A new push for downtown living

[Obamanation]

Ok I sense a lot of pessimism. There is still some ground to cover but just think at what has happened in barely five years in both Downtown proper and Channelside. There is Curtis Hixon, MOA/Glazer, tons of new restaurants for dinner, Taco Bus that's 24 hrs Thursday-Sunday, Duckweed Market (so much for no grocery store), a decent amount of bars, and so on. Channelside has a new park, the network of side streets behind the condos, about five new bars in the last year, two coffee shops, plus the Bay Plaza itself has some good stuff. Go down there and enjoy yourselves people, and appreciate what has happened in a mere five years during a recession.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by tamparesident26

Curtis Hixon Park is completely new (and very nicely done), Tampa Museum of Art - completely redone, Glazer Children's Museum - new. And that's just in one spot, really. All projects Mayor Iorio started and finished during her years. (In fact, had it not been for her plan to rebuild the Museum of Art in a realistic fashion instead of Dick Greco's pipe dream, it would probably still not be finished)

In my opinion, she did a great job in getting some positive things started in that area, and now Buckhorn is continuing that. She deserves the credit where credit is due...dare I say slightly more credit than Buckhorn since he's only been in office about a year.

I agree that a grocery store type of thing is needed downtown (though there is one on Kennedy just beyond UT, isn't there?) However...nobody comes to downtown Tampa to visit Publix. Those aforementioned items all attract visitors-and their dollars-to the downtown area. Important to the "big picture".

Now Greco is a different situation. I remember him most for increasing the city's debt and championing the penny tax to pay for Ray Jay. He was a spender, and sometimes that spending was not so smart. (Centro Ybor, anyone?) Tampa had, I believe, way too much Greco.

I felt kind of bad when I saw he was running for mayor last year. I like the guy as a person and all, but I would have been less surprised if a unicorn knocked on my front door than I would have been had he snuck into the mayor's office again. (Guess he forgot that when he tried to stay in office and wanted to remove term limits that the voters said NO.)

Totally agree with you about Iorio and Greco. Iorio really managed to get a lot of nice projects done for Tampa even during the recession; and Buckhorn seems to be carrying that on.

No one answered me about the Encore project? That will be completed in 2014 (so they say) and I believe will be a HUGE catalyst in how fast other things start happening downtown. So I was just wondering if they have actually started on their construction. Here is their website:

ENCORE! - Downtown's Tempo District

And a little article about it:

http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2012/j...rst-ar-345393/

Actually, I just now asked my husband (he works downtown) and he said that they are now getting their infrastructure in. I think it's very exciting for Tampa. This replaces those sad old projects that used to be there.

[Quikpick]

Originally Posted by planedition

A focus on "getting people in and out expeditiously" is usually not synonymous with economic revitalization. The focus should be on cultivating a commercial, cultural and creative rebirth for Downtown Tampa.

I wholeheartedly agree. If you want people to stay and spend money in your area, you need to make it more than a drive-through area for commuting. I can’t think of any towns/cities where people love to congregate that traffic and crowding isn’t a hassle. It goes with the territory.

And yes, in reference to postings about grocery stores, people living in the heart of urban downtowns do often live within a few blocks’ walking distance of grocery stores. Same goes for many small towns and tourist areas. Of course, in landlocked areas, they’re often smaller, non-chain stores. It's a symbiotic relationship: they show up because of the large number of residents/visiting shoppers and they offer a huge perk for those who live in their proximity. Seems like pretty basic urban planning--people have to eat. :-D When we heard that a grocery store almost came to the area but decided not to (seemingly due to local residents’ opposition), we were pretty surprised/disappointed.

I understand (much better now that we've been here six months), that Tampa's downtown revival is quite recent, and still a work in progress. More businesses and apartments are in the works in our neck of the woods, and most people living Downtown and in Channelside would dearly love a grocery store (or two) and other amenities in true walking distance.

We're excited to hear that there's some momentum in that direction!

[Quikpick]

This is getting exciting.

Channelside restaurant owner likes Vinik plan for complex

"The plan calls for restructuring the complex to address the haphazard traffic flow in hallways and sidewalks, which can divert cruise ship passengers at the port away from Channelside's shops and restaurants.

• Vinik controls nearby land and would renovate a swath of the neighborhood to create a more cohesive neighborhood, stretching from the Tampa Bay Times Forum to Channelside, the Florida Aquarium and condos.

• The new tenant mix would include more services, such as a grocery, gym and dry cleaner to make the complex a walkable option for condo dwellers. Revelle also has heard talk of a hotel nearby."

[Crane's Rooster]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

No one answered me about the Encore project? That will be completed in 2014 (so they say) and I believe will be a HUGE catalyst in how fast other things start happening downtown. So I was just wondering if they have actually started on their construction. Here is their website:

ENCORE! - Downtown's Tempo District

And a little article about it:

Former patch of dirt headed for its first Encore | TBO.com

Actually, I just now asked my husband (he works downtown) and he said that they are now getting their infrastructure in. I think it's very exciting for Tampa. This replaces those sad old projects that used to be there.

Orlando resident but I've been creeping in the Tampa forum lately, been going back and forth for work and pleasure alot lately which has spiked my interest in Tampa. I really like this Encore project and am excited to see how it turns out. It looks like a great mix of residential, office and retail that should attract a wide variety.

As far as a grocery store downtown, which seems to have been a hot topic on here, I can say that people were initially skeptical when Publix first opened up here in downtown Orlando. I think everyone has been pleasantly surprised by how well it's done. At first I shopped there just to support it, now I occasionally avoid it at certain times because it gets so busy after work. I will say it's very nice to be able to run the lake, build up an appetite, than go to Publix to grab my dinner groceries (although I must admit it's not always the best idea to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach). I think Tampa could see the same type of success if the grocery store is placed in an area central to the business district and harbor island. Overall I think DT Tampa has great potential, great setting, amazing skyline, a mayor who seems to really believe in what he's selling.

[Not_liking_FL]

Tampa has the potential to have a very nice downtown with the right planning. Raleigh, NC was similar to Tampa less than 10 years ago and now it's a nightlife destination. There has also been a lot of condo developments going up(before the recession) that has brought in full time residents. I think Tampa should consider spending money to reduce the train noise before anymore condos are built.
As far as a grocery store, there is a Publix at Platt and Bayshore that would be an easy bike ride. I doubt the area has enough residents to support another grocery store.

[JSnFla]

its plain and simple, the economy/job market in tampa is nowhere near robust enough to attract and retain young professionals on the scale necessary for an urban center to flourish. smart 30 yr olds in places like austin, denver, raleigh, chicago, san diego etc etc that have great jobs making 75-100k are not going to move to tampa to work in a call center for 27k. smart young people leave tampa to find opportunity elsewhere so a liveable downtown would have to rely on independently wealthy, elderly, rich college kids, and random older career types. IMO this is the problem

[chi_tino]

Originally Posted by JSnFla

...so a liveable downtown would have to rely on independently wealthy, elderly, rich college kids, and random older career types. IMO this is the problem

I believe you are overestimating the number of wealthy/career people that want to live in a traffic-congested shoebox sharing walls/ceilings/floors with other random people.

I moved to Florida from a big city up north because I knew that with some money, I could buy a real house with land and a place to park the car. In Chicago or Manhattan, you live in a shared-box-in-the-sky because, well, that's your only option. I'm not sure why you would want to in Florida where the land and real estate is cheap, cheap, cheap and your standard of living can be so much higher.

[ikedog33]

leftee: Bayshore is walkable from Skypoint. It is within a mile. You are telling me every apt in NYC or Miami is within a mile lol? I was in Brickell at the Icon, the best new condo in all Miami. Icon alone has 1,800 units it is 3 60 story plus buildings. The nearest publix is a mile walk to Mary Brickell Village. (or you can buy a $7 tea from their ripoff store on the 15th floor). So people can walk (or drive) from Skypoint to Publix. It is not that far. They head down Tampa street and make a right on Borein, it is right there..