They are coming... Urbanites increase (Miami, Tampa: university, quality of life, living)

[Red3311]

I have lived by USF while in school, and now in the suburbs (westchase/citrus park) and my friend lives in the element downtown and I can tell you by personal experience that the most bustling area is by USF out of the three.

I am not sure if it is just a busy area or all the college kids, but the fowler/fletcher area has so much going on, and it is busy all the time with a lot of places to eat and be entertained. Westchase is more family oriented and things close early but you can find "hidden gems" by international plaza.

Downtown is the slowest of them all. Last Gasparilla after the day parade we were walking the streets and it felt like a real city vibe. People were out and those little shops were open, we even got something to eat at Jerk Hut. It was pretty cool to be honest, but DT doesnt get like that alot and after 5pm on weekdays its dead. Try driving through there on a saturday afternoon at 3pm, its like a ghost town (even by UT). Hopefully that changes in the future because I did like that "big city" vibe and like Prius said its a catch 22, people like me would move to DT but would need the "pioneers" to turn it into a "big city" first.

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by tinytrump

it's just creepy.. and what is nice- unaffordable... So if the jobs are coming and the urbs are picking up steam, it will slowly happen as long as the economy doesn't burst like a balloon again. Tampa built out like any other city but I have NO idea why they did not build up the DT as well?? 30 yrs ago it was creepy and still is-- why? trying to hold on to historic buildings?bad investors? ,, what makes Tampa so different that every other city??

It's oddly located. It's next to the port of Tampa, and an overall industrial unattractive area of town. Right across to the North is pure crap, UNLIKE Miami, where the downtown is also next to the port of Miami, but is located on the way to Miami Beach, (or Key Biscayne), so an easy stop for anyone coming from any direction. Tampa's downtown is in the way of nothing to make people want to drive down there; it's a "drive there"...if you know what I mean.

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

It's funny how the suburb haters only think there are only fast food chains there. I wonder if the suburb haters have even been there.

I am talking about such great food options as Ozona Blue, Cafe Aslfreso, Casa Tina, The Black Pearl, The Living Room, Dimitri's on the Water, Massimo's, etc. BTW - All great suburban restaurants and there are a zillion more. The gulf coast towns naturally have a ton of unique options.

Where my son works in DT Tampa, he basically has Gilligans. Not much else within walking distance. A lot of closed down restaurants. The mayor's goal is to get the place filled with options, instead of closed down shops and to have things open past 5:00pm.......much of DT is deserted after working hours. Sure, you can find some spots with action (and crime) like Ybo r, but he wants a more expansive and encompassing day life and night life and have it safe.

Are all those great suburban restaurants in walking distance? Btw downtown is less than 2 miles square so to say only Gilligan is a little off

[Red3311]

Tampa sprawls out like 5 counties, its insane...

I will say this, not that I hope it happens but one cat 4 or 5 direct hit and Pinellas and Hills will be hurting, both economically and structurally, alot of businesses will rethink locating here.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by DUNNDFRNT

Are all those great suburban restaurants in walking distance? Btw downtown is less than 2 miles square so to say only Gilligan is a little off

Yes, they are walkable. DT Dunedin is completely walkable, with many great restaurants....as is Tarpon Springs and also the Sponge Docks. Ozona Blue is off the path a little, but well worth it.

Where my son works, Gilligans is the only place he says he can walk to at lunch and make it back in time. He said, and we saw, multiple restaurant establishments that were out of business. How on earth can so many be out of business when there are so many people there during the day? Because everyone exits left at 5:00pm. Everyone here is saying how deserted it is. I don't know why you want to think otherwise. We all want it to be flourishing, but it has a long way to go.

[bavariantransplant]

Bob Marley said it best, "Exodus! Oh Yeah! Movement of Jah people"

Come quitting time in any medium size city (or smaller) in America the vast majority of people are blowing out of downtown so fast to get home to the suburbs and the chillax life.

Good restaurants can usually be found where people live not work.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by bavariantransplant

Bob Marley said it best, "Exodus! Oh Yeah! Movement of Jah people"

Come quitting time in any medium size city (or smaller) in America the vast majority of people are blowing out of downtown so fast to get home to the suburbs and the chillax life.

Good restaurants can usually be found where people live not work.

True. Very true.

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

Yes, they are walkable. DT Dunedin is completely walkable, with many great restaurants....as is Tarpon Springs and also the Sponge Docks. Ozona Blue is off the path a little, but well worth it.

Where my son works, Gilligans is the only place he says he can walk to at lunch and make it back in time. He said, and we saw, multiple restaurant establishments that were out of business. How on earth can so many be out of business when there are so many people there during the day? Because everyone exits left at 5:00pm. Everyone here is saying how deserted it is. I don't know why you want to think otherwise. We all want it to be flourishing, but it has a long way to go.

If you look at any kind of indicator zagat, past james beard nominations 80% of the highly rated restaurants in Tampa are either DT or South Tampa, why would you think that is?. Ozona Blue may have a decent atmosphere if you are into that sort of thing, but the food is bland and blah. Same can be said for 90% of the greek places at the dock best you can say about that food is that is not bad.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by DUNNDFRNT

If you look at any kind of indicator zagat, past james beard nominations 80% of the highly rated restaurants in Tampa are either DT or South Tampa, why would you think that is?. Ozona Blue may have a decent atmosphere if you are into that sort of thing, but the food is bland and blah. Same can be said for 90% of the greek places at the dock best you can say about that food is that is not bad.

Well then we disagree. And as I said, great places in DT Dunedin as well.

Facts is, DT Tampa is not a place with a lot going on after working hours or on weekends. Multiple people have told you that in this thread. There is a lot more going on in DT Safety Harbor, DT Dunedin, DT Tarpon Springs and the sponge docks and lots of people actually live by these places and they are pretty darn safe as well.

Most of us hope that DT Tampa can turn the corner, but almost every single person talking about it knows it has yet to do so. Except you of course.

[DUNNDFRNT]

Originally Posted by PhotoProIP

P: Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Oldsmar, are more like little towns than "suburbs", and they are definitely not Tampa's "suburbs"!

Carrollwood, New Tampa, Lutz, Westchase, are in the same boat; just because we don't have a "Main Street" or a "City Hall" that hardly qualifies all these as suburbs. We have everything else here; they are more like mini-towns of their own. South Tampa sucks on so many levels that there is not enough money on Earth to make me want to live there. It's so crowded during business hours, and that deserted downtown is a shame really...but then again...what demographic is there really to make it count? those ritziest of South Tampa aren't going to "dine" downtown! They want water views and expensive cow meats... LOL They don't know what's in Palm Harbor because it is so hard to get the heck of South Tampa that they just forget about it! hahahahahahahahahaha and BTW you wouldn't know there are so many rich living down there, that whole area is FILLED with pot holes! The roads there look worst than those on Indian Reservations! Totally overrated!

South Tampa is hard to get out of? That is an alternate reality, you can transverse South Tampa at rush hour in 15-20 min at most if you avoid Dale Mabry, thats how long it takes to get out of your subdivision to get to your local Olive Garden and wait 1 hour for a table.
I am a Palma Ceia resident, I dine downtown often, DT St Pete , even Clearwater (Cafe Ponte), Seminole Heights , West Tampa, all those places takes less than 30 min to get to. I seldom have need or desire to go north of Hillsborough, Columbus really.