A new push for downtown living

[HARTride 2012]

Mike, I was not sure where to post this. If you feel that this post should be integrated into one of the existing threads, then please go ahead and make the necessary changes.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news...push_for_downt

A new effort to further transform downtown Tampa into a residential neighborhood starts today.

Mayor Bob Buckhorn is launching a master plan initiative to reshape how people live, work and play in the city's core. The plan kicks off today with the mayor's vision on how he'd like to see more people living in downtown.

Over the next nine months, residents like David Ramon will be asked to attend meetings and offer suggestions on how to make downtown living more livable.

"I like the idea of the residential towers and buildings,'' said Ramon, who lives in the Channelside area. "I think they need more renters in downtown."

Resident Sophia Ruple said a grocer would be key for downtown inhabitants.

"I really hope they actually do put a Publix down here because that would be really great,'' Ruple said.

Buckhorn said he wants the initiative to be a blueprint for what downtown can become.

"We need to create that urban experience because people want to live in downtown,'' Buckhorn said. "They're tired of paying $4.00 a gallon to live out in the burbs. They want to be downtown. It's exciting, there's young people down there, there's empty nesters and these other things are starting to happen."

The kickoff to the mayor's master plan will be held in the city hall courtyard today at 10 a.m.

[Del Mayberry]

There's also people that want to live there that don't work there.

[koopalicious]

InVision Tampa

By the way, could BN9 possibly have used an older, crappier photo in that article?

[jamesk]

I notice that a lot of the time when the local news (whether online, in print, or on tv) has an image of downtown Tampa, they do their best to use angles or crop out the skypoint and element. It sucks because I like to say, "I live there!" when I see the building.

I wonder why they do that...

[Jasonhouse]

They know it bugs you.

[tampasteve]

Originally Posted by jamesk

I notice that a lot of the time when the local news (whether online, in print, or on tv) has an image of downtown Tampa, they do their best to use angles or crop out the skypoint and element. It sucks because I like to say, "I live there!" when I see the building.

I wonder why they do that...

I told them to use the old pics or crop them. Privacy concerns for the residents.

Steve

[jonknee]

Originally Posted by tampasteve

I told them to use the old pics or crop them. Privacy concerns for the residents.

Steve

Is this a joke or are you just being ridiculous?

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by jonknee

Is this a joke or are you just being ridiculous?

I posted this in the wrong place before but if haven't seen it on the site there is a second site for online public input at http://www.youinvisiontampa.com

For all of us familiar with the ways of the interwebs and are busy it's a great way to post ideas.

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by jonknee

Is this a joke or are you just being ridiculous?

If its not a joke his power over the media is impressive

[jamesk]

Originally Posted by tampasteve

I told them to use the old pics or crop them. Privacy concerns for the residents.

Steve

I wonder who you are... Gayle Guyardo?

[smiley]

http://tampasphere.wordpress.com/201...nvision-tampa/ Oh, Tampa. You never fail to impress.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

^Epic Name Fail.

[TampaMike]

I thought that once I saw the name of the page and was thinking they might try to spin it by saying that it's actually two words "In Vision" and just just one. Let's see if they change it now. Maybe I should by the domain "EnvisionTampa.com" before the city does.

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by TampaMike

I thought that once I saw the name of the page and was thinking they might try to spin it by saying that it's actually two words "In Vision" and just just one. Let's see if they change it now. Maybe I should by the domain "EnvisionTampa.com" before the city does.

Despite the name issue someone bought it long before anyone pointed this out:

Registrant:
ChappellRoberts
NONE
NONE, FL 33605
US

Domain Name: ENVISIONTAMPA.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
ChappellRoberts @chappellroberts.com
NONE
NONE, FL 33605
US
888-888-8888


Record expires on 22-Feb-2013.
Record created on 22-Feb-2012.
Database last updated on 11-Apr-2012 17:10:03 EDT.

Domain servers in listed order:

NS97.WORLDNIC.COM 205.178.190.49
NS98.WORLDNIC.COM 206.188.198.49

So I guess you are out of luck Mike

[Jasonhouse]

Tampa is an awesome, awesome city.

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

Tampa is an awesome, awesome city.

I know you are being sarcastic, but I actually think it is. There are a lot of great people here, but yes there are a lot of idiots. By volume Paris and New York are bound to have more.

I think what destroys tampa is not a lack of transportation systems or uneducated people or it's past -- it's low expectations.

Low expectations by people who don't know better and would drink the sand because they don't know the difference (to paraphrase Sorkin) but what is worse ...

is the people who have low expectations but know better. That live her and just complain about it. Whether it's a Northeast redneck or an activist in Seminal Heights or a lawyer that works downtown and lives in Pasco -- if you know that things should be better and you don't do anything to make it better it's on you more the ignorant people.

I agree this is funny, but if you don't like the master plan project out of spite or feel like it's useless start your own site. Otherwise get involved and make your point. Voting and paying isn't enough. It's like saying I pay for my kid why do i need to play with him.

Bottom line Jason -- you whine a lot and claim to be smarter than everyone in charge. Put your time nad money where you mouth is and be an activist and change things, run for office, or MOVE like you tell everyone else to.

[smiley]

the politicians (and their minders) have and are the cause of low expectations.

[kmthurman]

Originally Posted by smiley

the politicians (and their minders) have and are the cause of low expectations.

Ha! Love that one. Classic City Hall sucks so why bother trying to make things better argument. Because all the cities people like to talk about here have people involved daily working at a local level for the changes you want here

Dude, you know what the politicians respond to? People who show up. Not people with ideas, barely people money, local politicians are scared of people who show up. Most of he people who "show up" are paid to Be there -- developers, etc. -- have the advantage in some ways. Sometimes it's NIMBY people -- as we know. But when people show up without a financial interest and are organized it wakes them up.

I am not saying that makes them good leaders, just the truth. It does make them better leaders than any citizen who tells people to "move away" as a solution to a problem. So I am not sure you can rest the blame for low expectations solely on them. A lot of the people they listen to don't know any better, But when those that do don't show up they're options are limited.

It's not like SF, NY, or even Austin and Portland have some brilliant leaders. They are the same way. The people there is what makes those cities elect leaders To make choices like building the high line, public transit, etc. There is plenty of cheap land around Austin and quite frankly a ton of sprawl. The voters make them more progressive and yes that mean many people in this forum here would prefer those outcomes. But since we have democracy it means that we get the governments we want. But the only way to truly know what people want is by the people that show up.

So when people say the "cause" of the low expectations is the politicians that is once again lazy citizens. If you show up you can shift those expectations, if you run for office yourself you can dramatically shift them, otherwise on your couch you ensure the Calverts of the world are the voice that are heard and that the Crist's of the world are seen as the other end of the spectrum.

When smart people like you and others here don't get involved it ensures that the idiots win. Generally the retort of "they will anyway" is peoples response but even if your right the only way to be 100% sure is if smart people don't show up. If commissioners and councilman continue to run unopposed and vision is limited to students and developers. Then you get what we have.

Another note, this isnt fantasyland of politicians rolling in dough. On the local level there are no "minders" the politicians can't afford it. They get to do two polls every four years, and get their single political consultant back then as well. They are basically by themselves with one aide maybe two spending time begging for money from DC, from Tallahasssee, and from big corporations to give them money to do something interesting (because they they don't get attacked for wasting money on things like events, beautification, or networking).

[I-275westcoastfl]

No offense but you are new to Tampa so you have barely even begin to understand how flawed things are here and how people in this metro are. Everyone has their own opinions but looking into the facts will easily show how things are. I've been all over Florida and to plenty of other cities in this country, we really are behind. It's easier to say why don't you change something but to do that you either need to have money, power, or a large backing. Fact is most people here could care less and some are in their own little worlds. The boom was the time of hope and promise that things were going to improve drastically for the metro and we ended up with little effect from the boom compared to other cities in FL, probably the main thing is downtown St. Pete changed for the better in huge ways. Give it a few years and you'll see how things are here, if you want to live in a real city you will begin to dislike it here. If you like having a beach with a giant suburban metro with mediocre city centers, uneducated people, people from elsewhere who could care less, and poor transportation networks this place is for you.

[kmthurman]

What you say is true about the majority of the country.

No offense but the Tampa exceptionlism line is absolutely ridiculous. And I do understand the area better than you think.

Want a crappy place to live try the Riverside-San Bernadino metro where I grew up. There is actual apathy (voting is lower, education is lower, and the bust hit them just as bad). And there is no city centers, no chance for light rail. Or try decaying Midwestern cities whose best hope for infill is urban farming.

Ironically I don't believe Tampa is as exceptional as you think it is. I do think the unique thing I have noticed here is that people always think things are worse off than they are.

Here's one example: No person I have met has any clue how many people live downtown. Most people I have seen (even planning people) guess thousands lower than it already is. BTW latest census numbers and estimates place downtown population at 4300 residents. Up from 3000 two years ago. Up from hundreds ten years ago. so having a conversation about downtown living is something people ARE interested in.

Tampa is behind a lot of places, no doubt about it. But as the 4th person on this site suggesting I move I think it's clear you all want me to. I am new here as I am willing to admit I have not faced issues here -- but I have dealt with them a lot of places I've lived because like I said above the issues you point out are not exceptional. Tampa has more problems than a lot of places in some areas and less in other areas. but to pretend its worse than everywhere else is just intelectual laziness.