concerns about overcrowding and infrastructure problems.

Association president Al Steenson said he did not know what his constituents would think of Pridgen's new proposal.

Pridgen bought the property for $25-million in May. Although the land's original zoning included 500 residential units, the developer proposed a project with 15,000 square feet of retail space, offices, a marina, 850 residential units and a 200-room hotel.

Known for his projects in the Tampa Bay area, the Pinellas developer routinely uses aggressive tactics to get projects approved.

In St. Petersburg, Pridgen lobbied nearly a year to build a mix of homes, retail and office space on a sod farm near a solid waste facility. At issue was the project's nearness to a landfill, which future residents could one day consider a nuisance. Pinellas County commissioners voted to approve Pridgen's request, but only after he decreased the size of the development and increased its buffer to the landfill.

During negotiations, commissioners balked at Pridgen's high-priced lawyers, business associates and lobbyists. At one point, Pridgen's lawyer asked a commissioner to step into the hallway to hammer out the deal's sticking points.

Pinellas County Commission chairwoman Susan Latvala said she was shocked by Pridgen's latest action.

"I'm just appalled," Latvala said. "That's the attitude that he had with us. It was because he had this money and because he can throw his money around, this makes it okay and he can do whatever he wants." Pridgen voiced surprise at the council's reaction. He also presented a list of $5-million in improvements he would make if the council approves his project. They include new sidewalks, sewer lift station upgrades and road work at several heavily used intersections.

If the council denies the zoning request, Pridgen likely will still build, since he already has approval for the smaller project. But the city will get much less out of the deal, he said.

"We don't know what we'll do because with the existing zoning, the $5-million worth of concessions aren't required," Pridgen said. "We'll see what happens."

He put his check back in his pocket.

[Last modified October 1, 2004, 00:09:19]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/01/Tampabay/Developer_to_Tampa__O.shtml

By the way, the Meridian website says it is now under construction, which is nice.

Anyone have updates on the sales status of Grand Central and the Place?

grand central i believe is on own while owners look for financing...?

Not a lot here yet but interesting nonetheless: http://www.lightsontampa.org/

Industry Making Room For Ybor City Condos

By SHANNON BEHNKEN
sbehnken@tampatrib.com

YBOR CITY - For nearly 45 years, the pale blue building with 244 boarded windows has been a reminder of Ybor City's history as a cigar Mecca.
Soon, the 104-year-old Tampa Box Co. building on Adamo Drive may become a symbol of residential rebirth in the entertainment district.

Atlanta based Miles Properties Inc. plans to turn the 68,000-square-foot building, which stretches a city block, into a 53-unit loft condominium complex.

``We think it's a really neat project,'' said Jason Perry, the company's acquisitions and development manager.

It's more than that, though.

Adamo Drive, which has been a haven for industry since the early 1900s, is slowly changing. The box company building is one of three loft developments planned for Adamo, and there are a half-dozen more condominium complexes sprouting up just north on Fifth and Sixth avenues.

Andy Celeiro, who is selling the box company building at 2001 E. Second Ave. to Miles Property, said that when he heard the company's plans he decided to turn his other building on Adamo, Gulf Mill Works, into condominiums, too.

``It's too profitable not to do it,'' Celeiro said. ``And it will be great for Ybor City.''

Gulf Mill Works has been in Ybor City since 1962; Celeiro has owned it for seven years and last year bought the box company building, which he uses for storage.

Gulf Mill Works makes office furniture and has 18 employees. Celeiro said he is negotiating the price of a new office building for the company just west of downtown.

When Ybor City's historic district gobbled up Adamo Drive two years ago, Celeiro said he knew it would be a matter of time before developers were interested and industry no longer fit in. That time is slowly approaching, he said, and he figures it's best to move now and make a profit.

Other industrial owners might hold out, he said, but eventually their property values will rise high enough that they, too, will want to cash out.

As for Celeiro, he plans to set aside one of his 49 loft units for himself and his wife. ``The trend will be people moving back to Ybor City,'' he said. ``In three to five years, Ybor City will be a very nice place to live. We have the charm of Ybor City's past. Channelside doesn't have that.''

Celeiro's plans for the Gulf Mill Works building are preliminary, but Perry's proposal for the box company building has the blessing of the Barrio Latino Commission, which oversees construction in the historic district. Once the building is rezoned from industrial to mixed-use, Perry said he will begin the permitting process.

Construction is expected to begin in February and to take a year. The units are planned to be 900 square feet to 1,400 square feet and sell for $170,000 to $300,000.

The building will look much the same on the outside: brick and 244 windows. But the inside will mix modern and historical architectural. The building is doughnut-shaped, and there is a courtyard in the middle. A pool and landscaping will go there, said Bruce Wise, the project manager with Brock Green Architects and Planners, also from Atlanta.

The roof will be raised three feet so each apartment will have a second-story loft for a bedroom.

This is the second condominium project in Tampa for the two companies. Miles Properties and Brock Green also are building the Arts Center Lofts downtown, which is nearly complete.

Perry said he is excited about the Ybor City building because he prefers rehabilitating old buildings over new construction.

``There aren't that many buildings left to restore in Atlanta,'' Perry said. ``There aren't many left in Tampa, either.''

Fran Williams, who owns Kimmins Contracting Corp., also has plans to turn his business site into a residential development. Williams plans condominiums, hotels and office space for his 5-acre site and wants to begin moving his business to east Tampa early next year.

Joe Howden, who lives on Seventh Avenue and is a barrio commissioner, said he is happy to see the change to Adamo. However, he said, there's no reason the street can't remain dotted with industry.

``Those that are grandfathered in will certainly have the right to stay and function,'' Howden said. ``This is not suburbia. This is not a place where you'll go miles and miles and see houses.''


Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7146.

This story can be found at: http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBI18UWSZD.html

Condo Shoppers Get Lofty View Of Future
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 2, 2004




TAMPA - Because The Plaza Harbour Island developers didn't have model rooms available for viewing, Patrinely Group LLC offered the next best thing at a get-together this week.
About 300 prospective buyers were taken to the 11th floor of Two Harbour Place, 302 Knight's Run Ave., to see a sweeping view Wednesday night.

The Plaza, next door to the former Stallone's Market, 410 Knight's Run Ave., is planned to rise 20 stories by 2006.

Patrinely of South Florida plans the 100 units from $300,000 to $2 million to replicate oceanfront high-rises, said managing partner C. Dean Patrinely. The 3-acre Plaza site will have three condominium towers with more than 300 units, plus a hotel.

The Plaza's view will include the Port of Tampa, with colorfully painted storage tanks and large ships, plus Harbour Island and Davis Islands.

Polly and Ira Arman of Valrico, who attended the Plaza sales reception, said urban life is calling as they approach their retirement years.

``We love the theater. And we're looking forward to being closer to a lot of the events in Hyde Park,'' Polly Arman said.

The Armans have looked at condominiums and lofts in the nearby Channel District, as well as at models of ParkCrest Harbour Island, a 336-unit building along the Garrison Channel to be finished this year.

``We're just taking our time shopping around,'' Polly Arman said. ``There are now a number of projects to choose from.''

Debbie Hall of Hunter's Green said she has an interest in downsizing. ``But I want to scout around,'' she said, looking at Patrinely's floor plans for two- and four-bedroom units.

Another browser, Priscilla Moncada of Land O' Lakes, and her fiance built a home, but she loves the idea of living near downtown.

``The urban scene has a lot of appeal,'' she said, looking at the waterfront view.

Julie McGee, a broker associate for RE/MAX realty, said Patrinely's proposed prices aren't out of the ballpark.

``Downtown Tampa is on the verge of a major breakthrough,'' McGee said. ``We have a lot to offer. This really feels like a place to live and work.''


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

Less talk, more cranes...

New Residential Neighbors Crowding Out Businesses
By SHANNON BEHNKEN sbehnken@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 2, 2004




YBOR CITY - If only he can hang on to his property for another year or two.
Maybe by then the condominiums and hotels planned for Adamo Drive will have taken root, and Fred Soliman, 58, can make a nice profit on the land he has owned for 20 years.

He could sell Tampa Electric Motor Co. and retire early.

But all of that is threatened, he fears, by rising property taxes and a fast-changing atmosphere on the industrial strip.

``You can sense it,'' he said, noting his taxes nearly doubled this year. The city ``wants us out of here. ... The longer I can can hold onto the property, the more it will be worth, but the longer I keep it, the more taxes I'll pay and the harder it will be to keep it, to afford to keep it.''

Soliman is among businesses sandwiched between the residential developments planned along Adamo Drive. When the Tampa City Council voted two years ago to include the industrial neighborhood in Ybor's historic district, some business owners objected, fearing they would no longer fit in.

Now, though, some of those owners say it is better for them to accept that Adamo is changing, and they can make money by selling their property. Some are selling to developers; other are planning to build condominiums themselves.

Some businesses will move to other neighborhoods. Others, like Soliman, say moving will be difficult because they need to be close to the port.

``I've been trying to find another warehouse, but nothing is cheap anymore,'' said Michael Messina, owner of Florida Ship Co. ``We know eventually Adamo will be changed. It will be a nice change for the city because it doesn't look pretty here.''

Lynn Hunt, co-owner of Fabricated Products of Tampa, said developers call daily to inquire about the company's business that takes up nearly a block at 1701 Adamo and two other properties she owns with her husband on Second and Third avenues.

For Hunt, the prospect is bittersweet. All of the properties were paid for years ago and she enjoys not having a mortgage. Moving heavy equipment to relocate the business would be costly, but on the other hand, developers fighting over the property is exciting financially, she said.

``It would be important for the area to have housing here since it's already going that way,'' said Hunt, who has had her business in Ybor City for 27 years. ``But I can see the industry in the area getting booted out, and that's not fair.''

Still, she said, ``If I lived in this area, I certainly wouldn't want a manufacturing plant outside my back door.''


Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7146.

http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBX0KUWSZD.html

The thing I fear in Ybor is the residents becoming NIMBYS over the next few years, and pushing Ybor from being a vibrant and unique entertainment draw, into something much more bland, yuppified and pathetic... The city wonders why Ybor is struggling, but look at the Draconian policies the city levies aginst the businesses and patrons of the district. And as people move in, this trend will only amplify.

I personally like the warehouses. And no, I would not mind having a manufacturing plant outside my back door, thank you very much. When are people who make decisions realize that the people moving to downtown or Ybor want the industrial, raw look and feel? That is what is so cool about those places. That is how the whole loft phenomenon started back in the 80's in SoHo...

By the way, for those who are interested, the downtown redev partnership wants to hear suggestions about what could make downtown better. Post comments here: http://www.tampasdowntown.com/plancomments.htm

More affordable housing!!! :bash:

GOOD NEWS!!!

As I look out my fifth floor window, towards Channelside, I see a new bright orange crane. It sits just north of the Victory lofts. I am going to assume it is for the Meridian, but since I am looking at it from a couple blocks away, I don't want to say that's it for sure.

Five-star future is lined up for port property
A hotel operator and lender are in place for the $400-million, 45-story tower, with the top-rated hotel in the area.
By STEVE HUETTEL, Times Staff Writer
Published October 9, 2004

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TAMPA - Plenty of people rolled their eyes three years ago when Murray Klauber announced plans for a multimillion-dollar conference center near shipyards and fuel depots at Tampa's port.

Now, the 77-year-old founder of the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort at Longboat Key says he has lined up a five-star hotel operator and a lender for the $400-million project on land in the Channel District owned by the Tampa Port Authority.

His corporation, Tampa International Technology Center, must have a financing commitment by March and begin construction one year after that under a development agreement scheduled to go before port commissioners Oct. 19.

The project likely will get going much sooner now that a leading hotel operator is on board, said Tampa attorney Stephen Mitchell, who represents the developers.

"It is on the threshold," he said. "The key is when you have the (hotel) flag. The lenders want to know who that is. The investors want to know." Developers soon will identify the hotel brand and the financial syndicate, Mitchell said.

Klauber has experience with the high-end hospitality business. Known to nearly everyone as "Murf," Klauber shares responsibility with his daughter for the operation of the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, where beachfront houses and penthouse suites range from $925 to $1,425 a night in the spring.

Plans for the Tampa project are as big as its name: the Tampa Global Communication Teleconvergence Center.

The 45-story tower would be almost as tall as Tampa's biggest skyscrapers, the Bank of America Plaza and 100 N. Tampa. It would contain the only hotel to rate a five-star ranking in the Tampa Bay area and be among only a handful in Florida. Plans call for 135 condominiums on the top floor, priced from about $500,000 to $2-million, and 450 hotel rooms and suites.

Adjacent to the tower will be a conference center, with three amphitheaters, a 22,000-square-foot exhibition floor, and board and meeting rooms. All will be linked to global satellite and fiber-optic cable and wireless systems, developers say.

They expect to attract big corporations that want to hold executive conferences or training sessions that can be beamed instantly around the globe or recorded. "Every three or four days, new visitors will come down, filling up Channelside, filling up the trolley, filling up the cruise ships," Mitchell said.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who met with developers and hotel representatives a month ago, said she was excited about the chance to bring a five-star hotel to the city. "These are the kinds of opportunities you only see in the most sophisticated city business environments," she said.

The project also has reignited a debate over the Port Authority moving out of traditional industrial businesses to make room for real estate development.

Klauber's project will be beside Metroport, a slip leased to International Ship Repair & Marine Services, the port's second-largest shipyard. The Port Authority would fill in the slip for a commercial tower Klauber wants to build after the conference center and hotel.

Interim Port Director Zelko Kirincich wrote International Ship on Aug. 9 that the agency would not renew its lease on the slip after Jan. 31, 2006.

Filling in the slip would cost the port 1,300 feet of berth space that could never be replaced so close to downtown Tampa, said International Ship president Tad Humphreys. Losing the space will cost his company business and jobs, he said.

"This proposed development goes beyond debating the right mix of business for the Channelside area," Humphreys said. "This development reduces the size of the port, with no plan for replacement of the lost waterfront."

International Ship owns property across Ybor Channel from Metroport. But another shipyard, Gulf Marine Repair, is being forced to move when its lease with the Port Authority expires so developer Trammell Crow can build a warehouse and office project.

The public agency is setting the stage for further conflict by putting commercial businesses that cater to the public so close to heavy industry, said attorney Tim Shusta, who serves on an association representing industrial companies at the port.

"The five-star hotel would be in an area near chemical tanks and an asphalt plant," he said. "What happens when the five-star hotel people complain about the noxious odors?"

Iorio said the Port Authority's waterfront property is "in transition" as more residential and commercial projects sprout up across Channelside Drive. "I don't see it as only industrial," she said.

Kirincich and other Port Authority officials involved with the conference center project declined requests for interviews Friday.

The agency will receive more than $2-million a year in rent for the 11 acres on Channelside Drive, said a Port Authority spokeswoman. The 40-year lease, with four 10-year extensions, would leave the waterfront on Ybor Channel in public hands.

The Port Authority wants to build a future cruise terminal on that land, Klauber said.

Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or 813 226-3384.

WHAT'S NEXT?
A public hearing on the new development agreement is set for 10 a.m. Monday at Tampa Port Authority headquarters, 1101 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Port commissioners are scheduled to discuss the agreement Oct. 19.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/09/Business/Five_star_future_is_l.shtml

1) I'll believe it when I see it

and

2) needs a new name.

`Everybody's Neighborhood'
By ANDY REID areid@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 10, 2004




TAMPA- A sidewalk commute replaced the expressway crawl when Brent Gardner traded the suburbs for life downtown this year.
Gardner gave up closet space and a yard in Riverview to move to a loft at Channelside 212, the first in a line of new developments planned in a warehouse district turned neighborhood.

Now instead of joining the post-work parade of brake lights, Gardner, 31, walks to restaurants at the Channelside retail complex or hops a streetcar and heads north for drinks in Ybor City.

``I wanted to be in a unique place,'' says Gardner, who owns a Channel District art gallery. ``There's something to be said for getting your foot in the door, [and] being down here where the action is.''

Developers and city leaders believe trendy lofts and high- priced condominiums can lure young home buyers such as Gardner and baby boomer empty nesters to a new neighborhood they envision in Tampa's urban core.

Past efforts to bring residents and new businesses downtown fizzled through the decades and real estate experts question whether the city and developers can deliver this time.

The difference, city leaders contend, comes from a flurry of proposed downtown residential development - prompted by a south Tampa land squeeze, aided by city incentives and dependent on a growing market of buyers wanting to escape the suburbs.

Signs of life can be found springing up along the edges of downtown.

Starting in the Channel District and following the Hillsborough River as far north as Interstate 275, developers propose about 5,000 new lofts and condominiums.

The city plans new museums, a river walk and riverside parks to make downtown a destination for home buyers as well as visitors looking for a place to spend time and money.

``I do envision our downtown as everybody's neighborhood,'' Mayor Pam Iorio says. ``It helps shape our identity.''

But it takes more than talk and colorful renderings of new buildings to improve downtown's identity, says Ellen Brown, owner of the Old Tampa Book Co. on Tampa Street.

A decade after Brown's bookstore opened amid city promises of a downtown revival, most streets still empty after commuting office workers head home. Decaying buildings stand as monuments to businesses that followed shoppers to the suburbs.

``It is total frustration,'' Brown said. ``I don't know what's different this time than all the other times it didn't happen.''


What's Proposed

More than 20 residential projects - including towering condominiums and warehouses converted to lofts - are proposed or under construction downtown, according to the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

If all the developers follow through on their plans, the downtown partnership estimates an investment of more than $780 million in new buildings and facilities for about 5,000 residential units.

Estimating about two residents per unit, that could mean 10,000 people living downtown.

More than 51,000 people come downtown to work, but it takes people living there to attract the restaurants, shops and other retail needed to revitalize the area, says Christine Burdick, president of the organization trying to revitalize the city's urban core.

``Starting the domino effect is what we want to do,'' Burdick said. ``We want shovels in the ground.''

Much of the new development proposed is concentrated in the Channel District, south of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway near The Florida Aquarium and the Channelside retail complex.

Artists and other urban pioneers looking for affordable living and working space started converting Channel District warehouses into lofts in the late 1980s.

Kim and Richard Markham were among the first wave of Channel District residents. They operate the Channel Medical Clinic, catering to patients from Tampa's port.

Kim Markham is counting on city help to fix flooded streets, aging sewage pipes and other infrastructure needed to accommodate residents in an area built for industry.

She expects new development to bring the grocery stores, dry cleaners and other neighborhood retail she currently drives to south Tampa and Ybor City to find.

``We know it's a great place to live, [but] for many years it has been pretty much abandoned,'' Markham says.


Land Squeeze

Developers running out of land to build on in south Tampa hope to expand on what Markham and her neighbors started.

They plan to use the Channel District to extend that lucrative real estate market and sell to home buyers who would otherwise be looking in neighborhoods such as Hyde Park.

The median price for a home in south Tampa exceeds $300,000, compared with about $185,000 in the greater Tampa Bay area, according to Tony Polito, local director for Metrostudy, a housing research firm.

Prices proposed downtown range from $150,000 for a small loft to about $4 million for some of the high-end condominiums. Most of the condominiums start at more than $200,000.

As suburban development spreads even farther, some buyers hit their commuting threshold and are willing to consider a downtown alternative, Polito says.

With mortgage rates still reasonable - below 6 percent - developers are building condominiums to buy instead of apartments to rent.

A study by the Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy in 2001 identified a national trend toward downtown living. A look at 24 cities - including Houston, Seattle and Memphis, Tenn. - showed that all expected to increase their downtown population by 2010.

Tampa developers believe they can persuade some home buyers to trade long commutes and yard work for walking-distance access to downtown attractions and high-rise views expected to stretch as far as the Sunshine Skyway.

Developer Ken Stoltenberg plans to build a south Tampa alternative at the 378-unit Grand Central at Kennedy beside Meridian Street - being redesigned to become a gateway to downtown for traffic from the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway.

The plan includes condominiums starting under $300,000 in art deco buildings with shops on the ground floor and a ninth floor pool and jogging track.

``If you rent in south Tampa or Harbour Island you can afford to live in Grand Central. That was the idea,'' Stoltenberg says.

The twin 30-story Towers at Channelside, proposed across from the Channelside complex beside Meridian Street, targets buyers who want to be close to ``the south Tampa scene,'' new developer Michael McGuinness says.

Land was available downtown, and the prospect for high-rise condominiums interests buyers who have seen them in other cities, McGuinness says.

``People have been to Miami, they have been to New York, they have been to Washington, D.C., and they want that in Tampa,'' McGuinness says.


Will Retail Follow?

Condominiums have fueled downtown redevelopment in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and other cities across the country, says Jim Murley, former head of the state Department of Community Affairs.

First build homes downtown and retailers follow, says Murley, who directs an urban studies program at Florida Atlantic University.

``That means downtowns are now competing with the suburbs for places for people to live, not just work and eat lunch,'' Murley says.

But before downtown Tampa can compete with the suburbs, developers have to start delivering more than just proposals.

Ten years ago, Frank DeBose started pushing plans for a 600-foot space needle to create a downtown tourist attraction. The needle won city approval but never materialized.

This year, DeBose announced a new partner, Tampa Bay area developer Ken Morin, to build twin condominium towers proposed beside his long- delayed space needle.

In August, DeBose and Morin closed on 6 acres near the downtown hockey arena. This month they hope to finalize an initial loan that moves them closer to starting construction on the $165 million condominium project in March.

The space needle, hotel and retail space at Pinnacle Place would come after the condominiums, Morin says, if developers are ``lucky enough'' to build the whole $350 million plan.

``We were ahead of the market. The market is there now,'' DeBose says. ``We don't know what the depth of the demand is, but there is a demand.''


Home Or Investment?

Tampa Bay area real estate analyst Marvin Rose doubts there's enough demand to fill all the condominiums proposed downtown - and that could mean fewer future residents to attract the businesses city leaders want to lure downtown.

Most home buyers still prefer a house in the suburbs, and some of the ``grandiose'' downtown proposals come from developers with little experience pulling off $100 million-plus projects, Rose says.

Although many of the downtown developers boast they are almost ``sold out'' before even breaking ground, that doesn't mean their projects will get the financing needed to start construction.

Speculators are among those reserving condominiums downtown, and that can fuel a false demand.

As a project moves closer to completion, a speculator intending to sell quickly would sacrifice a reservation or deposit rather than follow through on the purchase of a condominium unit that hasn't gained significantly in value, Rose says.

``We don't know whether there are going to be real people there at the end of the day or not,'' Rose says. ``Usually, it's the lenders that sort these things out.''

Condominiums have become the new ``dot-com'' for amateur investors turning to real estate instead of the stock market, says real estate consultant Jack Winston, of Goodkin Consulting in Miami.

From 20 percent to 70 percent of condominium presales, which developers use to get the backing of lenders to pay for construction, go to investors buying them to rent or resell shortly after construction, Winston explains.

But two years later when the building is complete, if speculators refuse to finalize the purchase of condominiums they reserved, the new buildings end up with vacancies and the loans used to build them could go unpaid.

``That is a scenario no one has an answer for,'' Winston says. ``It is a concern for banks and builders, yet they keep on building.''

Channel District resident Ron Laker reserved units at four of the loft and condominium developments. Laker said reserving units at multiple buildings allows him to wait and see which projects get built and gain value before deciding what to buy.

``Some of these projects may or may not get out of the ground,'' said Laker, 50, who said he intends to move to one of his reserved units. ``If they do, then great. If they don't, move on to the next project.''


Rising Costs

Even if demand stays strong among buyers for downtown condominiums and lofts, the rising costs of construction materials could foil development proposals.

Massive building projects in China claimed much of the world's supply of concrete and steel, increasing building prices in faraway Florida.

Rising oil prices affect the production and delivery costs of of materials such as tile and plaster wallboard. The costs of building materials in Miami rose 15 percent between January and May, threatening the future of some projects, Winston says.

Donald Ebbert said he abandoned his plan to build a three-story loft building called CCX North in the Channel District after his construction material costs increased about 40 percent.

Ebbert has a contract to sell his property to an Atlanta company planning a six-story building with four times as many units as Ebbert proposed.

``What they are doing is maxing out the entire footprint of the property and building up,'' Ebbert says.

City leaders want to help extend development starting in the Channel District to the downtown core - and taxpayers would help pick up the tab.

The city and the Downtown Partnership hired a consultant for $125,000 this year to create a framework for redevelopment to ``fill in the blanks'' downtown, says Burdick, who heads the downtown business group.

A new $5 million city parking garage being considered in the North Franklin Street area could encourage residential development by providing some of the parking spaces future residents need, Iorio says.

The city committed $29.8 million to help build the new Tampa Museum of Art, plans to provide land nearby for the Children's Museum of Tampa and create a new riverside park in between.

A long-delayed river walk would link the new park and museums to attractions in the Channel District, such as The Florida Aquarium and streetcar line.

``We are interested in filling in some of the gaps downtown,'' Iorio says. ``Right now there is a real feeling of optimism that things are coming together for this city.''

Rich Wolford, who reserved a 1,300-square-foot condominium at the proposed Towers of Channelside, believes in that downtown optimism.

Divorced and frequently on the road, Wolford said a downtown condominium was what he was looking for when he moved from Chicago to Tampa three years ago.

``What I like about it is I can walk to good dining, I can walk to Channelside and I can walk to a hockey game, just like I did in Chicago,'' says Wolford, 41. ``That's my lifestyle.''


Fact Or Fiction?

At the Old Tampa Book Co., Ellen Brown hasn't decided whether to file the latest flurry of proposed downtown redevelopment under fiction or nonfiction.

Even after a decade of frustration over stalled downtown revitalization efforts, she and her husband, David, signed a five-year lease extension.

They enjoy providing a gathering spot for visiting conventioneers and office workers shopping during lunch breaks.

They hope one day to be proprietors of a neighborhood bookstore there in the shadows of Tampa high-rises.

``I'm trying to make change happen here,'' Ellen Brown says. ``I would like the city to fulfill its promise.''


Reporter Andy Reid can be reached at (813) 259- 8409.
http://www.tampatrib.com/MGB7G3IJ40E.html

*WFLA reports that "The Donald" is looking to get IN on the Tampa action*

I can't inagine what he would add, but what the hell. . . let it ride . . .as long as it is downtown and tall. His penchant for big boxes is kind of annoying, but . . .

By the way, I am not sure if anyone actually got the Trib yesterday (Sunday Oct 10) but there was a big map fold out of downtown lsiting a bunch of projects. Oddly, I think we are more up to date than the map was, but it is the Trib (far too big to scan though)

I will answer the last question first - because the enitre port is not immediately adjacent to both Ybor City and Downtown and connected y the grid thereto - most of it is landfill separated by things like the Ybor Channel. That's why. Read on:

Conference center idea puts port itself at issue
By STEVE HUETTEL, Times Staff Writer
Published October 12, 2004

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TAMPA - A new conference center at Tampa's port would raise the area's high-tech profile and attract the kind of people to make the city a cooler, more economically dynamic place.

Or the project might destroy irreplaceable waterfront facilities and endanger blue-collar businesses that are the port's heart and soul.

Interests on each side of a controversy over the proposed $400-million Tampa Global Communication Teleconvergence Center made their points at a public hearing Monday. Port commissioners could vote on a agreement with the developers as soon as Oct. 19.

Resort owner Murray Klauber leads a group that wants to build the high-tech center and a 45-story hotel and condominium tower on public land just north of Tampa Port Authority headquarters on Channelside Drive.

The deal was been in the works for four years. The group, Tampa International Technology Center, now has a five-star hotel operator and a lender on board, Klauber says. Developers want a new agreement that would give them until March to produce a financing commitment and a year after that to start construction.

But the deal would doom Metroport, a slip leased to International Ship Repair & Marine Services, the port's second-largest shipyard. The port authority would fill in the deep-water slip for a commercial tower that the group wants to build after its conference center.

Klauber and his representatives didn't speak at the hearing. Supporters said a high-tech conference center built for beaming corporate conferences and training sessions around the globe would be a huge asset to the Tampa Bay area.

The center would include three amphitheaters, an exhibition hall and meeting rooms - all linked to satellite, fiber-optic cable and wireless systems.

"The facility ... will put us on the map," said Michael Kovac, director of a high-tech research center at the University of South Florida. "Every week, I'm watching conferences on the Web. You can't be part of the competitive atmosphere without a facility like this."

Techies who visit to train in Tampa could end up relocating and building the local talent pool, said Peter Kageyama, a director of Creative Tampa Bay, a nonprofit group devoted to attracting young professionals to the area.

"It's another way to bring them here in a professional context and show them everything Tampa has to offer," he said.

However, representatives of traditional maritime businesses said they were worried about the jobs of workers at the port.

The port authority needs to study the consequences of closing the ship repair facility before approving the deal, said attorney Tim Shusta, who represents the Port of Tampa Maritime Industries Association.

"There are material impacts," he said. "What are the economic impacts? What's the effect on employment?"

Tad Humphreys, president of International Ship, said there's no way the port authority can replace deep water berth space so close to Tampa if Metroport is filled in.

He had a memo in which the agency's real estate director, Peter Ferri, reassures legal counsel Dale Bohner that even if Klauber walked out of the deal, the port authority would come out ahead financially by filling the slip and having 2.8 acres of new real estate.

"If you extend that logic," Humphreys said, "why not just fill the entire port?"

[Last modified October 11, 2004, 22:18:08]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/12/Business/Conference_center_ide.shtml

LEave it to the city to pick the worst option
Renovation plan accepted for old courthouse
A plan to turn much of the old Federal Courthouse to educational uses begins with a $6.4-million brightening-up.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published October 13, 2004

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TAMPA - Members of a committee created to recommend a new use for the old downtown Federal Courthouse came to one conclusion Tuesday: None of the three proposals presented were perfect.

But the offer of $6.4-million from managed health care executive Pradip C. Patel to renovate the century-old courthouse seemed too good to pass up.

The Classic Courthouse Rehabilitation Advisory Committee on Tuesday ranked the Patel proposal as the best of the three and handed it over to city staff members to work out details about the plan's long-term financial stability and the building's occupants.

The courthouse on Florida Avenue closed in 1998 after the Sam M. Gibbons Courthouse opened two blocks away. The federal government deeded the building to the city of Tampa last year, and the advisory committee was charged with the task of finding a new use for the building.

In July, the group narrowed six proposals to the three.

All three plans, however, raised questions from committee members about how developers would finance them. Members also debated which would most benefit downtown Tampa.

Patel's idea seemed to pose the least risk, they decided.

"The $6.5-million in seed money goes a long way," said committee member and Tampa lawyer Truett Gardner.

Committee member Scott Shimberg, a Tampa builder, pointed out that even if all the tenants in the building fail, the city at least will be left with a renovated building.

Patel, who is related to the donors of the Dr. Pallavi Patel Performing Arts Conservatory at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, wants to put a photography museum and two charter schools in the building - one, a middle school for the arts, and the other, a life skills center for high school dropouts.

That will take about half of the building's 105,000 square feet.

What will occupy the remaining space is still up for discussion, said Patel's attorney Charles Levin.

"I don't think we're going to have a problem filling the building with appropriate tenants, but they've got to be appropriate," he said.

Patel is considering leasing space to the Family Justice Center, which recently received a $1.2-million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to serve victims of domestic violence and a $300,000 grant from Verizon.

City Council member John Dingfelder said he has talked to Patel's attorney about moving the mayor's office and the City Council's offices and chambers to the building. It is a majestic structure well-suited for government business, he said. It also offers more space than the current council meeting room, which often can't accommodate the crowds.

"The public should have a grand place where they can come and comfortably participate in their government," he said.

Levin said he also has talked to the Tampa Downtown Partnership, the Tampa Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Arts Council of Hillsborough County about relocating to the building.

"We're not going to make any decisions this early," Levin said.

The committee ranked in second place a proposal from TBR Management Group to put in the courthouse a high-tech center, small hotel, culinary arts school and space for the University of South Florida School of Visual and Performing Arts.

Financing for that project came largely from a loan, and some committee members worried that if the project failed, a bank would end up owning a building on city land.

Coming in third place was a plan from Vintage I Partnership to turn the courthouse into a hotel with 59 rooms, all of which would be individually owned. The committee gave that project low marks because multiple owners could make the deal complicated and pose too much financial risk.

If the city staff and the Patel group can agree on the details of the project, a recommendation will go to the City Council and Mayor Pam Iorio for final approval.

Janet Zink can be reached at zink@sptimes.com or 813 226-3401.

[Last modified October 13, 2004, 00:37:14]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/13/Hillsborough/Renovation_plan_accep.shtml

They were all dim witted Ideas. I think the best thing would have been to put the Tampa history museum there and open up that water front property for something much more grand. But what do I know, I'm just a dip shit tax payer!!!

I agree but there was plainly a backroom deal on the history center site. Thanks Iorio, I thought you wanted clean government.

In other news, I drove by Channelside today, and, indeed, Meridian has work going on - they are pouring what I assume to be the foudnation though the fence obscures the view. There is also some apparent utilites work going on at the history center site. The Embassy suites proceeds apace - I expect a real crane by Thanksgiving. I think we will have to wait until after new years for the others.

The Meiridian street work goes along too, despite the idiotic problems with the Crosstown bridge thingy . . .

Update on progress!!


Grand Central developer secures funding

Tampa-based Mercury Advisors LLC took another step towards a 2005 groundbreaking for Grand Central at Kennedy in Tampa's Channel District.

The company has secured a $10.6-million construction loan advance from Kansas City, Mo.-based Bank Midwest. The loan allows Mercury Advisors to make final project purchases, convert reservations to condominium documents and complete all construction documents for permitting and construction.

Grand Central at Kennedy will be a 392-unit mixed-use condominium development at 1208 E. Kennedy Blvd. Condominium unit prices range from $150,000 to the high $500,000s. Ken Stoltenberg, co-director of Mercury Advisors, said in a media release that Grand Central at Kennedy is 80-percent reserved.

The building will include approximately 55,000 square feet of office space, 125,000 square feet of space for restaurants, retail and service businesses, a 2,000-square-foot art gallery and a 4,500-square-foot community theater. Anticipate completion is by the end of 2006.



© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/10/11/daily16.html

Tampa is starting to feel more and more like an 80's Dallas with each passing day.

Perhaps only the older folks will get what I mean by that. ;)

Who's playing JR Ewing in our version, Jason?! :)

I'll agree when I see more reality. I don't trust renderings too much. I was in 1980's Tampa - which, by the way, you never posted that report from the DDA I sent you, JAsonhouse.

Tampa is starting to feel more and more like an 80's Dallas with each passing day.

Perhaps only the older folks will get what I mean by that. ;)

Stop it. Stop it right now ! :wink2:

Artist . . village. . . blah . . . blah . . .

Picture Of Ybor Village Emerges
By SHANNON BEHNKEN sbehnken@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 14, 2004




YBOR CITY - Since February, artists have heard that a village designed exclusively for them would rise out of dilapidated homes and buildings in east Ybor City.
The artists, city officials said, would be guaranteed low rent or mortgages, even as property values increase.

Monday night, artists wanting to be part of what city officials are calling an ``experiment,'' gathered at the Italian Club to hear more.

City officials were short on details about the East Village of the Arts, but one point came across clearly: ``What we're talking about today are quality projects, so when the entertainment district follows the arts district, it's still an arts district,'' said Paul Wilborn, the city's creative industries manager.

The idea is that if the city subsidizes housing for artists in Ybor City, the artists will help improve the area and attract services such as grocery stores. As the neighborhood gets better, more people will want to live there, Wilborn said.

When artists lived in Ybor City during the 1980s and early 1990s, they were priced out when bars and nightclubs took over Seventh Avenue. Mayor Pam Iorio has said she wants to make sure that doesn't happen again.

At Monday's meeting, consultants from Minneapolis- based Artspace showed pictures of similar projects in other cities and encouraged the artists to take part in Tampa's project. Earlier in the day, the consultants spoke with area developers.

``There may be some folks in your community already hatching ideas,'' said Chris Velasco, vice president for consulting and new projects for Artspace.

Iorio's administration doesn't necessarily want to limit such projects to Ybor City, Wilborn said, but it could be a good place to start.

Velasco, who toured Tampa this week and offered suggestions, agreed.

``It doesn't take an arts expert from out of town to see that Ybor has the right ingredients for artists,'' he said.

The city is paying the consultants $7,000 for advice.

Velasco showed colorful pictures of abandoned buildings renovated into beautiful apartments in such cities as Houston and Portland, Ore.

The audience applauded as Velasco went over some sample rents: $664 a month for a 2,000-square-foot live/work apartment in Minneapolis. A small apartment across the street, he said, goes for about $1,440 a month. In St. Paul, Minn., a 2,200-square-foot apartment went for $320 a month.

Velasco said these projects are worth the city's time because population increases and economic development follow.

St. Paul's downtown population was 50 people in 1987, Velasco said, compared with 5,000 in 1995. In 2001, the nonprofit arts industry had a $134 billion effect on the U.S. economy, he said.

The proposed East Village of the Arts needs Tampa City Council approval. The city wants to sell five renovated historic houses and rent some apartments to artists. It also is talking to other groups, such as the University of South Florida, that want to be included in the village.

The village would be north of Interstate 4, between 12th and 19th streets. The five homes were renovated by the Florida Department of Transportation, which bought most of them for about $30,000 each and spent $160,000 to $200,000 fixing up each one.

It then moved the homes to this section of Ybor City and deeded them to the city. The city is selling them for $96,000 to $150,000 and putting the profits into a revolving loan fund for other developments in Ybor City.


Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7146.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGB8UUV2A0E.html

Artist . . village. . . blah . . . blah . . .

Someone is becoming a little cynical. :)

I'll agree when I see more reality. I don't trust renderings too much. I was in 1980's Tampa - which, by the way, you never posted that report from the DDA I sent you, JAsonhouse.


??? Don't recall what you are referring to. I have been in Pensacola for a month, doing disaster relief with Bell South. Prior to that, my PC was fubarred for 3 weeks. So, basically anything sent in that time span I never took care of, because I couldn't. I've been getting online via libraries and such (like the one today at Pensacola Junior College)...Sorry bro.

Someone is becoming a little cynical.

Hmm, somehow that transformation escaped my sunshinny outlook previously expressed. as I have always said, Tampa is perpetually America's Next Great City (a reference there some of the older residents will understand)

By the way, Pridgen got teh rezoning for the project down on Gandy for 700 or 750 units. (can't remember) - saw it on govt access.

Alittle more info on that Jefferson and Channelside project.

Channel District: More condos on the horizon

The condo craze continues in the Channel District.

Two proposed projects could bring more than 1,100 units to the area.

Anthony Development Group wants the city to rezone land at 514 Channelside Drive to build 250 condominiums and 12,229 square feet of retail space. The property houses a warehouse and Newk's Cafe, a restaurant and bar that would be torn down, according to papers filed with the city of Tampa.

Crescent Heights, a Miami developer with projects throughout the country, seeks to rezone a parking lot on the northwest corner of Jefferson Street and Channelside Drive to make way for two 30-story towers with 855 condominiums and about 25,000 square feet of retail space.

The Tampa City Council is scheduled to consider both rezoning requests Nov. 4.

Thomas Newkirk, who owns Newk's Cafe, said Anthony Development Group approached him about buying his property, but discussions are preliminary. They have no contract and have not agreed upon a price for the land, Newkirk said. However, he agreed to let Anthony Development pursue the rezoning.

"They have no rights to my property," Newkirk said. "They have no rights to anything. I'm surprised they would spend the money to go forward without having some understanding of what I would want for my property."

Newkirk said he isn't looking to unload the real estate but is happy to entertain offers.

"Everything is for sale," he said.

The Newkirk family is one of the developers of the Meridian, 37 art-deco-style lofts at the corner of 12th and Whiting streets.

Crescent Heights last month paid $6.1-million for the property at Jefferson and Channelside Drive, said Shay Mayron, the company's regional manager. The company chose the location, he said, because it sees downtown Tampa in the midst of a transformation where people already work and play but need places to live.

"City living is becoming more popular," Mayron said. "People are moving out of suburbs."

Studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom homes will range from 600 to more than 2,000 square feet. They will cost from the high $100,000s to more than $500,000.

Both projects are among those planned to bring more than 5,500 homes to the Channel District and downtown business district.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/15/Citytimes/Channel_District__Mor.shtml

http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGB5JTSQB0E.html

Imperial Yacht Basin Development Approved
By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS msamuels@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 15, 2004

TAMPA - A St. Petersburg developer received approval Thursday from the Tampa City Council to build 750 residences as part of his $350 million redevelopment of the Imperial Yacht Basin.
The project at the foot of the Gandy Bridge is being touted as the next great gateway to Tampa.

Despite neighborhood objections, the development will include 500 high-rise condominiums fronting Old Tampa Bay and 250 residences across Bridge Street.

It also will include 95,000 square feet of retail, commercial and restaurant space, and a two-story hotel fronting Gandy Boulevard.

``This is making as visual a statement as possible to the south end of Tampa,'' Councilman Kevin White said.

White, Linda Saul-Sena, Shawn Harrison, Mary Alvarez and Gwen Miller voted to approve rezoning the property to allow an increase in residences and commercial space.

Council members John Dingfelder and Rose Ferlita voted against, citing infrastructure concerns shared by residents.

``We like beautiful projects,'' Ferlita said. ``We just have to be reasonable.''

The Gandy Civic Association this week voted to recommend limiting the development to 600 residences, worried about the project's strain on the community.

Just south of the yacht basin, WCI Communities is building 500 houses at the former Westinghouse factory. Also nearby, 139 town houses are planned between West Shore Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue just south of Tyson Avenue, and the 162-acre Georgetown Apartments property just north of Gandy is being eyed for redevelopment.

``We're trying to be cooperative,'' association President Al Steenson said. ``We're not trying to be negative.''

To ease some of those concerns, Grady Pridgen pledged more than $5 million in improvements to stormwater, drainage and road intersections.

He also offered to pay his project's transportation impact fees up front - two weeks ago he placed a $1 million check in front of the council, a move criticized by some council members.

The previous zoning allowed 500 residences and 87,000 square feet of commercial space. Pridgen originally asked for 850 residences but reduced it by 100 after hearing neighborhood opposition.

Pridgen bought the 16-acre property, which includes a marina and restaurant, in May for $25 million.

The first building won't be complete until 2007, he said.


Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109.

Big wheels keep on rolling . . .

Renewal in the air
A desire named streetcar: Couples, tourists and transit planners have it, and they want to translate romantic notions of expansion into reality.
By SHERRI DAY
Published October 15, 2004

TAMPA - Joe and Helen Varsalona have a thing for streetcars.
Theirs is a public transportation love story: Boy meets girl at streetcar stop, falls in love during the ride home and asks her to marry him before heading off to World War II. (Never mind that she initially says no.)
When the young soldier returns the following summer, the two reunite. Hearts aflutter, they ride the streetcar to Ballast Point Park and to the pool at Sulphur Springs. Some days, their date is simply a ride on the streetcar.
"We dated, we rode the streetcar, and somewhere in between, love blossomed," said Mrs. Varsalona, 79, a retired Sears saleswoman who finally said yes in December 1945.
The Varsalonas are among 10 couples wed in the 1940s who will renew their vows Saturday as part of the second anniversary of Tampa's reborn streetcar line.
Last week, the Varsalonas rode Tampa's streetcars for the first time since 1946, when buses replaced the original ones. The couple sat side by side and reminisced about a time when rides cost a nickel.
Back then, people packed the streetcars, squeezing into seats, crowding the aisles and hanging on to hand rails. But during the Varsalonas' ride last week, passengers were sparse. And there were other differences.
In the old cars, "you could raise the windows," said Mrs. Varsalona, who lives in Brandon. "But these have air. Back then, we didn't know what it was."
Still, the magic that brought the couple together was there.
"We miss the streetcar," Joe Varsalona, 82, a retired orthopedic shoe shop owner, said. "When I was growing up, it was the only mode of transportation. They ought to really expand it in more places."
Transportation officials say the Varsalonas are just the kind of riders the TECO Line Streetcar wants to attract: locals exploring Channelside and Ybor City.
So far, tourists continue to make up the majority of streetcar riders, according to Tampa Historic Streetcar Inc., the nonprofit that manages the system.
But even with a turbulent hurricane season, canceled conventions and fewer visitors than expected, the number of streetcar patrons slightly exceeded last year's total.
In Tampa Historic Streetcar's most recent fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, ridership rose to 420,140 rides from 420,023 in the same period a year earlier, spokeswoman Jill Cappadoro said. The streetcars carry about 1,200 people a day and about 3,200 riders on Saturdays. Those numbers would rise considerably if more locals got on board.
To entice them, streetcar planners would like to extend the line from the Southern Transportation Plaza along Franklin Street to Whiting Street in the Fort Brooke parking garage.
"It will make access from the downtown core much, much better," said Michael English, president of Tampa Historic Streetcar. "We know that with a very modest investment we can pretty dramatically increase the use of it by local people."
Ultimately, the decision to extend the line, which English estimates could cost $5-million, is up to city officials. Mayor Pam Iorio has said she would not designate city funds for the project. But transportation officials say the extension could proceed with federal and state money, for which they have applied.
"Everyone is confident that we will be able to secure that funding in fairly short order and be able to make that extension within the next two or three years," said City Council member Shawn E. Harrison, chairman of the council's transportation committee. "That's the great thing about these projects. There is money from the federal government, and we need to be aggressive in trying to get as much of that federal money as we can."
Tampa's revival of its streetcar line mirrors similar moves in cities around the country. From Portland, Ore., to Charlotte, N.C., streetcar installation and expansion booms as local governments look for alternative means of public transportation.
While streetcars often engender goodwill among tourists, they rarely generate income.
Cappadoro said Tampa's streetcar line gets about 25 percent of its operating income from fares. The majority is state and federal funding. The streetcar system also makes money through endowment programs that sell naming rights for cars and station stops, in-car advertising and an assessment for businesses in the district. Individual cars are also available for private rentals for $125 per hour.
Cappadoro said the streetcar is a public service and cautioned against judging it in dollars and cents.
"The streetcar system ought to also be measured by the economic growth that happens as a result of the streetcar line," Cappadoro said. "The TECO Line Streetcar doesn't take all the credit for all the residential growth that's about to happen in Channelside, but we're part of the selling point about why it's an attractive place to live."
Streetcar officials plan to expand Tampa's fleet to nine cars, with the recent purchase of a new $600,000 streetcar. Cappadoro expects builders to finish the new car in January.
In a few weeks, an open-air streetcar with exposed seating - called a Breezer - will also take a test spin along Tampa's tracks while streetcar officials decide if they want to buy one.
Already, the Tampa & Ybor City Street Railway Society is showing off a 1923 Birney streetcar, which reflects more than a decade of restoration efforts. Streetcar buffs found the old streetcar in a Sulphur Springs back yard, where it served as a guest house and potting shed.
The Birney, outfitted with pristine oak floors and mahogany seats, debuts today. Volunteers who rebuilt the Birney will take its inaugural ride.
The railway society says the 1923 streetcar is the only operating one remaining from Tampa's original line. The car cost about $200,000 to restore and will run on special occasions, Jan Smith, president of the Tampa & Ybor City Railway Society, said.
When the Varsalonas saw the Birney last week, their eyes brightened.
"This is the original," Varsalona said, his steps quickening as he approached the car.
His wife saw the car and thought of love.
"That was our main mode of transportation during our courtship," she said. "Who knows, we might have ridden this one."
- Sherri Day can be reached at 813 226-3405 or sday@sptimes.com
If you go
TECO Streetcar Fest begins tonight with the Birney Restoration Celebration from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. A daylong festival Saturday will have nickel rides; an antique and classic car show, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Southern Transportation Plaza; a farmers market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Centennial Park; Channel District tour, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Channelside stop; and wedding vow renewals, 1 to 4 p.m., Southern Transportation Plaza. Birney Benefit, $50, includes ride on restored streetcar and reception at Don Vicente de Ybor Historic Inn, starts at Ybor Station. Call 636-0289 for tickets. Saturday events free and open to public. For general information, call 254-4278.
[Last modified October 14, 2004, 13:59:20]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/15/Citytimes/Renewal_in_the_air.shtml

Something that's missing in the article is that while the weather has hurt the Street Car, the Lightning helped push the Street Car to match last year's ridership because of pre and post game ridership during the playoffs.

I ppersonally think that convention goers and cruise ship passengers are the biggest users. I also suspect that as these residential projects get built, a line that is expanded up into the core, especially up Ashley into the "arts district", would easily top 1-1.2M rides a year. Plus, all of those other garages would be accessible to arena patrons, which will help make up for the hundreds of spaces (maybe over 1,000?) being lost to development.

If they actually expand the trolley later on up Florida, as they have designated, it would be a horrible mistake.

It will be a long time before it gets to north of Kennedy. IF they can get it to the Hyatt in the next decade, I will be happy. That is not for lack of riders, but lack of leadership.

Do I have the wrong idea that they actually should have the line turn east again at Kennedy Boulevard?

There was talk of doing that elaborate loop (with more modern rail cars operating the northern part of the line) but I just feel that it's a mistake to have the line as an elaborate loop through Tampa Heights and back to Ybor. It just feels wrong.

Loop to Cass or Polk is better IMO.

Forget a loop, they should turn it west, at Kennedy and extend it across the river to connect to UT, Hyde Park, & SoHo. I also think, that if they are going after federal funds, they should attempt to expand it more than to those garages on Franklin St.

Well, I think Kennedy would be better for light rail down teh center of the road... Let alone a trolley.

I was in LA a week ago and rode all the way down to longbeach on a beautifully designed system.

Going up Franklin to Whiting and then over and up Ashley to Cass/Polk is as good as it freaking gets IMO. It would directly access 5 of the largest office towers in DT Tampa, 4 additional DT hotels, the TBPAC, Tampa museum of art, the central library and so on. Also, it would access thousands of additional parking spaces in garages and lots, to be utilized by patrons of any DT event.

Bridging the river will cost some serious coin. They need a damn good reason to go over there. I think it's a great idea, but it will be years down the line. Going north of Cass is also a fools errand unless for a damn good reason, as they would once again have to wrangle with CSX by crossing their ROW.

The loop I think of takes the line east from Cass/Ashley to Florida or preferably Marion, and south on Marion to some minor e/w cross street, where it can head east and link up with itself.



JohnF.... I don't think a trolley running against the flow of traffic is a good idea, especially in Tampa. Although, I guess it could just run a loop clockwise... Besides, losing lanes from e/w arterials in DT is not a good idea, especially with the impending growth.

Port Votes To Extend Project Deadline

By BAIRD HELGESON bhelgeson@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 20, 2004


TAMPA - A proposed $400 million development at Tampa's port that would include the city's first five-star hotel appears to be coming closer to becoming a reality.
The Tampa Port Authority on Tuesday agreed to modify a development and lease agreement that will give the developer until March 30 to secure financing for the proposed 45- story hotel, condominium and conference center. A previous agreement expired Dec. 31, according to port records.

Murray Klauber, founder of the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort at Longboat Key, proposed the project four years ago, but financing proved elusive, according to port records. Klauber, who attended the port meeting, did not speak at the meeting and declined comment.

Steve Mitchell, Klauber's Tampa-based lawyer, said Klauber is close to securing financing from lenders for the project.

The project, called Tampa Global Communication Teleconvergence Center, is touted by local tourism and technology leaders as a huge step in the city's effort to recruit lucrative high-tech and medical firms to the area. They say the project will be the kind of amenity that high-tech and medical companies demand when they consider relocating to an area.

However, some port tenants said Tuesday that they are concerned that port officials have either misled or ignored existing businesses on the land and allowed their zeal for the development to squash a more critical look at the project.

Tad Humphreys, president of International Ship Repair and Marine Services Inc., said he only learned recently that the port won't renew his lease to make room for the project.

Port Commissioner Ronda Storms said she is concerned port officials never did a cost- benefit analysis. She also criticized interim port director Zelko Kirincich for angering tenants, such as Humphreys, who could be displaced by the new development.

``The way you do business is deadly to the port community,'' she said before casting the lone vote against the lease changes. ``Integrity matters. Clean hands matter. You will kill business in the port if you continue to do business in the way you have done business.''

Kirincich responded that officials from with International Ship Repair have known for years that their land was slated for development, and that port officials continue to work with the company to relocate the company's operations.

The port expects to make at least $2.2 million a year in revenue from the development, which would lease the land for 40 years.

The proposed 450-room hotel and tower will be topped with about 130 luxury condos, and include a spa and restaurants. The developer said they have signed an agreement with a five-star hotel, but declined to name the company.

The conference center will include the latest technology for teleconferencing and interactive participation by attendees. Construction on the 4.6- acre hotel/condo tower and conference center must begin by March of 2006, under the deal. Construction on phase two, a commercial tower, must begin a year later.

Steve Hayes, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the development will be a crucial addition to the area and boost the city's convention and tourism business.

Others worried the development signals a fundamental change at Florida's largest port, away from supporting maritime business and into commercial real estate development.

``Some believe the Port Authority has lost its way,'' said Gene Masters, president of the Propeller Club of the United States, a group that promotes the maritime industry. ``They are taking high paying jobs and replacing them with low paying service jobs.''

^Where excately is this site?

Just north of the Port Authority HQ, south of the Crosstown, on Ybor Channel. I think...???

On Channelside, just south of the crosstown - north of Twiggs, on the waterfront- where there is a drydock now on the Ybor Channel. Just look for the streetcar stop that seems to be in the middle of nowhere jsut south of the crosstown - that is the lot (forward planning, I guess)

There is a rendering - though not a very good one - in the Trib. I will try to scan it and send it to Jasonhouse to get it posted.

Ok, here's a kind of crappy rendering of Ventana from the website - which has now been expanded a bit. One thing to note is that it really is 12 rather than 9 stories.
http://www.ventanatampa.com/images/Bldg_Rend_sm.jpg

I include this site plan simply to give an oreintation of the buildings. Not sure I like the parking entrance on Kennedy though.

http://www.ventanatampa.com/images/siteplan.jpg

The Towers at Channelside give us this new rendering - which is a big improvement in quality - though the rest of the site seems pretty much the same. No idea about final sales contracts though they should be doing that now.

SEE BELOW:

Won't link from their site. But it will from mine. :)

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

Did you get the scan?

Wowsers !

$17-million to preserve history
With that money from the County Commission, the Tampa Bay History Center will build a museum telling tales of the area's evolution.
By BILL VARIAN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 21, 2004

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


TAMPA - The first exhibit at the Tampa Bay History Center could very well tell its own story.

"I've been collecting it, believe me," said Roy Blount, its president and chief executive officer.

The museum has been 15 years in the works, with on-again, off-again enthusiasm from county government.

Hillsborough commissioners voted once and for all Wednesday to give the nonprofit group that will run the museum $17-million, fulfilling a pledge made six years ago. The vote should end a long-simmering and sometimes contentious debate.

In return, trustees for the History Center say they have raised $12.49-million through donations and a grant to run the museum, more than their $11-million goal. And they presented a business plan they also promised, one they said all but ensures they won't be seeking more handouts.

If all goes according to plan, the county can start selecting an architect next month.

But the museum has more history to live yet. It is not scheduled to open until February 2008 at downtown Tampa's Cotanchobee-Fort Brooke Park, located south of the St. Pete Times Forum near Channelside, overlooking Garrison Channel.

The Tampa City Council takes up its part of the bargain when it meets today. The city has pledged to provide a location for the new building.

"We've been at this for a long time," said J. Thomas Touchton, founding chairman for the History Center board of trustees. "It's very gratifying to have all of the commissioners joining us in taking the next step forward."

The county's cash contribution for designing and building the museum will come from Community Investment Tax dollars. The vote by commissioners was unanimous among those present, and even those who have been critical in the past joined in approving the decision.

Commissioner Ronda Storms was absent from the meeting room.

"Everything's in place," said Commissioner Pat Frank, a long-time skeptic of the project. "There's no reason to hold anything up."

Many of the donations are still pledges, and some come from anonymous contributors. But Frank said History Center trustees shared with her some of the names of those pledging the most sizable contributions and expressed confidence they will make good.

Also, she said, the county will hold onto the center's money, paying each expense along the way.

"If everything seems to fall apart, we still have our money," said Frank, who leaves the board next month.

Hillsborough County and Tampa have a rich history, replete with Indian battles, bootleggers, cigarmakers and hardbitten early settlers. Many ethnic groups have added to the patina.

Initially, backers planned to build the museum along Ashley Drive as part of a cultural arts district.

But last year the city moved it to Fort Brooke, a 2.47-acre parcel that was once part of a 16-square mile outpost established in 1824 during the Seminole Wars.

For years, the county's artifacts have been scattered. Some have disappeared.

Touchton began pushing in 1989 to build a central repository for Tampa Bay history, where it could be shared with residents, visitors and their children.

It took nearly 10 years for him to gain the ear of county commissioners by promising to raise $11-million in donations to run the place if the board would chip in $17-million to build it.

In 1998 a lame-duck, less-conservative board of commissioners approved the proposal just as some members were about to leave office.

Since then, it has twice survived efforts to kill it, most recently in 2001.

That year, with History Center advocates making headway on their end of the bargain, commissioners stipulated that the pledges and donations had to come from private, not public sources. Since some of their pledge money comes from the University of South Florida, that was a setback.

Opponents have said the project is too expensive and will end up costing the county more money. Some have advocated putting it in a renovated historic building, such as the Cuban Club or the abandoned former federal courthouse downtown.

Supporters countered that the bill for renovations would be too high, and it would be too difficult to retrofit the old buildings for the sort of fancy interactive amenities that people expect these days at museums.

Backers of the plan acknowledged, as did commissioners Wednesday, that only $10.49-million of their overall bankroll comes from private donors, just shy of the $11-million they pledged to raise through citizen support.

But commissioners noted they have $2-million more from a USF matching grant, and a plan to ultimately raise $20-million.

With that assurance, the board agreed to release the county's share.

"We haven't changed our story," Touchton said. "We've tried to underpromise and overdeliver."

[Last modified October 21, 2004, 00:33:24]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/21/Hillsborough/17_million_to_preserv.shtml

Ok, here is the rendering of the hotel at Channelside - sorry it is leaning, but the paper wouldn't sit right on the scanner and my eidtor would not rotate the stupid thing properly. Just assume you are sitting on a bench and leaning forward and everything will be ok, except that it is a bit boxy for my taste and the name is ridiculous.

*I have taken the picture out to save broadwidth*

Sorry Smiley, didn't check my e-mail recently until today.


It's a terrible rendering anyways, which makes it just about impossible to know what the building will look like if actually built... Which btw, I seriously doubt this project gets built.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/8Teleconvergence_Center_Render1.jpg

[edit: now your image is appearing. Oh well, now we have two.:)]

Towers @ Channelside sure look sweet...Great add for Tampa!!

I really like the new Towers rendering - it's not perfect but if you get filler, that's some good filler.

As for the tele-whatever thing - I am divided on whether it will get built. The guy proposing it is not a fly-by-night guy. The Colony in sarasota gets some pretty big hitters to stay there (like Presidents) routinely. On the other hand, the name alone makes me wonder who will go along with it. . . I say 50%/50% within the next five years it or something very similar will break ground on that lot.

TIA may speed up plans for expansion
As passenger counts soar, the airport may have to start work sooner than planned on another terminal complex.
By JEAN HELLER, Times Staff Writer
Published October 22, 2004

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


TAMPA - Tampa International Airport officials, who hoped to squeeze another 15 years out of their terminal complex, learned Thursday they might have to build a second one in the next five years.

"It's absolutely possible," said Louis Miller, executive director of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. "If the forecasts are accurate, that could be where we're headed."

Pete Ricondo of Ricondo & Associates, a consultant helping create TIA's new 20-year master plan, told the aviation authority board that even modest passenger growth could put the current terminal facilities at maximum capacity by 2010 or 2011.

The complex was designed originally to serve as many as 20-million passengers a year. Miller had planned to try to convince airlines to share such things as gates, computer systems and counter space, which he thought could increase passenger capacity to 25-million.

However, post Sept. 11, 2001, security requirements and the delays they cause are making 20-million look again like the upper limit, Miller said.

Ricondo projects the airport will serve more than 17.6-million passengers next year, 19.9-million by 2010 and more than 22-million by 2015.

Even at current passenger levels, there already are significant delays during peak travel times, such as Monday mornings and holidays.

For the first nine months of this year, TIA experienced an average growth of 12.27 percent, well above the national average of 5.8 percent. But that record-setting growth rate isn't likely to last.

"We came all the way back this year from the effects of 2001, and the rest of the country should catch up next year," Miller said at a workshop on the airport's future Thursday.

TIA will, however, continue to grow at a rate in single digits, Ricondo said. He said "a conservative estimate" puts passenger growth this year at 13.2 percent and then ranges between 1.6 and 2.8 percent a year out to 2025.

Tampa lawyer Stephen Mitchell, a member of the authority board, said population pressure might accelerate airport growth beyond the projections.

Florida's population, about 17-million now, is projected to be more than 23-million by 2020, he said. "A major portion of that growth is coming to the west coast."

The second terminal complex will be a capital project that will run into hundreds of millions of dollars financed by airport funds, bonds and grants from the Federal Aviation Administration. When officials finally have to build it, it will require some major surgery on the airport grounds.

The new complex, likely to be a mirror image of the current one, will sit on the north end of airport property, requiring a rerouting of Hillsborough Avenue to make room. It will have its own airsides. Which terminal a passenger uses will depend on the airline he is flying.

A third north-south runway is planned for about 2010. The FAA tower will have to be moved to ensure controllers' lines of sight to all aircraft. The employee parking lot on the north side of the airport property will have to move to the south side, where the post office now sits, and the post office will move off site.

Cargo operations will move to property the aviation authority has been buying in Drew Park, near the new Federal Express facility.

Although 2010 sounds like a long way off, "you know how long something as big as a new airport complex takes to plan," said TIA spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan.

TIA officials on Thursday also talked about a more immediate problem: dealing with people who park by the curbs at the arrival and departure doors. They stay in their cars so the vehicles aren't towed as security risks, but some stay put for 30 minutes or more.

The problem is particularly severe outside baggage claim.

"We've got the flight information outside there where people can see it, and if they're meeting a plane that's late, they're going to have to move and wait somewhere else," Miller said.

He said he is considering a plan that would allow motorists to park for up to an hour free in the remote economy lot.

"Everybody's got cell phones now," he said. "They can wait somewhere away from the terminal until they get a call from their passengers that they're ready to go."

The blue side arrivals level is the most congested, particularly in the late afternoon and early evening. The red side is less so, because Airside C, on the red side, is under construction; there is little traffic still using the antiquated Airside D.

Miller called curbside congestion "a problem we have to deal with," but said he doesn't want to be heavy-handed about it.

"When I first came here, we had a Gestapo-style to our curbside management, and we had no curbside problem, but people hated the airport," Miller said. "We went to a friendlier style, and now we have to address curbside management again. We can't go on like this."

[Last modified October 22, 2004, 01:08:21]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/22/Tampabay/TIA_may_speed_up_plan.shtml

Finally - they really need to fill this lot with some trees - it's been years that they've been talking
http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2004/oct/1021dwn2.jpg

Downtown Gets Greener
By DAVE SIMANOFF dsimanoff@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 22, 2004




TAMPA - Tampa is planting two parks along its downtown riverfront, hoping the new green spots - and the two- mile Riverwalk that will eventually run through them - will entice people to put down roots.
Parks and public spaces are vital if the city wants developers to build more residential projects downtown, said Brooks P. Byrd, vice president of Byrd Corp., a St. Petersburg- based development firm.

``At the end of the day, when you go to buy your house, you're going to look at what's all around you,'' Byrd said.

``If you're all alone, surrounded by commercial and business space, that's not an inviting environment.''

City crews have started construction of the parks at Ashley Drive, west of the 100 North Tampa office tower, and near the Tampa Convention Center.

The latest two parks, costing $1.7 million and expected to open early next year, are two more segments in the downtown Riverwalk project.

The pedestrian promenade is scheduled to be finished by 2010 and eventually extend from the Channelside district to just north of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Byrd says the walkway and parks show developers that the city recognizes that downtown revitalization has a better chance if more people live there.

``I think if you look at any of the urban core projects across the nation that have been successful, they have all needed ... the city to be a catalyst, and to invest in green space and public space,'' he said.

Byrd's company has a hopeful outlook for downtown. It's developing a 250-unit condominium complex, tentatively named Downtown Channelside, next to the Channelside entertainment complex on Channelside Drive.

The project includes two 30- story residential towers, a grocery store, 12,000 square feet of additional retail space, and up to 30,000 square feet of office space.

Downtown Channelside is still in the permitting process; marketing and condominium sales should begin early next year.

Lee Hoffman, Tampa's Riverwalk development manager, said the project's intangible benefits, such as creating a more comfortable downtown, would translate into tangible results, such as increased interest and investment.

``When you've got green spaces and a way to move from one place to another, it generates a feel that this is a nice place, and people want to come back here,'' he said.

Hoffman said the city planned to hire a design consultant and engineer to develop plans and cost estimates for finishing the project.

The city expects to have a design consultant picked out by the beginning of next year. Hoffman said it would be premature to pin a price tag to the complete Riverwalk right now; part of the consultant's job will be to figure out exactly how much it will cost.


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

http://www.tampatrib.com/MGBT66GML0E.html

With TIA -- I'm really flabbergasted by their growth. And mind you - this is mostly domestic flights though TIA does cover some international...

I was at Dallas/Ft. Worth (flew from Tmapa to Burbank on American Airlines) and that councourse - while pleasantly designed - was a monster. This is one fo the bad things about Hubs I guess (I had to walk a mile or more to my gates)...

I don't understand Tampa's (the airports) growth, however. We only get a sparse number of planes from the majors and low-fair airlines are still trying to get a foothold entirely, let alone expand flights from this region to other parts of the US.

I travel quite often, and, you would be surprised at the number of fights. The thing is, the airport is so well designed that it often does not seem that busy even when it is really quite crowded. THat is the beauty of it.

I have to agree there... I mean, I only travel once a year or less but... Well, from my experiences, there are a ton of people there but you can't find them - they are so spaced out so to speak...

One thing that confuses me is, does Tampa have specific times for arrivals to land and departures to leave? It always feels like everyone is doing one specific thing at a time when I'm departing or arriving (meaning people going to the shuttles are always just that - there's no one entering the Terminal from the other side of the shuttle)...

Airports experience "rushes", just like any other mode of transit. Looks like you are a rush flier, just like 40% of all passengers. :)

Airports experience "rushes", just like any other mode of transit. Looks like you are a rush flier, just like 40% of all passengers. :)

Me? Bah... Would a "Rush" flier be someone who flies in October or February -- two non key months?

Way off topic, I apologize for that. Has anyone updated the first post of this thread???

NOPE. Kinda busy. I suggest we start a thread for every neighborhood and a thread for every project like they do for Miami (they had some discipline for a while but they are a bit too enthusiastic). That way no one will be able to find anything.

Me? Bah... Would a "Rush" flier be someone who flies in October or February -- two non key months?

Way off topic, I apologize for that. Has anyone updated the first post of this thread???


No. The time of day.


I was just thinking yesterday that it is time to update the first post soon. I will likely work on it over the next several days, so that it can be updated as "November 1st".

look at the clustering to your haerts content:

http://www.tampaairport.com/flights/schedule/oct_dp_time.pdf

http://www.tampaairport.com/flights/schedule/oct_ar_time.pdf

Looks like a lot of great projects for Tampa

Once again, tehre is a rendering in the paper which I will scan and send off to Jasonhouse for posting later.

Inn's Days Are Numbered; Developer Plans To Raze It
By DAVE SIMANOFF dsimanoff@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 26, 2004




TAMPA - Rocky Point's oldest hotel will be replaced next year with luxury condominiums and a four-star hotel.
The Impact Group, a Tampa-based company that develops and manages hotels, says it will raze the Days Inn it owns at 7627 Courtney Campbell Parkway in order to build a 14- story, 108-unit condominium tower and a 12-story, 200- room Westin hotel.

Demolition is slated to begin in early 2005, and the condo tower and hotel should be ready for residents and guests in the summer of 2006. The two new buildings are expected to cost about $75 million.

Dilip Kanji, Impact Group's president, said his company considered several ideas for the 6.2-acre waterfront property before deciding to build a condominium building and hotel.

``We looked at all the development options, and we feel this is the best,'' he said.

Kanji said he's close to securing financing in place and has required zoning and planning permits. He is working on final site plan approvals.

Impact Group, which bought the Days Inn in 1992, owns several other hotels in the Tampa area: the Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn hotels on Rocky Point and the Hilton Garden Inn in Ybor City.

The condominium tower, to be named Oasis Rocky Point Island, is Impact Group's first residential development, Kanji said. Condominium units will range from 1,450 square feet to 4,300 square feet, and be priced between $395,000 for a two-bedroom unit to $1.8 million for a penthouse.

Kanji said he expects Rocky Point's central location near Tampa International Airport and the West Shore business district to attract condominium buyers.

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

http://www.tampatrib.com/Business/MGB8LPMBR0E.html

And here's the rendering for that project... (Smiley scanned it)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/8Oasis_Rocky_Pointe_-_10-26-2004.jpg

Excellent. IF only they would try to make Rocky Pointe slightly walkable, it would be a very cool place.

Excellent. IF only they would try to make Rocky Pointe slightly walkable, it would be a very cool place.


Yes, it would. I've worked out there for the security company I work for. It's nice, it is just amazingly car dependent for being quite compact and dense. (sadly, the company let go of both contracts, so no more roof top access out there, which was really sweet)


btw, I believe that the Westin hotel tower in the Oasis project is surely similar in look and scale to the condo depicted above.

If I'm not mistaken, there is another parcel out there where a developer intends to knock it down and replace it with two 12 story condo towers. I think it was the hotel which is next to the Shriners HQ along CCC. I'm pretty sure we had an article about that somewhere back in this thread.

Man, I need to update the first page of this thread, but now there is so much going on, that the task will be daunting! :)

And here's the rendering for that project... (Smiley scanned it)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/8Oasis_Rocky_Pointe_-_10-26-2004.jpg

A reader sent me links to some renderings today -
The hotel is here:
http://www.impact-properties.com/westin.html
The condos are here:
http://www.impact-properties.com/oasis.html

I dont think they match well, but anything to add to the Rocky Point skyline is cool. The condos look almost 70s-ish with tan color.

Cheers,
Justin
www.bayciti.net

Wow, those are much, much nicer renderings. Too bad they reveal that the project isn't all that great looking IMO.

And I am surprised that the two towers have almost nothing in common stylistically speaking. Might as well be two seperate projects.

Hmm, they own the Holiday Inn Express out on Rocky Point as well, which is next door to this project. I wonder if they intend to do to that property what they are doing to this property in a few years, when this project is completed?

I don't liek the Oasis - no urbanness at all.

I kind of like the Westin though. I can't really explain it and I'm sure I could critique the design, but there is something I like
http://www.impact-properties.com/impact_images/westin_01.jpg
http://www.impact-properties.com/impact_images/westin_02.jpg

Just ran across the Box Factory Lofts at 2nd Av and 21st St - near Adamo in Ybor. Not tall, but decent . . .
http://www.boxfactorylofts.com/index.asp

http://www.boxfactorylofts.com/images/body_welcome.gif
http://images1.e-net.com/smith/development/full/178A.jpg

A better, though still small Ventana rendering
http://www.ventanatampa.com/images/Bldg_Rend_sm.jpg

Its nice to see the Box Factory Lofts come on line. For years, I've always dreamed of that building becoming lofts, especially since its historic and already has an interior courtyard space.

BTW, the proposed Westin looks okay but that other tower looks pretty tacky and "1980ish".

And this one names itself - pretentious website, but what do you expect ( http://www.theplazaharbourisland.com/index.html ):
http://www.theplazaharbourisland.com/images/ThePlaza_elevation.jpg

[edited... Sorry, wrong thread. There's a St Pete mega thread now :)]...

^That looks pretty sweet. Where is its exact location on Harbour Island?

Hell, I think I put something of this up, but what the hell - the Valencia Hyde park

http://www.valenciahydepark.com/images/floorplans/condos.gif
THE VALENCIA'S SEVEN-STORY CONDOMINIUM BUILDING WILL FEATURE SUPERB CRAFTSMANSHIP AND UNCOMMON QUALITY. (I don't vouch for the representations other than it is going to be 7 stories and allegedly starting before the end of the year)

http://www.valenciahydepark.com/images/floorplans/townhomes.gif
FIVE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED, THREE-STORY TOWNHOMES WILL COMPLETE THIS EXCLUSIVE ENCLAVE. (same caveat - except this will obviously not be 7 stories)

It is the first of a planned three towers that will go just south of the Post Project and just east of harbour Island II office building on the east west road, where there was (it might still be there for now) a little strip center). It should merge into the Post project pretty nicely - for a wasteland 10 years ago, that part of the Island is working out very nicely.

That northern end of Harbour Island is indeed quite nice.

I wonder how long it will be before the rather mundane apartments along the NE or western edges of Harbour Island are torn down in stages, to be replaced by mid-to-highrise condos? I give it 5 years tops, before such a project is in the planning stages.

City Wants Public's Ideas For Vacated Fort Homer Hesterly Armory
By DAVE SIMANOFF dsimanoff@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 29, 2004




TAMPA - Got an idea for breathing new life into an aging Tampa landmark?
City officials want to hear from you.

The city's economic development chief has put out a call for ideas to revitalize the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, the 63-year-old military building, at 522 N. Howard Ave., that has hosted graduation ceremonies, dances, concerts, wrestling matches and countless other civic events.

It was at Fort Hesterly that President Kennedy spoke to the Florida Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 18, 1963, four days before he was assassinated in Dallas.

Elvis Presley performed at Fort Hesterly on May 8, 1955, the final act in country star Hank Snow's All-Star Jamboree tour. Tickets cost $1.25.

Fort Hesterly's place in Tampa's past is certain, but its place in Tampa's future is up for grabs. The National Guard no longer needs the building: it has moved across the Bay into a new $47 million, 195,000- square-foot complex in Pinellas Park.

Mark Huey, Tampa's economic development administrator, is calling on developers and community members to come up with ideas for Fort Hesterly's future, and to submit those ideas to the city by Nov. 30.

Soliciting ideas ``really allows for a lot of community input,'' said Annie Hart, Tampa's historic preservation manager.

``It's a unique building - it's not your standard office building by any means,'' she said. ``There's a lot of open floor space. It can fit some very unique uses.''

At the heart of the 80,000- square-foot building is a 25,000-square-foot room with a 38-foot ceiling. The central room is surrounded by about 55,000 square feet of office space on two stories.

The state is currently reviewing whether the Fort Hesterly building is eligible for historic status, which might translate into benefits or incentives for development.

Officials from the city and Florida's Department of Military Affairs will review the submitted ideas to gauge what kinds of possibilities and interest exist for the building, and what developers might require to make their projects financially feasible.

The city is open to every idea, and would consider leasing or selling the building, Hart said.

The city should return to developers and investors early next year to solicit official proposals for the Fort Hesterly building, Hart said. A committee will review those proposals and make a recommendation to the major, city council and Department of Military Affairs.

The committee hasn't been named, and there's no timetable for the proposal process, Hart said.

Reviving the Fort Hesterly Armory could provide an economic boost for West Tampa.

Carol Coletta, president of Memphis-based consulting firm Coletta & Co. and host of the syndicated radio show ``Smart City,'' said bringing new uses to older buildings can draw different kinds of people into an urban area.

``If you want to make sure your older city remains vibrant, this is smart from a financial standpoint.''

Coletta also said preserving older buildings helps a city retain its history and its character.

``It's very clear that historical buildings definitely add to the authentic fabric of the community, and the distinctiveness of the community.''

One idea for Fort Hesterly that's already generating some buzz is to convert the building into studio and office space for local film and TV production companies.

George Cornelius, president of Tampa Digital Studios, said the armory's center room can be converted into soundstages, and the office space can be used by several companies.

The Armory Studios concept is just one of several ideas that might be pitched to the city.

Considering Fort Hesterly's history as a hub for entertainment and social events, ``we see this almost as an extension of the building's past,'' he said.


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

http://www.tampatrib.com/MGBN43UNV0E.html

That is so wierd. I drove by that site the other day on the way to work (I-275 was fubared), noticed it was vacant, and started wondering what they should put there... Of course, I was thinking that the site should be razed and totally redeveloped, probably into some sort of mixed-use thing that would create jobs, and encourage walkable redevelopment around it. fat chance.

Naw, I want to save the main building. They can fill in around it all they want, but that building is priceless, man. Didn't you ever watch Gordon Sollie (sp?) and wrestling live from Florida right before wrestling live from Georgia - that dude could sure move fast.

Check out this rendering of the new condo tower planned for Ashley Drive and Zack Street.
http://www.tampa.novaregroup.com

Neighborhood report
Temple Terrace: Temple Terrace buzzes over facelift
Although there are still concerns - traffic, crime and a tower - many agree the area needs work.
By JOSH ZIMMER, Times Staff Writer
Published November 5, 2004

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


TEMPLE TERRACE - A $150-million redevelopment project that could someday transform a dull shopping area near the Hillsborough River into a hip destination has reached a critical juncture.

In the coming weeks, this busy but conservative city will move one step closer to hiring a developer to oversee construction. Project director Ralph Bosek is furiously courting state and out-of-state companies, hoping that follow-up calls and invitation-only meetings will persuade more than a handful to bid for the work.

And still, the grand plan is like a car awaiting a paint job and choice of amenities.

The idea for a dense mix of residential, commercial and business space remains the same. So does the desire for public ownership, from landscaped open areas and a relocated city hall to a new performing arts center.

But the final look remains up in the air, even though residents recently whittled the choice of architectural styles down to familiar Mediterranean and Spanish lines. And people still question some of the details, particularly the potential effect on an already bad traffic situation and a dreamy suggestion for an 18-story residential tower where N 56th Street meets the river.

Sam Sinardi, a Temple Terrace resident for 15 years, joined others in criticizing the proposed landmark at a presentation held two weeks ago at the city's renovated community theater. The building is located in the heart of the project area at the southeast corner of N 56th Street and Bullard Parkway. The event drew 400 people on the same night as the third game of the baseball World Series.

A building that tall would spoil the quaintness of the city's tree-lined streets and meandering golf course, which Sinardi plays frequently.

"I think we need to scale that down," he said. "I think everything else is beautiful."

Planners didn't seem worried by the concerns. Bosek said there is time to tweak the drawings before Torti Gallas and Partners, the Silver Spring, Md., company hired to design the project, submits a final plan in mid January.

For now, Bosek is focused on developers. Some he talks to attended previous design meetings with residents and officials. Some have been calling him, he said. The Florida Redevelopment Conference, held in late September in Hollywood, turned into a rich source of contacts.

Interested developers will pick up request-for-qualifications packets. Eventually that will lead to bids. Bosek said he pushed back the initial release date a couple of weeks just to maximize the number of potential developers.

"I would say five to eight (developers) are seriously interested in our project," he said. "I would hope to make that 10. Again, it depends how busy they are, what they think of our project. I want to get the word out there."

Officials anticipate using around $35-million in taxpayer money to fund the construction of new roads, parking and public buildings. That is in addition to the millions - about $20-million so far - already spent on purchasing private properties within the project area.

But the concept envisions developers paying for a bulk of the project. That way, the city could recoup its initial investment while reaping future profits through business openings and the sale of homes. Under that scenario, Bosek and others believe private money could offset much of the public cost.

Before any of that happens, plenty of residents want answers to issues regarding traffic and that 18-story tower.

Mike Scott, who lives near the University of South Florida, wonders how local roads will handle hundreds, potentially thousands of new residents living in the project area.

"N 56th Street is heavily trafficked now," he said.

Planners say the new traffic grid will include street-calming additions, from lower speed limits to more soothing landscaping. Bosek adds that the very idea of a walkable community means that many trips won't involve cars.

In response to Romeyn Gerrity's concern about increased crime, City Manager Kim Leinbach said city staff is devising an approach for handling the influx of cars and people.

As for the tower, "If the citizens don't want it," Bosek said, "it probably won't happen."

For the most part, the positive buzz about the project is holding steady.

Residents continue to believe that Temple Terrace, already a nice place to live, needs to revive that section of town. Some worry about their tax bills going up to finance the construction. But often, those same people say the city needs a a new shot of energy.

To many, that means combining the old with the new.

Residents will have one more chance for public comment at a public meeting in January, shortly before the final plan is ready, Bosek said.

"I am sure looking forward to walking from my home downtown with my baby," said Dae Sheridan, clutching a carriage with her 6-month-old son, Scotty, inside. "This is beautiful."

- Josh Zimmer covers Temple Terrace and the University of South Florida area. He can be reached at 813 269-5314 or zimmer@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 4, 2004, 14:42:26]
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/05/Northoftampa/Temple_Terrace__Templ.shtml

Dammit, I just looked at their site two days ago and there was nothing there. . .

nice building though

http://www.tampa.novaregroup.com/images/home_pic.jpg
Ashley Drive and Zack Street
Downtown Tampa

Coming to downtown Tampa, a high rise condominium community developed by award-winning Novare Group and Tampa's Intown Group.
One- and two-bedroom homes
Outstanding amenities
13,500 + sq ft of retail
Construction expected to begin Spring 2005

^^Very nice looking building.

Yes, no pun intended, but I have high hopes for this one - the prices are relatively low, the location will maximize revitalization and, as a complete aside, it might get close to 400', though I think 370' is more likely.

Is the site presently a parking lot, or is it one of those hideous garages ?

I thought the site was currently part of a park

They say Zach and Ashley - they don't say which corner...

Here's a picture of the Polk street bridge and the property to the south (where Zack street intersects Ashley Drive):

http://www.florida-classifieds.net/gallery/tpa3/A3TPA0029.jpg

I believe it's the block immediately west of TECO's office building. Presently there's an old ugly unused parking deck, maybe six levels, on the parcel.

Sweet !

Actually, it is both a parking garage (unused) and a parking lot. Thus, it is even sweeter. And it is on Ashley - which is sweeter still. And it is across from the park/museum of art site - better yet.

I am all for this puppy. Let's build it now.


And in other news - I drov by the Embassy Suites site and the base of a crane is now on the site. Not sure when the rest will come, but I assume by Thanksgiving it will look like a nice building site.

BY the way, that picture is too far to the left. the site is a bit off to the right of the shot.

You can go here and more to the right until you see a parking garage on the next block and the river in the background. That's the spot

http://www.tecocam.com/

I Spoke to a friend the other day. She was all excited because her friends interior design firm won the contract for the Tampa Trump tower. I heard rumors that the condo on the river will have a relationship with Trump. Done Deal.
Also does anyone have a copy of the Tampa Downtown Directory? On the inside cover their is an add for The Plaza at Channelside. This one is new to me, but what a beautiful building.

Wow ? Trump ?!

Any word on Four Seasons or Ashley & Whiting ? Maybe Trump buys into one of them ?

Smiley, have you heard about the fuckups on the Embassy project? lol... Those morons are using caissons as piers for the foundation, and several of the caissons were not sunk far enough to reach bedrock, and thus bagan sinking before they even capped them at ground level... They had to shore and sump around them, smash them out and totally redo them...I think they're still working on them. (I bet this has crimped the schedule by several weeks to boot)

lol.... Like what is it with not being able to construct a proper foundation around here?

I Spoke to a friend the other day. She was all excited because her friends interior design firm won the contract for the Tampa Trump tower. I heard rumors that the condo on the river will have a relationship with Trump. Done Deal.
Also does anyone have a copy of the Tampa Downtown Directory? On the inside cover their is an add for The Plaza at Channelside. This one is new to me, but what a beautiful building.


Trump in Tampa?

uhh... I didn't realize that the market here was capable of supporting his kind of price points...wow

I did not hear about the foundation, but I am not surprised. They probably used engineers from up north who don't actually understand the meaning of muck.

As for the Plaza - see above (maybe previous page) for a big pic.

Now this Trump business - you are saying the white tower on the river near Washington street will be a "Trump" building. Whatever - I don't care if it is Trump or not, as long as they build it. I would rather he build something else so we get two nice towers - speaking of which can it really be a Trump building if it is not a boring box? (yea, sure teh Chicago one is nice, but what else)

I found this while surfing the web

Trump may get involved in Tampa, Fla., condo project By Dave Simanoff, Tampa Tribune, Fla.
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Oct. 11--TAMPA, Fla. -- Donald Trump, the New York billionaire with a presence in office buildings, luxury condominiums, casinos, reality television, bestseller lists and even men's fragrances, could soon extend that presence into the downtown Tampa skyline.

A local development group with plans for a 50-story, 213- unit condominium building along the Hillsborough River is talking to Trump's organization about taking a role in the project.

Developer Jody Simon on Saturday mentioned Trump's possible involvement to a group of business students at Saint Leo University. He said Sunday the negotiations were still preliminary, and that it would be premature to predict what part Trump may play in the project.

Simon said he didn't know on Saturday that his comments would make it into the news media, and that it would be inappropriate for him to say anything else publicly about the negotiations.

Simon is managing partner of SimDag LLC, a local developer and part of the development group that announced plans in March to build a $160 million condominium tower at the southwest corner of Whiting and Ashley streets.

The city council approved the site plan for the project in June. The tower would feature condominiums from 2,000 square feet to 5,600 square feet, priced up to $2 million.

Planned amenities include a theater, a swimming pool, spas, private wine lockers, a conference center and a catering kitchen. The ground floor will feature space for stores and a restaurant.

Construction is expected to begin early next year, and the project will take 18 to 24 months to complete.

Trump visited Tampa earlier this year, but baseball, not business, was on his agenda. Trump threw out the opening pitch March 12 at a spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros.

-----To see more of the Tampa Tribune -- including its homes, jobs, cars and other classified listings -- or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tampatrib.com.

(c) 2004, Tampa Tribune, Fla. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Wow ! So it is the Ashley & Whiting.

The URL is

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/2004_Oct_11/k.TMC.1097600831.html

What's more interesting to me is that the project is supposed to get underway in the spring?

Supposedly the Plaza on Harbour Island is supposed to start in the spring, as it the Towers at Channelside, and also Grand Central, if I'm not mistaken. And there are other projects claiming to start next year as well... About a year from now, there actually could be a good number of cranes on the skyline....amazing...:)

I take teh spring start witha grain of salt, but they could do it - Spring is still within 6 months of now.

In any event, next year is the year we will see how this really works:
1) Grand Central
2) Place
3) Towers of Channelside
4) Pinnacle Place
5) Whiting & Ashley
6) This Novare thing
7) One Bayshore, phase II
8) Plaza Harbour Island

and more. . .
December next year could be the most exciting ever around here or the most depressing. We can only wait and see.

Trump in Tampa? Cool!

That Novarre condo building looks a lot like the Spire project going up in Atlanta. I believe Spire is a Novarre project as well. I guess that's a good way to establish a "brand" in the architectural world, kind of like Architectonica and their use of the ellipse in a lot of their designs.