Thanks for this thread. Even though I live here, I sometimes forget to appreciate Tampa's good bones.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mello
So what is that narrow street that is lined with palms and old buildings? Is that Ybor City? And where is it situated in relation to the bank towers "downtown"?
And just curious why are people saying St. Pete's downtown is better? Thundertubs didn't take many pics of it so I was thinking it was whack in comparison to Tampa.
And like KOTH said this place looks dead  Not a burgeoning metropolis... |
That's Ybor, our little party district north of downtown by a mile or so.
People say St. Pete's downtown is nicer because it is less run down and has a smattering of nightlife. Unfortunately, most of the rest of Pinellas county is a dump. The person who said it's where old people go to die is 100% correct.
Tampa's downtown is (currently) primarily an office district and condos, and in desperate need of "infill" both of business and nightlife. Very little of anything goes on after 5pm which is why in many pictures it looks so desolate. The city is working on that, but it seems like, as is the Florida way, everything moves at a snail's pace. The OP didn't get any photos of the Riverwalk, or Harbour/Davis Islands, which sit immediately south of downtown along the bay and are stunningly beautiful (Derek Jeter's house is on Davis).
Also, there are two very distinct mindsets here. One thinks we should reinvest in the downtown infrastructure and invigorate Tampa from its core (which IMO is desperately needed), the other is afraid of the scary looking run-down ghettos that surround downtown, Ybor, and most of the city due north of the downtown corridor, and want to keep building tasteless, zombie-like cookie-cutter sprawl subdivisions in the 'burbs (google Brandon, FL, Riverview, FL, Land O Lakes, Wesley Chapel, or "New Tampa" to see what I mean). Thankfully, our new mayor believes in reinvesting in the core of the city and it's starting to pay off. Streets are cleaning up, projects are underway (there was a recent announcement to build a new skyscraper/retail area downtown, along with the
Encore Tempo District which is currently being built in between downtown and Ybor City. In the 2 years I've lived here, I've seen changes for the better. You have to remember though that this was one of the absolute hardest hit cities in the country recession-wise.
It's not a "burgeoning metropolis" in any sense of the word, unless you consider miles of choked sprawl to be an indicator. Tampa has excellent bones, and the most potential of any city I can think of other than Baltimore (yes, Baltimore). I believe it won't stay so depressingly barren and run down for long. That idea is already catching on, and downtown is changing for the better.
ps - Here are some very novice, crappy cameraphone pics I took during a stroll over to Harbour Island following the auto show at the convention center (square'ish looking building along the bay in the first pic)
Prev
Linear Mode
