Camden Apartments will ruin Westchase (Miami, Tampa: middle-class, section 8, rent)

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by tampagator89

Well, that's optimistic. That whole area is being planned out similar in fashion to Channelside, and Channelside apartments certainly didn't become ghetto in 6 months. If I'm not mistaken I don't think anything around there is (or is planned to become) low-income housing except for one building. Even the nice apartments in Ybor are still nice themselves, they're just surrounded by a trashy area.

Those condos in Channelside took years to get off the ground and was built on top of former warehouses and factories. And still suffer with high vacancies.

In case you didnt know, a lot of former housing projects are being dozed and rebuilt as mixed housing. They turn into ghettos quick. Lee Davis, Central Park, that place on Florida up by Bo's, etc...

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by crazynip

Good luck finding a place in Beach Park, Swann Estates or Bayshore for under a million. Parkland Estates is close to that, so is Palma Ceia. And for all that money, you get inferiorly built old homes with rats, termites and worn out plumbing, outdated electrical, etc

Gulfport? you can have it... crime, scumbags and hood all around it

I would take the Westchase area over pretty much everywhere you mentioned unless you are prepared to spend high 6 to 7 figures for a home and are prepared to live in a neighborhood in evacuation zone A which floods every time it rains, and has awful stormwater and wastewater issues.

I meant golfview, at any rate, to each his own, I never had any kind of flooding issues the streets flood a bit, my point being Westchester is far from the nicest area in tampa, you can argue it's better value, you can argue it's more family oriented but not the nicest.

[sinatras]

There are MANY good homes in Beach Park, Swan Estates, Palma Ceia, etc. for less than 300k. You just have to take your time and look. Many of these homes, which ARE older, were built in the 50s-60s, are renovated, and they are a lot better built than much of the wood frame stucco crap they are building in the suburbs. I know many people who have bought new homes in the burbs and have fled because of horrific commutes and shoddy construction (mold, chinese drywall, bad drainage, foundations, walls cracking, sinkholes, etc.). Buy a well-kept older home in an urban, established area, on a good, quiet street, and you have a well-built house that will always appreciate in value, much more than in the burbs, and you won't have an apartment complex going in any time soon. Problem solved.

In addition not all of these urban areas flood; my relatives live in Beach Park and they never get any flooding whatsoever. They live in a 60s ranch. Renovated. Soon, the land will be worth 5 times more than the house. Not sure you can say that about Westchase property.

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by sinatras

There are MANY good homes in Beach Park, Swan Estates, Palma Ceia, etc. for less than 300k. You just have to take your time and look. Many of these homes, which ARE older, were built in the 50s-60s, are renovated, and they are a lot better built than much of the wood frame stucco crap they are building in the suburbs.

Anything you find for that price will be tiny, worn out and full of problems

They dont build "wood frame stucco crap" in Westchase.

[tinytrump]

I wonder how many natives are here vs transplants - to me it is the transplants that are unhappy. It used to be so different when I was a kid, and I am talking about the character, people's attitude or ambiance that made it different. People in general have become cold and uninterested about their neighbors etc.,and the kids are the ones who keep families laced together in an area.

[tampagator89]

Originally Posted by crazynip

Those condos in Channelside took years to get off the ground and was built on top of former warehouses and factories. And still suffer with high vacancies.

In case you didnt know, a lot of former housing projects are being dozed and rebuilt as mixed housing. They turn into ghettos quick. Lee Davis, Central Park, that place on Florida up by Bo's, etc...

Well, the city is kidding itself if it's trying to better unsavory areas by building one "nice" apartment complex in the middle of said areas. That's pretty useless. But I was assuming when you said Central Park that you meant the Encore Project. It's a large project and it seems as if they're trying to make that area its own little community (mixed-use developments). I am pretty sure that these developments are targeting the working middle class and seniors in terms of price range. That, and its close proximity to some areas that are safe and alright-looking (Channelside, downtown), make it a worthwhile endeavor compared to projects that are in ghetto central.

Same thing goes in reverse order. When developers start building several low-income apartments in a nicer area then that might be cause for concern, but I would think one kind of mid/higher-priced complex wouldn't do very much of anything.

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by tampagator89

Well, the city is kidding itself if it's trying to better unsavory areas by building one "nice" apartment complex in the middle of said areas. That's pretty useless. But I was assuming when you said Central Park that you meant the Encore Project. It's a large project and it seems as if they're trying to make that area its own little community (mixed-use developments). I am pretty sure that these developments are targeting the working middle class and seniors in terms of price range. That, and its close proximity to some areas that are safe and alright-looking (Channelside, downtown), make it a worthwhile endeavor compared to projects that are in ghetto central.

Same thing goes in reverse order. When developers start building several low-income apartments in a nicer area then that might be cause for concern, but I would think one kind of mid/higher-priced complex wouldn't do very much of anything.

Yes, but who in their right mind in the "middle class" is going to move in there, it's still surrounded on 3 sides by housing projects...

The city needs to really step up on police. They need to go in guns blazing and battons swinging until these ares are safe

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by crazynip

Yes, but who in their right mind in the "middle class" is going to move in there, it's still surrounded on 3 sides by housing projects...

The city needs to really step up on police. They need to go in guns blazing and battons swinging until these ares are safe

I have been watching this development go up. I am interested in seeing how it works out.

Considering the surrounding area, I would expect that it will be a tough sell.

RM

[drveltri]

I live in one of those "tiny" (2400 sq feet), "worn out" urban homes somebody wrote about. I'd rather live in my solid built, block 1957 ranch in Culbreath Bayou than in Westchase. Zero problems (well we sure do have a lot of skeeters due to all the huge oaks), zero commute and zero apartment complexes going up in my neighborhood anytime soon. And the property values just keep going up up up!

[tampagator89]

Originally Posted by crazynip

Yes, but who in their right mind in the "middle class" is going to move in there, it's still surrounded on 3 sides by housing projects...

People who work nearby, USF students, and anyone else who likes convenience but can't pay the price tag for a 1/1 at Channelside. And if a grocery store and some shops move in, it will be the only true urban community in the region, which will attract people who dislike suburban living.

And actually, considering the area is very urban, it is not crime ridden, nor are any areas around it except Ybor. They just look sketchy because the city's ignored them for eons, which is why i applaud them for trying to clean up and redo this one section.