Tampa Riverwalk

[Quegiebo]

Riverwalk Project Scores In House, Blanked In Senate

By JOSH POLTILOVE The Tampa Tribune

Published: Apr 13, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - The House and Senate versions of this year's state budget were approved Thursday by their respective chambers, but there's still plenty of wiggle room.

That's good for fans of Tampa's Riverwalk project, because it hasn't received nearly as much funding in either chamber as members of the local delegation requested.

In the budget's House version, Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Tampa, requested $4.7 million for the project but is scheduled to receive $2 million. In Senate version, Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, requested $4.7 million but was slated to receive nothing.

"It's still premature at this point to worry about it," Crist said. "I hope we get it fully funded. It'd be nice to have the dollars to do the improvements downtown."

Crist pointed out that right now a chamber still may add, drop or change its budget request based on the figure in the other chamber.

Last year's budget included $5.5 million for the project until the funding was removed by then-Gov. Jeb Bush.

Traviesa said it's difficult for lawmakers to get everything they request but that he is happy with $2 million for the Riverwalk, which will link the Channel District with Tampa Heights.

"The Riverwalk will help impact economic development, and I hope we get the money for it," he said.

This year, Crist filed about $74 million worth of community budget requests for Hillsborough County - the bulk of the county's requests on the Senate side. Of that figure, he said, the Senate budget includes about $32 million.

"That is very, very good in a tight budget year," he said. "I was treated very well. Hillsborough County was treated very well despite shortfalls in the budget."

The status of other budget requests include:

• Moffitt Cancer Center: Senate: $14.4 million; House: $13.4 million

• University of South Florida Visual & Performing Teaching Facility: Senate: $14.9 million; House $14.9 million

• Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority: Senate: $1 million; House: 0

Dale Mabry Highway flood protection: Senate: $1 million; House: $2.5 million

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB7V6P0G0F.html

[Robert.Maddrey]

Interesting. One way or another it will eventually come together, though scaled back from the mayor's vision I am sure.

[smiley]

Whatever. This is one of those 30 year tampa specials.

[Jasonhouse]

Well, at least in this case, half-assed is still better than not at all...

[Quegiebo]

Riverwalk Marches Forward

Tampa Bay Business Journal - 4:07 PM EDT Friday, April 13, 2007

The city of Tampa will begin construction next week on the next segment of Riverwalk, a two-and-a-half mile walkway along the Hillsborough River from Channelside to North Boulevard.

Mayor Pam Iorio will hold a sign unveiling ceremony April 17 to mark the start of construction of the Platt Street Bridge Segment, a link connecting USF Park with the Tampa Convention Center.

Construction of the segment should take about a year, with completion slated for March 2008, according to a release.

Russell Engineering Inc. has a contract with the city to complete the construction of the segment for $2.6 million, with funding through a partnership between the city of Tampa and the Florida Department of Transportation. FDOT awarded the city $600,000 this year through the Transportation Enhancement Program and will reimburse another $860,000 in 2010 for the Platt Street Bridge segment, the release said.

The sign unveiling will take place at 2 p.m. April 17 at USF Park at 233 South Ashley Dr.

http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tamp...ml?jst=b_ln_hl

[FloridaFuture]

Riverwalk Dream To Finally Step Out

By ELLEN GEDALIUS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Apr 17, 2007

TAMPA - Cruising in a Tampa Police boat along the Hillsborough River, Lee Hoffman looks at land he hopes to shape into the city's Riverwalk.

By January, he says, at least four segments will be under construction and at least another four will be designed.

"I'm getting there," he said.

City officials haven't touted the Riverwalk much in recent months, but that approach changes today when Mayor Pam Iorio holds a ceremony to mark the start of construction on the Platt Street Bridge segment.

Hoffman, the city's Riverwalk manager, is charged with bringing the project to fruition, no easy task when money is tight and state funding is questionable.

The entire project is expected to cost about $40 million, with $16 million coming from public sources and the remaining $24 million from private donations. To date, the city has secured about $5.6 million on the public side and about $7.4 million on the private side.

The city also has requested $4.7 million from the state Legislature, but early budget proposals aren't generous. The House budget plan gives $2 million to the project; the Senate plan gives nothing.

The half-mile Platt Street Bridge segment will connect the Tampa Convention Center with USF Park and will cost about $2.6 million. Much of the money comes from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Mayors for years have tried to build a Riverwalk. On a recent boat tour, Hoffman pointed out that the names of those who donated to the project in the 1970s have their names engraved on a wall near the Tampa Museum of Art. Their money went to wooden planks, which deteriorated through the years.

Hoffman and Iorio say they are determined to have much of the Riverwalk completed by 2009, when Tampa hosts the Super Bowl.

For the first time, the city has a Riverwalk master plan, which calls for linking the Channel District with Tampa Heights via a 2.4-mile walkway.

Developers along the Hillsborough River are responsible for paying for segments near their projects. Bill Bishop and Don Wallace, the leaders developing the Heights project, will finance a segment near North Boulevard.

Developers of Venu, a condo proposed for the southwest corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Ashley Drive, also are to pay for a segment. They also plan to open an outdoor cafe with seating along the Riverwalk.

Trump Tower Tampa developers are supposed to pay for a segment, but as doubts persist as to whether the condo will be built, Hoffman worries about that piece.

"If for some reason Trump Tower doesn't go, I'm going to have to look at a design over the water," Hoffman said. "That's expensive."

The city has hired grant writers to scour federal, state, local and other sources for money.

Money aside, Hoffman envisions at least half a dozen restaurants - including a soon-to-open Malio's - and cafes along the 2.4-mile stretch.

Some entrepreneurs already have said they are interested.

Traci Rinoldo, who owns an ice cream shop on Davis Islands with her fiance, Eddie Montalvo, lives in the Tampa Heights area. She bought her home several years ago and has watched dilapidated homes give way to new development.

"Watching the whole Tampa Heights area develop, I thought, wouldn't it be awesome to have a little coffee shop, ice cream shop, on the Riverwalk?" Rinoldo said. "How much more involved in your community can you be than being on the Hillsborough River?"

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.


http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBDXQCUL0F.html

[Tampa on the move.]

Looks like Venu is going to help in the financing.. Very nice.. And add in the Cafe on the river, that's what the new Tampa is all about..

2009 Superbowl here we come!!!!!!

[tamparican]

finally more things are beginning to actually happen.....I wish more $$$ was put towards this and the mass transit, two things which i feel this city really needs.

[FloridaFuture]

Originally Posted by tamparican

finally more things are beginning to actually happen.....I wish more $$$ was put towards this and the mass transit, two things which i feel this city really needs.

More money and time would be put towards things like the riverwalk and mass transit, if it wasn't mindlessly used on suburban beltways. IMO.

Still, it is good to see the rivarwalk will be largely U/C soon.

[FloridaFuture]

Over on the Tampaciti.com blog is an interesting link to the "Riverwalk Review" a news letter regarding the riverwalk, was posted. A lot of it we already know. But there is also rendering for the Water Works Park in Tampa Heights and even a drawing of an Elementy Student's ideas for the Rivarwalk, containing a dog park.

http://www.tampagov.net/dept_riverwa...iew-June07.pdf

[FLHawk]

This site contains several images from other parks throughout the world that are being used for inspiration, and also some add'l renderings that should give a pretty decent idea of what Curtis Hixon Park could look like when completed at -
http://www.tampagov.net/dept_contrac...xon_Images.asp

[HARTride 2012]

In my opinion, the Riverwalk will never get fully finished. Nor will it be done in the extent that Iorio wants it to be. Since day one, I've always thought of the Riverwalk to be one of Iorio's prime pet projects. I can understand her vision of making Tampa a vital arts district, but let's face it. The Tampa Museum of Art has had countless problems, getting around downtown Tampa itself is horrendous, and Iorio's vision for a light rail system will never happen. I think that it is time that these politicians cut away the pet projects and pork spending and focus on something more productive.

[HARTride 2012]

Just to add, I cannot forget that Iorio and the rest of the city was "englufed" in San Antonio's (as in Texas) riverwalk, which happens to be situated along a canal-like river that is well below street level. What Iorio is trying to do is build something very similar along a river that is at street level. In my opinion, trying to build this riverwalk in an environment that is totally different than another city's is not going to work.

Say what you please, but this is just my opinion on the riverwalk. Please don't take it too personally. Thanks...

[Havatampa]

Originally Posted by wslupecki

Just to add, I cannot forget that Iorio and the rest of the city was "englufed" in San Antonio's (as in Texas) riverwalk, which happens to be situated along a canal-like river that is well below street level. What Iorio is trying to do is build something very similar along a river that is at street level. In my opinion, trying to build this riverwalk in an environment that is totally different than another city's is not going to work.

I don't agree. From what I have seen of the riverwalk plans, it will be little like San Antonio's. Tampa's would have far more open park space and be more than just a foodcourt. SA's riverwalk is a Disney-style man-made canal with Disney-style canal boats. I'm surprised they're not connected to a railing at the bottom of the canal.

I'm just glad someone is finally trying to do something with DT Tampa's greatest asset, the waterfront.

[randommichael]

I'm all for the Riverwalk, and the money spent to build it. If we want a vital urban downtown, the Riverwalk is a must.

[tamparican]

Yea I feel that this riverwalk is a very integral part of the whole look of DT, the whole new sense of the ever-improving DT and channelside district. Having this riverwalk will greatly increase the property values around it, as well as increase the value of the location of UT, which is another vital resource of $$$ spending in DT when these small restaurants and shops begin to pop-up. Im very surprised a private developer has not gotten together with the city and created some plan where they will fund the construction of the riverwalk, and have first dibs on the retail/shops/entertainment/restaurants in the area, possibly creating little small booths and kiosks or smaller buildings around the riverwalk and then lesseing the space??just an idea that could help finance it faster

[smiley]

I'm for the riverwalk if it is done well and they don't choke all hte access to DT and make it a playground for a few.

[HARTride 2012]

Originally Posted by Havatampa

I don't agree. From what I have seen of the riverwalk plans, it will be little like San Antonio's. Tampa's would have far more open park space and be more than just a foodcourt. SA's riverwalk is a Disney-style man-made canal with Disney-style canal boats. I'm surprised they're not connected to a railing at the bottom of the canal.

I'm just glad someone is finally trying to do something with DT Tampa's greatest asset, the waterfront.

I'm laughing at the whole "Disney-style" crap. Maybe they should have had a mini-monorail system to go with the boats too (just kidding). But all I was doing was stating my view on the Riverwalk. I have no REAL BIG PROBLEMS with the project. I just think it's a waste of Iorio's time trying to really focus on it. But then again, if a nice arts district is what she wants, then so be it. That's what she'll get (at least some of it).

[FloridaFuture]

City May Take Riverwalk Segment Into Its Own Hands

By LINDSAY WILKES-EDRINGTON The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 27, 2007

TAMPA - With the future of Trump Tower Tampa uncertain, Mayor Pam Iorio has asked the Parks and Recreation Department to explore the possibility of buying the land and turning it into a park as part of the Riverwalk project.

"We want to make sure that part of the Riverwalk gets built in a timely manner," Iorio said. "The owners first have to be willing to sell and it has to be a reasonable price, but this could be a continuation of what we've already done, so it makes sense."

The city has yet to figure out how much the land on Ashley Drive would cost, Riverwalk manager Lee Hoffman said. No talks have taken place with the owner, SimDag LLC.

According to county property records, SimDag bought the land - less than a half-acre - for $16 million in 2004.

After plans for Trump Tower Tampa were announced in January 2005, developers encountered problems with the land's soil and construction costs. Now the project faces a lawsuit from Donald Trump, who seeks more than $1 million in unpaid developer fees and says he wants his name off the deal.

A SimDag spokesman could not be reached for comment, but the company issued a statement this month that says it intends to move forward with the 52-story condominium. As part of the project, SimDag promised to dedicate a 450-foot strip of land along the Hillsborough River for Riverwalk.

Even if obtaining the Trump Tower property is a long shot, Hoffman said he's excited by the possibility.

Right now, he said, there are few opportunities to add green space along the Riverwalk route, which is planned to stretch 2.4 miles along the east side of the Hillsborough River from the Channel District to Tampa Heights.

Rather than purchase the entire SimDag parcel, the city might consider buying a portion, Hoffman said.

"It's got to be enough to be worth your while, but my position would be that any green space you can get in there would be good," he said.

Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Linda Carlo said her department is exploring the possibility of getting a grant from Florida Communities Trust, which helps cities buy urban land for conservation and recreation. Those grants still would require the city to match part of the funding.

The Florida Community Trust program partially funded three other Riverwalk parks: MacDill, Fort Brooke and USF parks. Each project received grants that required the city to match 50 percent of the costs.

The maximum amount of funding the program might provide is $6.6 million.

The Riverwalk project is expected to cost about $40 million. About $16 million of that will come from public sources, and $24 million will come from private donations.

To date, five of Riverwalk's 21 segments have been completed, making up about six-tenths of a mile. It is set to be completed by October 2010.

Hoffman said he understands that because of the city's budget cuts, buying the Trump land doesn't seem like the top priority. However, if the opportunity arises and the city doesn't act, he said, similar prospects may not become available again for years.

"It's important to have a long-range view and philosophy with this," he said. "If you look at what's on the waterfront now, it changes all the time. You rarely get a chance to change it."

Reporter Lindsay Wilkes-Edrington can be reached at (813) 259-7621 or lwilkes-edrington@ tampatrib.com.

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB7LN34F3F.html

[HARTride 2012]

^

This is exactly what I have been expecting. The city most likely will have to build that segment on their own since the Trump Tower is dead. I'm sure this does NOT please Iorio and other riverwalk supporters.