Just thought it would be a topic of interest. (hopefully only locals will respond)

Why did you relocate here? If you've always lived here it's probably obvious why you're here, but may not be why you're still here.

From 1 to 10, all things considered are you happy with the area? (what it does or doesn't offer)

Do you think Tampa Bay 10 years or so in the Future will be more favorable to you or it's fine the way it is?



For me,(been here since 1996 minus a year in Orl), My wife had family here already and it was near where I grew up in Polk Co. and Orlando area.

I'd give it about a 7 with being happy with the area.

I think 10 years from now I would plan on giving it a 7.5, maybe.

Much poor land use planning and not paying adequate attention to details(aesthetics, publics spaces, etc.) hurt this area. Poor transportation system issues also hurt (road and transit).

In the big picture I love it here. I could hardly imagine living any place else. Maybe Denver? The Tampabay area has a little of everything. It's a working class city that has it's fair share of wealth to keep it at the edge of sophistication. It's a sleepy southern town with a kick. There are inate cultural things here that normally you would see in only the super metropolitan areas. Sports, arts, authentic "immigrant culture", outdoor activities, regional cuisine, etc

I moved here from south florida(WPB/MIA) in 93 to go to college, lived in Orlando (due largely to the fact that it is a tough place to start a career) for about 5 years and thankfully came back in 2005.

In 10 years the idiot city council members, county commisioners, and the mayor will all be gone and hopefully replaced by more competent people. The quarrels between St Pete/CL/Tampa and the county at large will have ended and plans to make metro wide transportation systems will be in the implementation phase. Hopefully brandon will become one large ghetto as the population shifts back to the urban center to be closer to everything.

I've always lived here, and I'm still attending High school here, but even after that I still plan to stay a very long time.

Overall, I'd give the Tampa Bay area an 8. There are no shortage of attractions or things to do here. From the theme parks to the museums to the beaches. There is no lack of culture or history, and plenty of sports teams too.

I think Tampa will countinue to make slow progress. Hopefully we will have some more proactive people in government in the future. Most of the problem here in Tampa that I see is transit insfracture, some bad city/county planning, and of course a dead downtown Tampa. But if we're talking about the whole bay area here then downtown St. Pete is nice enough. And don't get me wrong, downtown Tampa is making good progress.

Although I grew up in rural North Carolina, it seems like I've lived everywhere -- Raleigh, Honolulu, Washington DC, Ithaca NY, Warsaw Poland, Atlanta, New York City, back to Washington DC, Boston, and now here (first Clearwater, now Channelside). I came here in late 2003 after a huge September snowstorm in Boston and had just had it -- saw an ad for a new condo online, and moved here not knowing anything or anyone. Since then, have met some great new friends and have had three different sets of friends who moved here after visiting.

Overall, right now, I'd give Tampa Bay a 7 -- I like it, but its got a long way to go before it becomes a "complete" city (Washington DC being my favorite of the above). The arts/theater scene is seriously lacking -- heck, even try finding an independent film -- and the transportation is a mess. I know we can't match the big cities for transportation, but take a look at cities like Honolulu -- damn, do I miss their bus service! And now they're getting light rail and high-speed ferries ...

That being said, I'm very excited for the future. Right now, I'd guess my opinion of Tampa in 5-10 years will be 8 or 9 ... I can just feel the "vibe" in various parts of the area, and we have (nearly) everything we need right here.

I grew up in Brandon (vowing never to return after graduating H.S.) went to school in Gainesville, reluctantly became a boomerang kid (moving back to parent's house in Brandon) and finally rediscovered Tampa for myself.
Hmm, What kept me here?
1) The local music scene - provided me with a safe haven for me to go out and explore the night life on my own. I loved the music scene in Gainesville (great local indie acts combined with a great influx of national acts that you can catch for dirt cheap) and Tampa provided a small bit of this along with a more diverse scene.
2) The Bay and a balance between nature/country and city - I hate the touristy beach scene, but I also hate being landlocked. My two favorite parks - Bayshore blvd. and Flatwoods (wishing I still had rollerblades or a bike) get me close enough to nature without leaving civilization. And if you want to get away from civilization it's just a short drive away.
3) Sense of history - Not only my family history but local history. Everyplace has a history, but I think Tampa and Florida history is unique.
4) The rest - Plenty of jobs and schools (higher education). Downtown is turning around. Walkability of Hyde Park area.

Why it is slipping? - Cost of living is rising dramatically while income is stagnant (Come on Tampa I always thought you were better than S. Florida)

I moved here from Raleigh NC because I got a really good paying job.

The problems I have with the area are:

1. Lack of young professionals. There arent too many good universities in the state of Florida, and that is the problem I think.
2. Lack of mass transit.
3. Rising cost of living
4. Too many old people
5. Lack of planning

Things I like:

1. Beaches
2. Weather

I give the are a 6 over all. In fact, I have contemplated moving back to the Raleigh area. We shall see.

I moved here four years ago because my employer moved me here. I had a limited selection of places I might move to, and I picked Tampa mainly because it was closer than any other place to family and friends. I mean, I could have ended up in Grand Forks ND or Wichita KS or Spokane WA. On balance Tampa is much better than any of those places. I grew up in Jax so I've been in Florida most of my life. Lived in a variety places from Michigan to Texas.

But, right now I'd give Tampa about a 5 and plan to be gone by New Years Eve 2009.

We have beaches, yaay. They're 45 minutes of heavy traffic through sprawl to get to. I was closer when I lived in N Fla and I like Atlantic beaches better anyway.
We have good weather, yaay. Wait a minute, what? Good weather? Are you out of your minds? Step outside right now, people, do you honestly want to do anything in this heat and humidity? I don't. The winters are nice, but they're so... not a season. The only thing I like about Florida weather is the consistent thunderstorms. I do adore me some thunderstorms. But I enjoy being outside to much to enjoy this place; I can't even sit outside on my porch and read in the evenings during the summer without sweating like a fat man in a tight pair of pants. The weather doesn't do it for me.

I'm in the position now of trying to find a job in a field I actually care about, and frankly it's just tough to do. Unless you're into insurance, banking, or retail, there aren't a lot of jobs out there. I haven't found anything that pays enough to pursue yet. Customer service isn't my bag, and that seems to be main kind of jobs being generated here.

I'm getting married soon and we want to settle down somewhere. We don't want to live in the 'burbs and can't afford to stay downtown--I mean, right now we're in 900sf and it's cramped. We want a real kitchen, we want a place for friends to stay, we want to be able to raise kids. We ain't gonna do it in Brandon, folks. And since we're not rich we won't be living in Hyde Park, either. It's a problem in a lot of places, but there's certainly nothing about Tampa that's better than most other towns in this respect, so there's no reason given the foregoing that we'd stay.

I do think Tampa's getting better, but frankly, the parts that are getting interesting--Channelside, downtown--aren't where we want to settle down and raise a family. Ironic, I suppose, given the recent article about Tampa being bad for young professionals and singles, that I'd be happier where I am were I single--and not because I'd get to meet someone new, just that I wouldn't be thinking about settling down in a larger place with some land. I have a baldcypress tree in a pot on my porch, okay people? Don't want to keep my gardening pot-bound for the rest of my life.

And, too, the leadership here is Dysfunctional. I for one don't believe all the idiots will be out of office in 10 years and replaced by more competent people... I think they'll be replaced, but by idiots of equal dimension. History points that way in this town.

So... no, I'm not real satisfied being here. I came here because I had to... and now that I don't have to stay, I probably won't. But I've definitely lived in worse places, and if I had to settle in one of the towns I've already lived in... well, Tampa would certainly be in the top three or four. But I don't know if that's saying much.

I moved here when i was a little kid and had little choice but moved to Dallas and moved to clearwater. Overall ill rate tampa bay a 7 but St.Pete a 8.5 , the main reason i moved back was thinking id move to st.pete. Firstly im 17 and grew up in St.Pete so this influences the way i think about it. The thread is kind of broad because tampa bay is a big place i think doing this by county might be better so take that rating for tampa bay as a pinellas county rating mostly.

I now live in suburban clearwater a severely boring place where i cant go anywhere intresting without a car. Add that to driving on trafficked up, construction zone US 19, and the idiots who cant drive its a pain in the ass sometimes even though I love driving. Another thing is an idiot local government and dont get me started on the school system ill just say one example me having a school 1 mile from my house versus the 6-7 miles i drive to go to my school as the closest choice i can get.

The earning here are small and yet everything is expensive, i have alot of people tell me that food is more expensive here then places like new york, etc. Taxes well... we are taxed the crap out of ourselves from sales tax, etc yet do not see much productivity from it. Property taxes are all out of whack and insurance for homes are also jacked up.

Finally like many have said the planning here sucks from roads to just about anything infrastructure wise. For anyone without a car i feel truly sorry for this is coming from me being so used to using a car to do just about anything. There is just about no transit here PSTA my ass!!! The planning for any transit is pretty poor oh how id love to hope on a train to St.Pete from north clearwater id save on gas. Traffic... pretty much everywhere here around the rush hours it sucks ass the worst to me personally is Gulf to Bay i hate driving that road and East Bay isnt too far behind.

Now about the positives, for one scenery is the best here, sunsets, palm trees, stucco homes, long ass bridges, summer storms, etc. The main thing i like about florida is scenery and overall it looks nice down here. There are also many parks here and beaches to get away on the weekend and besides summer most of the year is pretty comfortable. If you have extra cash then there are plenty of things to do here. Its on the coast living in a landlocked city can kiss my ass i hate that!!! The constant changing of the area many areas for the better. There is also alot of history and culture of older areas in the bay area. Im not sure what else but there is more overall its not that bad of a place to live.

These are very interesting views, opinions, and histories. The good and the bad. Transit, Leadership, Cost of Living seem to be recurring themes.

I was on vacation in CWB every year since 1987. Then I lived in Clearwater for 3 years between 2000 and 2003 to study at St. Pete College. I stayed near Harbor Oaks right next to the big church on Pine St. and loved the location.

I returned to Germany in 2003 and have a good life here, but believe me I MISS TAMPA BAY EVERY SINGLE DAY! The weather, the friendly people, the beaches, palms, Los Mariachis in Clearwater and Casa Tina in Dunedin, Ybor City, Busch Gardens, Lowry Park Zoo, the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo, Bayshore Blvd,

I don't mind the hot summers, I enjoyed walking outside even in July. I love the silky feel on the skin if you go outside in the warm months. Many times my friend would drop me off on Sand Key where he worked and I walked back home across Sand Key Bridge, the beach and Memorial Causeway. I miss those long walks.

Yes there are things that i missed here, like mass transit and a vibrant downtown, but things are getting better in the future. Besides the shortcomings, the area offers a quality of life that you hardly can find anywhere else.

I see the region as one, don't differ between cities here. Sometimes you encounter bad leadership, especially on state level or in Hillsborough County, but I do like Pam Iorio. I think she is the one of best mayors Tampa had.

In my opinion Tampa Bay is the best region of Florida and can hardly wait to come back.

I lived in Tampa in the mid-90s, having been transferred here from my corporate job in the Midwest. After a brief but enjoyable 4-year stint in Hotlanta, I was transferred back down to Tampa in 2001. Been here since.

The things that appealed to me the most in my first go-around - warm winters, proximity to beaches, and the good friends I've made - are still some of my most compelling reasons for living here. Doesn't hurt that I'm lucky enough to have a pretty good job and a funky loft in Channelside as well.

I can tell you that I have noticed several significant changes in the Tampa Bay region over the past 12 years; some of them positive and a few not so good.

Tampa has always appealed to the blue-collar, redneck crowd, which is fine. However, I've really noticed a concerted effort to raise the level of sophistication and appeal to a higher income target market, and not just rich retirees. Some of these have succeeded, some failed, and on some the jury's still out.

The relatively low average salaries for the area, and the increasing cost of living could polarize the region into more of a "have / have not", with a shrinking middle class. Tampa - and Florida - is going to have to have more success in bringing higher-paying jobs in order to keep up with other metro areas in the US.

Many parts of Tampa that were run-down or neglected 10 years ago are either in the midst of their makeovers (the Channel District, South Westshore, parts of Ybor) or in the planning phases (Central Park, the Heights). Novare is helping to shape up Tampa's north CBD. St Pete's DT has really blossomed.

Sure, the summers are hot and sticky but is it really much better in Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, or Memphis in July and August? You either like Southern weather or you don't.

So, to answer the original questions - I'm probably at about 8 as far as happy with the area. Is it fine as it is? No. We should always be striving to improve things like education, wages, transportation, affordable housing options, crime reduction, and other aspects that directly or indirectly affect our quality of life. But I do see a bright future for Tampa Bay and look forward to seeing how it continues to change.

I originally moved to Ft myers from Philadelphia. I left Philadelphia because I have always hated the cold and quite frankly Affirmative Action was kicking my ass. I wasn't even going for good jobs.
I moved here about ten years ago from Ft Myers. I was tired of old people, hick town living. I tried getting a job in Tampa as well as Miami. I got the job in Tampa first. I personally like Tampa. It is definitely a smaller town than I like, But I am fortunate enough to live in one of the few neighborhoods where I can walk to everything. The heat doesn't bother me at all. I run Bayshore everyday around 2 or 3 P.M., even in July. It actually get s too cold here for me in the winter. So, even though I think Tampa leaves a little to be desired, I am kind of screwed. I don't want a city any smaller and I certainly don't want to move any further North, so it's either here or Miami.

I've been between here and Annapolis since 2000 and 1 of my standards of living is growing with an area. In just 7 years with the phenominal changes in the area (downtown revitalization, Westshore growth, additional major sporting tournaments) it makes me feel I'm in the middle of something "happening". Also being well traveled, I don't care what anyone else says TPA is incredibly easy to get in and out of. There's alot to be said for that. If only the public schools were a little better...

I've lived in Tampa since I was born, my parents moved here from Charolette, NC. My dad loves it here, my mom hates it, and I'm iffey on it.
My Problems with Tampa.
1) Schools.
Teachers are not respected and are trated horribly by everyone in the community
Schools are not adequatly planned or funded
Mass Transit is non existant
Not enough farms in the farm lands because of our leaders being whores for deveolpers
Prices of stuff
Insurance and the usual
Services are not offered to everyone. I had to pay over $1,000 to get cable, No police cars patrole my street, which is a pretty major street into pinellas county, and its a very dangerous street, one of my closest friends died on it last year.
Our transit network of roads is badly planned.

What I like.
Something I realised last night, the changes to downtown are finally taking affect, Our downtown is becomming alive,
Our historic districts
Our Architecture
Our views, beaches, etc
Culture
Music
The lakes
Weather, I used to hate it but now I love it
Beautiful girls
I mostly love the fact Tampa is located on a river and a bay, which offers spectacular views of the city and the bay from high rises.
I give it a 8

I currently live in Gainesville, and I'm getting ready to move out of Florida for a few years to get another degree. However, St. Pete is my hometown. I fully intend to move back to the Tampa Bay area after I complete this next degree. Overall, I think it's a nice area. Even though having multiple "central" cities brings about its challenges, I like having three cities that are developing their own unique characters within the construct of the metro area as a whole. I enjoy the waterfront. There's actually a lot to do if you're willing to do a little research and drive. It is mainly a blue-collar metro, but it does have the shopping, cultural and entertainment options to appeal to the white-collar population.

I do think the area is too conservative when it comes to urban planning. The area does seem to lack an overall identity or something to make it truly stand out. I see it being more of a corporate metro like Dallas or Houston. Progress is slow, but it's coming. All of the major DTs are developing. I really hope to see regional LRT/BRT/Commuter Rail plan approved by the time I move back in 3 to 5 years. I believe that will be the catalyst for some major growth and development. I look forward to coming back home to a different place. I rate it a 7 today, but see that rating improving in time.

I moved to Tampa in 1991 and have lived in the area since. My father resided in the Tampa area for a couple years during the mid 70s and knows the area pretty well. So when my family came to the US from the Philippines, we drove cross-country to Florida. So, here I am...in Tampa.

I plan to live in Tampa Bay for probably another four to six years. I still have to complete college, so I don't plan on going anywhere yet. However, with the high taxes, cost of living, jobs, and world events, I may end up leaving Florida after 2012...maybe sooner than that.

^^That is if were not all dead.

I moved to Tampa Bay (Brandon) in 2002 after coming from a little town in Maine which VERY few people know of. I moved here when I was 16 and now I am liking the city (Tampa).

Brandon is too sprawly for me and it is not a "city" at all it is like one continuous strip mall. I do like the fact that I can go on the bus and get to downtown to take photos and I also like to look at the architecture of this area.

It is very cool. I love to go to Ballast Point and just draw for hours. Back to my point, my family and I moved here because it is (was) fairly cheap to live in Brandon in one of the many apartment complexes. We moved here to escape my mothers violent husband. Enough said on that.

I love this area, and I am enjoying the opportunity of watching a city grow and realize its potential. I think that Tampa has many flaws, but also has many things to look forward to and to offer if you are willing to be patient.

^^That is if were not all dead.

I moved to Tampa Bay (Brandon) in 2002 after coming from a little town in Maine which VERY few people know of. I moved here when I was 16 and now I am liking the city (Tampa).

Brandon is too sprawly for me and it is not a "city" at all it is like one continuous strip mall. I do like the fact that I can go on the bus and get to downtown to take photos and I also like to look at the architecture of this area.

It is very cool. I love to go to Ballast Point and just draw for hours. Back to my point, my family and I moved here because it is (was) fairly cheap to live in Brandon in one of the many apartment complexes. We moved here to escape my mothers violent husband. Enough said on that.

I love this area, and I am enjoying the opportunity of watching a city grow and realize its potential. I think that Tampa has many flaws, but also has many things to look forward to and to offer if you are willing to be patient.

Very insightful thoughts for your age. I could not agree more with what you said. Tampa has much to offer and will become a great small city.....but as you said you need to be a little patient.