Tampa Development News II [Archive] - Page 2

renner01

January 11th, 2005, 12:24 PM

Print story Reuse or republish Subscribe to the Times
Trump firms up plan to tower over Tampa

Donald Trump's luxury complex would be the tallest condo project on Florida's west coast.

By JEFF HARRINGTON, Times Staff Writer
Published January 11, 2005

TAMPA - Signs abounded Monday that New York's best-known real estate mogul is serious about building a $220-million luxury condominium complex in downtown Tampa that, at 52 stories, would be the tallest condo project on Florida's west coast.

First, there's the name: Trump Tower Tampa.

There's the hired help: software executive Kelly Perdew, the recent winner of the popular reality TV series The Apprentice , is assigned to promote the Tampa project for his new boss, Donald Trump.

And, again, there's that name: Among those who have reserved a condo is Trump's 27-year-old son, Donald J. Trump Jr., a vice president in the family business.

Jody Simon, part of a local development team partnering with the Trump Organization, said the younger Trump signed up just last week to buy a unit. It's not the penthouse, but "it's a nice unit," he said.

"There was and is now an immediate buzz and level of activity (for presales) that we've never seen in any of our previous projects," said Simon, who along with his four partners has completed more than 1,000 luxury condominiums and townhouses in the bay area. Among the projects the group has in the works is HarborView Grande in Clearwater.

Simon would not quantify advance reservations, but said he was confident the building will sell out.

News of Trump's involvement surfaced late Friday. Trump made it official with an announcement in New York on Monday, revealing project details with his customary ... enthusiasm.

"We are developing a signature landmark property so spectacular that it will redefine both Tampa's skyline and the market's expectations of luxurious condominium living," Trump trumpeted. "Trump Tower Tampa will undoubtedly have a phenomenal impact on the city."

Located on a 1.5-acre site at 111 S Ashley Drive, adjacent to the Hillsborough River, the building will include 190 condominium and penthouse units ranging from 1,991 square feet to 6,150 square feet. Prices range from $700,000 to more than $6-million for the penthouse and other top units.

It would be the tallest building on the west coast of Florida, exceeding the 100 North Tampa Building across the street by 17 feet, said Tampa lawyer Ron Weaver, who shepherded the rezoning of the parcel.

"Downtown Tampa doesn't have anything like this. Period," said Dr. Howard Howell, a Clearwater orthodontist and developer involved in the project.

The builders hope to fetch record prices in downtown Tampa - and among the highest in the region - based on the Trump name, the views of where the river meets the bay, the proximity to cultural venues, nightspots and a host of amenities. The complex will feature concierge and valet services, a business center, fitness center and spa, a restaurant, retail shops, billiards and game rooms. Marketing materials describe the use of "exotic wood finishes, imported marble floors with inlaid onyx highlights and a fine art collection."

Local condo developer Brooks Byrd, who is not involved in the project, thinks the market can bear the number of condos and the price range floated by his newest competitor.

"There are folks that invest in Trump ... going from Trump project to Trump project," Byrd said. "That name recognition certainly allows them to capitalize."

Developed in partnership

The complex is being developed in a partnership between the Trump Organization and Tampa Bay-area developers SimDag-RoBEL, LLC. In addition to Simon and Howell, SimDag-RoBEL partners include Patrick Sheppard, Frank Dagostino and Robert E. Lyons.

The tower is to be built on a tract near the Brorein Street bridge long targeted as a potential residential centerpiece for downtown Tampa.

An Atlanta developer planned to build a 10-story office building on part of the site in 2001. Then, in 2003, another development group managed by Alexander Miran secured an option for the land and filed ambitious plans for erecting a 33-story residential high-rise called Presidential Tower.

Miran's group, however, didn't have the deep financial pockets to proceed. SimDag-RoBEL emerged more than a year ago to buy the parcel. It already owned the adjacent Wachovia Securities building, which it plans to retain, as well as the Wachovia Securities parking lot which will be part of the Trump Tower footprint.

From the start, the developers were interested in linking Trump to their vision; through mutual friends, Simon and Dagostino arranged to see him.

Eight months ago, the local developers flew to New York to pitch their idea to the mogul.

Under a timetable laid out Monday, developers plan to begin sales in February with a personal visit from Trump, break ground in April and open by the third quarter of 2007. The Tampa firm of Smith Barnes Santiesteban Architecture designed the tower and Turner Construction will build it.

Although SimDag-RoBEL did the heavy lifting in putting plans together, the local team insists Trump is lending far more than his name to the project.

Trump's people were deeply involved in the final design and will be actively marketing the condos, even capitalizing on Apprentice winner Perdew to personally promote the project.

Trump's ups and downs

Long before he became a TV star, Trump had made a national name for himself by building and losing several real estate fortunes.

Most recently, Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in late November. The proposed restructuring will chop Trump's stake in the resorts group from 47 percent to 27 percent, leaving him as CEO.

Such miscues aside, Trump has maintained the public persona of a successful and resilient businessman as his popular TV show and bestselling books attest. He has claimed that his name alone can boost the value of a real estate project by more than 20 percent.

Trump Tower Tampa is the billionaire's first project on the Gulf of Mexico, though he has been active elsewhere in Florida.

He has two hotel/condo projects under way in Fort Lauderdale, plus the Trump Grande Ocean Resort and Residences, part of which already is open in Sunny Isles Beach near north Miami Beach.

Real estate watchers in Florida, however, readily recall another Trump venture here that fell flat.

In 1986, Trump bought a troubled condominium venture in West Palm Beach and renamed it Trump Plaza of the Palm Beaches. Five years later, he wound up surrendering the still-troubled properties to his lender, Marine Midland Bank. That lender, in turn, dumped them at auction, taking a reported loss in the millions.

Trump Organization spokeswoman Jill Cremer indicated there is no parallel with Trump Tower Tampa.

"This is definitely happening. We have financing in place. We have construction permits in place, sales and marketing team as well (and) a significant number of reservations," Cremer said.

"There is no turning back now."

--Times researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this story. Jeff Harrington can be reached at harrington@sptimes.com or 813 226-3407.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/11/Tampabay/Trump_firms_up_plan_t.shtml

renner01

January 11th, 2005, 12:27 PM

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/11/images/large/A_1_1ATrump_TP101_0111.jpg

dudeintampa

January 11th, 2005, 03:20 PM

I can't believe they went with Toni Everett though. That lady seriously bothers me, and I'm sure others as well.

Toni Everett is definitley a unique individual, but she, like Trump in NYC, shaped the luxury home market in Tampa as we know it. It's not hard to understand why she would be their first choice. People in the demographic profile she sells to generally respect and admire her approach (usually brutal honesty). After working with her and her team from a developer perspective, I have not met a single client of hers that didn't have glowing comments.

The only thing that would concern me is that she is now representing so many of these high rises (Plaza at Harbour Island, O2, Trump Tower, Alagon, and others that have not been yet been announced, according to a friend that works for her). I would be concerned that her staff is getting overextended and could also develop some issues with transferring buyers from one tower to another... I have personally witnessed this with real estate agents representing builder/developers (their #1 interest are their own revenues, not the developers).

Just my humble opinion though...

renner01

January 11th, 2005, 03:33 PM

JV Plans $220M Trump Tower Tampa
By Alex Finkelstein
Last updated: January 10, 2005 01:11pm

TAMPA, FL-In what area consultants say will be the most spectacular multifamily project ever developed here, New York entrepreneur Donald J. Trump has selected a prime 1.5-acre site in the heart of Tampa's financial and cultural districts to build the tallest residential building on the Gulf of Mexico--a 52-story, $220-million, 190-unit condominium community that will be priced from $700,000 to $5.5 million-plus per residence.

Trump says a ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled for mid-February with actual site work beginning in April for the estimated 18-month construction period; New York-based Turner Construction Co. has been named the project's general contractor. Locally based Smith Barnes Santiesteban Architecture Inc. won the design contract. Every unit will have water views and the residences will have 1,991 sf to 6,150 sf of living area.

"We are developing a signature landmark property so spectacular that it will redefine both Tampa's skyline and the market's expectations of luxurious condominium living," Trump says in a statement. "Trump Tower Tampa will undoubtedly have a phenomenal impact on the city." The project is Trump's first in the Tampa Bay market.

Orlando area brokers and planning consultants tell GlobeSt.com Trump's organization had scouted the metro Orlando area for a suitable site but couldn't find one that compared with the Tampa Bay location. Trump representatives couldn't be reached by GlobeSt.com's publication to deadline to confirm that view.

Trump is joint venturing the project with Tampa Bay-based SimDag-RoBEL LLC, a partnership comprised of longtime developers Dr. Howard Howell, Patrick Sheppard, Frank Dagostino, Jody Simon and Robert E. Lyons. SimDag-RoBEL has completed 1,000 luxury condominium units and townhouse projects in the Tampa Bay market.

"This project, at this time, in this location, is exactly the right catalyst to accelerate our Downtown development and further establish Tampa as one of the nation's most desirable cities," says Simon. "The location, where the Hillsborough River meets the bay, is ideal for a development of this caliber." The physical address of Trump Tower Tampa is 111 South Ashley Dr.

Another SimDag-RoBEL partner, Dr. Howell, hails Trump for "continually setting new standards in every market he enters." Howell says the joint venture will produce "a luxurious, sophisticated and elegant lifestyle, unlike anything that currently exists in or is planned for the Tampa Bay area."

http://www.globest.com/news/196_196/orlando/130215-1.html

Hisma

January 11th, 2005, 03:38 PM

that Trump Tower is going to single-handedly transform the way people view downtown Tampa. Not only is it the name he brings, but the scope of the project. Yea, it's more luxury condos... something I don't think Tampa necessarily needs, but it's huge, & someone like Trump backing the project will assure it gets done. Awsome news for Tampa!

smiley

January 11th, 2005, 04:15 PM

I sure am glad they cut ten feet off the building so it under 600 feet again.

As for Toni Everett, I have no fears at all that they will be selling everything hard, and probably succeeding. This will get built, I just don't know about a Spring groundbreaking, which is what the TV news said yesterday. Maybe spring 2006.

smiley

January 11th, 2005, 04:21 PM

Wow, even the Saasota paper ran a story (actually the Trib story)- that is quite silly

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050111/BUSINESS/501110538/1200

smiley

January 11th, 2005, 04:22 PM

Some more Sage nuggets from Rhonda Storms:

Support For Streetcar Extension Stirs Up Storms
By ELLEN GEDALIUS egedalius@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 11, 2005

TAMPA - Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms threatened Monday to deny HARTline money next year because the board decided to support extending the city's streetcar line.
``It will be a cold day in hell before this commissioner will give any money to [HARTline] whatsoever,'' said Storms, a HARTline board member. The county's budget process begins this month, with requests expected throughout the spring.

Storms' comment came as HARTline board members considered whether to support seeking $2 million in federal transportation money to extend Tampa's streetcar line three-eighths of a mile to Whiting Street. The money is earmarked for projects that reduce air pollution and alleviate traffic congestion.

The Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization had rejected seeking $3 million for the project, but last week, the planning group decided to consider putting $2 million into the streetcar and $1 million toward Plant City transportation projects. No date was set for a vote.

Storms wanted the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority board on Monday to support putting money into transit rather than the streetcar, but her effort failed as other board members, including Tampa City Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena, suggested the streetcar is an economic development tool and its expansion could lead to better commuter services.

``This is not the streetcar board,'' Storms said. ``This board owes a primary obligation to HARTline services.''

HARTline runs buses throughout the county. The streetcar connects Ybor City with the Channel District.

Hillsborough County contributes more than $1.3 million to HARTline's operating budget. The county also gives HARTline about $240,000 from impact fees, with the money funding capital projects such as bus shelters.

While relying heavily on the county for operating expenses, HARTline depends largely on federal and state grants for capital costs. The agency's annual budget is about $53 million.

If the county withheld money, operating services such as weekend buses and special- event shuttles could be jeopardized, HARTline spokesman Ed Crawford said.

``That's not helping the people we're supposed to be helping,'' Crawford said.

Commissioner Brian Blair, a HARTline board member, also argued against the streetcar expansion but said later he probably wouldn't withhold county money from the transit agency.

``I don't want to punish somebody for what somebody else did,'' Blair said, noting that the board is expecting two new members and a new executive director.

He said he would continue to oppose the streetcar expansion, saying more people would benefit from better bus service.

``You're taking a chance on a streetcar system that goes from no place to nowhere,'' Blair said.

The streetcar project would cost more than $7 million. State and federal money to cover the rest of the extension cost has been requested or secured, streetcar officials have said.

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

http://tampatrib.com/floridametronews/MGBICT4OT3E.html

Dale

January 11th, 2005, 04:22 PM

596 ft. then ?

smiley

January 11th, 2005, 04:26 PM

Now this is the best - from the Malaysia Star website wires (an AP story but nice media exposure)

Tuesday January 11, 2005
Trump announces plan to build luxury Florida, condo
TAMPA, Florida (AP) - Donald Trump announced plans to add his name to the Tampa skyline with a $220 million (euro167.9 million) high-rise that will be the tallest residential building on Florida's Gulf Coast.
The ritzy 52-story Trump Tower Tampa will be built on a now vacant lot in downtown Tampa. Residences will range from $700,000 (euro534,229) to $5.5 million (euro4.2 million), and the building will include restaurants and retail shops.
Construction will begin in April, and the building could be ready for occupancy near the end of 2007.
"Frankly, having the Trump name in Tampa is going to be great,'' said Trump, whose buildings often feature his name in prominent gold letters.
In a video news release, the real estate mogul said he became interested in Tampa after visiting his friend, Yankees owner and longtime Tampa resident George Steinbrenner.
Trump Tower Tampa will feature 190 dwellings, ranging in size from nearly 2,000 square feet (180 square meters) to just over 6,100 square feet (549 square meters).
Local leaders - and Trump - say the property will help efforts to encourage people to live downtown.
"Other people will be going to Tampa because I've gone and led the path,'' he said.
"Supposedly I know what I'm doing.''
The project has already been approved by Tampa's city council.
The tallest residential building in Florida is the 70-story Four Seasons Hotel in Miami. - AP
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/1/11/business/20050111151005&sec=business

smiley

January 11th, 2005, 04:28 PM

The articles say 593 - I would not be surprised if they added a hump to get to 600, but they may not

Dale

January 11th, 2005, 05:01 PM

Now that's confusing, since the original numbers were 593 ft. at 50 stories.

tonyff67

January 11th, 2005, 06:27 PM

I can't believe they went with Toni Everett though. That lady seriously bothers me, and I'm sure others as well.

Me too. the few times I have met her she's been a rude BITCH!!!

I guess money doesn't buy Manners!

tonyff67

January 11th, 2005, 06:41 PM

Jasonhouse

January 11th, 2005, 07:17 PM

Toni Everett is definitley a unique individual, but she, like Trump in NYC, shaped the luxury home market in Tampa as we know it. It's not hard to understand why she would be their first choice. People in the demographic profile she sells to generally respect and admire her approach (usually brutal honesty). After working with her and her team from a developer perspective, I have not met a single client of hers that didn't have glowing comments.

Oh believe me, I know. I haven't dealt with the lady, but met her several months ago, and then have seen her again a couple times while snooping for info. She's actually pretty nice to me, she is just a bit of a spectacle IMO... I dont' know, certain kinds of people just wierd me out a little.

smiley

January 11th, 2005, 07:18 PM

Commissioner Storms' problems extend far beyond the trolley but seem not to include getting votes in Brandon.

Jasonhouse

January 11th, 2005, 07:22 PM

What is Rhonda's problem with the trolley? I personally think the trolley is one of the smartest things this city has done. Expanding it can only be a benefit.
With all this talk about Trump's tower, now is the time to expand it. I believe this would bring the trolley within 2 blocks of the tower, thus putting some, locals, with money on the trolley.They may not use it much , but certainly on occasions, such Ybor parades and to have dinner at The Signature room in Channelside

Rhonda needs to shut up. The trolley is great, and is going to do nothing but get busier as projects are actually built along it. I can't conceive of not expanding it up into DT (and I don't mean just to damn Whiting, what a joke). Traffic isn't exactly going to get better in DT and around DT if all these thousands of people moving there still do nothing but drive. HELLO? Wake the fuck up Rhonda...The real travesty here is that there is no rail transit linking other segments of the city to DT, and isn't going to be for a long time. (especially westshore/airport)

renner01

January 11th, 2005, 07:35 PM

More info from bidclerk.com

Bid Date: Est. Start Date:
March 2005 April 2005

Description:
Site work and new construction for a mixed-use development in Tampa. Design plans call for a 52-story building with a lobby, restaurant and retail shops on the ground floor, nine floors of parking, concierge and valet services, a business center and conference room, a party room with a catering kitchen, a spa and fitness center and an outdoor pool. 190 condominium units will occupy floor 11 through 52.

Construction is expected to start in April. Interested parties should contact the general contractor.

Jasonhouse

January 11th, 2005, 07:41 PM

Now that's confusing, since the original numbers were 593 ft. at 50 stories.

And yes, this is getting confusing.

I've seen articles say 593ft for a while, then they all started saying 603ft...Now it's back to 593ft, even though 2 floors were added?

Perhaps the 603ft was to 'sea level', but that doesn't make sense either, since there is no way that lot is 10ft above sea level.

More info from bidclerk.com

Bid Date: Est. Start Date:
March 2005 April 2005

Description:
Site work and new construction for a mixed-use development in Tampa. Design plans call for a 52-story building with a lobby, restaurant and retail shops on the ground floor, nine floors of parking, concierge and valet services, a business center and conference room, a party room with a catering kitchen, a spa and fitness center and an outdoor pool. 190 condominium units will occupy floor 11 through 52.

Construction is expected to start in April. Interested parties should contact the general contractor.

I assume that we can all agree that the GC doesn't get hired and start putting out bids unless the timetable is pretty solid on when construction will commence.

smiley

January 11th, 2005, 07:55 PM

While I would love to see all these projects get built, I am not too happy that they seem to be planning to build them on speculation - that is a great way to go broke and kill the local market.

jj44_33607

January 11th, 2005, 09:09 PM

People in Brandon - don't you realize you are embarassing yourself when you elect her? :bash:

Dale

January 11th, 2005, 09:39 PM

People in Brandon - don't you realize you are embarassing yourself when you elect her? :bash:

Maybe the people in Brandon expect her to serve the people in Brandon. Who knows ?

John F

January 11th, 2005, 09:58 PM

(personal note - I need to slow down typing and pay attention to what I am typing. My spelling is attrocious)

Something's been bugging me since I looked at the rendering again this morning (cover picture on the Times newspaper today)...

How big an altering of Tampa's Skyline doe sthis turn into with the Trump Tower Tampa?

http://photos.stonegauge.com/albums/userpics/10001/Tampa04.jpg

I look at that picture (something I took a bunch of years ago now) and I think about a narrow and tall building directly across from the 100 N. Ashley and it just feels so wierd. In essence -- it's going to be a taller, wider version fo the Marriot Waterside isn't it? I mean the design will be more different than that but it's a concrete and steal project as to glass tower.

Groundbreaking in April with completition in 2007.... That's a LONG build. I can probably find a picture on the web of the lot they'll be building on -- taken form the river -- just for reference but I don't know. It's an uneasy feeling I got now knowing how big a change is forthcoming. Oh well, sus is progress right?

Tampa610

January 11th, 2005, 10:18 PM

Had people actually had a better candidate to choose from in Brandon in 2004 perhaps Storms would have been back to living in her trailer (sorry mobile home) in the burbs and away from hampering development in downtown. Of course the only other choice was a non-partisan trans-gender who had almost no money in her campaign warchest. The thing is she still got 25% of the vote with little to no campaigning.

Write or call Storms and let her know what you think about development in downtown. 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33602, or 272-5740. As a county employee I have to keep my mouth shut, which when I see her is so hard to do, but you all can say whatever you want. Be nice! :bash:

Remember any project that doesn't benefit Brandon she will never support. The thing is she can't get it through her thick head that a vibrant downtown, with a great mass transit system, will be a benefit to Brandon residents too.

Our City Council is at least somewhat (not enough) forward thinking, but unfortunately they have to deal with a suburb loving, backward thinking, County Commission.

Jasonhouse

January 11th, 2005, 10:23 PM

Maybe the people in Brandon expect her to serve the people in Brandon. Who knows ?

That's the problem, ultimately she isn't serving anybody. Her brand of governing on emotion and preconceptions basically does nothing but ensure that we have our taxes jacked up at a later date, when the traffic is truly murderous and property values are even higher. She has no pride, no vision, no common sense, and certainly not a whiff of respectability.

Dale

January 11th, 2005, 11:49 PM

No respectability widespread, or just among proponents of DT development ?

Just curious. I don't have a dog in this fight.

Dale

January 11th, 2005, 11:50 PM

John, I don't understand. Are you concerned that TTT will mar the skyline ?

smiley

January 12th, 2005, 12:25 AM

Generally - well at least among business people and professionals, except among those who vote for her, of course.

John F

January 12th, 2005, 12:53 AM

John, I don't understand. Are you concerned that TTT will mar the skyline ?

A bit, Dale. It's not like when we've talked about new towers going up in Channelside because Channelside itself hasn't had the opportunity to be part of the skyline.

And it's not like HRT would have marred the skyline as it was another glass and steel tower that went with the trend that the Bank Of America building, the Wachovia building and 100 N Ashley all use (glass and steel).

It'll take some getting used to is probably the most truthful point about the building. It'll be directly across the street from the building that has been the monument of downtown for a decade....

And the design itself, as I tried to point out in my post, makes it just a taller and wider Marriott Waterside in terms of architecture. The Mariott seems nice up close but almost out of place when you compare it to the rest of the skyline.

This is just MHO of course and I know you guys have more opinions and architect knowledge than myself but... well, this is just me. I'm the same guy who looked at the most recent renderings for one of the twin-tower projects in Channelside and gagged because things loooked tacky.

zimna8080

January 12th, 2005, 01:00 AM

A bit, Dale. It's not like when we've talked about new towers going up in Channelside beucase Channelside itself has had the opportunity to be part of the skyline.

ANd it's not like HRT would have marred the skyline as it was another glass and steel tower that went with the trend that the Bank Of America building, the Wachovia building and 100 N Ashley all use (glass and steel).

It'll take some getting used to is probably the most truthful point about the building. It'll be directly across the street from the building that has been the monument of downtown for a decade....

And the design itself, as I tried to point out in my post, makes it just a taller and wider Marriott Waterside in terms of architecture. The Mariott seems nice up close but almost out of place when you compare it to the rest of the skyline.

This is just MHO of course and I know you guys have more opinions and architect knowledge than myself but... well, this is just me. I'm the same guy who looked at the most recent renderings for one of the twin-tower projects in Channelside and gagged because things loooked tacky.

I agree, it's a hideous monstrosity. It's very Donald Trump.

And to the people who say "well, at least Tampa is getting something new..." sure it is, but it's getting something new and awful. Like a botched nose job.

However, sometimes things look far different when when they're completed and put in the whole picture, a skyline is like a mosiac and it should all fit. Trump Tower would look better in between downtown and Channelside.

Channelside's buildings are their own style, and they will look good in Channelside, or they would even look good intermixed with downtown's towers.

Just IMHO as well, and it's good in the fact that it gives Tampa some national recognition. I've heard it said that it's the biggest thing for Tampa since the Bucs - although thats probably a little exaggeration.

Cheers
Justin
www.bayciti.net

John F

January 12th, 2005, 01:05 AM

found a picture from the river that gives more of a view of the lot where the TTT is going to be built... It's not the picture I wanted to get but it's close. It's actually taken from up-river

http://www.vandoren.net/fpm/tampa/tam069.jpg

The sand lot between the Radisson and the mid-rise

multifamilyinvestor

January 12th, 2005, 01:21 AM

John F,

I agree completely. I am concerned it is too dense for Tampa at the current level of development. The AmSouth Building is flat and tall and to fit another flat and tall (and even wider building) between it and the river seems awkward to me.

The light of day will never touch that part of Ashley ever again.

I don't blame Trump though, this is pretty much the same design as the Riverside Residences before he got involved.

The building would have been more dramatic in a different location. But hopefully I will be proved wrong

tonyff67

January 12th, 2005, 01:31 AM

too Dense???? I didn't know there was such a thing!! :D Tampa needs every bit of density it can get. Most of Tampa resembles more of a suburb than a city. Thankfully, that seems to be changing.

multifamilyinvestor

January 12th, 2005, 01:38 AM

I guess what I am saying is that TTT would have more of an impact to the skyline if it was next to 100 N. rather then in front of it. From the river, TTT will totally obscure Amsouth.

That might not be a problem, except that AmSouth is my favorite building, and from the rendering the Trump thing looks pretty ugly.

smiley

January 12th, 2005, 02:02 AM

Actually, it will only block it looking from a very specific and narrow angle - as with most other buildings anywhere at any place (I would only care if I had an office in the Wachovia building looking Southwest - and I don't, though I did)- and, so what - in real cities you can't see every building, that's the point.

Jasonhouse

January 12th, 2005, 03:28 AM

Wait a minute, I thought that was a park for the riverwalk getting built next to the Amsouth building?

The TTT will be across the street from the Wachovia building. I don't see a problem with that at all. It will be quite an imposing figure when coming up Bayshore from Davis Islands, and in those typical skyline pics from the southwest.

multifamilyinvestor

January 12th, 2005, 04:14 AM

Did I have the wrong location then? I was looking at John F.'s pic.
The sand lot that he mentioned appears to be directly in front of AmSouth.

If it is going to go on the other side of that lot, that makes a lot more sense

I am glad its going in front of Wachovia instead. That would be much better then crammed in that little sand lot shown in the pic.

smiley

January 12th, 2005, 04:26 AM

BEtween the little white seven story building and the bridge NOT between the hotel and the little white seven story building. That lot is going to be a pocket park.

Dale

January 12th, 2005, 05:22 AM

I guess it's easier for me to take in that I've not been smitten by Amsouth.

John F

January 12th, 2005, 06:09 AM

I stand corrected ont eh location. I thougth there was a park going in somewhere ont eh river and not sure where.

Agent Orange

January 12th, 2005, 06:51 AM

This is awesome, I really thought the Trump rumours were just rumours, but I guess I was wrong. Although I don't like the design (not as awful as the Four Seasons though), I guess any new high rises in Tampa is a good thing and hopefully it will draw more attention downtown. Good day for Tampa.

Mr Man

January 12th, 2005, 07:30 AM

Just had a peak at the design. UGLY BUILDING but regardless excellent news for Tampa. What a way to get people living downtown. I work in the development industry and for some reason every move Trumps makes is closly watched. We already have some projects in Tampa (sorry can't go into any details just yet) but we're already revising thanks to what's know in the development industry as the Trump effect. Go Tampa!

FLHawk

January 12th, 2005, 02:10 PM

More good news for potential downtown development. Boy, those Patels have some cash...

http://www.stpetersburgtimes.com/2005/01/12/Hillsborough/An_icon_on_road_to_re.shtml

An icon on road to renewal
Pradip C. Patel's purchase of the old Maas Brothers building could bring more residential development to the core of downtown Tampa.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published January 12, 2005

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

TAMPA - People used to come from all over Central Florida to shop in downtown Tampa's Maas Brothers department store.

Established in 1886, the retail landmark presided over the heart of the city's business district until 1991, when it closed its doors for good. It has been vacant ever since, falling into moldy disrepair and facing a demolition order from the city.

A change in ownership may soon change all that, however, with this property joining others in the next phase of downtown Tampa's residential and retail rebirth.

Managed health care executive Pradip C. Patel last month paid $3.8-million for three of the four parcels on the city block bordered by Tampa, Zack, Franklin and Twiggs streets, the one that holds the Maas Brothers building.

Patel said he's likely to put residences and commercial space on the land, but Tuesday he had no details on the project.

"It's too preliminary. We have a lot of planning to do and need to find a developer," he said. "We'll know in two or three months where we're headed."

Meanwhile, Patel is wrapping up an agreement with the city to renovate the 1904-vintage downtown federal courthouse, which is near the Maas Brothers property. He's contributing more than $6-million to that project, which will include a photographic museum, an arts charter school for middle school students and offices for nonprofit organizations.

Mayor Pam Iorio said Tuesday she's pleased to see the ownership of the Maas Brothers building change hands. The previous owner, a company called 610 Franklin Inc., headed by developer Gregory Hughes, bought the property in 1998 for $1.47-million, according to state and county records.

Hughes and his company hit hard financial times and couldn't raise the nearly half-million dollars it would take to comply with the city's demolition order for the property, which was issued in 2000.

The building needs to come down, Iorio said, because of health and safety issues. She said she's confident Patel will do right by the property.

"He's a great citizen. He's a doer," she said. "He cares about the community."

A residential and retail tower on the Maas Brothers site would dovetail with plans for a similar project just a few blocks away at Ashley Drive and Polk streets, she said. There, Atlanta's Novare Group and Tampa's Intown Group are building a 381-unit, 32-story tower.

"You start to create a synergy," she said. "You're really talking about a neighborhood."

Patel comes from a family that has contributed extensively to downtown Tampa's revival.

His brother, Kiran, and Kiran's wife, Pallavi, donated $5-million to establish the Dr. Pallavi Patel Performing Arts Conservatory, which opened in November at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Pradip Patel said he embarked on the courthouse project because he's committed to historic preservation. The Maas Brothers property, he said, is a wise investment.

"A lot of downtowns in big cities are coming back, and downtown Tampa is ready to do that," he said.

He pointed out that even Donald Trump, whose company this week confirmed plans to build a residential tower in downtown Tampa, sees the neighborhood's potential.

"It's ready for growth," Patel said. "It may be three or four years away, but that's how long a project like this takes."

zimna8080

January 12th, 2005, 02:30 PM

The Towers at Channelside groundbreaking is Friday January 14th, in the evening, "cocktail attire" is required. I'm going, is anyone else from here?

Cheers,
Justin
www.bayciti.net

Jasonhouse

January 12th, 2005, 02:49 PM

^hehe... If I was going, I wouldn't be now. I'm not a "dress up" kind of guy.

That's great to see the Mass brothers site finally get moving as well. Hopefully this Patel guy realizes what he's getting into, and can get that project going sooner, rather than later. The building has to come down soon anyways, and I would rather not look at an empty lot for very long.

That would be a sweet place to put something around 400-450ft tall. I bet he goes shorter though.

Lakelander

January 12th, 2005, 03:13 PM

^I'm wondering what he comes up with. It would be pretty interesting if he could preserve parts of the old building and incorporate them into a new structure.

smiley

January 12th, 2005, 03:47 PM

What?

Trump says his tower's 70% sold
The real estate mogul officially kicks off sales for his Tampa high-rise Feb. 18. But it already has takers, he says.
By JEFF HARRINGTON, Times Staff Writer
Published January 12, 2005

TAMPA - It was only a day after confirming he would co-develop the biggest high-rise condo complex on Florida's west coast, Trump Tower Tampa, and real estate magnate Donald Trump and his associates were already thinking "sellout."
"They've really been selling incredibly well. I think they're 70 percent sold out already," Trump said in an interview from his New York headquarters Tuesday.
Would-be buyers have rushed to plunk down a 10 percent reservation fee to hold one of 190 condo units in the 52-story downtown Tampa high-rise, which is slated to open in late 2007. The per-unit price borders on the highest Tampa has ever seen: from $700,000 to more than $6-million.
Trump Organization spokeswoman Jill Cremer cringed after her boss let slip the 70 percent reservations figure, as developers had been keeping a lid on releasing numbers.
"But it's not false; let's just say that," Cremer said.
"There has been amazing interest in this project since they secretly let out the reservations agreement in December."
That percolating interest boiled over Monday when Trump made his involvement in the $220-million venture official. By Tuesday morning, with the development front-page news in bay area newspapers and on the airwaves, callers had besieged the offices of everyone involved with the project to learn more. Trump's office, his Tampa co-developer SimDag-RoBEL, marketing agents and the project's real estate representative, the Toni Everett Co., were all fielding requests.
"It's been maddening in a good way," said Jody Simon, one of five bay area partners in SimDag-RoBEL. "We've had literally tens of thousands of hits on the Web site (wwww.trumptowertampa.com) today. Over 300 people have requested information on the building. It's unbelievable."
Cremer said all units may well be reserved before Trump's planned visit to Tampa on Feb. 18 to officially kick off the sales phase.
But loath to dissuade potential buyers, Cremer also pointed out that not all those who reserved a unit may follow through with a purchase.
Some buyers have followed Trump from project to project in different cities; some no doubt intend to flip their condo for a quick profit, betting that the bay area's condo craze will continue.
Buyers have to pony up a 10 percent deposit to reserve a unit and another 10 percent after signing a sales contract sometime after mid February.
Gail Bernucca, a Tampa Realtor with Coldwell Banker, was among those seeking to put her clients in the queue to buy a condo Tuesday. Though she was waiting for a callback, she was hopeful of success even if reservations approach a sellout.
"These (potential buyers) aren't a dime a dozen at this price point," she said. "How many of them are for real?"
Bernucca said there were numerous draws to the project, starting with the Trump brand.
"There's an aura," she said. "There's no question people know he builds an absolute gorgeous project. And there's all the Apprentice stuff."
The popularity of the reality series, The Apprentice, catapulted Trump's already substantial name recognition and turned "You're fired" into a national catch-phrase. It also has solidified Trump's image as a business icon, although, in reality, he has both won and lost fortunes over the years. Most recently, he reorganized Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts in bankruptcy court, emerging with his ownership stake chopped from 47 percent to 27 percent.
Developers would not disclose how much equity the Trump Organization has invested in the Tampa venture, but said the involvement goes beyond lending the name to both design and marketing expertise.
Trump acknowledged Tuesday he is less familiar with Tampa than Palm Beach, where he has a multimillion-dollar "fixer-upper." He plans to renovate a 43,000-square-foot estate he recently bought, and to build another house on the property before selling it. He's also planning a lavish wedding for Jan. 22 with Slovenian model Melania Knauss in Palm Beach.
Yet, Trump also has visited Tampa numerous times, often to watch the New York Yankees play or visit with longtime friend and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
When a group of "fantastic developers" from Tampa pitched the notion of Trump Tower Tampa to him early last year, Trump said, "it all came together."
"I just like the feel of it. ... I think it's a project waiting to happen."
Trump said his son, Donald J. Trump Jr., is not the only member of his organization who plans to buy one of the Tampa condos. "Some of my other people will, too," he said.
Over the past two years, lenders and developers have speculated that Tampa's hot and increasingly expensive condominium market may be a bubble about to burst.
But Simon contends his deal with Trump indicates just the opposite: Downtown Tampa may be jumping to a new level as a tony address for the well-heeled, perhaps along the lines of Naples or Palm Beach.
"This has potential to jump-start something that has been boiling over for the last dozen years," Simon said. "There's always been that push to revitalize downtown Tampa and a lot of people are always nervous to be that first mover. We just swallowed that nervousness and took the first step."
Jeff Harrington can be reached at harrington@sptimes.com or 813 226-3407.
[Last modified January 12, 2005, 00:46:05]
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/12/Business/Trump_says_his_tower_.shtml

smiley

January 12th, 2005, 03:53 PM

As for the Maas Brothers site - it doesn't sound like the renewal of an Icon, it sound like the demolition of an icon.

jj44_33607

January 12th, 2005, 04:07 PM

I drove through downtown the other day and saw they were tearing down a parking gararge near the TECO building. Does that have anything to do with the projects on this thread? ANyone know what's happening there?

Zimmna - I disagree that the Trump building is a hideous monstrosity! It's definitely better than some of the current projects underway/completed...for instance - The Grandview....could that thing be anymore of a plain shoebox tipped on its side? AND - that is a showpiece property on channelside. Very ugly. :)

FLHawk

January 12th, 2005, 05:30 PM

With the news of the impending demolition of the Maas Bros building, just curious as to what you guys think about the possibility of preserving a couple other downtown "icons."

The Floridan? Kress Building?

(Kress, in particular, I think would be a shame to see town down, as the facade is really very attractive and unique, IMO)

multifamilyinvestor

January 12th, 2005, 05:39 PM

With regard to Floridian and Kress, this from the Tampa's Downtown website. Not sure if it is current:

Kress Square
The "Kress block" has been assembled by the Doran Jason Group which plans to construct a 147,900 sq.ft., mixed-use (office, retail, residential) development, Kress Square, utilizing the existing historic buildings. A development agreement has been approved and a $4.5 million HUD 108 loan has been applied for by the City to assist in the $20 million development. The residential segment will consist of 10 loft apartments in the Newberry Building and 48 lofts in the Kress. Twenty-five percent of lofts would be "affordable housing" ($551-$651/month.) Restaurants, retail and offices would employ 385 people.

Floridan Hotel
Located just one block north of the new Federal Courthouse, developers have secured a $6.5 million Section 108 HUD loan for The Floridan's redevelopment. The developers and the city are working with the owners to maintain the 170,000 square foot structure as a historic hotel. Plans call for converting the current 316 rooms into 226 spacious suites. A 340 space parking garage is also planned.

See:
http://www.tampasdowntown.com/redevel.htm

smiley

January 12th, 2005, 05:51 PM

1) that info is pretty old. No idea what the real status is

2) the Floridan better be saved - I think it will go condo eventually - once tehre is a decent North Downtown scene.

sarasotan

January 12th, 2005, 07:16 PM

The Kress also has a few problems though, first of all there is no roof on a large portion of the building. I wouldn't be suprised if the city let it go, though it would be sad. If anyone was going to save it, it would take huge financial resources, though I think a good use for it would be to preserve the facades (and put in store fronts) but have the upper floors as a new residential/office tower or parking, such as was done in S. Beach with a condemned strip of storefronts.

The Floridan is in bad shape, too. In you go into the Fed. Courthouse you can see the interior, and it is not pretty. It is one of the last buildings from the 'old' skyline, so I hope the city steps in to save it. A boutique hotel with condos would be excellent for it, but then again North DT isn't S. Beach, and some city leaders just hate old buildings (even though they make other cities prosperous to a degree, but so do streetcars), so lets keep the fingers crossed.

smiley

January 12th, 2005, 07:24 PM

I agree on the analysis except this:

1) the Floridan was actually upgraded so to speak a few years ago when it got in very bad shap (as opposed to just bad shape)

2) Thsoe two blockes are really loved by the city and they really want to save them.

I think the Floridan is prime for someone with a little vision and a little capital.

multifamilyinvestor

January 12th, 2005, 07:47 PM

Another pic:

http://www.doranjasongroup.com/developments/images/kress-ph1.jpg

multifamilyinvestor

January 12th, 2005, 07:47 PM

This from the Doran Jason Group website:

Our Kress Block project is comprised of three historic buildings in downtown Tampa. They are the Newberry, the Woolworth and the Kress buildings, which total roughly 148,000 square feet. These buildings are scheduled for renovation and re-positioning. Photos are available.

http://www.doranjasongroup.com/developments/images/kress-ph2.jpg

See: http://www.doranjasongroup.com/developments/inprocess.html

Dale

January 12th, 2005, 07:47 PM

Two factoids about Tampa:

(1) Plans to recusitate the Floridian are older than Christ.

(2) The Doran Jason group have had plans for DT Tampa since before Christ.

*Sorry to bring religion into it* :)

Lakelander

January 12th, 2005, 07:59 PM

Those buildings, including the old Maas Brothers building aren't any different from the old relics rotting up here in Jacksonville and any other US city of decent size.

We've got a couple of buildings here, recently purchased to undergo restoration, that have been vacant for decades. The roof in one fell in years ago and currently its basement level is a lake. Anyway, these buildings are being renovated primarily because they are the oldest significant buildings left in downtown and too much as been destroed already. Where there's a will, there's a way. And that way, at this time, requires tax incentives.

Unfortunately, the city of Tampa could care less about these old buildings. Maybe, if they were in Ybor, it would be a different story. It wouldn't suprise me to see the Floridian & the Kress end up being torn down, sometime in the future, because without the city helping out, there's a very slim chance a private developer will come in and pay extra to fix any of these large decaying buildings up.

Jasonhouse

January 12th, 2005, 09:02 PM

They had damn well better save the Floridan in its entirety, and at least the Franklin facade of the Kress block.

There are all kinds of grants and such to get, to help make the numbers work. The city should have someone on those details like white on rice, ensuring that the buildings are saved.

smiley

January 13th, 2005, 05:10 AM

I say the Floridan will be saved, unless it falls on its own. The maas and Kress buildings - I don't really care about the interiors, I just want hte faceads. I would be perfectly happy if they used the facades and filled them in with modern buildings.

tonyff67

January 13th, 2005, 02:24 PM

Zimmna - I disagree that the Trump building is a hideous monstrosity! It's definitely better than some of the current projects underway/completed...for instance - The Grandview....could that thing be anymore of a plain shoebox tipped on its side? AND - that is a showpiece property on channelside. Very ugly. :)

HEY!!!!! :mad2:

I live in the Grandview!!!!!!

You are right though, it is an ugly building. I have said that from day one. Believe me it is MUCH nicer inside and you can't beat the location!!!!

smiley

January 13th, 2005, 03:14 PM

Two thigs:
1) Despite bieng a big box, Grandview is the best integrated building in Tampa. If you walk by it you don't even notive it is 20 stories tall. It just seems to be part of the apartment complex. IF only ParkCrest were done that well.

2) Not a building but nice anyway:
Tampa's Downtown Connection
By MITZI GORDON mgordon@mediageneral.com
Published: Jan 11, 2005

Between tall buildings and across green park lawns, something powerful is coursing through downtown Tampa.
Invisibly, it descends from rooftops and slips around cars and into the waiting hands of people on the street.

It’s information. Fast, wireless and free.

By collaborating with local tech company Sago Networks, the Tampa Downtown Partnership has helped bring a broadband Internet “hot spot” to the city.

Area residents, businesses and visitors now have freedom to work online, shop and surf the Net in most outdoor areas downtown without the usual monthly or per-minute access fees.

“It’s making us a city of today and tomorrow,” said Christine Burdick, president of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, a not-for-profit organization focused on revitalizing Tampa’s city center.

The wireless zone currently covers the Lykes Gaslight Park central business district, as well as areas adjacent to the St. Pete Times Forum and the tip of Harbour Island.

The system was tested just before Christmas, and everything seems to be up and running well, according to Karen Kress, who served as the Downtown Partnership’s project liaison and assistant.

Anyone with a wireless-enabled device, like a laptop computer or PDA, can utilize the service.

A symbol announcing hot-spot availability will soon be posted outside downtown businesses and restaurants.

Informational brochures available at these locations will explain how to log on using various operating systems and describe time constraints of the free broadband service.

Sago Networks will be able to track the number of people logging on, giving an indication of how the network is being used and how it can be improved.

Channel District resident Darrin Guilbeau feels the new hot spot has great potential. As president of Silicon Advantage, an independent company offering Web development and marketing services, he sees the wireless network as a step toward the future.

“I think it’s huge,” Guilbeau said. “If we’re supposed to be a progressive and proactive city, we need to have something like this in place.”

He hopes the project might lay groundwork for Tampa’s continued growth as a high-tech location. Keeping tourists and travelers connected on the streets is “a big selling feature for the city,” he said.

Kress said future project goals include extending a blanket hot zone from the University of Tampa to the Channel District, and possibly north to Interstate 275.

“They’re really going to concentrate equipment on areas we think will be well utilized,” she said.

Some building property managers downtown have also expressed interest in creating wireless interiors for their tenants, Kress said.

Meanwhile, Burdick and others at the partnership plan to monitor the pilot project’s effectiveness and consider future upgrades.

Guilbeau said he would eventually like to see more local information made available online.

“It would be nice if you could just punch in on your cell phone or car and find the nearest coffee shop or movie theater and see what’s playing or get traffic information,” he said. “I guess the ultimate goal would be to have a city where you can just roam the streets, catch the trolley or do whatever you want to do while using your laptop … where you’re always connected.”

Tampa Downtown Partnership projects promote the downtown area through marketing, business development, transportation and beautification efforts.

Stay tuned to www.tampasdowntown.com for information about an official hotspot kickoff event planned for February.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGB0M1L8U3E.html

jj44_33607

January 13th, 2005, 06:02 PM

jj44_33607

January 13th, 2005, 06:05 PM

in the Tampa Trib this morning. Don't mean to jump the gun on you Smiley or Jasonhouse, but here is the link: http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBCK6P0X3E.html

BTW - you guys do an excellent job of maintaining this thread. Thanks. :)

zimna8080

January 13th, 2005, 06:24 PM

Ok, maybe I was a little harsh on The Grandview. I meant no offense to anyone. I'm certain it is absolutely fantastic on the inside. Just the view of it from the outside is less than spectacular, for a showcase location...and it is certainly in an ideal location.

When you live in a tower (especially in a smaller city) you get personally attached to it more than you would a house, because you're part of a community. A community of people who moved in so they have your same tastes - and share your views, pool table, parking garage, etc...

It's pretty easy to take offense when someone says your building is ugly (even if it really is) because you've chosen to live there and its a direct reflection on you... that said - I think the Trump Tower is hideous but I'm considering reserving a condo in it anyway (instead of Novare...) because its the biggest and the tallest and has a great location.

I'll wager the next two big residential markets after CS are the Gandy Corridor and around Spruce and Lois.

Cheers
Justin
www.bayciti.net

Dale

January 13th, 2005, 06:53 PM

The French writer Guy DeMaupassant said that the best place to view Paris was from the foot of the Eiffel Tower (he thought it was hideous).

So maybe you're saying the best place to view Tampa is from *inside* Trump Tower. :)

Jasonhouse

January 13th, 2005, 06:54 PM

I didn't know you were that loaded Zimna... jeez.

And btw, the grandview is ok from the north, but the view from the south is puke-o-riffic.

multifamilyinvestor

January 13th, 2005, 07:05 PM

I think the Trump Tower is hideous but I'm considering reserving a condo in it anyway

I agree that the rendering is pretty bad. But who knows, maybe the real building will be better. Here's hoping anyway.

Jasonhouse

January 13th, 2005, 07:13 PM

I guess you guys haven't noticed, but most condos in Tampa tend to look like stucco fortresses...

SkyDiveJunkee

January 13th, 2005, 08:06 PM

I was in Tampa on Monday and did a lot of driving around, especially the West Tampa area and Ybor on the other side of I-4. I really thought that was a great urban neighborhood with a lot of architecturally integrity. What is the real estate market like in this area? Is it gentrifying? Is it dangerous? With a little help, those streets could be some of the best in Florida.

Jasonhouse

January 13th, 2005, 08:48 PM

I don't know. I guess being from up north, I've never been much impressed with any of Tampa's urbanity, other than Ybor and a block here and there in West Tampa.

zimna8080

January 13th, 2005, 08:58 PM

I guess you guys haven't noticed, but most condos in Tampa tend to look like stucco fortresses...

I noticed that, I wish they would get either a better architectural style or some variation. St. Petersburg's towers always look too delicate and lace-y... I hate that.

I'm not loaded, it's either going to be a nice-ish Novare or a lowest-end Trump.
Mm... smell that river.

Cheers
Justin
www.bayciti.net

Jasonhouse

January 13th, 2005, 09:05 PM

From what I understand, the 'low-end' Trumps are basically gone. Most everything left is going for like $1.3M+...

SkyDiveJunkee

January 13th, 2005, 09:41 PM

I don't know. I guess being from up north, I've never been much impressed with any of Tampa's urbanity, other than Ybor and a block here and there in West Tampa.

I'm from up North too, but I do see the potential. I think much more emphasis shoudl be placed on building out Ybor before downtown. It would be far easier.

Dale

January 13th, 2005, 09:47 PM

I think Tampa's got some great neighborhoods.

I myself love Hyde Park, for instance.

Jasonhouse

January 13th, 2005, 10:52 PM

The city will hopefully do what it can in spite of the county bumblefucks to redevelop the area between DT and Ybor. If the city cleans up that area, then that whole swath from Ybor to Hyde Park will take off.

smiley

January 13th, 2005, 11:21 PM

tonyff67

January 13th, 2005, 11:55 PM

tampabound

January 14th, 2005, 01:22 AM

Next time your are in ybor drive around south of 7th and north of Adamo. You will see urbanization going on - not tall, but certainly urban. It is a quiet thing in the relatively early stages, but it is making good progress and the projects are small enough that they actually get built.

I agree. That is perhaps the only neighborhood in Tampa that is developing "organically" into an urban neighborhood (unlike Channelside, where the buildings are getting off the ground where no neighborhood existed before).

By the way, the Ybor Village Lofts phase I are complete and the condos on 5th with 19th as well as the ones on 4th with 15th are very near completion. Also, the Ybor planning commission gave a presentation on Monday about the direction Ybor development should and will take. The gist: they want to spur mixed used development on 8th ave to be similar to 7th ave., and there are plans for another parking garage in the far east side of strip (where business is lagging due to lack of parking).

Jasonhouse

January 14th, 2005, 05:00 AM

They should find a way to fill up the other two garages before building another. The city is losing enough money as it is.

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 05:50 AM

Saw some of the haering on the 20 story Crescent project on Bayshore. A number if interesting things - was 2 buildings, then one, now I think they are going for two again (very confusing here). The odd thing was, I was told the 26 story building at One Bayshore was dead, but it was discussed as a completely active project during the hearing. (odd)

In any event, there final zoning issue was delayed a few weeks, but my impression is that it will be passed. Building (or buildings, or whatever) was interesting but not wonderful. Kind of overwhelming in one direction as they had the whole thing facing the water.

Jasonhouse

January 14th, 2005, 06:23 AM

I was wondering several weeks back what made you think that the second tower of One Bayshore was dead.

I figured it anything, it was delayed or was changing hands at most. There was no way that parcel, which has already been approved, was going to just sit dormant for the hell of it.

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 01:18 PM

The Cresecent guy told me the plan was changed to just the 2 where the green apartments are.

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 01:19 PM

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 01:20 PM

not sure about this, but maybe: see last sentence.

Art museum hires marketing director
By Times Staff Writer
Published January 14, 2005

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

TAMPA - The Tampa Museum of Art has hired Sherry Stepleton as director of marketing and communications.

Stepleton joins the museum from the Tucson Museum of Art, where she was director of marketing and public relations since 1997.

"Sherry brings solid marketing and public relations expertise to this new position," said Emily Kass, museum director. "I am looking forward to her joining our management team as we solidify our plans for the new Tampa Museum of Art."

Stepleton begins work at the museum on Jan. 18. Groundbreaking for a new, larger art museum is scheduled for March.

[Last modified January 14, 2005, 00:30:19]
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/14/Hillsborough/Art_museum_hires_mark.shtml

tampabound

January 14th, 2005, 02:23 PM

Ok, here is a St. Pete Times article that can best be described as their routine jealousy, so I am not going to actually take up space with it, but this is the link

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/14/Business/Trump_s_big_gamble__W.shtml

That article reeks of jealousy. It was also written by a suburbanite. The reporter basically asks who would ever want to pay that much money to live downtown when they could spend the same amount of money on a huge house at the edge of the suburbs (Avila)?
Dumbass.

FLHawk

January 14th, 2005, 02:58 PM

I agree, but also think it is indicative of the Bay area's inferiority complex, to a degree. When Trump builds in Miami or Chicago, they're excited and it makes news, but nobody asks, "Why would Trump want to build here?"

I don't think it's necessarily unique to Tampa. I've lived in a couple other medium-sized cities, and they always seem to be striving to appear more "urbane," "cosmopolitan," "big time," yada, yada.

You see it in the marketing for many of the newer residential towers/complexes, with comparisons to South Beach, Bourbon Street, etc.

I'm excited to see Tampa grow and evolve, but in it's own way. Just my opinion.

FLHawk

January 14th, 2005, 03:13 PM

(Which, incidentally, is not a criticism of Tampa. I've chosen to live here for almost a decade, and I think the city has a lot to offer with many exciting new changes in store)

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 04:28 PM

True. And the only way to overcome that complex is to get some "fancy" stuff and go with it.

Incidentally, St. Pete has it worse than Tampa, which is why they wrote the article - it hurts their claim to have a better downtown - you'll never see a why would someone live indowntown St. Pete article. Nonetheless, it is irrelevant at this point.

zimna8080

January 14th, 2005, 04:44 PM

That article reeks of jealousy. It was also written by a suburbanite. The reporter basically asks who would ever want to pay that much money to live downtown when they could spend the same amount of money on a huge house at the edge of the suburbs (Avila)?
Dumbass.

I dont think it's jealousy, I think it's realism. Civic boosterism has it's cheerleaders, as just about everyone here is (including myself) - and newspapers are usually pretty big at boosterism. When you have a (smallish) market suddenly flooded with 8-10 condo towers with million dollar price points you will have to take it down a notch eventually.

There are some important questions raised by that article, including that downtown Tampa is currently dead after 5pm and on weekends, and that the Trump Tower will be in the midst of that.

Also, for the record, from back in the day Bay Plaza/Plaza Tower/Jannus Landing opening junk in St Pete - the Times did indeed run a ton of articles and editorials espousing "why would anyone want to live in downtown St Pete?"

I thought it was a great article, it's a refreshing change from loads of pieces about how-many-units and "starting at X and going up to Y for the penthouses" ...

FLHawk

January 14th, 2005, 05:19 PM

I agree, Smiley. Imagine how "fancy" Ashley Drive could be in 3-4 years with Novare's Tower, Trump Tower Tampa, the new Museum of Art, and an OK Radisson revamped into a nice Sheraton. Throw in the planned Riverwalk and Children's Museum, and I think that Western part of downtown could be a nice counter-balance to the growing activity in the Channel District.

John F

January 14th, 2005, 06:20 PM

Surprised you skipped posting this, smiley... It made the cover of the Times and I thought for sure someone would post this....

A rendering of Downtown plus TTT:
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/14/images/graphics/trumptampa.jpg

John F

January 14th, 2005, 06:26 PM

Also there is an article about the high hopes for downtown rebirth:

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/14/Citytimes/Evolving__ever_so_slo.shtml

Jasonhouse

January 14th, 2005, 07:22 PM

That article reeks of jealousy. It was also written by a suburbanite. The reporter basically asks who would ever want to pay that much money to live downtown when they could spend the same amount of money on a huge house at the edge of the suburbs (Avila)?
Dumbass.

Indeed. Her whole point really makes no sense if you think about it. She basically says that the TTT isn't worth it, because there's no upscale amenities nearby (say what?)... But, WHERE are the upscale amenities near Avila? Or even Cheval, Tampa Palms or Westchase? Oh that's right, aside from a few scattered chain stores and restaurants, it's all down in the city, with a DT location being close to all of it but Intl Plaza (and that's still much closer than if someone lived in the burbs).

Also, since there is "no market" for such things, perhaps she can explain why po-dunk towns like Naples, Ft Myers and Sarasota are exploding with upscale urban growth in their DTs? Times change lady, get with the program.

John F

January 14th, 2005, 07:59 PM

I think the article, with the piece about Availa and such, addresses the contradiction between thsi area as a whole and upscale apartment living.

Most people are flocking to Florida for suburbanite living. nice weather, property of there own and plenty of itm gated communities and keep-me-away-from-society enclosed sub-divisions.

Having an apartment building of luxury is a contradiction to the grandoise mansions and elaborate hourses in upscale resort-communities that this area is known for.

You can label it jealousy or just a great big WTF but Tampa Bay is one perpetual suburb and for a good swath of people with money to burn - they take as much property and as much ofa building as they can instead of an address in the middle of things.

Dale

January 14th, 2005, 08:07 PM

What a great little pic !

Although the BOA seems tallest from that perspective.

Jasonhouse

January 14th, 2005, 08:20 PM

According to the Census Bureau, the Tampa metro is home to something like 35,000 millionaires (people whose money doesn't include their home's equity) during the year. Surely everyone would readily agree that not every single one of them wants to live lockstep in the sticks, or cooped up on the beach.

and btw, I personally wouldn't be surprised to see like 10% or more of DT Tampa's units be used by part time snowbird types. And so far as I'm concerned, I think it's great. The city gets the property taxes just the same.

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 08:21 PM

Hey, for some reason I missed that picture - it's nice, but it ouwld be nicer if they went 5 blockesto the east and added in all the other stuff.

That article is all St. Pete Times bs. Everybody tosses up a handwringing artcile now and then, but they consistently overplay St. Pete and underplay tampa. Last yaer they were saying Channelside would be uncool, now it's this.

By the way, I drove by Channelside and I think they were taking teh towers at Channeslide tent down. Now that has to annoy St. PEte Times folks - here you have 2 30-stroy building going up about a year after being announced, when the Opus projects are still on hte first building. Not that I don't want st. Pete to be cool - I do and I like it, but the chauvanism annoys me. Why can't you just want them both to be cool

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 08:22 PM

Oh yea, the view of the trailer park behind Avila is not quite as nice at the 50th floor on the River. Not that avila is not nice - it is - but still . . .

John F

January 14th, 2005, 08:43 PM

As for both areas beign cool as to just one downtown:

That is the whole underlying thing in the region -- the Hattsfields/McCoy's attitude between Pinellas and Hillsborough or Tampa/St. Petersburg. It's like segregation -- seperate but equal and yet each side of the bay is secretly hoping to one-up the other side of the bay with something. They con't work together at all to make the entire region better -- they have to just try to compete and to hell with the citizens :(

multifamilyinvestor

January 14th, 2005, 08:46 PM

Great Pic!

Does anyone understand how the Riverside Residences were only 50 stories and 603 feet and the Trump Tower is 52 Stories and only 593? Did they take ~30 feet from the base and then add 2 stories?

multifamilyinvestor

January 14th, 2005, 08:56 PM

Jasonhouse

January 14th, 2005, 08:57 PM

^ the difference is, back then we really were two separate areas. Now, we're one big tangle of municipalities, and the bureaucracy desperately needs to be streamlined.

As for both areas beign cool as to just one downtown:

That is the whole underlying thing in the region -- the Hattsfields/McCoy's attitude between Pinellas and Hillsborough or Tampa/St. Petersburg. It's like segregation -- seperate but equal and yet each side of the bay is secretly hoping to one-up the other side of the bay with something. They con't work together at all to make the entire region better -- they have to just try to compete and to hell with the citizens :(

Yes, I HATE that about our area. And when people like Rhonda Storms not only get elected, but then relelected, I literally want to move out of the area. I hate how everything must be a political pissing contest, while we citizens get shorted. This area has so much more potential, if only people would actually quit being little bitches, and actually accomplish something. Thankfully, Tampa's city government isn't too terrible. Just don't get in any situation where you have to deal with the utilities people. (yikes!)

Jasonhouse

January 14th, 2005, 09:01 PM

***And btw, we need to start spreading out our discussions into other threads like the Miami folks did. Otherwise we're going to be archiving this thread every few weeks, and that is going to get annoying.

I think the next version of this thread will be treated much differently. It will only exist for the developments list to be maintained and updated. News and discussions about other development will just go in threads as they come. With Miami in its own forum, there is no need for the rest of Florida to basically be compressed into the sticky threads.

John F

January 14th, 2005, 09:47 PM

***And btw, we need to start spreading out our discussions into other threads like the Miami folks did. Otherwise we're going to be archiving this thread every few weeks, and that is going to get annoying.

I think that's a good idea. I was starting to think about this myself lately....

We can have a thread specificallyf or Channelside discussion, for single spectacular projects (Trump), etc...?

Jasonhouse

January 14th, 2005, 09:51 PM

Yeah, exactly. Now that the Florida forum is effectively 'slower', we don't have to be nearly so rigid in how we post.

John F

January 14th, 2005, 09:54 PM

I think to a certain extent competition in the Bay Area has been good. I think the Tribune and the Times push each other to be better. I think that Tampa International Airport wouldn't have strived to be so awesome if it had not been competing with St. Petersburg - Clearwater Airport for dominance early on in it's history. If not for competetion, maybe St. Petersburg wouldn't have pushed so hard to get baseball and we would only have 2 major sports franchises right now. (Although I am admittedly not crazy about the stadium).

I disagree -- greatly. Competition is what got the Dome built and that's detrimental to the area and not a strength. St. Petersburg wanted to one-up Tampa and they finally found a way to do it by building their white elephant.... That was detrimental to getting baseball moreso than the helping finally land a team.

St. Pete/Clearwater has not pushed Tmapa International as much as you make it out to have. In fact, iit really doesn't do much besides serving the things Tampa International can't (Fedex/UPS flights, Coast Guard, small carriers and private planes). And even St. Pete/Clearwater is another example of the Hattsfields vs. the McCoys: The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority extended an offer to St. Pete Clearwater to work together under one banner. To basically unify and spreadd aviation needs between TIA and St. Pete/Clearwater (this was a few years ago - I doubt many will remember it) and Pinellas outright rejected the offer.

Mass Transit is another thing all together but it's also the same. Even standard road design is something that both counties won't agree on -- the connectors suffer a bit because of it (and I mean the non interstate connectors). Tampa and Pinellas are planning seperate-but-equal rail systems while it's a state senator (Jim Sebesta) who is pushing for commuter rail service through the bay area which woudl provide one system.

Pinellas County Government wants no part of Tampa besides the suburbanites who work there. Tampa wants no part in Pinellas besides advertising the beaches that are located there...

zimna8080

January 14th, 2005, 10:43 PM

By the way, I drove by Channelside and I think they were taking teh towers at Channeslide tent down. Now that has to annoy St. PEte Times folks -

Somewhat ironic given that the St. Pete Times Forum is next door....

multifamilyinvestor

January 14th, 2005, 11:16 PM

I agree with you that competition has caused greater harm then good. As I stated before, Pinellas and Hillsbourough need to get together on the Mass Trasit issue.

I do think competition has resulted in some positives though. I stand by my point that early on competition between the two airports pushed them to be better. Even today, St. Petersburg Clearwater Airport does more then service Fedex/UPS flights. It keeps the cost of air travel to and from the bay area down by creating competion.

I doubt we would have had baseball if St. Petersburg hadn't built a stadium. If you remember, Tampa ALMOST didn't step up to build a stadium for their Bucs. When baseball finally did expand in 1995, would Tampa have been able to afford to build the Ray-Jay and the Ice Palace and a baseball stadium at the same time? There was no certainty that we were going to have a baseball team back then. Hell, our football team wasn't even planning on sticking around.

I don't want to argue this point too much though. I agree with you that Tampa Bay could be a lot stronger with a little cooperation. but IMO competition has not been entirely bad for the area.

smiley

January 14th, 2005, 11:16 PM

This is all well and good, but I wish they would finish connecting all the roads in the immediate area first:

A way around traffic troubles
Friday, January 14, 2005
With the Bay area population booming, the Department of Transportation expects a traffic explosion along I-275 during the next 20 years.

Therefore, during the next month it will start conducting a half-million dollar study on a north-south beltway bypass that would carry commuters around congestion.

"We're looking at the bigger picture of our region to determine what are our future needs related to transportation," said DOT planning manager Bob Clifford. "Particularly, looking at a beltway around the central core areas of the bigger regions of our community."

The DOT says the beltway could start at Highway 19 in Citrus County, then work its way to the east across I-75 before turning south. It would then drop into eastern Hillsborough and possibly into Polk County. Continuing south, the beltway would gradually turn west into Manatee and Sarasota counties before connecting to I-75.

Bay News 9 metro traffic reporter Russ Handler says the beltway concept is important because traffic growth in the metro-Tampa area will be pushing north in the coming years.

"Right now we have a metropolis that goes up to Highway 54," said Handler. "In the next 20 years, this metropolis is going to extend, trust me, up to Brooksville. Brooksville will no longer be a far-out city. It will be part of Tampa as far as I'm concerned."

The beltway study is only preliminary, but if it shows promise, more detailed studies could follow.

"Depending upon where we see opportunities and what may arise out of that effort, we may look to fund a more detailed analysis of what's out there," said Clifford. "And start to refine the findings we come to in this study."

Clifford says the beltway could even go beyond regular vehicle traffic and include an express bus or rail service.

The study is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2005/1/14/68290.html

Jasonhouse

January 15th, 2005, 01:20 AM

Hey bro, I made a thread for that last night.

smiley

January 15th, 2005, 02:09 AM

My bad

K-Train

January 15th, 2005, 04:47 AM

Ok. I'm a little slow on the uptake, so forgive if this has already been addressed. But has the Riverside Residences become the Trump project? I noticed that a lot of the same developers are involved in the Trump Tower as were supposed to be involved in the RR project. Furthermore, what happened to the "ribbon of green" or whatever it was that was supposed to be put in along the river? Are all of these lots going to be turned into condos eventually? Not that I'm opposed to it, but I'm wondering if my view outside of the Amsouth building is going to be into somebody's condo in a couple years.

smiley

January 15th, 2005, 01:18 PM

Tampa Council Halts Builder's Condo Plans
By JOSH POLTILOVE jpoltilove@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 15, 2005

TAMPA - A developer's plan to build a 20-story condominium tower at 319 Bayshore Blvd. was put on hold Thursday night by the Tampa City Council.
Council members told developer Crescent Resources LLC that when the matter returns March 10, site plans should be significantly altered and the development plan reduced.

Councilman John Dingfelder said that instead of building a 168-unit, 245-foot-high tower on Bayshore, the developer should construct a much- smaller building on the southern side of the parcel and a large building north of it.

That concept would reduce some concerns of residents in a nearby condominium building, 345 Bayshore, Dingfelder said.

Jim Smith, Crescent Resources' vice president of multifamily development, said he hopes to return to the council with ``a compromise that everyone can appreciate.''

Residents of 345 Bayshore opposed the developer's request to build the tower, saying it was too large, had too many units and wouldn't be aesthetically pleasing. The tower would have replaced The Bayshore Apartments, a three-story, 72-unit complex that stands near the Platt Street Bridge.

A traffic analysis funded by Crescent Resources indicated traffic wouldn't increase significantly during peak hours because of the tower, but residents of 345 Bayshore disputed that Thursday.

Some south Tampa residents spoke in favor of the project, saying Crescent Resources has proven to be a good development company. The company, based in Charlotte, N.C., is building Parkside of One Bayshore, a 17-story building at Bayshore and Platt Street that includes 104 condominiums.

Before Thursday's meeting, residents of 345 Bayshore met twice with the developer. At the first meeting, Crescent Resources proposed two 20-story towers, separated by Beach Place. Residents objected to the two towers, arguing the buildings would increase traffic and obstruct their views.

By its December meeting with residents, Crescent Resources had combined the towers into one, with 2 1/2 stories built above Beach Place. The new proposal increased the tower by 15 feet and four condominium units.

The proposal also led the company to request the temporary vacating of Beach Place, which drew objections not only from residents at 345 Bayshore, but also from the Hillsborough County Commission.

When Crescent Resources withdrew that request Thursday night, council members said that until a new site plan is produced, the hearing should be postponed.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 835-2105.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/15/Hillsborough/Prized_West_Shore_sit.shtml

smiley

January 15th, 2005, 03:50 PM

You know, when I first read this I go annoyed, but then, hey, why not take Dingfelder up on his idea and build a bigger building to the north with teh same number of units. Who realy cares. I have to admit, what they proposed was kind of dauntingly massive as seen from Bayshore.

smiley

January 15th, 2005, 07:02 PM

This is the old wonderbread bakery in hyde Park - i know they were going to redo it and add some stuff, but I never saw a rendering before- I am happy Hyde Park is finally getting this scale of infill.:
http://www.theseybold.com/img/loft_ren_01.jpg
http://www.theseybold.com/img/flatsrend_01.jpg

Jasonhouse

January 15th, 2005, 08:19 PM

Now all that part of town needs is about 150 more of those 4 story apartment/condo buildings and it'll actually start feeling like a real city.

btw, I read that article last night, but was too lazy to post it.

I actually don't mind them sending the plan back for revision, so long as they don't impinge on how many units the guy can build, just how they're sited. It sounds better to me as well to make him build a rather short building fronting Bayshore (maybe 4-6 floors?), with a taller building on the back of the lot. I assume that tower is now going to have to be 26-30 stories, which makes more sense anyways for sales as well (better views).

bubbagump

January 16th, 2005, 02:20 AM

Ive got a question for you guys. Im not too familiar with Tampa, but what is the area on Bayshore Boulevard, Right next to the water? Weve been thinking of moving to Florida so if theres any place that is a nice, yet affordable area with a good High school just PM me. Like SoHo,Hyde Park,?

Jasonhouse

January 16th, 2005, 04:06 AM

You'll have to better define "affordable", because Bayshore likely isn't it.

And btw, this is exactly the kinds of things that we should create a new thread for, instead of sidetracking this one. We're making like 100+ posts a week in this thread, and then the forum looks bare. :)

dudeintampa

January 16th, 2005, 04:31 PM

Does anyone know what happened at the City Council Jan 13th hearing regarding Channelside Village? I missed it and was wondering if they got through the first reading?

Thanks to anyone who can update us.

Jasonhouse

January 16th, 2005, 07:17 PM

Yeah, I missed it too. Damn, I hate being sick!

multifamilyinvestor

January 17th, 2005, 10:13 PM

Jasonhouse

January 18th, 2005, 04:06 AM

Actually, I think that particular park is u/c. I think another parcel behind the TCC off Platt is u/c, or will be soon.

smiley

January 18th, 2005, 05:08 AM

Both are now underconstruction -as it were - an odd saying for making a park.

You view will be blocked a bit to the southwest, so just hope an attracive exhibitionist gets that condo.

BRobinson

January 18th, 2005, 06:16 AM

I passed by the O2 (pinnacle) site yesterday and it looks as if something was demolished recently just south of Rain Lounge..... I can't remember what was there but now its just piles of debris and a couple of bulldozers.

Jasonhouse

January 18th, 2005, 06:21 AM

Was there demo work at the Towers at Channelside site? supposedly, they are u/c now, so something should be going on.

Also, am I correct to note that both of the marina developments down in Sun Bay South are approved and in the demo/site prep phase of construction?

Smiley, are people moving into that midrise on Harbour Island yet?

has anyone noted work beginning on the UT dorm on Kennedy yet?

And what about the Arlington and Residences@Franklin in DT?

I've been working so much and commuting via St Pete that I just haven't been able to check anything lately.

FLHawk

January 18th, 2005, 02:52 PM

smiley

January 18th, 2005, 05:14 PM

I would think that the demo will start this week (not Friday as that was "groundbreaking" and not monday (MLK, jr. day). Probablya few days to get some big equipment out there and then the fun starts.

I have no idea what happened on Channelside Village - there was no news about it that I saw - though the Crescent thing took up a lot of the hearing, so maybe it got bumped until another day.

zimna8080

January 19th, 2005, 12:49 AM

Was there demo work at the Towers at Channelside site? supposedly, they are u/c now, so something should be going on....
....I've been working so much and commuting via St Pete that I just haven't been able to check anything lately.

It's the post-Trump slump. There is nothing going on.

There was indeed a ritsy party last weekend for the Towers at Channelside...

Cheers
Justin
www.bayciti.net

ATampaArnold

January 19th, 2005, 03:49 AM

Hey Everyone,
My name is Arnold and I am new to this web site. I was wondering if anyone could give me the basic idea of how this site is laid out and a few definitions. I am not particularly tech savy. I do not know what a thread means and what is the difference between a thread and a forum. If anyone could post a basic overview of on how to get to the parts of this site that are tampa related, that would make life a little easier

Jasonhouse

January 19th, 2005, 07:42 AM

You're in it. This Florida subforum, and this Tampa development thread are basically the only places you will see Tampa info and locals in plentitude.

Think of a "forum" as a blank newspaper. You get to write your article (a thread), and others get to respond to it (a post), just like in the letters section.

Also, take note of the forum rules, which can be found as an announcement near the top of the Florida forum.

tonyff67

January 19th, 2005, 03:16 PM

dudeintampa

January 19th, 2005, 04:29 PM

Jasonhouse, I drive by the Towers @ Channelside site every day, and have not noticed any new demolition work. They just had their official "kickoff gala" this past weekend, with a large tented ritzy party on Friday night. I'd guess we'll see some action in the next couple weeks.

Anyone hear anything on the Channelside Village project that was supposed to go before the city last week?

Okay, I was finally able to find on the jan. 13th action agenda the following:

5. 6:00 p.m. File No. Z04-140 – (Ord. placed on 1st Reading)
Public hearing on petition of Bricklemyer Smolker & Bolves, P.A. requesting to rezone property at 209 S. 12th Street, 120 S. Meridian Avenue, 110 S. 11th Street, 210 S. 11th Street and 114 S. Meridian Avenue from CD-1 to CD-3.
Motion: (Ferlita-White) That said public hearing be closed. Motion carried.
Councilmember Harrison presenting an ordinance rezoning property in the general vicinity of 209 South 12th Street, 120 South Meridian Avenue, 110 South 11th Street, 210 South 11th Street and 114 South Meridian Avenue, in the City of Tampa, Florida, and more particularly described in Section 1, from zoning district classification(s) CD-1 to CD-3 (multi-family residential/office, retail, hotel); providing an effective date.
Motion: (White-Dingfelder) That the photographs submitted by Stephanie Gaines, petitioner’s representative, depicting the subject development, be received and filed. Motion carried.

I'm pretty sure that this is the Channelside Village Project... Anyone know for sure?

CBR3

January 19th, 2005, 04:32 PM

^^ As to the trolley extension, I agree, but it may not be an issue.

Funding Change Stalls Transportation Projects
By LAURA KINSLER and ELLEN GEDALIUS The Tampa Tribune
Published: Jan 19, 2005

advertisement
TAMPA - Debate over extending Tampa's electric streetcar line appears to have been for naught.

The federal program that would have paid for nearly one-third of the 3/8-mile extension will be canceled after this year, officials learned Tuesday. In fact, Hillsborough County could lose $25 million in federal transportation funding during the next five years.

``It was not a good day around here,'' said Lucy Ayer, executive director of the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The MPO board, which is made up of municipal and county elected officials, allocates state and federal transportation dollars. A big part of the pot was money from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program.

The federal dollars are intended for projects that ease air pollution and traffic congestion. By law, they could go only to five Florida counties, among them Hillsborough and Pinellas.

Florida's air quality has improved to the point that it no longer qualifies for the program, however, so the millions that were earmarked for those counties now can be distributed statewide.

``Every year we get about $5 million or $6 million,'' Ayer said. ``With the new formula, we'll be lucky to get $1 million.''

Robert Clifford, district planning manager for the Florida Department of Transportation, said the agency will honor projects approved before 2004. Anything approved after 2004 will have to compete against projects statewide.

Clifford said Pinellas County is in the same predicament as Hillsborough and stands to lose the same amount of funding.

The Tampa streetcar line isn't the only project on the chopping block.

The MPO board had approved a $2.4 million plan to beautify a 4-mile stretch of Busch Boulevard with new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, palm trees and animal topiaries. The funding was scheduled for 2007.

A new express bus route between New Tampa and downtown that was scheduled to begin this year also will be pulled.

MPO Chairman Shawn Harrison, who represents north Tampa on the city council, said he still is trying to absorb the information.

``We're talking about two critically important projects in my district that now appear like they won't happen,'' he said.

Tampa City Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena has been working for years to find ways to spruce up Kennedy Boulevard. The planning group would have spent $1.4 million on sidewalks, crosswalks and landscaping.

``I am so disappointed,'' Saul-Sena said. ``Everyone at this point is scrambling to figure out what we can salvage.''

``It's a setback for all the projects,'' Hillsborough County Commissioner Kathy Castor said. ``It's really unfortunate. Those improvements of Busch Boulevard, Kennedy Boulevard - our list of needs far exceeds the available resources right now.''

The most controversial project on the list was the TECO Line Streetcar System, which cost $63.5 million for the segment connecting Ybor City to the Tampa Convention Center. Streetcar supporters wanted to extend the line to Whiting Street - at a cost of $7 million - making it more convenient for office workers. The MPO nixed the initial request for $3 million, however.

A compromise proposal, championed by Saul-Sena, could have put $2 million toward the project. The planning group could have decided Feb. 1 whether to approve that idea.

The funding change means HARTline and Tampa likely will look elsewhere for money. Participating in other federal transportation funding programs remains an option, HARTline spokesman Ed Crawford said.

``If this [money] goes away, this certainly is not the end of the world for us or the project,'' Crawford said. The money ``was only one of many different types of funding sources. That doesn't mean it's the only way to fund something.''

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at lkinsler@tampatrib.com lkinsler@tampatrib.comor (813) 977-2854, Ext. 25. Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at egedalius@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7679.

http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGBOES1154E.html

multifamilyinvestor

January 19th, 2005, 05:26 PM

Why does the Harbour Island Condo Association appose the trolley extension?

Extending the trolley into downtown seems like a no brainer to me. (Although it seems pretty bleak that they will get the money)

I just received an E-mail from Harbour Island Caondo association. They are sending a letter off to the city stating they are opposed to the trolley extension. This crap pisses me off. I live on the Island and these dumb suburban transplants pretend to represent me. I have already sent a letter to the council and Mayor stating my Suppot for trolley expansion as well as improving out public Transportation system.

I encourage everyone else to do the same.

Don't let these rich douche bags that live on cul de sacs behind guarded gates , have their way.

smiley

January 19th, 2005, 05:40 PM

That is Channelside village. Now some enterprising youth needs to go downtown and pull teh file, make copies of the photos, scan them and post them so we know what the project will look like. Get to it.

Jasonhouse

January 19th, 2005, 05:53 PM

I just received an E-mail from Harbour Island Caondo association. They are sending a letter off to the city stating they are opposed to the trolley extension. This crap pisses me off. I live on the Island and these dumb suburban transplants pretend to represent me. I have already sent a letter to the council and Mayor stating my Suppot for trolley expansion as well as improving out public Transportation system.

I encourage everyone else to do the same.

Don't let these rich douche bags that live on cul de sacs behind guarded gates , have their way.

WHAT THE F*** IS THEIR PROBLEM????

That's it, I'm seriously making sure I go to the whatever council meetings come up about the trolley, if any. These people have utterly lost their minds.

quick tip Harbour Island morons: Exactly how bad do you think traffic will get when DT has another 12k residents, another 7k workers, and another 5k visitors milling around every day, and they have no way to get around but by car or taxi? Well, this is easily how many more people should be going DT in about a decade. Hello? You can't widen the roads DT, and the roads are already oriented for maximum capacity (one-way streets, high speed limits, parallel or no street parking). Don't forget that the city is considering making several DT streets two-way, or with fewer lanes and angled parking, or even with speed limits as low as 15mph. As residents move in, some or all of these things will have to happen to protect pedestrians, and to provide more parking. Exactly what do you think is going to happen to traffic, will it get better or worse?

That's why the trolley was built dumb-dumbs! Without that trolley, people on Harbour Island are going to be dealing with some f***ed up traffic, everytime they leave home.

Jasonhouse

January 19th, 2005, 06:04 PM

Why does the Harbour Island Condo Asscociation appose the trolley extension?

Extending the trolley into downtown seems like a no brainer to me. (Although it seems pretty bleak that they will get the money)

Easy. They have to deal with it when they leave the island by both Franklin or Beneficial, and with it being extended up Franklin, they will deal with it even more. (the trolleys control lights, and can slow you down, you see).

But as I described above, those morons don't realize that if the trolley is expanded throughout DT as it should be, it will get several thousands riders a day, which is that many more cars off the streets they navigate. People just don't understand that when streets start to reach their capacity or go over it, even removing a small number of cars can be a noticable benefit for traffic flow.

smiley

January 19th, 2005, 07:46 PM

ATampaArnold

January 19th, 2005, 11:37 PM

Thanks for your brief synopsis Jasonhouse

Jasonhouse

January 20th, 2005, 01:44 AM

Went by Towers CS site. no actual work but some equipment, including water trucks -needed for demolition (especially older buildings) - so things should get moving soon, I would think.

really odd goings on at 1000 Channelside site - some of the wood poles tehy pounded have been rammed with big round metal cylinders - like you might pour something in. Whatever the hell they are doing, it is odd.

Sounds like a pier type foundation utilizing caissons... Basically like what the Embassy Suites is being built on. The underground is so mucky before one hits bedrock that friction piles and slabs probably aren't going to pass muster with the engineers.

I will try and swing by and see what they're using maybe on Friday coming home from work. I'm curious now. :)

smiley

January 20th, 2005, 01:57 AM

I thought that but it is very random - no descernable pattern whatsoever

Even my architect buddy was kind of at a loss when he saw them.

smiley

January 20th, 2005, 06:30 PM

So, on a whim, because the innaguration stuff on tv is quite boring, I decided to look at the Novare project rendering again. Counting floors and just examining it I conclude this:

If that rendering is anywhere close to being what actually gets built, that thing is going to be very close to 400' - even with 10' between floors.

renner01

January 20th, 2005, 06:54 PM

anyone know the status on the dorm high rise?
More on the dorm - yea, they should help these people find a place to live. . .

Way Cleared For University Residence Hall

TAMPA - The University of Tampa is poised to stretch its shadow beyond its traditional campus confines with a new 10-story residence hall on the south side of Kennedy Boulevard.
A building boom has engulfed the small downtown campus in recent years, including several dormitories, a new student center and business building. With the university's explosive enrollment figures showing no signs of slowing, UT officials say another student dormitory is needed.

The residence hall will be built at 404 W. Kennedy Blvd., across Kennedy from Plant Hall, the university's minaret- topped signature building. A two-story apartment building will be razed to make room for the almost 200 students.

``Our growth is really limited by the number of beds we have, not by the the size of our classrooms or the number of professors,'' university spokesman Grant Donaldson said.

The Tampa City Council gave initial approval for the plan last week. A second and final vote is scheduled for July 29.

The structure will be the university's first privately developed residence hall. The developer, 404 West Kennedy LLC, intends to lease the building to the university on a long- term basis. The hall won't have on-site parking.

The building initially featured seven floors and included the removal of a grand oak tree. Council members balked at the idea of cutting down the tree at a June meeting and asked the developer to redesign the building.

Council member Linda Saul-Sena praised the developer and architect, Eric Kreher, for redesigning the building to save the tree.

``I'm just so impressed with your second attempt at designing this property,'' she said. ``I think it will be a real gift for the community, the street and the university.''

Not everyone was pleased with council's decision. Floyd Nelson, who pays $140 a week to rent an apartment at the building slated for demolition to make room for the dorm, said he can't find decent housing at a comparable price. He worries that he and his wife could become homeless.

Nelson said he is unemployed because of physical problems. His wife works as a bagger at a nearby supermarket.

``I don't know if my wife can stay employed if we don't have a physical address,'' he said. ``Times are tough right now.''

Nelson, who said about 10 to 12 people live in the building, said he isn't against the expansion. But he wishes the university or developer would help residents find alternative housing.

multifamilyinvestor

January 20th, 2005, 08:13 PM

I got curious and I found this on the architect's website. I'll post here in case anyone else hasn't seen it.

http://rbk-arch.com/school%20slides/UT/dormnew.jpg

AND an Aerial:

http://rbk-arch.com/school%20slides/UT/Utair.jpg

multifamilyinvestor

January 20th, 2005, 08:25 PM

Also, the minutes for the January 13th city council meeting are online now.

http://www.tampagov.net/appl_Cable_Communications_closed_captioning/frmAgenda.asp?pkey=1068&txtValidPage=1&txtPrevPage=index.asp&txtNextPage=frmAgenda.asp

Dale

January 20th, 2005, 08:32 PM

Is that an old aerial ? Is the site for the proposed Hillsborough Tower a dug-up mess like that ?

smiley

January 20th, 2005, 11:00 PM

don't know where exactly you found that on the website, but I belevie that is another dorm building. I'm sure teh new one will look similar, but will be v shaped (not L) and there is no room for a pool because tehre is a big oak in the middle. I have not been by there recently so I don't know the actual status of the lot.

smiley

January 20th, 2005, 11:09 PM

That project (Channelside Vilalge) sounds very confusing but tehre is on 14 sotry building in it, at least. I couldn't quite make out the other heights.

multifamilyinvestor

January 21st, 2005, 12:33 AM

The Robbins Bell & Kreher Architects website has a lot of broken links. Here is how I found it:

Go to:
http://rbk-arch.com/school%20slides/UT/dorm1.htm

There are 9 thumbnails on the bottom of the page.

Thumbnail #8 uses an image called "dormnewsmall.jpg"

The link was broken, but I guessed the image might still be there and it was. Just lop off the "small" to get the full sized image like so:

"http://rbk-arch.com/school%20slides/UT/dormnew.jpg"

I really don't know if this is the old dorm or new. It is the architect's website that is mentioned in the article. Also its a UT dorm. So I assume this is either the old design or the new one. I am guessing it is the new building because the article that renner01 posted says that the new design has 10 floors and the old only had 7. Although I don't see the oak, this rendering looks like 10 floors to me and what you see as an L could look like a V from another angle. No?

don't know where exactly you found that on the website, but I belevie that is another dorm building. I'm sure teh new one will look similar, but will be v shaped (not L) and there is no room for a pool because tehre is a big oak in the middle. I have not been by there recently so I don't know the actual status of the lot.

multifamilyinvestor

January 21st, 2005, 12:41 AM

That project (Channelside Vilalge) sounds very confusing but tehre is on 14 story building in it, at least. I couldn't quite make out the other heights.

Yeah, I thought that transcript was pretty confusing myself. It soulds like most of the buildings are low-mid rise

smiley

January 21st, 2005, 01:07 AM

Actually, no the V must either be very acute or there must be a U. In any case, the Oak is in the middle where the pool in this pic is and the building to the right is no where near Kennedy. Good find though.

Jasonhouse

January 21st, 2005, 05:10 AM

I thought that but it is very random - no descernable pattern whatsoever

Even my architect buddy was kind of at a loss when he saw them.

Hmmm, I doubt I will know then. But I gotta check it out of course. ;)

Jasonhouse

January 21st, 2005, 05:24 AM

Doesn't that dorm already exist, on the north side of Kennedy, near Boulevard?

smiley

January 21st, 2005, 03:10 PM

Developer asked to downsize condo plan
Crescent Resources will reduce its plans for 319 Bayshore Blvd. by 20 units and forgo bridging Beach Place.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published January 21, 2005

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

HYDE PARK NORTH - It's back to the drawing board for a developer seeking to build 168 condominiums on Bayshore Boulevard near the Davis Islands bridge.

After a 21/2-hour hearing, the City Council told Crescent Resources to return with a plan that would blend better with the adjacent historic district and lessen the 20-story building's impact on traffic.

"This project needs some major revisions," councilman John Dingfelder said. "There's a huge number of units in this little quadrant."

Nearly 30 residents who packed the Jan. 13 council meeting called the response a victory.

"The City Council heard them loud and clear," said Elizabeth DiConti, president of the condominium association at 345 Bayshore, next door to the proposed tower.

DiConti called the glass and concrete building presented by the developers a monolith.

"There's potential for a good proposal if they take some of the suggestions City Council made to heart," she said.

Crescent Resources of North Carolina is also building 18-story One Bayshore at Bayshore Boulevard and Platt Street and a 26-story tower and townhouse project on an adjacent parcel.

The company wants to rezone 1.8 acres at 319 Bayshore Blvd., now home to a 72-unit apartment complex that dates more than 50 years. Crescent Resources bought the property in 2001 for $5.5-million, according to county records.

The site plans presented to the council showed a wide building that would bridge Beach Place, a narrow city street. Condos would go on both sides of Beach Place and over it.

The hearing focused on a request to take over ownership of Beach Place and surrounding alleys but leave them open to the public. Taking over the roads would allow the developers to increase the density on the site by permitting them to build over the street.

About 20 people voiced their objections to the project at the council meeting, including Bill Hogan, program manager of Hillsborough County's 25-year-old Haven W. Poe Runaway Center at 207 Beach Place. Crescent Resources has been responsive to the center's concerns during construction of its other projects, and are a good neighbor, he said.

But this project would obstruct access to the shelter, he said.

The Hillsborough County Commission wrote a letter to the council saying it opposed Crescent's request to take over the city streets.

Residents at 345 Bayshore, who rented a bus to go to the council meeting, said they didn't want the building to take away their views of downtown, and they worried about increased traffic.

Both a city transportation official and a consultant for the developer said the traffic impact would be minimal.

But when neighbors heard that the condominiums would put an additional 415 cars on surrounding streets, they groaned in disgust.

"Please don't make the entrance to our beautiful Bayshore, with its historic mansions, world's longest continuous sidewalk and sparkling waters, another concrete jungle like Miami Beach," said Joyce Hartmann, who lives in 345 Bayshore.

During the past hurricane season, she and her neighbors were asked to flush their toilets less. Connecting more toilets and showers to the city's antiquated sewer system would just worsen the situation, she said.

"How many potties will have to go less flushed?" Hartmann said, eliciting a round of applause.

Even some people who spoke in support of the project brought up crowding in the neighborhood.

Ellen Zusman, who owns property on Hyde Park Place and Beach Place, said delivery trucks have knocked an air-conditioning unit off the side of her building.

"There needs to be a plan for this neighborhood," she said. "Our issues are much greater than this project."

Truett Gardner, an attorney for Crescent Resources, said the developer has agreed to pay for improvements recommended by the Bayshore Task Force, a group of neighborhood and city leaders appointed by Mayor Pam Iorio last year to come up with suggestions for increasing safety on Bayshore.

Crescent also plans to rebrick three streets and construct a new brick street near its projects. To encourage people to use public transportation, the developer helped fund a HARTline trolley bus that runs from downtown to Old Hyde Park Village and stops in front of One Bayshore.

But after the testimony from neighbors, Crescent Resources withdrew its request to take over the streets and said they'd come back with a plan for 20 fewer units.

Council members said they wanted to see something much smaller and, perhaps, a different architectural style.

"We'll study it and go from there," Gardner said.

Another hearing on the project is scheduled for at 6 p.m. March 10 at City Hall, 315 E Kennedy Blvd.

Janet Zink can be reached at 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/21/Citytimes/Developer_asked_to_do.shtml

smiley

January 21st, 2005, 03:12 PM

At some point they jsut have to realize this area is right next to downtown:
Pub's lot may yield to hotel and garage
The city will consider a request that could put a hotel and parking garage on a parking lot near Four Green Fields pub.
By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published January 21, 2005

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

HYDE PARK NORTH - First things first: Four Green Fields isn't going anywhere.

But the parking lot two doors down, used by patrons of the thatched-roof, fish and chips and beer spot may go the way of a hotel and parking garage, said Colin Breen, who owns Four Green Fields and the lot at Plant Avenue and Platt Street.

Some neighbors say they see a hotel as a good addition to the neighborhood, while others say they worry about the area's overall rapid development.

Breen's plans for the Four Green Fields parcel call for a four-story boutique hotel affiliated with a national chain on top of a four-story parking garage.

The garage would provide free parking to guests and staff of a hotel with as many as 137 rooms, people going to Four Green Fields and some faculty at the adjacent St. John's Episcopal Parish middle school, said Stephen Michelini, a land-use consultant representing Breen.

The City Council is scheduled to consider a rezoning request that would allow the hotel Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 315 E Kennedy Blvd.

"It's needed. Everything else has been built. There are plenty of condos, there's a lot of office space," Breen said of his hotel concept.

The property sits on the edge of a triangular neighborhood where Bayshore Boulevard leads into downtown. The corner holds one condominium tower, another is under construction and two more are in the planning stages. There's a busy Publix at the corner of Bayshore and Platt, and Tampa General Hospital, just across the water, recently unveiled a 280,000-square-foot expansion.

"If they want to put up a hotel it would probably be good for my business," said Marc Zudar, owner of Marc & DiDi's Original Deli. Zudar battled Four Green Fields over parking when he opened up next to the Irish pub last year.

St. John's Episcopal School administrators say the parking garage will be a big help to them.

"We need parking for our faculty," said headmaster David Frothingham. "We have a small parking lot inside the school property, but we need overflow. Periodically, for sports and other events, we need more parking."

The school has worked closely with Four Green Fields over the years, Frothingham said. During the day, faculty and staff use the pub's parking lot and the school closes on St. Patrick's Day, which is one of the watering hole's busiest days of the year.

But Ellen Zusman, who owns property in the area, said any rezoning needs careful review. The already cramped neighborhood needs a plan, she said, and parking considerations should be part of that plan.

"Too often it's done after the fact," she said.

[Last modified January 20, 2005, 08:53:07]
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/21/Citytimes/Pub_s_lot_may_yield_t.shtml

zimna8080

January 21st, 2005, 03:48 PM

....

Residents at 345 Bayshore, who rented a bus to go to the council meeting, said they didn't want the building to take away their views of downtown, and they worried about increased traffic....

Personally, this would ruin my view of downtown - which isnt that great anyway (here is a link to a pic (http://www.bayciti.net/hrb/dntn/270010.jpg)) - but i'm not too concerned about it. When you live on Bayshore you have to expect that a tower is going to come up next door eventually.

I hope they build it, it'll be cool.

Justin
www.bayciti.net

Jasonhouse

January 21st, 2005, 05:23 PM

I think it's very logical for density to increase considerably, spreading west from DT. It's really rather odd that the area between Westshore and DT along Kennedy didn't start densifying years ago. I don't expect that area to start getting highrises in it, but the NIMBY types sure as heck shouldn't be bitching about an 8 story building popping up here and there. They live in the heart of an urbanizing city at the heart of what is becoming a pretty damn big metro. What do they expect? Ranch houses and three car garages?

smiley

January 21st, 2005, 05:55 PM

Well, tehre should be no NIMBY's as this lot is between Platt and teh Crosstown - but the locals will complain about traffic. I think they will probably lose - but the City Council are pretty wimpy, but they love them hotels. We shall see.

smiley

January 22nd, 2005, 01:07 PM

Iorio Lauded At Towers Groundbreaking
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 22, 2005

TAMPA - When Mike McGuinness praised Mayor Pam Iorio for her early endorsement of The Towers of Channelside, a once-controversial residential project in the Channel District, it wasn't flattery.
Without Iorio's encouragement for rezoning, the two 30- story towers wouldn't be close to construction in the Channel District.

Because of the support, McGuinness, vice president of Towers of Channelside, said Tampa is viewed as a partner in the $110 million project. ``This is truly a celebration for the city,'' he said.

McGuinness made his remarks at the Jan. 14 groundbreaking for the project. The condominiums will replace the Fogarty Van & Storage warehouses at Meridian Avenue and 12th Street.

Some residents in the Channel District opposed the 360- foot-high towers because of the neighborhood's zoned height restriction of 60 feet. At the time, neighbors said the structures would distract from a pedestrian-friendly scale.

In January 2004, a battle ensued before the Tampa City Council, ending in a win for the developer at a capacity- crowd hearing that lasted until 1 a.m. ``The mayor really wants downtown residential,'' then- Channel District President Claude Bonanni said of the neighborhood's defeat.

Memories of the struggle to rezone the 2.5 acres were re- lived at the groundbreaking ceremony.

``If it weren't for the mayor, I wouldn't be standing here,'' McGuinness said.

He also announced that an Italian deli, a dry cleaner and a coffee shop will help fill the 12,500 square feet of retail space.

Developer Rich Sacchi said 90 percent of the 257 units, ranging from $300,000 to $2.1 million, are sold.

The Towers feature a 250,000 gallon swimming pool/lagoon area.

``The whole point of our project is to re-create a resort lifestyle,'' Sacchi said, explaining the thinking behind the huge pool's 1,700-swimmer capacity.

``It's true this is in an urban environment, but residents will also have a feeling of paradise,'' he said.

Jim and Harriet Brantner, of Sand Key in Pinellas County, envision The Towers as a convenient second home. Brantner works in the nearby shipping dock area of the Port of Tampa.

``The commute can be pretty long,'' he said of his one- hour drive to and from his home on the beach.

``If nothing else, this will turn out as a super investment,'' Harriet Brantner said of their two-bedroom, two- bathroom, 1,300-square-foot condominium at The Towers.

Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 259-7143.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBF6DPZ84E.html

tonyff67

January 22nd, 2005, 03:52 PM

Well, tehre should be no NIMBY's as this lot is between Platt and teh Crosstown - but the locals will complain about traffic.

Ok, Somebody help me with this. I watch the council meetings all the time and this is what they whine about every time. Too much density and Too much traffic. these morons live in a city that has density of only 2700 per sq/mile. Most south Tampa areas are up around 5000, but that is freakin low as hell. How do cities like NY, Philly, Chicago, San fran, and pretty much every other city manage, since they all have at least quadrouple our density.
Most of the whining goes on in weathier nieghborhoods, so I know these idiots have traveled. They are probably the same people that talk about how great it was in Chicago or Ny on their last trip there.

I just can't figure it out. Why do they live in the city limits, if they want single family homes on Half acre lots?? The other problem is our Council. Why do I never hear them defend increasing density, or mixed use developments. They should at least try to educate the public. If the neighbors are still against it after educating them, then fine. The council works for them so they may feel obligated to shoot it down, But at least TRY to show these people the advantages.:wallbash:

Sorry for the long:speech:!! I just needed to vent. At least this way I am venting to people that probably agree with me!!

Thanks , I feel SO much better!!!!!

smiley

January 22nd, 2005, 04:15 PM

BEcause tehy want density, just not right next to them. When everyone has that attitude, it gets a little hard to get any density. Patience. It will come - but neighborhoods will not get as much. That's ok. It will just revitalize areas that are run down. Even that Crescent project will get built, jsut differently - that area used to be awful - now it is desired. Same with Channelside. Ybor south of 7th will become that way. Tampa Heights will to and the area south of Kennedy on the west side of the river. I wish the developers had a little more creativity in going to these areas.

I am heartened taht the 26 story Crescent building is still planned. That makes the change to the other project not so much of a big deal. we dont need a solid wall on Bayshore. I prefer teeth - lots of them, but teeth.

Jasonhouse

January 22nd, 2005, 09:22 PM

^hey, somebody give me some capital and an architect/engineer to sign off on my shit. I would be developing this place left and right...:lol:

ATampaArnold

January 23rd, 2005, 01:55 AM

Does anyone know the status of the new art museum? It seems like it will never break ground and that they are always a few million short on money.

smiley

January 23rd, 2005, 07:02 PM

Oh yea, I forgot to mention that I caught a kind of cryptic historical preservation board meeting which had something about the Kress block and plans coming out soon, and the kress building will be saved but their will be demolition, and "high-rise" (which may or may not mean anything depneindg on whcih legal code you are talking about), etc.

In other words, I am not exactly sure what they meant, but there many be news relatively soon.

Jasonhouse

January 23rd, 2005, 08:03 PM

I think it would be great to get a highrise on that site. And personally, I don't have a problem with part or all of the interior of the building being gutted. But to totally demolish the building would piss me off. If the site is redeveloped, they better do it right, or not at all.

smiley

January 24th, 2005, 03:14 PM

Cultural connector begins to take shape in Tampa
Three firms present plans for the Riverwalk, a path to connect parks, museums, residential towers, theater venues, hotels and shopping.
By BABITA PERSAUD, Times Staff Writer
Published January 24, 2005

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

TAMPA - Today, three design firms will show Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio their visions for the city's Riverwalk, a pathway to link new museums and residential towers.

One name stands out on the list: URS Corp.

The San Francisco-based engineering firm, with offices at Rocky Point, has completed many projects around Tampa.

Not all have been successful.

URS Construction Services, a division of URS Corp., consulted on concrete foundations for the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, later found to have design flaws. Keith Greminger, vice president and director of planning and urban design at URS, itemized in his proposal to the city all the company's past successful walkway projects, including the promenade near the Tampa Convention Center. He didn't mention the Crosstown.

For the Tampa Riverwalk, UR S has teamed with the New York design group Thomas Balsley Associates, which has done walkways and bike paths in Manhattan, Greminger said in his proposal.

Two other companies - EDAW, headquartered in San Francisco, and EDSA, based in Fort Lauderdale - will also make pitches. Iorio expects to select a firm today.

"A riverwalk can become the backbone of an entire district," said Bob Dugan, a principal with EDSA, which developed the path along the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

The companies were given 51 guidelines by the city of Tampa, among them:

--The Riverwalk must be resistant to hurricane-force winds.

--Aesthetically, bridges should suit the environment.

--Public art should adorn the pathways.

--All types of traffic should be accommodated, including bicycles and skateboards.

After decades of dormancy, the Riverwalk project is showing new signs of life.

Iorio has allotted $1-million this year, some of which will pay the firm that creates the overall design. She has selected a point man: Lee Hoffman, a former official at Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base.

A new capital campaign will be launched this year. Daniel Mahurin, chairman, president and CEO of SunTrust bank, is leading the private fundraising.

"We want to get this thing going," said Hoffman, Riverwalk development manager.

* * *
So far, the city has acquired all the land necessary for the 2-mile stretch on the east side of the Hillsborough River, from North Boulevard to the Beneficial Bridge. Officials hope to extend the walkway half a mile to include access to the Channel District, but current safety restrictions at the port prevent public access.

The Riverwalk, as it stands today, is like a dotted line: parts finished, parts not.

The strips behind the Marriott Waterside Hotel and along nearby Cotanchobee Park have granite pavers, benches and lighting, paid for by $2-million from the state Department of Transportation. The pathways behind the Tampa Convention Center and Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center are complete, but planners have to find a way to keep rented convention or performing arts space private from the public walkway.

The first leg, a pathway along Curtis Hixon Park, was finished 30 years ago, when then-Mayor Bill Poe championed plans for a walkway along the Hillsborough River.

Trump Organization - in association with Tampa-based SimDag-RoBEL LLC - will be responsible for a section of the walkway along a 1.5-acre waterfront lot where the 52-story Trump Tower is planned. A long-standing city ordinance requires the Riverwalk to be part of new construction.

Not all sections will be easy to turn into a walkway, especially those beneath the Cass Street and Beneficial bridges. Both allow only 4 to 5 feet clearance, not enough for a person to walk under.

The design team will have to come up with solutions, said Hoffman. One idea? A boardwalk that extends into the river, he said.

"But it will be up to the design team," he said.

Another design element the selected team will consider: a pedestrian bridge to link the Riverwalk to the pathway the parks and recreation department plans along the west side of the river, near the University of Tampa.

After the master design is finished, Hoffman said, the project will be completed in phases.

The hope is to finish the stretch from the Beneficial Bridge to the north side of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center by 2010. The remaining sections - up to North Boulevard - would be left to other mayors. Last year, $50,000 was allotted for marketing materials, which paid for a 10-minute video on the Riverwalk, a visual flyover, brochures and Power Point graphics for presentations.

City officials want the Riverwalk to be not simply a sidewalk but an experience. They hope it will be a gathering spot, a place for people to sit and read, get a cup of coffee, watch the water, take a break from work, eat lunch.

Tourists will be able to walk along a path that connects parks, museums, theater venues, hotels, restaurants, shopping and the convention center.

The city wants the path to be educational and cultural.

One idea is a pathway with busts of famous Tampa people, an idea based on the sculpture garden on the promenade in Key West. The city wants the river to be boat friendly, with docking points along the way. Shops and retail, they hope, will capitalize on the Riverwalk concept.

It might already be happening.

Sheraton Hotels recently bought the Radisson Riverwalk downtown and plans to rename the hotel Tampa's Riverwalk.

The city hopes to encourage downtown festivals similar to the dragon boat races, which attracted hundreds to downtown last year.

"We want to put something in place that people enjoy and come back to," said Hoffman.

He knows. When he lived in San Antonio, Texas, he often visited Paseo del Rio.

"Whenever people came into town, we took them down to the riverwalk," he said.

That city's riverwalk was 40 years in the making.

Tampa's version also depends on money. Iorio's administration has set aside $40,000 for a fundraising program. Ideas are circulating, among them, selling naming rights for parts of the pathway.

Hoffman isn't ruling out anything. "If it helps us raise money," he said. "We have to give it serious consideration."

[Last modified January 24, 2005, 01:31:19]
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/24/Hillsborough/Cultural_connector_be.shtml

smiley

January 24th, 2005, 03:15 PM

I would be perfectly happy if both the Kress and Mas Borthers buildings were redone, just integrating the facades into new buildings. That would be swell.

Jasonhouse

January 24th, 2005, 05:34 PM

Yeah, I wish they would also do that with the Maas building too, though I don't see it happening.

tonyff67

January 25th, 2005, 06:19 PM

Lots of demolition going on out there!!

O'2- lot is being cleared of it's buildings as we speak.

Ventana- Building is completely down and is a pile of rubble.

Christianstead(or whatever it is called)- building is down and debris is gone. Lot has also been fenced off with that black mesh material they put around construction sites.

Lakelander

January 25th, 2005, 07:00 PM

How is Victory Lofts coming along? How far are they, from completion?

FLHawk

January 25th, 2005, 07:21 PM

Victory Lofts are done for the most part. I have a friend who purchased one of the penthouses facing downtown, and it turned out very nice. Lots of windows and plenty of deck space.

The building itself has a very spartan interior - stark white hallways walls, no artwork, etc. They had an open house this past weekend, and I'm sure will do so again until they sell the last four units (all priced above $500K).

smiley

January 25th, 2005, 07:31 PM

Interesting

O2 (the firstbuilding) is supposed to start soon so that makes sense.

last I heard, Ventana was still only about 25-30% reserved, so I am not sure about that

no idea about Christiansted or whatever that is, but, being where it is and as small as it is, iwould not be surprised if it sold pretty fast.

Jasonhouse

January 25th, 2005, 09:39 PM

Christianstead.....If there is a silt fence up, then that means they are pushing dirt around, which IMO means that if construction hasn't already started, it will soon.

btw, did we ever have a rendering for that project, and info? There are so many projects that I have forgotten about, and just never added to the list, even though I know we talked about them on here somewhere. (like the marina redevelopments in Sun Bay South. I just can't sort out the info, because different articles report different numbers)

smiley

January 25th, 2005, 10:41 PM

Christiansted
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.
Development Type: Condominiums
Priced from $580,000

smiley

January 26th, 2005, 06:22 PM

For those of you who might be interested, the Plaza Harbour Island folks tell me that they are scheduled to break ground in March or April 2005. So let's do an inventory of 20 story+ in Tampa:

Started
Embassy Suites (20-22, not sure) u/c
Towers of Channelside (30/30) - broke ground/ u/c
Alagon (22 or so) u/c
Bellamy (22 or so) u/c

Groundbreaking by April 2005 Scheduled
Novare Project (31)
Trump Tower Tampa (52)
Plaza Harbour Island (20)
O2 - bldg 1 (41)

Unknown -
Crescent One Bayshore Apartments - supposedly to start when One Bayshore condo building is done, which should be soon, but not for sure.

dvstampa

January 26th, 2005, 08:12 PM

Any word on that Four Seasons residential building (50 story)???

smiley

January 26th, 2005, 08:18 PM

I have not been able toget any ifon yet, though I am trying.

Jasonhouse

January 27th, 2005, 05:43 AM

Christ! we should soon have 9 towers of 20+ U/C!

(plus one more in DT St Pete for the "metro count")

It looks like I am going to HAVE to finally organize a forum meet sometime later this summer, when many of these should be coming out of the ground.

FLHawk

January 27th, 2005, 02:44 PM

Here's the latest re: Residences on Franklin Street. Anyone know the status of the Arlington (also on Franklin)?

http://www.tampatribune.com/News/MGBUNO05G4E.html

Residential Complex To Grace Franklin Street
By JANIS D. FROELICH jfroelich@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 27, 2005

TAMPA - In the early 1980s when Lou Prida Jr., along with his father, Luciano, considered opening an accounting firm on the north end of downtown, they envisioned others also bringing urban growth to the area.
That never happened.

Now Lou Prida, 54, his son, Andres, 29, and their new partner, George K. Guida, 40, are a prime catalyst for redevelopment in that mostly deserted part of the city.

Prida, Guida & Co. hopes to break ground on a residential complex next to its offices at 1106 N. Franklin St. within the next few months.

At seven stories, Residences of Franklin Street will have 40 units, ranging from 1,050 to 2,400 square feet. Prices for the one- to two-bedroom units are $220,000 to $700,000.

Lou Prida sat at his desk recently reflecting on the changes at the accounting firm his father, who is 80 and retired in 1997, founded in 1957. He also talked about how he envisions that end of downtown.

Prida thought redevelopment was coming to the north end of Franklin Street before he moved in because office condominiums were planned in the early 1980s for next door. But a fire in April 1983 wiped out most of the block, and caused extensive damage to Prida's structure.

The accounting firm moved in December 1984. Prida's father served blue-collar workers who set up their own plumbing or electrical businesses. The 12-person staff of certified public accountants now has clients that include nonprofit organizations, restaurant owners, publishing companies, manufacturers, professional athletes and major distribution operations.

``When you become a CPA, you have to accept the fact you may be the only person someone with wealth can talk to, whether it's about a real estate deal or setting aside money for their children's college,'' Prida said.

Prida said the service end of the accounting firm hasn't changed in that regard, except that cell phones make him accessible around the clock.

Characterizing Tampa as evolving from a blue-collar to a quiet-money town, Prida said the area has plenty of people capable of paying Trump-like dollars for urban condominiums. ``This city will always be full of hard working people though,'' he said. ``We're not flashy or touristy.''

Prida remembers his roots when he took a 10-cent bus ride downtown for a movie and soda. A graduate of Jesuit High School, where he played baseball, he has a painting of ballplayers at Cuscaden Park behind his desk that was done by local artist Arnold Martinez.

``A lot of people in Tampa have memories of playing ball at that park,'' Prida said. ``And I know a lot of people remember coming downtown for entertainment. Hopefully, that will happen again.''

Prida said he wants his Residences of Franklin Street to have ``a nice presence from the street level.''

He predicts the area will soon be one of mixed use, with small office and residential developments flourishing, as well as some retail stores and restaurants.

``It won't be lonely for long,'' Prida said.

smiley

January 27th, 2005, 03:10 PM

I don't know what their sales are like (thir website hasn't been updated in months), but this sounds like a fluff/sales pitch article. So be it. It would be nice to get something going on Franklin.

smiley

January 27th, 2005, 03:15 PM

These people are very annoying - if you want it cleaned up - buy and clean it up:

Residents Frustrated Over Gandy Boulevard
By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS msamuels@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 27, 2005

SUN BAY SOUTH - Residents of neighborhoods along Gandy Boulevard remain frustrated with plans to improve the road.
Members of the Gandy Aesthetics Advisory Committee expressed their dismay this week, about a month after a public hearing on the state's plan.

The Department of Transportation plans to spend $20 million to repave and resurface the road from the Gandy Bridge to Dale Mabry Highway, install a 30-foot median and add turn lanes at major intersections.

The aesthetics committee was formed to give residents input into street-scaping, landscaping and lighting designs.

However, committee members said they wanted to question the need for a median and tried to raise safety concerns to no avail.

``This is great to look at,'' member Barbara Zaccari said of a computer-generated preview of the improvements. ``But this is not Gandy. You cleaned it up. You showed people what you wanted them to see.''

She said the preview excluded business signs cluttering the road and utility lines and poles.

``Gandy Boulevard is the pits,'' Zaccari said. ``It's the armpit of the world.''

Committee member Jerry Frankhouser called Gandy the downtown for residents south of the road, and said he wants it cleaned up and safer.

John Kilgore, a project design engineer with American Consulting Engineers of Florida, a group aiding the DOT, said the committee can include recommendations about the median and other issues, such as adding a median cut outside Regency Cove Mobile Home Park, in its final report.

``We feel this is part of the aesthetics of the road,'' committee Chairwoman Ellen Nimon said. ``We do not need a 6-foot sidewalk and 30-foot median.''

Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBOWB25G4E.html

smiley

January 27th, 2005, 03:21 PM

And by the way, I was pretty surprised when they said they want to start by MArch, ut then everybody is surprising me these days. Whatever, by Christmas we should be seeign the beginnings of basically a new city.

Jasonhouse

January 27th, 2005, 09:04 PM

^ who is starting what by March?

And yes, those people living around Gandy need to get over themselves already. They keep bitching about how shitty their nieghborhood looks? HELLO? You are the people living there and owning the properties. CLEAN THEM UP! Considering the massive spike in property values down there in the past few years, it's not like these people don't have equity to tap for funding.

I lived right off Gandy for a year and a half, and never once during that time did I ever see anyone get out there and do anything to improve the look of their property, other than when Hooters moved in. But hey, that's how trashy people live life. They foul a place up, and then bitch when nobody else wants to foot the bill to clean up their mess.

smiley

January 27th, 2005, 10:14 PM

Plaza harbou Island

By the way, I went by the tower at Channelside site today and nothing seems to actually be happening - which is really odd, because there is stuff happening all around it. If anyone is down near CHannelside, they should drop in the sales office and ask (I couldn't stop)

Jasonhouse

January 27th, 2005, 10:34 PM

Everything built on Harbour Island always seems to just magically get sold and start construction within what seems like the blink of an eye.

Things seem to happen so quietly that I don't think they even use the bridges to get the interested folks onto the island. Instead, they must be using submarines or a secret tunnel going under the channel. It's just so wierd.

smiley

January 27th, 2005, 11:01 PM

Not just Harbour ISland, man. All the projects are going like that

Jasonhouse

January 27th, 2005, 11:47 PM

^yeah, but you know what I'm saying. What's that new midrise? the Parkcrest? They sold out 300+ units basically by the time the newspapers caught wind that the project had changed from rental to condo. Pretty much the same thing happened with the Grandview and the Garrison Channel condo.

Like the Alagon and Bellamy sold out quickly, but those two projects combined don't even have 150 units. One Bayshore took a while, and also has less than 150 units. The Stovall also took a while and also didn't have very many units. Until very, very recently, Harbour Island has been the shiznit when it comes to rapid sales of pricey condos.

tampabound

January 28th, 2005, 12:08 AM

Got some junk email from the Place. It says construction starts at the end of Feb.

LAST CHANCE

DON’T MISS OUT: THE PLACE is NOW 80% SOLD
The good news is that there are still 50 great condominium homes are left at The Place!

Construction begins at the end of February. It’s now your last chance to
take advantage of guaranteed pre-construction prices. And time to hurry over to
the $1 million Discovery Center before the model home closes.

Buyers are excited about the great Channelside location and the vibrant new community, and the convenience to Tampa’s downtown.

The contemporary design includes hardwood floors and doors, delicious gourmet kitchens, high ceilings, tall windows, large full-glass balconies and concrete construction.

Resort-style amenities will make life seem like a vacation: a fabulous courtyard pool, fitness center, beautiful gardens and a spectacular club lounge.

Of course there’s great eHome technology and security.

Now is the time for action, before the end of February when construction starts. Now while interest rates are still low and condos, for the first time, are appreciating in value faster than houses.

See you at The Place at 918 Channelside Drive, open Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday noon to 5pm. Prices from the $300,000 to $1.5 million plus, for homes from 1,138 to 3,560 square feet

tonyff67

January 28th, 2005, 01:54 AM

Jasonhouse

January 28th, 2005, 02:11 AM

Yeah, we've gotten an article on that before... It could be one of two projects for that block...

There was a report about a project roughly this size going where Newk's currently is... There is also another project that will partially front Channelside, with most of the site going north, up the west side of Jefferson, I believe. It was reported to have as many as 800 units in two towers.

My guess is it's 'phase 1' of the bigger proposal, as I believe the developer owns that land, while the Newk property hasn't changed hands that I'm aware of.

smiley

January 28th, 2005, 05:07 AM

I think that is the 28 story job - not the twin buildings. I also caught the end of that bit, so I saw no renderings - but the guy mentioned a Crecent ____ company. I hope it is a Crescent (as in One Bayshore) because they do pertty good work, even if I hate their cookie cutter suburban office parks)

345, not bad. I also note that they finally figured out that you need to start the condos above the roof of the Forum or else no one will buy the lower units. Good thinking.

Jasonhouse

January 28th, 2005, 06:19 AM

375 units in only 18 floors (28-10) is one hell of a wide building, or tiny units.

Something seems a bit off kilter with the numbers at this point.

smiley

January 28th, 2005, 04:13 PM

Latest development
By MICHAEL CANNING
Published January 28, 2005

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

Christiansted Condos

LOCATION: 509 W Bay St., at the foot of the Davis Islands bridge.

DEVELOPER: Jim Smith

DESCRIPTION: Five-story building with 20 condominiums and two townhomes, and a parking garage on the ground floor. Condominiums 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. The townhomes are 1,195 and 1,295 square feet, and have three bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms.

PRICE: Townhomes, about $1.2-million and $1.3-million; condos range from $580,000 to $770,000.

AMENITIES: Granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchens, 10- and 12-foot ceilings, balconies, outdoor fireplaces and grills on second floor terrace, townhomes with view of Bayshore.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Charlotte, N.C., developer Jim Smith named this project after the city of Christiansted in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which he visited. "It has very unique architecture," he said of the former Danish colony, hence the project's architecture has elements of Danish colonial. "I think that the architecture complements Hyde Park very well."

TIMELINE: Construction expected to begin in February and finish by January 2006.

MOVE-IN DATE: January 2006.

FOR INFORMATION: Listing agent Jim Walters of Smith and Associates, 624-2050.

The Latest Development features a new residential or commercial project. To suggest a project, e-mail mikecanning@hotmail.com or call 226-3394.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/28/Citytimes/Latest_development.shtml

tonyff67

January 28th, 2005, 05:02 PM

Quote: "The townhomes are 1,195 and 1,295 square feet, and have three bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms.
PRICE: Townhomes, about $1.2-million and $1.3-million"

Am I reading that right? $1000 a sq/ft?? No Way, Not in Tampa!!
The highest price I have heard in Tampa is $400 sq/ft for The Plaza on Harbour Island

FLHawk

January 28th, 2005, 05:26 PM

I think the article mixed up "condo" with "townhomes." It doesn't make sense that condos would be almost twice as big as the townhomes and cost half as much.

I'm guessing it's more along the lines of approx. $600/sq ft for townhomes and $500/sq ft for condos. Still, very high for this market.

Meanwhile, in other condo news...

Camden's Ybor City Apartments For Sale
By SHANNON BEHNKEN sbehnken@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 28, 2005

TAMPA - Camden Ybor City Apartments are for sale, and there is growing interest in turning the 454 units into condominiums.
Nat Barganier, Camden's vice president of real estate investment in Tampa, said Thursday that the Houston- based company needs the money to pay for its recent acquisition of Charlotte, N.C.- based Summit Properties.

Also, he said, it's the most profitable time to sell the 8- acre property, which is 97 percent leased.

``It's been a good asset for us,'' Barganier said, noting that the company may build another apartment complex in the historic district. ``We took a big risk to build in Ybor, and it paid off.''

Camden did not list an asking price, and Barganier would not say how much the company hopes to make on the sale. It was built for $38.2 million, and the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser assesses the development at $27.5 million. The county's assessed value is typically less than the market value.

If Camden, the historic district's only apartment complex, does turn condominium, it will be the latest in a growing conversion trend, said Byron Moger, senior director at Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate firm that specializes in apartments.

There are seven other condominium projects planned or under construction in Ybor City. Combined, they equal 210 units and range from $200,000 to $350,000.

Moger said several condominium companies have expressed interest in the Camden property.

``It fits an urban lifestyle that is rapidly developing in Tampa,'' Moger said.

Developers are interested in buying several complexes in New Tampa, south Tampa, Westchase and Brandon, he said. Last year, 3,600 apartment units in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties were turned into condominiums, compared with 2,400 in 2003.

Condominium conversions are popular, said Michael DeMarcay, vice president of Synergy Properties, because low interest rates are prompting more people to buy instead of rent. Apartment developers typically don't convert their own complexes because they can make the most profit by selling, he said.

Camden's one- and two- bedroom apartments range from 654 to 1,182 square feet, and the complex includes 2,000 square feet of retail space.

The complex opened in 2002. It was rebuilt after burning to the ground midconstruction in 2000.

The six-alarm blaze also destroyed the Ybor City Post Office and damaged the century- old Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and one of Tampa's last wooden cigar factories.

http://www.tampatribune.com/MGBN0JSQH4E.html

Jasonhouse

January 28th, 2005, 07:30 PM

Hey guys, don't forget that we should spread out our talks more. This thread already has so many posts that I will have to close and archive this thread within only a few more days. Meanwhile, the main forum looks dead, since everyone is cramming all talks into the city threads...

(I double posted the Ybor article inadvertently, but not like it matters)

FLHawk

January 28th, 2005, 08:06 PM

Jasonhouse, would it make sense to start several threads based on the general area within Tampa, i.e. -

* Downtown (CBD, Harbour Island, Hillsboro River)
* Channel District and Ybor City
* South Tampa (Bayshore, Hyde Park, Westshore)
* Tampa Miscellaneous

Just a thought.

John F

January 28th, 2005, 08:20 PM

Going one project at a time would work too... Like startign the Trump thread was an example of that. I got to start a "Twin Towerside" thread dedicated to the condo projects going up in close proximity that all feature dual condo towers....

Jasonhouse

January 28th, 2005, 08:38 PM

I can't believe there are 6 "twin" projects in Tampa (4 tall, 2 midrise). I hope it doesn't make the skyline look too "mass produced" or whatever.

smiley

January 28th, 2005, 09:34 PM

No big deal man. The biggest buildings are not "twins" It's all good as far as I am concerned. Let it ride.

Jasonhouse

January 29th, 2005, 09:00 PM

^ I don't know Smiley. There are 4 sets of them that are 30-40 stories tall, and they're all going to be lined up next to each other along Channelside (don't forget the set near the arena that there's no rendering for). In a way, it's gonna kind of remind me of tract housing. I wish that they were doing a bit better job of breaking up the hieght of them.

VICARY

January 29th, 2005, 11:57 PM

Howdy Everyone- I've been following this forum for about a year now, but this is my first post. Probably should have posted sooner, as it looks like this thread's about to get closed.

I don't live in Tampa now, but I grew up there, and was around to see all of the big buildings go up downtown. We even had our high school senior class picture taken in front of the convention center the year it was built. They were just getting started on the big courthouse the year I left, and it seems like nothing too major has gone up since I've been gone.

I can't believe the amount of projects going up and on the boards in the downtown/channelside area. I can't wait to get down there and see it when they all start to go up, and fill in that empty section between the business district and the channel. But I too am a bit concerned by what could end up being another shelf of buildings stretching across the back side of downtown. Downtown's problem has never really been in height but in a lack of variety. Looks like the Trump project is going to contibute to that effect. At least that Novarre one will help step the skyline down on the north side.

For all these channleside twins, you'd think maybe instead of two thirty or forty story buildings, the developers might consider, say, a fifty story tower paired with a twenty five story one. Or forty/twenty. Or something to give the skyline a little punch. I can't imagine it would matter much in sales- might even increase the sales potential for the taller tower. Must be a cost issue?

Jasonhouse

January 30th, 2005, 01:19 AM

Definitely cost. Taller is progressively most costly, and building two identical buildings obviously saves money for several reasons.

Vicary... You locations list is interesting. I was born in Erie and lived there until I was 10. That isn't where you are now, is it?

VICARY

January 30th, 2005, 04:53 AM

Jasonhouse- Born in Erie. Grew up in Tampa. Educated in Ann Arbor. (Hence the affinity for Detroit.) I've lived in Tampa, Nashville, and Erie since graduation. Going on year six in Erie. Actually Millcreek.

Tampa's still my fave. If they paid their teachers well down there, and it snowed once or twice a year, it would be perfect. I grew up in South Tampa, first on Westshore and later we lived on Bayshore. I think I've pretty much been priced out of the market, though. My doctor and lawyer friends from high school are having a tough enough time buying in our old neighborhoods. Maybe I could afford a condo somewhere in Channelside, though.

BRobinson

January 30th, 2005, 07:49 PM

I don't know if anyone else has realized this but we will be able to watch the construction of the Novare condo from start to finish (in realtime) from the comfort of our homes @ www.tecocam.com :)

Jasonhouse

January 30th, 2005, 08:07 PM

We will be able to see Trump go up from WFLA's cam also.

smiley

January 30th, 2005, 09:03 PM

Investors All Ears In Tampa Heights
By JOSE PATINO GIRONA jpatino@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 29, 2005

TAMPA - For years there has been talk about Tampa Heights becoming the next Hyde Park.
Urban pioneers moved in, rehabilitated homes or built new ones with a historical flavor, creating a buzz in the neighborhood founded in the 1880s.

The area now faces another plan.

The Heights development project, made public last year, is a 35- to 40-acre plan that encompasses North Boulevard, Palm Avenue, Tampa Street and Ross Avenue.

Investors want to hear from the community before going forward with the project, said Marybeth Storts, senior vice president for Bank of America. An informational meeting is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Stetson University College of Law, 1700 N. Tampa St.

Although plans are in the concept stage, there is talk of condominiums, town homes and possibly lofts and single- family houses. Discussions have included ideas of mixed housing for a wider range of household incomes. Retail stores, shops and restaurants also are being considered.

``Years ago our neighborhoods were mixed incomes,'' Storts said. ``We had doctors living on the streets, as plumbers and carpenters.''

Development guidelines allow for 2,100 units, but it likely would be closer to 1,600, although that isn't ``set in stone,'' Storts said.

The Heights is a project that brings together Bank of America and a team of investors that includes Bill Bishop, Don Wallace, Glen Cross and Bill Bahlke. Bishop, Wallace and Bahlke were associated with Civitas, the proposed plan to redevelop 157 acres in Tampa Heights, downtown and Ybor City. Although supported by the city, the plan didn't get off the ground last year because Hillsborough County commissioners opposed it.

In 2002, Bank of America announced plans for a 300- unit condominium and about 70 town homes on 12 acres it had purchased off Palm Avenue, North Boulevard, Ola Avenue and the Hillsborough River.

Bishop, who is president of Leslie Land Corp., and his group of investors have purchased about 30 acres across the street from the Bank of America land.

Storts said the groups came together last year after realizing they had similar plans and goals.

The investors are asking the city for tax incentives. The site is in a community redevelopment area, which project leaders said makes it eligible for tax increment financing. Under that plan, the amount of property taxes paid to the city will be capped at a certain level, and any additional revenue will be reinvested for neighborhood improvements such as roads, sidewalks, utilities and lighting.

Storts said it's more difficult and can be expensive to develop an area that has to be transformed from an old infrastructure to a modern one instead of building on vacant lots. The city is considering the tax request, Storts said.

Project representatives, including Storts and Bishop, will be at the meeting Thursday to answer questions and to hear opinions on what residents want for their area.

The meeting room will be divided to allow people to study specific plans .

``It truly is a planning process,'' Storts said.

Reporter Jose Patino Girona can be reached at (813) 259-7605.
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBVKZB0J4E.html

dudeintampa

February 1st, 2005, 03:25 AM

I just heard from a friend that lives in Post Hyde Park (the smaller one in the village) that she got a notice that they were going condo. One Bedroom from $149k and Two Bedroom from $249k. Sounds reasonable compared to what others are going for (like Madison SOHO).

I've also heard rumors that Post Harbour Place on Harbour Island, Phase I is going condo.... Makes sense considering Post has always kept Phase I seperate compared to Phase II, III, and IV.

Any one else hear of the same?

smiley

February 1st, 2005, 04:42 AM

I heard hyde Park - I find this a bit ridiculous - you need some decent apartments somewhere.

FLHawk

February 1st, 2005, 02:27 PM

Agreed. Not everyone has the money saved for a decent down payment on a condo. I sure didn't in my 20's.

Something's getting ready to happen at the Towers of Channelside. Drove by this morning, and they are roping off the area around the existing structure where cars used to park, with several construction guys out there. I'd guess they're starting demolition this week...keep you posted.

CBR3

February 1st, 2005, 04:29 PM

Dudeintampa, as to Post Hyde Park

Hyde Park Apartments Switch
By SHANNON BEHNKEN sbehnken@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 29, 2005

advertisement
TAMPA - The apartment-to- condominium conversion craze that's been sweeping the Tampa Bay region has moved into trendy Hyde Park.

Residents at the Post Walk At Old Hyde Park apartments have been told the 134 units there will soon be sold.

According to a letter sent to residents, Post Properties has created a new division called Post Preferred Homes to convert the units to condominiums. Toni Everett Co. will handle sales.

Anthony Everett, vice president of the real estate company, said the sales office will open Feb. 1 and units will sell for $137,500 to $500,000, with an average price of $200,000.

``This is a great location,'' said Everett, who used to work for Post Properties and helped build the Post Walk development. ``Most people can't afford a single-family home in that area. While these aren't inexpensive, they're fairly reasonable for that area.''

This is the second condominium conversion project near downtown made public in two days. Houston-based Camden Properties said Thursday that it is selling its 454-unit apartment complex in Ybor City and many interested buyers want to convert the apartments into condominiums.

Atlanta-based Post Properties owns five apartment communities in Florida: three other complexes in Tampa and one in Orlando. The Post Walk At Old Hyde Park apartments are in the Old Hyde Park Village shopping district.

Post Property officials did not return phone calls Friday.

The units range from 660 square feet to 2,300 square feet, with one, two or three bedrooms. Six two-bedroom walk-up designs have separate entrances onto Dakota Avenue, each accessed by a private gate.

Current residents, Everett said, will be given 45 days to decide if they want to buy their apartment.

Byron Moger, senior director at Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate company, said the Post property joins more than a dozen other condominium conversions in Hillsborough County and is the third one near the urban core. Developer Zom Inc. is converting the 240 apartment units at the Madison at Soho.

``The Hyde Park location and the great apartments there make it a good fit to be converted,'' Moger said.

Land and construction costs are so high in Hyde Park, he said, that condominium conversions are one of the few ways to maintain affordable housing.

``They're moving into an apartment, but it's better than not getting to buy there at all,'' Moger said.

FLHawk

February 3rd, 2005, 02:27 PM

Ok, there's an article in today's St Pete Times raising serious doubts about the viability of the Tampa Museum of Art project. This irks me to no end. If the museum does get shot down by Pam and the city council, as the article suggests it might, we are literally back to square one. And the past 3-4 years spent searching for and selecting an architect, choosing and working with a construction company, planning and fundraising for the future have been a wasted effort.

If the current design or the daily maintenance is really as unrealistic as some in this article paint them to be, couldn't this have been addressed years ago? Many of these same council members were in office under Greco's regime as well. Pam touts a "city of the arts," and this was supposed to be the crown jewel. What's the back up plan?

When I lived in Atlanta in the late 90's, I literally stood outside the High Museum in lines to get into exhibits on Pop Art, Impressionism, etc. Sure, Atlanta is much bigger than Tampa, but I waited in line for 30 minutes last year for the Chihuly exhibit in St. Pete, so there IS support in the Tampa Bay region.

Sorry for the rant, but I get soooo frustrated with our city's (and county's) leadership, or lack thereof.

http://www.stpetersburgtimes.com/2005/02/03/Hillsborough/Financial_doubts_may_.shtml

smiley

February 3rd, 2005, 03:54 PM

I lay the blame for the entire museum issue on Iorio. I commend her for trying to be careful about the city's money, but in this case, she could have locked in a much cheaper building and gotten the deal done a year ago. Instead she waffled.

This is similar to Southwest airlines, which locked in fuel prices at very cheap levels while its competitors are stuck with expensive fuel. Sometimes you have to think ahead a bit.

In other news:

1) there is definately something going on at the Towers site - looks like they are stripping the warefhouse.
2) 1000 Channelside looks like they are framing the foundation - a big wooden sqaure has been laid out that looks fit for pouring. We shall see. That is one of the oddest construction sites I have ever seen.

Jasonhouse

February 3rd, 2005, 06:03 PM

While watching the council meeting today, a 375 unit condo was approved on Channelside, between Morgan and Jefferson. Didn't catch how many stories, but I think they said 345ft, with 30,000 sq/ft of retail. the resodential is supposed to start on the tenth floor, over the parking. Didn't hear a name. i think it is a new development. Has anyone else heard about it?

I saw a rerun of this last night at like 3am.

The project is apparently by a developer named "Crescentheights". One of the pitchmen directed council members to their website for info, but I didn't see any there about this upcoming Tampa project. There were some renderings shown, and the project looked pretty nice. It had a flat roof, strong horizontal lines, and was modern in style. Definitely not Med Rev, or that wierd PoMo style like the Marriott, which is a relief.

This is directly across the street from the arena, next to the Outpost. The building is going to be very massive, as it is basically two towers merged into one, which spans Eunice St. (The city is vacating Eunice, and was supportive all around)

Alos noted from that meeting..... The owners of the land that the Outpost and the law office next door sit on are also in discussions with developers. Apparently, they are leaning towards a mixed-use tower that would be a hotel and condos above a parking garage and ground level retail. They were there to get it on record that their building was going to block views of the Crescent building "all the way to the top".

smiley

February 4th, 2005, 03:01 PM

Project would take Heights higher
Though years away from completed units, a major development already is reshaping Tampa Heights.
By VANESSA GEZARI
Published February 4, 2005

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

TAMPA - Thelma Pilcher will miss the mango tree in front of her old, turquoise house on Ross Avenue. The mangoes are small and yellow, but as sweet as sugar.

At the new house they're building her three streets away, there won't be fruit dangling from the branches. Nevertheless, Pilcher, 69, is ready to go.

She's lived here on and off since she was a schoolgirl. She finally agreed to sell her house seven months ago, and she's not unhappy with the deal, or with the new house, which will be a little bigger, easier to care for, and most importantly, still in Tampa Heights.

"It wasn't easy getting me out of here, but I realized that the neighborhood is building up," she said. "I think I'm blessed, and I'm lucky too, because I will get to take advantage of some of it."

Pilcher says she is moving for the good of this edgy, up-and-coming neighborhood, which is one of the city's oldest, and the group of investors who bought her house and all the others on her side of Ross agree.

The group, which includes Bank of America and Tampa businessmen Don Wallace, Bill Bishop and Glenn Cross, wants to build a new community on the scrub grass and swampy bottomland at the southern tip of Tampa Heights. Planners envision a 40-acre residential development overlooking the Hillsborough River and downtown Tampa, with brick streets, a vibrant riverwalk, restored buildings and an improved park. They speak of coffee shops along the river, a small grocery store and pizza parlor amid the lofts, town homes and condominiums. The place would be called The Heights.

"We have every belief that this will add to the quality and character of the built environment, that it will attract people who don't live here now as well as giving people who do live here alternate places to live," said Bishop, one of the investors and president of Leslie Land Corp.

On Thursday evening, at Stetson University College of Law on N Tampa Street, hundreds of residents gazed at artists' renderings of the development, which is still in the planning stages and has not yet received city approval.

The drawings showed a web of tree-lined brick streets and buildings stretching from Ross to the river, bounded on the west by North Boulevard and on the east by Highland Avenue and Tampa.

Alphonso Sheppard Jr., who lives in the 300 block of Ross, worried aloud that a proposed new street into the development might increase traffic near his house. Standing behind him, 81-year-old Louis Matassini, who sold his family's riverside fish market to Bank of America three years ago, shook his head in awe.

"I been in this area all my life, and I never dreamed of anything like this," Matassini said. The half-billion dollar development would extend at least two city streets and restore two old buildings, the Tampa Armature Works and the city-owned Waterworks Building. The investors also propose to design and pay for the section of the city riverwalk from the Cass Street Bridge to Columbus Drive.

No one knows how much the units would cost, but planners said about 10 percent would be set aside as "affordable" housing, meaning families earning between 80 and 120 percent of the area's median household income should be able to buy them. There are expected to be between 1,600 and 2,100 units, in a range of sizes and prices. Investors said they expect residents to include millionaires as well as schoolteachers, firefighters and police officers.

Even if the project receives approval, none of the units would be ready for at least three years, Bishop said. Prices are hard to predict because neighborhood values could change between now and then.

"There isn't anybody that isn't trying to move into this neighborhood," said Mary Hernandez, a past president of the Tampa Heights Civic Association and a local builder. "During the weekends, we see cars drive through here, whether they're Mercedes, BMWs, Jaguars or even Fords - they're all looking to try to live in this community."

The southern part of Tampa Heights has undergone a renaissance. Freshly painted bungalows and tall Victorians line the streets. Closer to the northern edge of the neighborhood, the neat properties give way to vacant lots, boarded up houses and empty storefronts.

In the 1960s, residents said, the neighborhood was largely white. Those people started moving to the suburbs, leaving African-Americans and Latinos whose old houses are now growing more valuable by the day.

"I seen it full of white people before, so they're coming back now," said Alfonzia Howard, 71, a retired scaffolding inspector who bought his four-bedroom house on W Park Avenue for $17,000 in 1961. "Every day, we get letters in the mail from different Realtors. Every day, they want to buy."

[Last modified February 4, 2005, 00:18:17]
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/02/04/Hillsborough/Project_would_take_He.shtml

smiley

February 5th, 2005, 01:26 PM

City selects Riverwalk designer
Mayor Pam Iorio picks a California company over URS Corp., a company involved in work on the troubled Crosstown Expressway.
By VANESSA GEZARI
Published February 5, 2005

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

TAMPA - Mayor Pam Iorio bypassed her staff's top-ranked design firm and chose a San Francisco company to design the city's Riverwalk.

In doing so, she rejected URS Corp., a firm that has already worked on some sections of the Riverwalk.

URS also did engineering work for the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway's elevated lanes, which suffered a major setback in April when a support column sank 11 feet and a segment of the overhead pavement collapsed. URS is still on the job, but in the midst of a dispute with the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority about the scope of repairs.

Instead, Iorio chose EDAW Inc., of San Francisco, which has designed riverwalks and waterfront parks in Portland, Ore., Richmond, Va., Louisville, Ky., and Barcelona, Spain, among other cities.

She said the project would "make Tampa shine" by connecting neighborhoods and attractions along the north side of Garrison Channel and the eastern bank of the Hillsborough River.

During its presentation Friday, EDAW showed photographs of some of its projects, where lamps look like outdoor sculpture and a children's playground resembles a highly designed museum piece.

URS Corp. was ranked first on a list presented to Iorio by staff members who heard presentations from several design firms last week.

"Both firms are creative, committed and passionate, but I think EDAW's experience with building riverwalks around the country and across the globe gave them an edge with me," Iorio said after questioning both companies.

Riverwalk's design will grow out of community meetings in the coming months, but EDAW Vice President Jason Uyeda said designers will likely draw inspiration from Tampa's architecture and its rich history.

When EDAW built a waterfront promenade alongside the grungy, gritty Port of Los Angeles, designers used old, painted metal shipping containers and coiled nautical rope as visual cues. Benches in the Los Angeles park are shaped like deck chairs, tile murals link the port to the local community of San Pedro and the lamps are sculpted to resemble glowing angels, a reference to the city's name.

"What we try to do in all our projects is to look at the local area, look at the context," Uyeda said. "We don't have an idea right now as to what the (Tampa) Riverwalk will look like. Every community is different, every public space is different."

Iorio said she hopes to see the project finished by 2010, including sections in front of a proposed residential development in Tampa Heights and the luxury condominiums of Trump Tower Tampa. The cost is not yet known, though the city has set aside $1-million for design work. Public and private money will pay for construction.

"Whether in North Tampa or South Tampa, people like the idea of a Riverwalk," Iorio said. "This is a project that's free, and it's for everybody. We need more of that in our community."

In its presentation, URS focused on its detailed knowledge of Tampa as well as the award-winning work of its partner, New York urban designer Thomas Balsley.

Like EDAW, URS is based in San Francisco, but it has a large office in Tampa, and worked on sections of the Riverwalk near Cotanchobee and Curtis Hixon parks. URS officials said criticism over the Crosstown should not have affected the company's bid to design the Riverwalk because a different division is handling the expressway work.

Iorio said it did not influence her decision.

"No doubt we're disappointed in the decision, particularly considering our years of experience on the Riverwalk," said Keith Greminger, a URS vice president. "Nevertheless, while we're disappointed, we support Mayor Iorio's decision. It's her decision to make."

Uyeda of EDAW said the company will partner with Tampa firms HDR and Moffat & Nichol Engineers to create Riverwalk. EDAW is also working on another city project to improve the streetscape along Ashley Drive.

"There's nothing wrong with out-of-town talent," Iorio said.

When it is finished, the Riverwalk is expected to draw Tampa residents and others to the river to eat lunch, drink coffee at a waterside cafe or stroll along admiring the sunset, Iorio said. She spoke of having a single ticket that would admit residents to all the museums and attractions along the river and pay for a meal at a local restaurant.

"We've just done a great job over the years of making sure people can't access the river and commune with the nature that's right in front of them in this urban setting," Iorio said. "We want to see this river opened up in a way that everyone can enjoy."

Vanessa Gezari can be reached at 813 226-3435 or vgezari@sptimes.com

[Last modified February 5, 2005, 00:56:15]
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/02/05/Hillsborough/City_selects_Riverwal.shtml

Jasonhouse

February 5th, 2005, 08:31 PM

Great. I'm personally quite glad they didn't pick URS. I believe that when a company screws up as much as they have, they shouldn't get anymore public contracts until they've had a few years to prove themselves in the private sector again.

sarasotan

February 6th, 2005, 02:17 AM

Channel District
Crews clear ground for huge condo complex

The project will include a 53-story observation tower and residences starting in the mid $300,000s.

By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published February 4, 2005

Construction crews have started clearing the site for Pinnacle Place, a 6-acre residential/retail complex that includes a 624-foot space needle.

Two 41-story condominium towers, dubbed 02, will be the first phase of the project.

A sales center for the 340 condos will open at Channelside Drive and Cumberland Avenue in the next two months, real estate agent Toni Everett said.

In the past three months, about 120 potential buyers have reserved units, Everett said. Prices on the one- to four-bedroom condos range from the mid $300,000s to $2.8-million.

Construction of the towers and the needle is expected to begin late this year and be done by late 2007, the developers say.

The condominium complex will include a swimming pool, fitness center, movie theater, game room and guest suites.

The observation tower, called the Pinnacle of Tampa Bay, will be the centerpiece of Pinnacle Place, a $500-million project. Standing about 53 stories tall, it will have a restaurant overlooking the city and rooms available for private parties.

"We're going to change the skyline forever," said Ken Morin of Morin Development Group, one of the developers behind the project. "It's the type of project that Tampa has never seen before."

Frank DeBose, president of Pinnacle Group Holdings and one of the project's developers, has been pushing plans for the needle for more than 10 years. The recent redevelopment of downtown Tampa, which includes thousands of residential units, made the timing right.

"All that you see happening in downtown is not happening by accident," he said. "All around the state of Florida, you have people moving back into downtowns."

Pinnacle Place also includes a hotel, parks, amphitheater and 100,000 square feet of retail space underneath residential lofts.

In July, Pinnacle Place Development Partners paid $14.5-million for the land. The partnership includes the development firm of Corvus International, which has offices in Michigan and Sarasota.

Corvus also is developing a 170-unit condominium project with boat slips in Palmetto and five buildings with 29 condos on the Gulf of Mexico in Longboat Key. Corvus builds about 1-million square feet of industrial, high-tech and office space a year in the Midwest, according to a press release.

Morin's projects include Walter's Crossing, a shopping center on the former Walter Industries site at Dale Mabry Highway and Interstate 275 anchored by Target, Linens 'n Things and Designer Shoe Warehouse.

Morin's Suncoast Crossings, a 689-acre master-planned community at the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 54, will have 1,300 single- and multifamily homes, 500,000 square feet of retail space and 1-million square feet of office space.

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

VICARY

February 6th, 2005, 08:11 AM

I'm a little confused about this observation tower. All the nicest views are off to the west and southwest, and won't most of these views be blocked by existing buildings or the Trump project? Figure a 620 foot tower, but that's probably not the height of the observation/restaurant portion. That would probably be lower down. I would guess the Tampa Club keeps the better view.

So what are the chances this thing gets built, and if it does, any possibility of a height increase? Seems like any reasonable person would find a lot of problems with this one as it is.

The condos should be cool, though. Looks like they're oriented to get good views in the southwestern direction, which will probably stay fairly unobstructed.

smiley

February 7th, 2005, 04:59 AM

The O2 ad in the real estate section of the Trib today said htat construction is supposed to begin in October, which appears to be a delay.

Jasonhouse

February 7th, 2005, 08:10 PM

^Actually, it could be an acceleration. Maybe they are now looking to do both towers at once, instead of consecutively. I suspect that buyers have been turned off by the prospect of having to put up with construction while the 2nd tower goes, and then yet more construction when the hotel and observation deck get built. Who wants to live in a development that takes 5 years for build-out?

multifamilyinvestor

February 7th, 2005, 09:25 PM

I wonder if the Trump Tower deal didn't take away sales momentum from O2. I had a unit reserved briefly at 02 the week TTT came out. Since the same realtor was handling both, she was completely unavailable (busy making a fortune, I am sure). Her office was insane. I wouldn't be surprised if some people (at the higher levels and price ranges in 02) switched their reservations.

Who knows? I decided to hold out for Novare or Downtown Channelside.

multifamilyinvestor

February 7th, 2005, 09:47 PM

Tampa 2009: 21 Buildings over 300 ft.

Four Seasons Residences 630 ft.
The Pinnacle of Tampa Bay 624 ft.
Trump Tower Tampa 603 ft.
AmSouth Building 579 ft.
Bank of America Plaza 577 ft.
One Tampa City Center 537 ft.
SunTrust Financial Center 525 ft.
Tampa Global TC Center 5?? ft.
Park Tower 458 ft.
400 N. Ashley Place 454 ft.
O2 @ Pinnacle Place Bldg 1 432 ft.
O2 @ Pinnacle Place Bldg 2 432 ft.
Hillsborough County Center 375 ft.
Sam Gibbons Federal Court 375 ft.
Towers At Channelside Bldg 1 360 ft.
Towers At Channelside Bldg 2 360 ft.
Novare Group Tower 3?? ft.
Tampa Marriott Waterside 326 ft.
Wachovia Center 311 ft.
Downtown Channelside Bldg 1 310 ft.
Downtown Channelside Bldg 2 310 ft.

Jasonhouse

February 8th, 2005, 02:23 AM

I took construction progress pics of the primary sites in DT and along Bayshore today. I will post them tomorrow night.

I saw the 1000 Channelside site today, but didn't get there until after the workers had left for the day... Indeed, that is the wierdest foundation I've ever seen (I intended to just talk to the super and find out what they're up to). It looks like they are using wood friction piles, capped by a continuous pour footing/slab on grade... Very unusual.

smiley

February 8th, 2005, 02:37 PM

Ok, so this thing is still alive, though I don't know how much I really like it - whatever.

Downtown Senior Complex Eyed
By SHANNON BEHNKEN sbehnken@tampatrib.com
Published: Feb 8, 2005

TAMPA - An Orlando development firm says it wants to fill a low-income housing void for senior citizens in downtown Tampa. And it's asking for taxpayer assistance to do it.
Wendover Housing Partners Inc. plans to present its plan for Madison Heights, a 10-story, 160-unit apartment complex, to the Tampa City Council Thursday.

The project would be built at the corner of Florida Avenue and Fortune Street and cater to residents 62 years or older with a yearly income of no more than $21,480.

``We all know downtown Tampa has a lack of affordable housing, and the surrounding areas have a lot of seniors who need better housing,'' said Wendover President Jonathan Wolf.

Wendover plans to pay for the $26.7 million complex with a mix of tax credits and loans.

The Florida Housing Finance Corp. requires local financial support before it allocates state money, which would pay for the largest portion of the project.

Wendover wants a $1 million commitment each from city and county governments before it mails its state application, due Feb. 16.

Stuart Campbell, city supervisor for financial monitoring, is recommending the city council approve Wendover's request. The city's contribution to the project would come from about $2.6 million it received this year for a federal program designated for affordable housing.

Campbell said a consultant will recommend whether the city and county invest in the project. The recommendation is expected by Wednesday.

This is a good project, Campbell said, because the city needs developers to build affordable housing. Also, the tax credit program requires developers to maintain the property and make early reports to government regulators.

Public money for the project would be interest-free to the developer and would not have to be repaid unless the project is sold or changes its low-income mission in the next 30 years. If it doesn't, the loan would be forgiven at that time.

In the past seven years, Wendover has been involved in more than 25 affordable housing complexes, two in Hillsborough County.

Irongate, a senior citizen complex in Ruskin, was built in 2002 and has no vacancies, Wolf said. The company plans to break ground on another at Bearss and Livingston avenues.

If Madison Heights is built, it will be the third condominium tower in downtown Tampa for senior citizens and Wendover's second urban condominium. The other is Crescent Club in downtown Orlando.

The Madison calls for one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, fitness center, pool and computer lab.

http://www.tampatrib.com/Business/MGBXO1UFX4E.html