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Help please!

2K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  TampaMike 
#1 ·
I'm in a pretty good fued with some people on wtsp.com's website. but before I go in balls to the wall with info, I would like to get my facts straight. I really want to make sure not to toss bs to the ceiling fan.

How many malls have closed in Hills, Pinellas in the past 3 years?
I kind of commented on commentors in a WTSP article, which is honestly arguing with a wall. I knew I was putting myself in front of a joust in a blind army.

If you would like to spread your opinion or just help me out, because I'm taking a pounding right now, but I will always stand up for Tampa Bay.

Please Help : http://www.wtsp.com/news/mostpop/story.aspx?storyid=124903&provider=top

Thanks, :)
 
#3 ·
For once I have to agree with the ignorants and say that is a bad idea. While no major mall has closed in Pinellas County since Crossroads Mall we don't have many malls to begin with for having nearly a million people in our county. The malls we do have are strip malls, I can only think of Tyrone and Countryside as our only true malls. Somebody mentioned this but driving up through Pasco and northern counties its just abandoned strip mall one after another, a very depressing sight.. But its a grim reminder of overbuilding and too much retail vs demand. This plan of a mega upscale shopping center is not a great one. The reason is there is not demand for such a thing especially with International Plaza and Westshore a fairly short drive away. You must remember Pinellas is full of mostly cheapskate northerners, retirees, and minimum wage slaves it just won't work.

My idea for toytown is to develop it slowly as its prime land; the lot should include several things. First it needs to be an urbanized development, not some sprawled out mall or something. This is the chance for Pinellas to compete with Westshore and build some lots for office towers. This would be a good chance to lure companies especially if/when light rail will be in that area. I'm confident that we could have hotels or office towers up to 20 stories there. At the same time a multi-story big box store or two could be built like they have in Miami and Orlando, this will fill the retail void. Next they need something of entertainment there, what exactly I do not know but they need to forget about the Rays stadium already, we might have light rail before the Rays get a new stadium. Lastly to make it a true urban center we need residential so perhaps some low rise condos would would here. Of course this wouldn't be built over night but I'm confident that one lot would fill up after another and eventually we'd get an "Uptown St. Petersburg". Maybe I'm dreaming because this is Tampa Bay and some half assed mall with townhouses will probably end up there but toytown is really a good opportunity for St. Pete and I really hope they don't screw it up.
 
#4 · (Edited)
The plan is ok. It has a good mix of uses, but still a bit suburban. However, the grid-like layout would allow for easier urbanization in the future.

I can't see a 100% upscale retail center like Int'l Plaza, but I can see it filling some retail gaps for Pinellas as well as the area as a whole.

Oh, yeah, no malls closed. Seminole Mall is on life support, but I suspect to see it redeveloped into a nice "Downtown Seminole" town center-like development in th next 5 years or so.
 
#5 ·
I emailed Mayor Foster about this plan a couple days ago. I just don't think it's in the right area to build something so suburban. And espicially in a area that could be developed like Tampa's Westshore, why this?

But yeah, when I emailed Foster I suggested placing the city's convention center on the site somewhere. The mayor himself even said he wanted to construct a convention center during his term, he will likely go for a second, so why not here? It's more centrally located in Pinellas, while still being in the city limits. It provides enough space for a decent sized convention center with the possibility to expand, something that downtown St. Pete is very hard to delivered. It's closer to the two main airports in the region than Tampa's convention center. And it will be in the business sector of the city and county.

One thing that I hope the city would do before such a idea was finished is fix the 4th Street/Gandy/Roosevelt intersection. Seriously, who designed that?
 
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