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The post is too long, repetitive, and wishy-washy. It is very hard to figure out what the writer has in mind. It seems he is trying hard not to offend those who live in and/or love Tampa. It is not useful for someone looking to move to Tampa because it will confuse any potential mover with the tone of uncertainty.
I would be remiss to even begin to speak negatively of Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater. There is nothing that I particularly dislike about the Tampa area. On the contrary, I highly recommend this area for anyone wishing to move to Florida, but not having to deal with the harshness of southern fl. The main reason why I chose Tampa is since my work takes me pretty much anywhere, and both of my parents are now living a few hours south, I was thinking I could make Tampa my final stop. For now, it's just a waiting game until an opportunity to move.
However, allow me to initiate my defense for Tampa. It really bothers me when people bring up the heat, bugs, and traffic. Those are the first and mostly only things people bring up. Those personal feelings aside, I have never really seen a good reason to truly hate Florida. Now, it's not to say that these perceptions are not real. The heat/humidity and mosquitoes are brutal. I will go as far as saying that I prefer Tampa wet heat over Vegas' oppressive 114 degree dry heat. But, at the end of the day, it's mostly preference statements which are all too subjective. Moving to a state without employment however, is both counterintuitive and irresponsible. Likewise, "good schools" is overrated in my opinion. There are many brilliant/educated folks who came up through the Florida education system from cradle to crave.
In my opinion, Tampa has a great sense of class integration. You can be in the most dingy areas, while seeing those living there who you would never think. It always brings a smile to my face when driving through a perceived "hood" and you see some yuppy walking their poodle. That's when you know that you ain't in the hood, Cindy . Likewise, the most sketchy restaurants have a good mix of upper/low class patrons. In general, Tampa has some of the nicest people for a city its size, but they are somewhat protective in nature. Perhaps its that NE state of mind lingering. For an employed person, who is just looking for a mid-sized city with plenty to do, and places to eat, Tampa is absolutely perfect. On a random Sunday afternoon, the family and I drive 1.5 - 3hrs to Orlando/Ocala/Daytona to grab dinner, visit the downtown areas, and drive back home by 10PM. (Sadly the more I write, the worse I feel, but nonetheless...)
That said, my opinions surrounding a city do not revolve around employment, bugs, traffic, weather, "tons to do", rude people or any other low hanging fruit. I have no problem with any of those areas. Frankly, I actually enjoy Traffic, but Tampa doesn't really have a traffic issue. I sat in 1hrs worth of Traffic driving from Northern VA to DC daily- both ways. It was quite peaceful. For me, it's all about accepting a city's true identity and what it has to offer- however much or little that may be. Finally, although I will compare/contrast other cities with Tampa, it is not in any way to undermine Tampa. It's just for context to those who may need deeper perspectives. Again, I must say this again- I DON'T DISLIKE Tampa at all and not in any particular rush to leave tomorrow. I just know that it will not be my final stop.
Honestly, and with great internal debate, I have finally come to terms about my feelings for Tampa- although I have always felt it. However, this is such a sensitive subject for me that I would rather put it on "digital paper" than to speak out loud about it. I just need to get this off my chest. Believe me, I could never shut up about my discontent for the insufferable DC area, so this is how much respect I have for the Tampa region.
Coming from Vegas, by way of DC, before that Miami, before that overseas, but growing up in NY/NJ, I have a relatively good grasp of energies. I either love, hate, or am impartial to any given city. Unfortunately, Tampa fits squarely into the impartiality realm. From the very first day, I knew that I would have to settle in before I could give an honest review, despite me knowing my own truth. It was just hard to acknowledge. This was the opposite of Vegas as I immediately knew of her gift, or when I first stepped foot in DC, I knew it was going to be a rough time. In Vegas, it was even more pronounced during my weekend trips to either California, Utah, or Arizona- but I digress, now oblige me.. We would leave Vegas at 9AM, get to Santa Monica beach by 1:30PM, enjoy the beach, have dinner at 6pm, and be back in Vegas before 12AM.
Regarding energies, Florida is unique because most of its cities have what I call unilateral magnetic fields, which are isolated, whereas other major cities have multilateral magnetic fields which are dynamic. This especially creates an identity crisis for Tampa because there is a subconscious expectation of the Miami and Orlando influence but it isn't there. This isn't the same for a city such as Winter Haven because although close to Orlando, WH doesn't need to compete by throwing millions into its core downtown area. We accept WH for what she is. Someone online said it best when comparing Jacksonville to Tampa- "Jacksonville just feels more like a small southern town with skyscrapers that never cared to be a huge metropolis where Tampa prides itself on it’s nightlife and entertainment".
It's actually quite interesting. Similar to a state like Tennessee, not only do you understand what you are getting, the energies flow nicely across its neighboring states. This is why Jacksonville is often identified as the capital of Southern Georgia. Unfortunately, it seems that Tampa does such a terrific job at trying to create its own identity, that it inadvertently creates an imbalance of energies between the other surrounding major cities. Although there is much going on to the North East/South (Orlando/Miami), Tampa isolates itself into somewhat of a small local culture, creating confusion to some. This creates a subconscious perception for many that Tampa should be some major city. This is the small-big city feel that many experience. Orlando also has this common misconception of being a major city, while those who live there often deny it. It's quite fascinating, actually.
But, for the well travelled, certain people wear out their stay rather quickly because of its lack of geographical diversity. DC has a similar problem in that its neighboring cities such as Baltimore/Philly don't flow well into her. This is unlike the crossflow of cultural influences you may find between NY, NJ, CT, Philly, and Baltimore. Same as with how energies nicely flow between Atlanta, Alabama, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.
Although Vegas being pretty much nothing but desert rocks, it has a dynamic field which draws you to exploring the visually stimulating surrounding states. For some reason, I do not get this magnetic draw here in Tampa. This is was similar to when in Meeyamee/West Pembroke Pines (Broward County), I never once drove to Orlando in the 9 years that I lived there. It was always the immediate counties and the keys. However, I drove the wheels off my car between all three Dade/WPB/Broward counties. Living here, I am exploring anywhere from 1-2 hours on a weekend, but with not much to be desired. Although day trips to Boyton Beach/Ft Lauderdale are nothing, hadn't it been for my parents, I have no real desire to take day trips to Miami. Driving 1.5 hrs to Utah just for dinner and mountain views (rocks) was simple, but stimulating. As a matter of fact, although my father, who lives in Ft Lauderdale, travels often to the Caribbean/South America for work, his trip to visit me in Tampa this year was his first. His reasoning was that there was simply no need for him and his wife to ever travel so far up north/west.
As you can see, it's is all really not about the bugs, traffic and rude people. I am a person who thrives on natural geographical stimulation. I am sensitive to energies, so I need to sense that there is a good flow surrounding me. Because Tampa has to somewhat compete with its peers, it has created an extraordinarily imbalanced field of energy. While it may not bother the majority, it does have an unsettling effect on me. Not to the point that it makes me want to move right away, but definitely doesn't allow me to truly embrace Florida for who she really is.
Ironically, I am not so into historic landmarks. I could care less about DC's museums and national parks. So, for anyone wishing to move to central/southern Florida, be mindful of the pre-conditioned blur. If you are like me, and need visual stimulation apart from bodies of water, Florida will literally have you feeling like you are stranded on a piece of island.
Confusing...I did not get the part of being "like me, and need visual stimulation apart from bodies of water" and at same time "not into historic landmarks, I could care less about Dc's museums, etc., etc..,"""although not comparable, aren't museums and art galleries about visual stimulation too? perception, I guess..
I lived most of my life in NYC, and 4 years in the Tampa Bay Area. If you don’t think Tampa’s traffic isn’t bad, try living in Apollo Beach and take Big Bend Road everyday to either I75 or US 301. Worse than NYC by far!
Hillsborough county does not plan ahead. They react when it’s too late.
I lived most of my life in NYC, and 4 years in the Tampa Bay Area. If you don’t think Tampa’s traffic isn’t bad, try living in Apollo Beach and take Big Bend Road everyday to either I75 or US 301. Worse than NYC by far!
Hillsborough county does not plan ahead. They react when it’s too late.
Yet people go to these master planned communities with blinders on, and buy their house. Yet it was all their, for all to see, the road conditions surrounding their new home. Three months later they start screaming about traffic. Lots to considered before buying a house. Traffic today and future is a big part of the puzzle. You ignore it at your own risk.
Yet people go to these master planned communities with blinders on, and buy their house. Yet it was all their, for all to see, the road conditions surrounding their new home. Three months later they start screaming about traffic. Lots to considered before buying a house. Traffic today and future is a big part of the puzzle. You ignore it at your own risk.
Not quite. When we moved there we had 100 homes in our community with promises that the infrastructure would be improved to handle the traffic. The infrastructure is being improved but at a snails pace and not keeping up with the population explosion.
I lived most of my life in NYC, and 4 years in the Tampa Bay Area. If you don’t think Tampa’s traffic isn’t bad, try living in Apollo Beach and take Big Bend Road everyday to either I75 or US 301. Worse than NYC by far!
Hillsborough county does not plan ahead. They react when it’s too late.
The key difference is the dismal public transportation options here.
There is literally no bus where I live, and one main artery that cuts through town. So... EVERYONE living here HAS to take the one highway we have to get anywhere. I believe my town has nearly 30k people.
Not quite. When we moved there we had 100 homes in our community with promises that the infrastructure would be improved to handle the traffic. The infrastructure is being improved but at a snails pace and not keeping up with the population explosion.
Sorry but its the sales people job to be optimistic. If you have been reading these threads for the last 10 yrs there are countless post of how the roads are 10-20 yrs behind. I have worked in plenty of these communities while building these homes. Nothing has changed with the snail pace of new roads in over 40 yrs. I shake my head every time I drove to a new master planned development in the middle of nowhere on a two lane road.
Bell Shoals Road in the Bloomingdale area. A major arterial connecting Bloomingdale Ave. and Boyette Road. Designed and platted in the 90s as a two lane road expanding to four lane, which was scheduled to be done in the early 2000s.
The project was finally started last year, nearly 20 years after it was originally planned.
If you ask why it took so long, you’ll get excuses about the economic downturn in 2008-2010, but it’s really because the impact fees have never been what they should be, and the silly system they have for spending them.
I have a short attention span so I had to copy/paste into Word and let Word read it to me, lol.
It's hard finding a place to live that you truly love. Pros and cons everywhere.
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. Likewise, the most sketchy restaurants have a good mix of upper/low class patrons. In general, Tampa has some of the nicest people for a city its size, but they are somewhat protective in nature. Perhaps its that NE state of mind lingering. For an employed person, who is just looking for a mid-sized city with plenty to do, and places to eat, Tampa is absolutely perfect. On a random Sunday afternoon, the family and I drive 1.5 - 3hrs to Orlando/Ocala/Daytona to grab dinner, visit the downtown areas, and drive back home by 10PM. (Sadly the more I write, the worse I feel, but nonetheless...) 
Lots to considered before buying a house. Traffic today and future is a big part of the puzzle. You ignore it at your own risk. 
