So, here is the new Tampa metro forum...

Things will work basically the same as before for now, only Tampa area stuff is here now. Threads on this region were simply generating too much traffic to continue to share another forum.


In time, I will set things in motion to make this forum more organized, like the other metro forums are. Will probably add a subforum or two as they are needed, appoint a mod for just this forum and so on...

Nice, except I don't see a link to it on the front page.

not everything is done of course... i haven't migrated old threads yet either...

and done... :)

hehe

never mind my post in the other thread. silly.

nice.

tampa bay is a better name. i fancy the name of our shared body of water, uniting us under the golden rays of our glorious sunshine :-P

^I am determined to do what I can to destroy the misconception that this metro is centered around a city called "Tampa Bay".

added links so that members can jump to/from any of the florida forums in a single click.

^I am determined to do what I can to destroy the misconception that this metro is centered around a city called "Tampa Bay".

It is, like it or not.

I know it's a misconception, that it's a body of water and not any real place, but it fits too well. :lol:

Slides off the tongue, if you will.

Congratz Tampa/St. Pete forumers. You know your city has come of age when it gets its own forum. :)

Go Gators is right!!!!

It's great that Tampa, Tampa Bay, has it's own sub-forum.

Everything is pretty good so far JasonHouse. The only problem would be the updated list of projects, but Maxim looks like he has that under control.

Go Gators is right!!!!

Nah, Go Buckeyes :lol:

*says the kid accepted to OSU honor's arch program*

:banana:

That is the only good thing about that school. The Arc program, how does USFs compare?

Oh how cool is this. If it wasn't for the link on the Florida page I would've been lost.

Nah, Go Buckeyes :lol:

*says the kid accepted to OSU honor's arch program*

:banana:



Congrats!! Good luck.

Although this was the Gator's year!

ALTHOUGH im new here its good to see that Tampa Metro has its own forum or division, puts us up there with the bigger cities... Im all for it, also gives the town some space and time to shine

That is the only good thing about that school. The Arc program, how does USFs compare?

USFs doesn't compare. Frankly, it can't. It lacks the facilities and tenured faculty to even be ranked - a sad reflection on it. I've spent lots of time studying with the professors at USF Arch and I don't say that superficially. Although I was accepted to USF Arch (free application), I would never consider their new school of architecture.

USF's School of Architecture operates out of a cramped, old industrial office park off campus. OSU's, meanwhile, is housed in a huge, brand new facility dedicated to the school... The leading members of the faculty are world renowned, and I'm told the new Dean has just come from Harvard's SoA.

http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/images/0505ohioSU.jpg

Not that I'm bragging - I don't think OSU is perfect, but I wouldn't compare it to USF. I firmly believe it is superior to UF's, too.

My home away from home has a new home, nice.

Yea! Looks like we've made it to the big time!

Maxim that is interesting. Thanks for filling me in. I was putting USF on a pedestal, but now I know.

Its nice to see Tampa/St.Petersburg up among NYC, LA, Miami, etc. I think it should be named Tampa/St.Petersburg/Clearwater or do Clearwater threads go in the Florida forum?

Its nice to see Tampa/St.Petersburg up among NYC, LA, Miami, etc. I think it should be named Tampa/St.Petersburg/Clearwater or do Clearwater threads go in the Florida forum?

No, Clearwater goes with Pinellas discussion. Clearwater isn't a major component of the region (Brandon is bigger) and isn't associated or even known like Tampa or St. Pete.

I cant really say whether clearwater is major or not but Brandon is just a suburb there isnt even a city center, plus clearwater beach is like our "south beach". Clearwater is also part of the big 3 of Tampa Bay and more so is associated with St.Pete since they basically border each other.

I cant really say whether clearwater is major or not but Brandon is just a suburb there isnt even a city center, plus clearwater beach is like our "south beach". Clearwater is also part of the big 3 of Tampa Bay and more so is associated with St.Pete since they basically border each other.

Outside of Tampa, nobody knows or cares about Clearwater. It's as much a suburb as Brandon. I think putting St. Pete in the title is a stretch as is; if it wasn't a cultural and tourist destination, I wouldn't think it warrants recognition, either. Bottom line is, Clearwater is not a major city, not a major component to the region, nor is it home to much remarkable growth.

I didn't add Clearwater for a simpler reason.... It would have been too cumbersome a name to display in links and such.

I didn't add Clearwater for a simpler reason.... It would have been too cumbersome a name to display in links and such.

That was obvious. Still, it's like someone is arguing that the LA forum name be "Los Angeles/Glendale/Long Beach/Riverdale" - it doesn't make sense as every city (with the possible exception of LB) is a suburb or component of LA. The same goes for Clearwater.

Outside of Tampa, nobody knows or cares about Clearwater. It's as much a suburb as Brandon. I think putting St. Pete in the title is a stretch as is; if it wasn't a cultural and tourist destination, I wouldn't think it warrants recognition, either. Bottom line is, Clearwater is not a major city, not a major component to the region, nor is it home to much remarkable growth.

I wouldn't underestimate the name power of Clearwater. Tons of snowbirds up here know about Clearwater. I also visit annually(or almost).

I wouldn't underestimate the name power of Clearwater. Tons of snowbirds up here know about Clearwater. I also visit annually(or almost).

Agreed but a lot of people know West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale and they're not in Miami's forum name. Not to knock St. Pete but I think it should just be "Tampa". Not that I really mind. :)

I wouldn't underestimate the name power of Clearwater. Tons of snowbirds up here know about Clearwater. I also visit annually(or almost).

Clearwater also is famous worldwide and contributes more to the region than many people think.

I would suggest to call the forum "Tampa Bay Area"

Zehr gut mein freund, gstolze. Not a bad suggestion. :cheers:

Clearwater also is famous worldwide and contributes more to the region than many people think.

I would suggest to call the forum "Tampa Bay Area"

Famous worldwide?

:lol:

Not quite, other than being the sunny place where the Scientoligists vacation.

Famous worldwide?

:lol:

Not quite, other than being the sunny place where the Scientoligists vacation.

Scientology brings in many visitors to their own "compounds". But international visitors on vacation do not care much about Scientology. The US is the only country worldwide that acknowledges them as a religion. Everywhere else, they are seen as a money and power oriented cult
that uses inhuman techniques to catch and keep people in the organization. But this is too much off topic and I dont care, because everyone should do what they feel like to be happy.

I have been in Clearwater Beach for the first time in 1987 as a tourist and I fell in love with the area. I got my parents to visit there a few years later and since they return every year. Clearwater has many German tourists coming, and even more British. The biggest international market is Canada, though. The South American market is becoming more important.

I was lucky and lived in Clearwater for 3 years between 2000 and 2003
I took classes at St. Pete College and work on the beach at a hotel. We always had many international visitors there.

I moved back to Germany and have a good life here, but believe me I miss the Tampa Bay Area every day of my life.

Events like Beach Volleball and the Ironman also make Clearwater more famous around the world.

Sorry if I have got a little far off topic.

It is cool to know what people outside of our area think about it.

No, Clearwater goes with Pinellas discussion. Clearwater isn't a major component of the region (Brandon is bigger) and isn't associated or even known like Tampa or St. Pete.

Personally, I think that there is enough activity on Clearwater and the Pinellas Beaches that they could go into their own thread under the Tampa / St Petersburg thread.

As far as Brandon being bigger than Clearwater, that is false. Brandon is not an incorporated city. Officially, it is what is called a "Census-Designated Place". Some other CDPs in Hillsborough County are: Greater Carrollwood, Town 'n' Country, Riverview, etc... Only Plant City, Temple Terrace and Tampa are incorporated places in Hillsborough county.

According to Census 2005 Estimates here is the population breakdown of Clearwater vs. some of Hillsborough's larger CDPs.

Clearwater City: 108,382

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US1272145&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US12%7C16000US1272145&_street=&_county=clearwater&_cityTown=clearwater&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2005_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=

Brandon CDP: 89,929

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=brandon&_cityTown=brandon&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010

Town 'n' Country CDP: 77,622

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US1208150&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US12%7C16000US1208150&_street=&_county=Town+%27n%27+Country&_cityTown=Town+%27n%27+Country&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2005_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=

Also, I believe that Clearwater IS known Internationally. Especially in Canada and The U.K.

Again, I think that Clearwater could do with it's own thread. Afterall, someone started a "Brandon metro news and development thread" and it even has a sticky. Brandon Doesn't even HAVE a metro area guys! It doesn't have a downtown, and isn't an Urban place. And most importantly - it doesn't have a fraction of the projects that Clearwater has. Here are some Clearwater Condo Projects:

Water's Edge: http://www.yourwatersedge.com/
http://www.opuscorp.com/assets/img/projects/c_mul_ext_watedg_l_01.jpg

Island View: http://www.triangledevelopment.com/island.htm
http://www.clearwaterdreaming.com/images/harrison3.jpg

Marquesas:
http://marquesasjmc.com/
http://marquesasjmc.com/images/homeRendering.jpg

Antiqua Bay Yacht Club
http://www.antiguabayyachtclub.com/
http://www.antiguabayyachtclub.com/graphics/sandovalContent01.jpg
http://www.antiguabayyachtclub.com/graphics/santiago2.jpg

Echantment
http://www.livesouth.com/pics/20070104131231Enchantment_Front_resize.jpg

... AND these are only a few... I will add more to this post as I have time. In fact, if we have a meaningless Brandon thread I think we definately need a Clearwater thread. I believe there are about 20 or so projects that don't get any or enough attention.

Yes, spread it out!


Again folks, the entire point of creating a metro forum for the Tampa area was so that topics (like Clearwater) would no longer have to be crammed on top of one another in a single thread.

I agree with multifamilyinvestor -- Clearwater is larger than Brandon in every sense of the word -- "city" (or CDP) population; metro population; and infrastructure. Clearwater actually has a downtown and it is going to grow. Also, it's location (on the water) will make it a premiere city for years to come.

I currently live in Brandon and it is definitely growing (sprawling) by leaps and bounds, but it will never become as well known as Clearwater. I'm originally from Arkansas (and didn't move to Florida until 2.5 years ago), but I've always known of Clearwater. I'm not exactly sure how, but I knew the name, just like I knew the name "Tampa". (Interestingly, I didn't know of St. Petersburg until after college when I started working for Raytheon in Dallas, TX, and we dealt with Raytheon St. Pete.)

If we were to make an analogy between the Tampa Bay area with the Miami area, I would say that Clearwater is (or will be) as welll known as Ft. Lauderdale, but Brandon will only be as well known as Hialeah of Miami area. The reason I say that is because I never even HEARD of Hialeah until I moved to Florida (and I still cannot pronounce it), but Hialeah is actually the 5th largest city in the state of FLorida (right behind St. Pete), yet it is not well known (just a suburb of Miami). I foresee Brandon getting that large, too, but it will never outshadow St. Pete or Clearwater.

Enchantment is dead for now, they keep the Best Western Sea Wake Hotel.
Downtown has some more projects like the Station Square condos, and the
transformation of that ugly windowless high rise on Cleveland a little outside the downtown core into condos. Colliers-Arnold plan to develop the block across the library with condo and hotel. The project to the very south of that (Acqua), which was supposed to have retail and a movie theater is having financial troubles....Other than that there are so many smaller townhouse projects in Clearwater. I used to live in the Harbour Oaks neighbourhood and when i lived there, the new Publix just had opened. Now there is redevelopment everywhere around it.

I hope the stupid ever nay-saying Clearwater voters will not vote down the new Bayfront Marina plan again......

multi - Eh, not to get into a fight, but Brandon is just as big of a place. Nobody claimed it was a bigger city - it's the antithesis of a city. According to the Brandon chamber of commerce, the area has a population of 287,000 this year. 'Course, it isn't incorporated and gauging it accurately is damn near impossible. Still, Brandon is a force to be reckoned with and I think you follow my reason. It's just as significant as Clearwater to the area. That was my point. I don't think Clearwater should be up there, that's all.

multi - Eh, not to get into a fight, but Brandon is just as big of a place. Nobody claimed it was a bigger city - it's the antithesis of a city. According to the Brandon chamber of commerce, the area has a population of 287,000 this year. 'Course, it isn't incorporated and gauging it accurately is damn near impossible. Still, Brandon is a force to be reckoned with and I think you follow my reason. It's just as significant as Clearwater to the area. That was my point. I don't think Clearwater should be up there, that's all.

No fight - just a friendly discussion. :cheers:

The Brandon Chamber of Commerce (Link: http://brandonchamber.com/) includes Zip Codes outside of the census designated CDP area. This simply defines the area that the Brandon Chamber of Commerce serves. Unfortunately, the Brandon Chamber of Commerce is about as organized as "Brandon" is. In other words... there ARE no boundrys to Brandon. The Chamber of Commerce could claim all of Eastern Hillsborough County for their own if they wanted too. It is meaningless! Even if we are to use the the Brandon Chamber of Commerce's service area to define Brandon instead of using the U.S. Census Bureau which defines it as an area of 287,000. people, if we compare this with the Greater Cleawater area (Northern Pinellas County) it would still be smaller. Although, I am just speculating (I would have to do research to get exact numbers) I would guess that Northern Pinellas probably has about 400,000 - 450,000 people.

Finally, take a look at the urban projects in the new Clearwater thread and you will see the difference between Clearwater and Brandon. Brandon is a very nice suburb, but unfortunately to my knowledge there are no real urban developments their.

Frankly, I wish that Tampa would just annex Brandon, Carrolwood and Town and Country. There is absolutely nothing stopping Tampa, and Tampa would have a new population of about 600,000.

Brandon claims to have 287,000 people huh?


rotflmao!!!!!

Brandon claims to have 287,000 people huh?


rotflmao!!!!!

Including "peripheral" communities, whatever that means.

It's not that far from the truth. :nuts: I put it out there so I didn't look like I was making numbers up as I posted. I think it's fair to say Clearwater and Brandon are about the same in size... ergo the original point that Clearwater isn't remarkably large nor does it have the status to warrant a place in the forum title. I'm not saying it's insignificant, but I just don't think it belongs in the title. It's big enough, and it might be recognized, but it does not have the name recognition nor the identity of cities like Tampa or St. Pete.

About Brandon picking zip codes outside of its "designated" place... I actually think it's a legit claim, since areas like Mango and Valrico are extremely dependent on Brandon for services. I mean, Brandon never really ends.... the area that identifies itself as Brandon probably is around 250k.

I think you get my point, though. It was half serious to begin with. :lol:

No, Brandon ends... There is Valrico, Mango, Bloomingdale, Gibsonton, Riverview, Apollo Beach, etc, etc...

Brandon isn't even remotely close to 287k people. Sounds to me more like they got the entire county population south of I-4 and east of US 41 and called it "Brandon".

No, Brandon ends... There is Valrico, Mango, Bloomingdale, Gibsonton, Riverview, Apollo Beach, etc, etc...

Brandon isn't even remotely close to 287k people. Sounds to me more like they got the entire county population south of I-4 and east of US 41 and called it "Brandon".

Is it that much of a stretch to include Valrico or Bloomingdale? Like I said, it's a continuous group of sprawl without any sort of identity. There aren't even signs marking the beginning or the end.

Apollo Beach, Ruskin, and even Wimauma are very isolated compared to Brandon. There exists a sort of barrier between the developed and the wild... but otherwise, what difference is there? I'm not saying that Brandon should be considering those communities, but they really do stem from and rely on Brandon. Brandon should have at least 100k in the next census update, anyway.

And who said I bought the numbers? I know they aren't exactly legit, but they have a point. I'd estimate the Brandon population to be about on par with Clearwater proper any day of the week, though.

Just because it's a continuous stretch doesn't mean it all goes by the same name. All of the places I named are places I hear people identify as the place they live.

These are the boundaries of Brandon as shown in wikipedia:
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t129/tampaguy75/wikipediabrandonboundaries.jpg


And this is how I think The Chamber of Commerce gets its 287,000:
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t129/tampaguy75/MetroBrandon.jpg

I don't have a problem with Brandon having it's own thread, or even having a sticky putting it on par with Tampa, St. Petersburg or Clearwater. But if we are going to have an official thread, I do have a problem with it starting with the asinine. The thread that we have is started with a joke....

This thread concerns the entire Brandon metro composing of our core city Brandon, and the surrounding incorporations of Valrico, Riverview, Apollo Beach, and what have you.

Brandon is not a city, it has no metro area and Valrico, Riverview, and Apollo Beach are not incorporated.


I would also like fellow Brandoners to express their views of our neighboring city Tampa, and their relation with the city and its citizens. Personally, I have only been to the city a few times, and what we Brandoners say of Tampa is true, but some things we say are blatantly false and elaborations. We surely are the more imaginative and cerebral folk, but I believe we should give the Tampians more credit than what they have..

I agree! Brandoners MUST be more imaginative than the rest of us since you have an IMAGINARY city.


This may be difficult to fathom, but there have been several times in the long histories of our two cities where we joined hands in mutual solidarity to fend off a common enemy. The last time was when a ship of retarded pirates invaded the shores between our two cities. We sucessfully repelled the attackers, and celebrate every year to this day with a parade and a mockery of the battle. The Tampians can easily be distinguished in the crowd as the men tend to be ebriated and slovenly push us around as their dumpy women offend our senses with their bosoms...

Do I even need to comment about this paragraph?



But we must still be wary. Well-meaning the citizens of Tampa are, but so is their fondness for white elephant projects and their increasing desire to annex and tax our wealthy, productive, and prosperous lands to fund their freeloading and work-shy people.

But I am still optimistic that our cities can peacefully co-exist as long as they understand our love of independence, low-taxation, individual responsibilty, hard work, and chain stores.

Now - As funny as this thread is, should we encourage this by giving it a sticky on the front page?

I just sort of figured that if a few Brandon suburbanites wanted to live in a fantasy world, who am I to tell them different?

But yeah, I forgot just how satirical the first post was...

Also, now that Clearwater has its own thread, it should be taken out of the title for the current Pinellas County thread which I guess should be renamed to the effect of being a St. Pete and St. Pete Beach thread.

I just sort of figured that if a few Brandon suburbanites wanted to live in a fantasy world, who am I to tell them different?

But yeah, I forgot just how satirical the first post was...

I'm never sure with the internet. Satire is lost, jest is hard to pick out...

Oh well.... hehe, no Brandon thread needs to be stickied. I don't think you'll see much urban development that way... ever. :lol:

^^ I don't know - Leave it stickied... But maybe someone can come up with a run of projects and Jason can change the first page to be the list of whats going on. Thats my opinion anyway.

Maybe you could come up with the list Maxim?

Maybe you could come up with the list Maxim?

:nuts:

^^ I don't know - Leave it stickied... But maybe someone can come up with a run of projects and Jason can change the first page to be the list of whats going on. Thats my opinion anyway.

Maybe you could come up with the list Maxim?

Yes.... And I think a SE HIllsborough sticky is fine. Lump in Apollo Beach and stuff, and there would actually be plenty to talk about, especially for folks from that side of the county. I don't care if people talk about unmistakably suburban things... SSC is so big now that a few posts on a tangential topic isn't going to hurt anything.

Hell, I might even make a New Tampa/Wesley Chapel thread or something. :lol:


(btw... how big is SSC? We get more traffic than the websites for... The US Senate, American Idol and Hillary Clinton :yes: )

Haha!

Yikes.

Well, there is plenty of developing in "South Shore" to talk about, if I must. :-P

I prefer to come here to escape such development, hehe.

Well, it's a metro forum... And unfortunately, we all know that about 10% of the metro's population actually lives in truly urban places like those discussed elsewhere on SSC.

I don't really care what's discussed, so long as it's within the rules and is organized.

multifamilyinvestor: "maybe you can come up with the list Maxim?"

:nuts:

Now THAT was funny! Thanks for the laugh, Maxim. I love it...

And what can ya say?!?! You've gotta love lou for being the rebel that he is. . . :)

Those maps that show "Brandon" aren't really correct. I live just north of Bloomingdale in a new townhouse development and we have a Riverview address. Seems strange to me though.

Ah, come on guys... I thought maybe somone who was actually interested in Brandon could come up with a list of whats going on like every other place has.

I don't know what is crazy about that... Aside from the fact that it might be a short list....

multifamilyinvestor: "maybe you can come up with the list Maxim?"



Now THAT was funny! Thanks for the laugh, Maxim. I love it...

And what can ya say?!?! You've gotta love lou for being the rebel that he is. . . :)

^of course someone can... I'm interested, as Brandon is actually starting to densify a bit... it won't be too long before there are taller buildings cropping up around the mall and along I-75 and Falkenburg nearby... People don't realize, but the zoning is already there in places. The numbers simply haven't demanded vertical growth, but that will inevitably change.

As it is, there are already several midrise buildings, apartments and townhouses sprouting up all over that general area. Plus, Brandon Town Center is expanding. Hell, there are even midrises going up in the Apollo Beach area.

People forget that with the Selmon and I-4 both being dramatically improved, that access to Brandon is also improved. Plus, construction will begin pretty soon on the I-4/Selmon Expressway Connector, which will further improve Tampa's connectivity to the Brandon area... As a result, it becomes a more desirable place, land values rise and it inevitably grows.


Trust me, there are plenty of people in SE Hillsborough on both sides of the development issues people face who are interested in discussing such things... they just don't know they can come here to do it.

This is true. The land around the Crosstown Park (where MacDill put in a midrise office building a year ago or so) is ripe for growth... lots of it, to be honest. The corridor (Falk.) between 60 and Selmon, near 75, is already seeing a bit of mid-level hotels and mini office centres. Apollo Beach and Little Harbour (formally Bahia Beach) are getting midrises... AB has an 8 story planned, several 5 stories UC, and a 4 story on the bay.... LH has a slew of massive towers about to top off. I'll have to take pictures, but they are similar in scale to what is going on in Newport and Westshore Yacht Club. It isn't inspiring, but it's certainly a better use of the land.

Damn, did I just get caught discussing Brandon's "development?" :-P

Well, why don't they rename the Minneapolis/St.Paul page Minneapolis/St.Paul/Edina? Tampa/St. Petersburg makes total sense for multiple, muliple reasons.

btw, whatever that condo is going up in SE HIllsborough, it is visible plain as day from the Skyway and its southern approach. Kinda blew me away when I saw it the other day though, since I drive that road at least once a week and have for months.

Looks like it was 12-15 floors or so, though it's obviously hard to tell from miles away while driving. ;)

btw, whatever that condo is going up in SE HIllsborough, it is visible plain as day from the Skyway and its southern approach. Kinda blew me away when I saw it the other day though, since I drive that road at least once a week and have for months.

Looks like it was 12-15 floors or so, though it's obviously hard to tell from miles away while driving. ;)

Sounds about right - That's Little Harbor's centerpiece. I think they are putting two up?

Sounds about right - That's Little Harbor's centerpiece. I think they are putting two up?

These?

http://www.littleharborflorida.com/LittleHarbor/images/popups/harborpointrendering.jpg

Naw, what I saw looked a good bit taller... or at least it seemed so.

It looked like it was the same kind of scale as what's going up south of Gandy.

Naw, what I saw looked a good bit taller... or at least it seemed so.

It looked like it was the same kind of scale as what's going up south of Gandy.

Actually, that's the biggest thing going up. I thought it was bigger, too.

Are you sure you weren't looking at Palmetto? I'm assuming you know where you are looking, hehe. Kind of a big diff. :lol:

lololol... nooo...

I know my north from my south. I do survey CAD work for a living you know. ;)

hell, who knows, maybe it was some visual distortion trick from the water or something (or maybe I'm just an idiot)... All I know is that the building looked like it was 1.5 to 2 times taller than it was wide, and it looked like it was 120-150ft tall...