AMAZON looking at MANATEE COUNTY?? wow (Jacksonville, Tampa: transplants, renting, health insurance)

[gypsychic]

Sound really does carry. We live 3 blocks from the bay, two blocks from US 41 with a firehouse nearby, and of course the airport!! Yes, I am hearing noise most of the time, but honestly most of it I don't find objectionable. It is mostly like "background noise." I actually hear few sirens, only a few planes go over and I don't find them that loud. The traffic from US 41 is what bothers me the most, but mostly at certain times - when they go over the Bowlees Creek bridge it just really carries the sound, especially after raining.

I actually had more noise problems when I live on two acres in the country north of Tampa. I could hear EVERY VEHICLE super loud from the two lane road nearby - plus a few noisy neighbors and dogs.

[beach43ofus]

The only thing I hear is Jeff Bezos counting his cash...1 Billion, 2 Billion, 3 Billion....

[kombuchaluchador]

Originally Posted by UTCLWR

Nice and quiet here off The Masters Ave. Sounds like you picked the wrong place to live. Oh well, you can always move to a better place.

Same to you. I like where I live. The sound comes with the territory. I wouldn't want to live further inland. Whats the use of being in Florida if you are not near the coast? Might as well just live in Georgia and hike on your days off.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by YahwehbenYahweh

Everyone, the vast majority of Floridians don't necessarily believe that.

Then why are the coastal areas more crowded than the midddle of the State? Why are homes in Lake Placid, Arcadia, Avon Park, Sebring, Bartow cost so much less than homes in Boca Raton, Vero BEach, the City of Sarasota, Naples, Destin?

Even if a retired homeowner never goes to the beach, they like to be somewhat near a beach for friends and relatives (kids and grandkids particularly) sake.

[kombuchaluchador]

Originally Posted by YahwehbenYahweh

Everyone, the vast majority of Floridians don't necessarily believe that.

How do you figure? Something like 75% of people living in Florida live within 10 miles of the coastline. Most cities developed inland FROM the coastline.

[craigiri]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Sound really does carry. We live 3 blocks from the bay, two blocks from US 41 with a firehouse nearby, and of course the airport!! Yes, I am hearing noise most of the time, but honestly most of it I don't find objectionable. It is mostly like "background noise." I actually hear few sirens, only a few planes go over and I don't find them that loud. The traffic from US 41 is what bothers me the most, but mostly at certain times - when they go over the Bowlees Creek bridge it just really carries the sound, especially after raining.

I actually had more noise problems when I live on two acres in the country north of Tampa. I could hear EVERY VEHICLE super loud from the two lane road nearby - plus a few noisy neighbors and dogs.

No doubt people get used to it. I remember staying in a an apartment in NYC when a family member was in hospital there. The first night I thought it was crazy...all the noise!

After that I slept fine. My wife was raised in the city and liked the noise of the busses our front, etc.

I am a bit of a futurist, granted, but again - it's not hard to see where this ends up. My parents lived in the Miami Beach area for 30 years and the "din" there is about 4X (approx.) what it is here. There are not going to be fewer planes, just more. There won't be fewer accidents, heart attacks, etc - just more. There won't be fewer cars and houses to get to...and there won't be fewer construction sites and that noise. When dense condos and apartments are built, you'd hear more dumpster and other such noise..which can get quite loud when in concrete canyons.

Whether we all agree on it or not, it IS a quality of life issue. Of course, as I have said many a time...people often live inside in A/C and then jump in the car and go somewhere else that is sealed.

It's one of those things where I can state that I have seen every level of it. I have been to SoCal and Miami and seen the constant din, traffic and other problems that come with density and car culture. I have also been to places where I could hear a truck 20 miles away (WV)...and everywhere in between.

All of these things - whether pollution, red tide, high insurance rates, high crime rates, noise, light (can't see stars, etc.) and other issues add up to a lower quality of life.

Back to the noise - very much depends on which way the wind is blowing and many other factors. SO when the wind blows from the Interstate you will hear that - when it blows from the Gulf it will bring Red Tide (if present).....

Anyway, back to the OP.....I'd be very surprised if world-class companies that need thousands of the top tier employees locate in this area due to MANY factors, including some of those mentioned. People can debate which of them stops top employers, but when a list of the top employers in Tampa includes the government and the airport and things like that....we certainly aren't "there" yet when it comes to world class new economy companies.

Hey, if I am proven wrong I'd be very happy.

[boissoneau]

The people here on this particular site who are over 45 years old need to read far more about the huge changes in the business climate of The City of Tampa within the last 10 years or so - massive changes in business models and particularly in IT, Medical, Medical Tech, Finance and much much more. It's a totally different, advanced business landscape. Please do the research for yourselves. To a lesser degree, the Manatee Sarasota business models have drastically changed, but if you don't know, you don't know. Neither areas are old sleepy beach towns tailored for the exclusive domain of retirees. That has gone out the window, moreso for The City of Tampa of course. If you don't believe that Manatee Sarasota hasn't shifted, then you have not been living here long enough, or you're willfully ignoring that shift.

[kombuchaluchador]

Originally Posted by boissoneau

The people here on this particular site who are over 45 years old need to read far more about the huge changes in the business climate of The City of Tampa within the last 10 years or so - massive changes in business models and particularly in IT, Medical, Medical Tech, Finance and much much more. It's a totally different, advanced business landscape. Please do the research for yourselves. To a lesser degree, the Manatee Sarasota business models have drastically changed, but if you don't know, you don't know. Neither areas are old sleepy beach towns tailored for the exclusive domain of retirees. That has gone out the window, moreso for The City of Tampa of course. If you don't believe that Manatee Sarasota hasn't shifted, then you have not been living here long enough, or you're willfully ignoring that shift.

I agree with you on this. There is a shift and Sarasota/Manatee is definitely an actual functional city.

That being said, many of the fields that you list are still in relative infancy in Sarasota which still tilts (naturally) toward retirees, tourism, and the service industry. Not a bad thing.

I have friends who work for IT and medical companies in Sarasota and it does seem to be burgeoning. Still in its infancy, though. There are young professionals moving to this area but it isn't growing at a super quick rate in this demo. The area is pretty expensive which I think inhibits growth in some of these fields.

Not just the domain of retirees, for sure. In the future if it continues, Sarasota/Manatee could become a decent regional hub for med tech or IT.

It isn't big enough, nor does have a mature enough IT market to be a serious contender for something like Amazon though, that would be a few levels up.

It's one thing to be willfully ignorant of the shift, which is happening. But it's another to oversell what it is. Medium size shift that could turn into something more in the distant future. Id love to see us turn into a bigger player in these industries.

[boissoneau]

A bit of thought:



^^^agreed that he IT isn't "big enough"....yet....but that's not my entire point..Manatee's appeal (again Manatee, NOT Sarasota specifically) is CLOSE enough to the huge jamming Tampa market to attract pros from there, and has enough appeal across the NATION for pros to become very much interested to leave the cold tundra and/or the expensive stupid west coast, and even places like Austin which is not exactly a culture jump or shock to move to Tampa Bay.

This piece of property, the 900-plus acres is super convenient to south Tampa, Ruskin, Brandon, New Tampa, Lakewood Ranch, Parrish and Palmetto, and to a lesser degree of course to DT Sarasota/Venice, etc. The big "draw" would come from south Hillsborough and east Hillsborough and all points along I 75 north as a straight shot south.

I sincerely doubt Amazon would consider such a buildout, but keep in mind they already have a facility in Palmetto.

Keep in mind, Tampa Executive Airport/skyport AV is right up the road as well, easy access just west of I 75, just north of I4 and just east of US 301.

Anything is possible, but again I doubt it, but it's not out of the realm of decisions for this company. I've seen more weird decisions....some good, some bad in retrospect.

[kombuchaluchador]

Originally Posted by boissoneau

A bit of thought:



^^^agreed that he IT isn't "big enough"....yet....but that's not my entire point..Manatee's appeal (again Manatee, NOT Sarasota specifically) is CLOSE enough to the huge jamming Tampa market to attract pros from there, and has enough appeal across the NATION for pros to become very much interested to leave the cold tundra and/or the expensive stupid west coast, and even places like Austin which is not exactly a culture jump or shock to move to Tampa Bay.

This piece of property, the 900-plus acres is super convenient to south Tampa, Ruskin, Brandon, New Tampa, Lakewood Ranch, Parrish and Palmetto, and to a lesser degree of course to DT Sarasota/Venice, etc. The big "draw" would come from south Hillsborough and east Hillsborough and all points along I 75 north as a straight shot south.

I sincerely doubt Amazon would consider such a buildout, but keep in mind they already have a facility in Palmetto.

Keep in mind, Tampa Executive Airport/skyport AV is right up the road as well, easy access just west of I 75, just north of I4 and just east of US 301.

Anything is possible, but again I doubt it, but it's not out of the realm of decisions for this company. I've seen more weird decisions....some good, some bad in retrospect.

Theres a facility in Ruskin too I believe.

I see what you are saying. But I think most of those areas in South Hillsborough are primarily residential communities. Not sure how much of a business presence there is for professional employment. Lakewood Ranch is starting to develop a decent business community though and there is great support from local gov't.

This area makes more sense as a logistics hub since it's a large metro in a huge state. Still like a mentioned, a relatively lackluster IT market for it's size.

I see this area trending more into a professional business environment though. Especially Bradenton. They are doing a lot of interesting development in their downtown and the cheaper cost of living along with a slightly younger population than Sarasota is definitely appealing