Tampa project seeks to re-imagine downtown

[Del Mayberry]

Kinda like the imaginary towers they added.

[miketpa]

I like the fact that Tampa actually starts to look like a real city in those pictures. The two problems I see are: 1. Tampa seems to do things on the cheap 2. the FL DOT would need to be on board with quite a few changes to roads and they seem to be completely short sighted on just moving cars and nothing else. But if Tampa can start getting this going with the current improvements in the housing market and economy, we would have a much more livable city in 20 years.

[Jasonhouse]

Originally Posted by koopalicious

This is the link to the draft plan:

http://www.tampagov.net/dept_plannin...2012-11-26.pdf

Did anyone (Kevin, Jason?) end up going to the open house?

I was stuck at work until around 7pm and didn't get to go.

[Del Mayberry]

Originally Posted by miketpa

I like the fact that Tampa actually starts to look like a real city in those pictures. The two problems I see are: 1. Tampa seems to do things on the cheap 2. the FL DOT would need to be on board with quite a few changes to roads and they seem to be completely short sighted on just moving cars and nothing else. But if Tampa can start getting this going with the current improvements in the housing market and economy, we would have a much more livable city in 20 years.

that's what we thought 20 years ago.

[miketpa]

and I'm sure 20 years from now we'll still be saying the same thing. At least DT is on a sloooow improvement plan

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by Del Mayberry

that's what we thought 20 years ago.

Wow, what was happening in 1992 that made you think that?

[Jasonhouse]

^In the early 90s the convention center had just opened. The aquarium was in development. The forum was in development. Downtown's biggest office building boom was finishing up. Multiple hotels had been recently developed. Ybor was resurgent. Tampa's cruise business was in development. We had just hosted the best Superbowl ever. (to that point)...

There was lots of buzz about Tampa's pending "emergence" as something more than an anonymous collection of cookie cutter suburbs and exurbs.

[TampaMike]

1988 to 1994 was probably the greatest years for Tampa. 1988, Megatrends called Tampa, "America's Next Great City". And why? Because everything that Jason said. The Convention Center was under construction, Lowry Park Zoo was re-opening after renovations of several years, Tampa Bay was gaining a NHL team and AFL team, office boom was just finishing, etc. Everything that needed to happen, was happening.

And it makes me ask myself, "What went wrong?"

Lets see what the next couple years gives Tampa. We can have the SouthGate development and yet-names Intown apartment project rising, the city could have a MLS team playing and stadium rising, ConAgra possibly could relocate in this time span, Channelside Plaza could be getting redeveloped, The Martin might break ground, the old courthouse will be opening as a hotel, Encore will be finishing more buildings and welcoming more residents, and who knows what can happen with rail.

I'm still kind of more optimistic than others in the future of Tampa.

[Del Mayberry]

When I was in high school, I took an economics class and remember Megatrends predicted that Tampa was going to be the big city of 600,000 population in the year 2K. That didn't happen but the suburbs got bigger. I remember people moving down here in the late 80's because they thought they could escape all the crap of the north, but Tampa sucked back then and a lot of them went back.

[Del Mayberry]

just found this (very negative about Tampa)

http://www.alternet.org/tampa-one-am...gop-convention

[Del Mayberry]

http://tbo.com/news/politics/ashley-...er-b82480795z1

[HARTride 2012]

That's definitely good! And not removing lanes on Ashley is even better in terms of not making congestion worse.

[tampaizzy]

sounds like a great project

[Tampa on the move.]

Originally Posted by TampaMike

1988 to 1994 was probably the greatest years for Tampa. 1988, Megatrends called Tampa, "America's Next Great City". And why? Because everything that Jason said. The Convention Center was under construction, Lowry Park Zoo was re-opening after renovations of several years, Tampa Bay was gaining a NHL team and AFL team, office boom was just finishing, etc. Everything that needed to happen, was happening.

And it makes me ask myself, "What went wrong?"

Lets see what the next couple years gives Tampa. We can have the SouthGate development and yet-names Intown apartment project rising, the city could have a MLS team playing and stadium rising, ConAgra possibly could relocate in this time span, Channelside Plaza could be getting redeveloped, The Martin might break ground, the old courthouse will be opening as a hotel, Encore will be finishing more buildings and welcoming more residents, and who knows what can happen with rail.

I'm still kind of more optimistic than others in the future of Tampa.

Tampa Mike I will always be optimistic about Tampa.. Born and raised it was a cow town in the 70's.. It has come so far and the best is yet to come... Hosted major events globally.. DT Westshore Airport. Shopping Dining Cuisine is so frickin good.... Love the sports teams.. Hoping the Rays move to Tampa.. Interstates all being constructed for the better. We still need some rail, but I really hope something happens sooner than later..

[gstolze]

I am very optimistc about Tampa's future, too. I just watched Major Buckhorn's state of the City speech a couple of days ago and I am impressed by his attitude. The timing is about right since the economy is coming back. Tampa can jump on a new level in the coming years. Hopefully he will be able to bring back light rail and also the govornor will change and reactivate HSR. Both would be a catalyst for a new boom. But even without, the focus on the riverwalk and the intown plan are great tools for the future.

[TampaMike]

What sets up to be in a better position than where we were in the mid-2000's is that we seem to be moving along with the rest of the country. We're kicking off projects around the same time every other city is kicking off projects. And it's not just residential projects, it's hotels and infrastructure projects.

Let us do a quick rundown on what is happening:

• - Related's Pierhouse Apartments are almost completed in Channelside.
• - The Martin will likely be rising in the next couple months in Channelside.
• - Novare wants to build their Skyhouse project in Channelside, which I can see happening also in the next couple months.
• - Channelside Plaza has been sold and could start renovations by the end of the year.
• - Vinik has plans for his own entertainment district in Channelside
• - Intown Riverwalk Apartments which should start construction sometime this year to meet their projected 2014 completion date
• - Old Federal Courthouse/ Le Merdien Hotel
• - aLoft Hotel along the Riverwalk
• - Epicurean Hotel
• - Handful of apartment projects in West Tampa and SoHo, adding hundreds of new residents and retail to these areas.
• - Riverwalk will be connected from Ft. Brooke to Curtis Hixon by the end of the year.
• - Encore Master Project will continue to rise with Trio and Reed and Tempo breaking ground this year.
• - The TIA Masterplan with a new rental car parking garage and new people mover.

Anything else I'm missing?

[Tampa on the move.]

I-4 Connector
I- 275 construction.
Veterans Expressway widening construction.

But those 3 apartment towers is what get's me so excited along with the riverwalk and Channelside news...

[USF802]

I was reading through the comments on the City of Tampa's Facebook page and I noticed, they (the City) posted a comment stating there are 6 high rise developments planned or proposed. All I can think of is 3, has anyone heard of anything regarding the 3 others?

Also PierHouse apartments states they have over 800 people registered to live there.

[Tampa on the move.]

Originally Posted by USF802

I was reading through the comments on the City of Tampa's Facebook page and I noticed, they (the City) posted a comment stating there are 6 high rise developments planned or proposed. All I can think of is 3, has anyone heard of anything regarding the 3 others?

Also PierHouse apartments states they have over 800 people registered to live there.

There's one condo going up on Bayshore and 2 new ones at the Encore site..

[Casey]

The Bayshore and Encore condo projects are all mid-rise.