DT Tampa's Zack Street Promenade Of The Arts begins

[Jasonhouse]

^That'll be hard to accomplish when the garage can't be taller than the courthouse. The garage has to provide parking for the hotel, and if retail is added, then it has to have parking for that too.

I wonder if they have considered adding some angled on-street parking while they're rearranging things and cutting it down to 2 lanes? This can as much as double the existing parking. (so a typical one block stretch would go from 16 spaces to perhaps 28-30 spaces). If they did angled parking just from Ashley to Florida (minus the Skypoint side), they could add as many as 35 extra on-street parking spaces. Do Zack like that where possible all the way to Jefferson St and they could add another 40 or so spaces. Then some of the little surface lots along this street could have the parking reqs waived, thus allowing redevelopment where none would otherwise occur. Maybe those landowners could even have a 'business hours' lease the parking spaces in front of their property?

I know, I know, this is all way too complicated for a city that just doesn't give a shit if things are done right or not. My bad.

[Lakelander]

Zack Street? Would have been nice if the old Maas Brothers building was still around. Oh well.

[TampaMike]

Looking good so far. Project starts from Ashley St, but the pic is at Tampa looking east. I wish some of the other streets were just given the extra sidewalk.

image hosted on flickr

yam 074 by TampaMike2, on Flickr

[bueller]

[IMG]image hosted on flickr
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[IMG]image hosted on flickr
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[Jasonhouse]

Love those kite/ray tensile canopies but I wonder what motivated the color choice?

[jonknee]

Not sure about the color, but it looks nice to my eye. Sort of blends in with the canopies at Curtis Hixon and outside of Five Guys. They're an interesting shape, almost like a Ray.

[Jasonhouse]

I think it would be cool to lease them out for logo advertising. Or perhaps leave these ones be and expand such a thing to other parts of DT by having businesses 'sponsor' the construction of a canopy. Maybe even have it be something for only local businesses or even only DT area businesses to be displayed on them. Seems like the kind of small project that the city and DT Partnership could work together on.

[smiley]

As long as they have money to replace them every year after they rot, like all other such things do in Florida. Otherwise, by next year it will look like crap.

[jonknee]

Originally Posted by smiley

As long as they have money to replace them every year after they rot, like all other such things do in Florida. Otherwise, by next year it will look like crap.

They're meant for outside use and I haven't seen other outdoor canopies around start to rot.

[Jasonhouse]

I did multiple design projects featuring tensile structures when I was in school (they interest me). Doesn't make me an expert in any way at all, but I do know some basics. The life expectancy for modern tensile fabric products is roughly 15-30 years depending on what you get. UV coatings can be applied to common PVC fabrics, which make them last longer in lower latitude locations. Or, silicate based fabrics can be used, which aren't susceptible to UV breakdown. Fabric tensile structures wouldn't be highly popular in architecture all over the planet in sunny climates if they weren't cost effective.

[jamesk]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

I did multiple design projects featuring tensile structures when I was in school (they interest me). Doesn't make me an expert in any way at all, but I do know some basics. The life expectancy for modern tensile fabric products is roughly 15-30 years depending on what you get. UV coatings can be applied to common PVC fabrics, which make them last longer in lower latitude locations. Or, silicate based fabrics can be used, which aren't susceptible to UV breakdown. Fabric tensile structures wouldn't be highly popular in architecture all over the planet in sunny climates if they weren't cost effective.

[ATampaArnold]

I like them but the colors were different too

[SkyDiveJunkee]

What is the plan for Zack Street? When they say, Promenade of the Arts, what does that really mean? Is there institutional backing for an arts movement to center on Zack Street? Just wondering where the intent comes from here. I do find the canopies to be visually interesting.

[jonknee]

Originally Posted by SkyDiveJunkee

What is the plan for Zack Street? When they say, Promenade of the Arts, what does that really mean? Is there institutional backing for an arts movement to center on Zack Street? Just wondering where the intent comes from here. I do find the canopies to be visually interesting.

They cut down the number of lanes, widened the sidewalks, are adding public art installations and it connects into two museums. Eventually it should connect a bit more.

[TampaMike]

Originally Posted by jonknee

They cut down the number of lanes, widened the sidewalks, are adding public art installations and it connects into two museums. Eventually it should connect a bit more.

If I remember correctly, the budget for the city for next year includes funding to extend it further east.

[Jasonhouse]

It's a start. Still think they should finish some projects before starting new ones though.

If they go all the way to Union Station with it and use it as a redevelopment tool farther east, now that would be worthwhile. Maybe they could eventually make the road ped only? That would set up a ped loop within DT, linking the greenways along Meridian and the one upcoming under the Selmon, all that way back to Franklin and the riverwalk. If a crosstown loop is ever developed for the streetcar to link it to Union Station, Zack would be then be perfect for it without disrupting automobile traffic.

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

It's a start. Still think they should finish some projects before starting new ones though.

If they go all the way to Union Station with it and use it as a redevelopment tool farther east, now that would be worthwhile. Maybe they could eventually make the road ped only? That would set up a ped loop within DT, linking the greenways along Meridian and the one upcoming under the Selmon, all that way back to Franklin and the riverwalk. If a crosstown loop is ever developed for the streetcar to link it to Union Station, Zack would be then be perfect for it without disrupting automobile traffic.

Interesting idea. I know that Invision people suggested Nucio Parkway be changed to include a bike path AND large sidewalk and that extend along Tyler and goes across the river. I dunno how I feel about that. But I really like Zack being a corridor for ped and redevelopment between Union station and because it creates two natural points between Curtis Hixon and Union station.

[7lives]

I have watched the sidewalk go in since it broken ground since I live in SkyPoint. Now it is basically finished save for the art that is supposed to be featured, and frankly it looks half-assed.
The concrete looks like bad patchwork of different shades of that coralesque color. It does not at all match the rest of the sidewalk that surrounds the block my building is on. Additionally it does not match the sidewalk around the Teco building either. The whole thing looks mismatched.
The new crosswalks look incomplete and ugly, why aren't they done in brick like other new crosswalks in downtown and on Kennedy blvd.? I would also like to know why after months of construction and a lot of money later why they couldn't make the crosswalk going from the Pizza Fusion corner to the south corner of Zack street flush with the road, when you drive over it there is always a major thud because its very uneven. Not to mention that section of Zack from Florida Ave to Tampa Street looks terrible, the road is uneven and has patched up pot holes.
Finally, I would really like to know why on earth, besides gussying up for the RNC why Zack needed wider sidewalks that run along two parking lots and a parking garage on the south side of the street. Even if one day in the future (won't hold my breath) some developers come in and actually building something worthwhile on the two blocks (one across from SkyPoint the other across from Teco) to replace the parking lots, it just means they will rip up the sidewalk and redo it again. The only places that really benefit from this widening are Pizza Fusion and Five guys since both have outdoor seating.
This is not the sign of true progress nor is this an actual improvement, its simply a waste of money done mainly because of the RNC and wanting parts of downtown to look cute but really serve no true purpose. Besides, how long will this sidewalk stay complete before they are out there tearing it two or three more times for various reasons.
I have lived here nearly 5 years and the only things that have happened are; a large park with virtually no shade during the day, a kids museum which is useless for residents living near it as we are mostly childless, an abysmal art museum, and a widened sidewalk.

[jonknee]

Originally Posted by 7lives

I have lived here nearly 5 years and the only things that have happened are; a large park with virtually no shade during the day, a kids museum which is useless for residents living near it as we are mostly childless, an abysmal art museum, and a widened sidewalk.

It's not finished yet, save your complaints until then. Your complaints sound horrible though, in five years all that's happened is two museums, a large and very popular park (actually two parks because Kiley Gardens is back) and a widened sidewalk that hasn't been finished yet but you already hate.

Other things that you forgot to mention is the Riverwalk, the retail in your building being used, restaurants now open at night, the bridges being lit, the Floridan opening and the old Federal Courthouse starting the process of becoming another hotel, your 500 new neighbors across the street and probably a lot else that I am not thinking of off the top of my head.

[tampaizzy]

in the past 5 years, considering the economic climate, all of those things getting done is actually quite good. Like jonknee said this is only phase 1 of 3 and while it is not perfect it is a big improvement and I think as it works itself east it will bring about changes along the street that will bring in retail and more things for pedestrians to use. It is a start, more needs to be done but you have to start somewhere.