Which Tampa areas to live or avoid? Job in Terrace Park. (Sarasota: apartments, renting)

[lisica]

I'm considering moving to Tampa from the San Francisco Bay area for a new job. I used to live in Sarasota, but that was 15 years ago, and I haven't been back to the Tampa Bay area since; I imagine traffic has gotten a lot worse.

The new job would be in west Terrace Park, and I would be renting an apartment. The question is where to live. Here are the criteria that are important to me, in order of priority:

1. SAFE I'm a single, middle-aged female, who would like to be able to walk her dog alone in the evening, until around 11 pm.

2. COMMUTE DISTANCE No more than a 30-minute commute during rush hours.

3. WALKABILITY It'd be great to be able to walk to stores and restaurants, but from the little that I remember about my trips to Tampa, it's probably not going to happen(?).


Thanks in advance for any suggestions about which areas or specific neighborhoods I should focus my search on.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by lisica

I'm considering moving to Tampa from the San Francisco Bay area for a new job. I used to live in Sarasota, but that was 15 years ago, and I haven't been back to the Tampa Bay area since; I imagine traffic has gotten a lot worse.

The new job would be in west Terrace Park, and I would be renting an apartment. The question is where to live. Here are the criteria that are important to me, in order of priority:

1. SAFE I'm a single, middle-aged female, who would like to be able to walk her dog alone in the evening, until around 11 pm.

2. COMMUTE DISTANCE No more than a 30-minute commute during rush hours.

3. WALKABILITY It'd be great to be able to walk to stores and restaurants, but from the little that I remember about my trips to Tampa, it's probably not going to happen(?).


Thanks in advance for any suggestions about which areas or specific neighborhoods I should focus my search on.

So you'll probably be working for Busch Gardens....

There are few places in the city worse than Terrace Park. It's a run down, rough, full of hourly rate motel sort of area.

I used to live in SFO - Terrace Park would probably be as close as we have to the Tenderloin District.

Most importantly, what's your housing budget? That's going to determine were you can live.

RM

[Charlie Allnut]

Terrace Park includes Busch Gardens, but runs to the North (Fowler Ave & USF) and East to Temple Terrace. This are includes the Moffitt Cancer Center as well as increasing biotech/medical companies. Not a bad area to work, but would not live there.

I am not familiar enough with apartments in the area to make a recommendation, but I do not think an apartment in the USF area would suit you. A good start for a commute within 30 min. is to research apartments going North on Bruce B. Downs Blvd past Tampa Palms Blvd. all the way to to Pebble Creek.

Welcome Back.

[LKJ1988]

Crappy area with lower class peeps.

[mrviking]

You would not be far from Bruce B Downs. Lots and lots of nice places to live up and down that road.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by mrviking

You would not be far from Bruce B Downs. Lots and lots of nice places to live up and down that road.

I agree ^^^. This would by far be the safest option, especially since OP wants to walk her dog late. Can't think of anywhere else in the area that I think would be safe to do so.

[sinatras]

As you know (since you lived here), Florida doesn't do walkability very well. The only truly walkable urban areas in Tampa Bay are downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa (which is dead after 5 p.m. weekdays and weekends is hit or miss). And you will find nothing walkable remotely close to what you are used to in Bay Area.

If you like gentrifying urban areas, look at Seminole Heights (although not safe IMHO).

If you like suburbs you should look at Carrollwood (near Lake Carroll and Orange Grove Drive) and Lake Magdalene. Very pretty safe areas to walk dog. You could also look at Temple Terrace.

Anything else good is gonna be more than 30 min.

[lisica]

Thanks to all who responded; your comments have been VERY helpful!

The job will be on Fowler across from USF.

I'll start by focusing on places on Bruce B Downs and, if necessary, expand my search to Carrollwood, Lake Magdalene, and Temple Terrace, as Sinatras suggested.

Again--Thanks for taking the time to respond!