At a recent City Town Meeting, Mayor Iorio indicated that downtown has the infrastructure to allow for the addition of an entire new neighborhood.
Not sure what that means as far as numbers go, but that could be 10,000 or more.
Do you think our existing neighborhoods can handle the growth already underway ? PalmaCeia has responded by restricting townhouse development. A proposed condo project South of Gandy has been denied. A planned high rise at Bayshore and Desoto has also been denied. Most of these denials have come after significant neighborhood opposition.
What do you think is our city's biggest issue affecting growth management ? What "can" be done and what "should" be done ?
12 comments:
Developers don't realize or care that the reason SOHO is so popular is the quaint atmosphere and the shops, bars,restaurants, and homes that they are tearing down to replace with condos. Why will anyone want to pay 600k for a condo in SOHO when there are no attractions left? Development should definantly be restricted.
I say hooray for progress, as long as the services are provided...look at big city neighborhoods like in Chicago..very quaint nice, but all first floors are shops, stores, etc. for the residents, so they can walk to everything they need...this is what Tampa needs for its neighborhoods
The city of Tampa must be urged to rezone Howard Ave. Keep it to bars and Restaurants...SoHo is going to lose its vibe...
Downtown needs a higher density. However the only thing that can provide for sustainable development in other words; in order to hinder increased traffic is by introducing the trolley on RAILS. I was in the Hyde PArk Village and that trolley "bus" makes a helluva alot noise.
SOHO should be called EoTa (East of Tampa). SOuth of Houston (SoHo) is in New York.
Tampa needs to build its identity based on its own characterristics not those based on NEw York
HMM... I think you missed something. SOHO is originally an area of London (including Carnaby Street). SOHO New York established its own identity. Just like SOHO Tampa is establishing its own identity.
Mr Bill: I write SoHO, which is different from Soho. If we are going to pick at "origins," well lets just say that Soho derives from a small village outside of London dedicated to hunting.
Now SoHo is a New York phenomena with references to London. However, SoHo does refer to a geographical spot in Manhattan, hence South of Houston Street. SoHo epitomizes progress and change, trendy and lively. SoHo also alludes to "lofts," warehouse districts, yet this I haven't noticed in Tampa's "SOHO." I simply suggested that instead of following every other town that is experiencing a SoHo evolution why not give the area the appropriate geographical reference; the Howard area being east of Tampa would correctly be "EoTa" [East of Tampa]....highly original, very Tampa yet reminding us of the origin of the phenomena....
Best
Ciara
How is South Howard "east of Tampa" geographically? Taking Tampa to mean the Downtown area, Howard is actually west. Therefore, my suggestion is "WeTa", just like this conversation all WET.
Your right pardon my left/right east/west dyslexia. But the point is make it one's own. WeTa it is.
How about SOWE(south westshore business district in the el prado/eulcid area), or SOMAC(South MacDill business district from bay to bay to wallcraft)
what is in the el prado euclid area that makes it deserving of such a name? of south of MacDill?
The buildings with shops below and living spaces above were built before many cities changed their zoning laws (all over the country). The zoning changes were a short-term means of increasing tax revenues without the need to provide services and the infrastructure necessary for higher population densities--this is one of the major factors which "killed" the cities.
Police forces were slashed, the "beat" cop became nearly extinct and residential areas within the cities became lawless. Other services like the maintenance of streets, lighting, and garbage pickup became spotty; so the cities became dark and dirty as well. (This is what the first of the Martin Luther King marches were all about. Look it up.) It wasn't just racism which caused "white flight"--it was politics and piss poor planning.
To increase the population density intelligently means that sections of the city need to be torn down in order to correct the many decades of non-existent planning, and downright neglect. The actual "lay of the land" needs to be corrected for drainage and flooding. The sewer system, the "storm sewers", power, communications, potable water, and finally, the actual placement of the retail, office and living spaces have to be planned out for the use of a economically viable public transit system. Parking for private vehicles and the flow of traffic also must be part of the "mix". It really can't be done the way it has been going. The problems will just continue on and on. There are no simple answers I'm afraid.
A museum and "City walk" aren't the frikking answer.
By the way, it is possible to built anew and create a "feel" without creating a huge ugly beer can with an "exploded chicken" in front of it. "Quaint and Querky" areas were new once. It is very possible to create living spaces and "human friendly" cities. It is just more expensive.
[/rant] Creating the political and economic environment for that kind of renewal involves having local representatives which actually reflect the desires of more than a few families in South Tampa. They would also have to be something other than buffoons, clowns, and bought-and-payed-for pols. Stop voting for "pretty" people and recognizable names. Try to vote for ugly intelligent people who actually have ties to the community and would provide some leadership.
[/rant]
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