58 replies to this topic

[dexxtreme]

When I moved to Tampa a couple years ago, the first problem I had with working downtown was that if you didn't eat lunch by 3pm then you had only 2-3 resturants to choose from. And after around 8pm or so, the nearest food is a 10-15 minute drive away. At night, it is not safe to walk around anywhere downtown. Many streets aren't all that well lit, and homeless people (and sometimes drunk people as well) can easily be seen within plain view a block away from Tampa Police headquarters. I can also understand the appearance of an awkward layout and navigation of downtown streets. For one, I hate the Tampa st./Ashley drive split, since there are no traffic control devices to protect the two lanes that merge into Tampa st. And driving through the Tampa to Franklin intersection on your way to Harbour Island is not really intuitive since it looks less like the route to Harbour Island and more like the entrance to the Convention center. (Driving under the Crosstown bridges makes things appear confusing...) If you miss that turn, then the only alternative is to cross over two bridges (a U-turn over the river) and drive around (and back under) the convention center. Also, I have constantly watched drivers cross into the wrong lane when travelling from Scott street through to the I-4 / I-275 onramps. (The fact that they took out a lane from Scott St. for the Ashley onramp doesn't help things either.) And speaking of bad intersections, I have never understood what happened with the design of the Cass/Orange/Pierce/Jefferson/Central/Tyler intersection...

As far as the condo market goes... I have always wondered what end-buyers could afford (and would be willing to pay) such prices for what appear to be glorified apartments (many of them start off at less than 1000 sq.ft.), and where do these people work. I know that a large number of people that buy those condos do so with the expectation that they will sell it at a major profit a couple years later. It is sad to see that culminate in a brand new condo tower with only about 20% actual occupancy. I know that the market can't indefinitely support $200k-$400k condos all up and down Channelside, in addition to all of the $200k-$400k+ new homes going up all over the bay area. I would assume that eventually it will get to the point where people will not want to pay the huge prices, and investors will have to start selling at a loss, or these investors will actually have to live in their condos (instead of renting them out or just holding on to them).

[Tampa_Mayor]

  Where is the Tampa inspiration? Has every1 just died out? I want more ppl on this forum, NOW!  

You might as well update the the project list on the first page. You still have the Four Seasons as approved  

[hjack]

"And remember when the rich people of Seddon Cove paid $425,000 for their nice condos back in the 80's on Harbor Island, the first real luxury ones that were built? I do. For well over a decade they were at a loss. Values plumeted and stayed that way for a long time."

These same condos are now selling for over $700,000. I actually live on Harbour Island, and getting there off the Interstate is as easy as pie (only one turn when coming off the downtown W exit). And EVERY big northeastern urban downtown has "bums". Even in Toronto, where I'm from. I lived in Philadelphia for 13 years (well 86 to 90 were in the suburbs), and watched it change from an evening ghost town/dump/homeless haven in the 80's and early 90's, to a hip, alive, night time urban center. By the late 90's people were travelling from the suburbs, to hang out downtown at night. The change came by bringing the nightlife to the downtown area first, not by introducing a bunch of overpriced condos... that came last (after I left). Tampa's doing it back asswards.

hjack

[atlrvr]

I don't normally come to the Tampa thread, so I might have missed this announcement, but I don't think its been posted here....if so, my bad.

http://www.c-itall.com/

This is a new project called C, but Crescent Resources out of Charlotte.  I counted 26 stories in the rendering.

[tampamobster21]

Downtown Area


Trump Tower Tampa
603feet+... 52 stories
221 unit condo tower
Sold out... U/C (foundation)
www.trumptowertampa.com






Art Center Lofts - Recently completed
5 story lofts with 50 units or so


DT Embassy Suites... 23 stories, 373 rooms...
U/C (14th floor)



Residences at Franklin...8 stories, 34 units.
Sold out... U/C (2nd floor)







Skypoint

developed by Novare Group and InTown Development
32 story condo, 381 units...(estimated 360-400ft)
Sold out... U/C (foundation work)




Four Seasons Residences
630feet... 51-stories
472-unit condo tower...Includes ~18k retail
DEAD




The Plaza at Harbour Island
3 X 20-story condos featuring 360 total units and ground level retail.

Developer claims first tower nearly sold out... Construction imminent

The first tower... Unsure if others will bear a similar look.



Park Crest at Harbour Island - 9-stories -
Nearly Complete


http://www.parkcrest.../files/home.htm


New Tampa Museum of Art - In complete dissarray, with a new deisgn being sought. This is back at square one.

The previous design, which cost $7million, and is now in the trash.


Tampa Bay History Center - All funding in place. Some preliminary site work has taken place. Construction to begin some time this year


The Heights (joint venture project between Band of America, and a consortium of local developers)

Some recent descriptions of the project from the Tampa Tribune...

Quote:
The Heights - the 40-acre, $500 million project that plans to bring condominiums, town houses, lofts, restaurants, a grocery store...

The Heights project will cover North Boulevard, Ross Avenue, Tampa Street and the Hillsborough River. There are 1,600 to 2,100 units planned; 10 percent of the units will be set aside for affordable housing...

Developers hope the city will approve the rezoning this summer. Construction is expected to start 18 months after that.





Denholtz Residential Towers - Three 16 story towers - 393 units
Appears dead at this time...
no rendering avaiable

The Arlington - 2stories -21 units
U/C (historic renovation)
no rendering avaiable

USF Health South at TGH

  

7 stories at TGH/Davis Island
Construction Begins April 2006
Comprehensive speciality care and headquarters for in-patient medical and resident learning.
compiled by youngkg



Downtown: Channelside District


Pinnacle Place - 624ft observation tower - 2 X 41 story condominium towers, 8 story hotel
The development will include a 4,000 seat amphitheater, 400 room hotel, 70k sqft of retail, 150k sqft of
office space and 400 total residential units.
Approved and in sales. Demolition completed. In permitting.
Appears that the components other than the condo towers are being redesigned and will not include the obs deck.

Obs deck reportedly dead.





Latest rendering. The condo phase is named "O2 Condominiums"...




Tampa Global Communication Teleconvergence Center- 45 stories - 550ft -
400 hotel rooms, 182 condo units. The project also includes retail and a large conference center.
Hotel and condo concierge services will be managed by Mandarin oriental Hotels. Approved/Financing secured. Construction claimed to begin by April 2006.




The Crecent Heights Channelside - three 29 story mixed use condo/retail towers - 870 units.
DEAD... Property for sale by Smith and Associates.



Downtown Channelside - Twin 30 story towers - 310ft - 250 units - 40k sqft of retail... Approved.



Towers At Channelside
Twin 30 story condo towers- 360ft - 260 units, 35k sqft of retail...
Approved and reportedly sold out...
U/C (foundation)



The Plaza at Channelside - 38 story condo tower with retail base - 251 units
Approved


Ventana Condos - twin 11 story towers. 96 units and 14k sqft of retail.
U/C (foundation)





The Meridian - 6 stories - 35 units - U/C (nearly completed)



Grand Central at Kennedy - 14 and 12 story towers - 496 units - 125k sqft retail - 70k sqft office -
Almost sold out - U/C... (foundation and 1st floor)









Seaport Channelside - multiple 6 story buildings - Mixed use -
418 rental apartments and 10,000sqft ground floor retail
Site being cleared and prepped...
Construction to start this fall, with occupancy beginning Sept 2006
no rendering avaiable

Seaboard Square - Several buildings to be built in multiple phases-
6,8,14,14 stories - 371 condominium and lofts units, over retail bases - 200 room hotel
Site demolition under way
no rendering avaiable

Lafayette Lofts - 6 stories - 30 units
Approved
no rendering avaiable

Channelside Bldg LTD. Project (name unknown) - 10 stories - 84 units
Status unknown
no rendering avaiable


Victory Lofts - 89 units - 4 and 7 story buildings
Recently Completed







1000 Channelside, 4 stories 15 lofts - 5 office suites
U/C (3rd story)



The Place at Channelside - 2 x 8 stories - 259 units
Nearly sold out...
Demolition underway



12th Street Townhomes - 2 stories- 26 units
Proposed
no rendering available






Westshore area of Tampa

Tampa Bay One
Two 15 story office buildings, 21 story Hotel/Condo - approved.
On hold. waiting for big tenant


Corporate center Three - recently complete
10-story office building near International Plaza

On a side note, the same developer plans to consecutively build two more 10 story office towers across
the street (Cornerstone Plaza). They are seeking tenants now.



Oasis Rocky Point

U/C (site work)

Rocky Point Westin 12-story 200 rooms



and the Oasis 14-story, 108 condo units






Bayshore and South Tampa


One Bayshore- the rendering is the 17-story condo building, but there is also , townhouses and
ground retail - Condo U/C (nearly complete)


There is also an adjacent which will be smaller, but a bit taller. It has been approved for 26 stories, though the proposal may be revised.







Citivest 19 stories.
Recently approved via lawsuit mediation between city and developer
Here is the location



Bellamy 23-story Condo
Sold Out...U/C (nearly topped out)



The Alagon... 24 stories.
Sold Out...U/C (nearly topped out)



Valencia Hyde PArk

THE VALENCIA'S SEVEN-STORY CONDOMINIUM BUILDING WILL FEATURE SUPERB CRAFTSMANSHIP AND UNCOMMON QUALITY. (I don't vouch for the representations other than it is going to be 7 stories and allegedly starting before the end of the year)

FIVE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED, THREE-STORY TOWNHOMES WILL COMPLETE THIS EXCLUSIVE ENCLAVE. (same caveat - except this will obviously not be 7 stories)

17 SkyPoint 2 (Approved)
34 Stories
396 Units

18 Skypoint 3 (Approved)
34 Stories
396 Units

19 Six Ten Franklin (Under Construction)
33 Stories
400+/- Units

20 Residences on Kennedy (Nearing Completion)
10 Stories
20+/- Units

21 Kress Block (Approved)
33 Stories
375 Units

Edited by tampamobster21, 29 April 2006 - 03:47 AM.

[asics]

People is what drives resturants, entertainment venues and everything else. So, it's not assbackwards to build condos first downtown. It's actually assforwards(i guess). People drive new developments.

[tampamobster21]

I agree completely. I believe that when people move downtown, businesses will flock to be downtown where all of the poeple are.

[Tampa_Mayor]

Nimby Group Discusses Bayshore Vision
Skip directly to the full story.
By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Aug 26, 2006


SOUTH TAMPA - Bayshore Boulevard conjures visions of a historical, scenic greenway with an open vista and room for recreation.

It also is a crowded major road that is the threatened symbol of Tampa, said about 40 residents, developers and community activists who gathered this week to discuss development along "Tampa's jewel."

"We are here out of fear," Bayshore resident Marilyn Weekley said. "We want to preserve what's left of Bayshore before it becomes a condominium cliff."

City staff presented the group with maps showing land-use and zoning categories for each parcel along the Bayshore corridor. The initial study area is east and south of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway from Gandy Boulevard to downtown, but it is expected to eventually include just Bayshore.

The meeting Tuesday at the Kate Jackson Community Center stemmed from a number of groups protesting Bayshore development or other issues to the city. It was a way to get them together to reach consensus, said Vicki Pollyea, president of the Bayshore Gardens Neighborhood Association.

"I'm hoping people are going to work together," Pollyea said. "We have to recognize builders' rights and work to protect this treasure."

She wants the group to talk about setbacks, height restrictions, maintaining single-family homes and wholesale improvements as opposed to single topics such as a disputed emergency generator enclosure in the median outside the Monte Carlo condominium tower.

Harry Lee Coe IV, a Bayshore Overlay District committee member, said an overlay district is the proper middle ground for guiding development. The committee proposes a minimum 40-foot front yard setback and a maximum height of 120 feet for condominium towers.

"This is really about addressing the corridor through the [city's comprehensive] plan," Coe said. "We need to stick with the existing laws and rules in place until that time."

Tim Powell, a developer's representative, said creating an overlay district throughout the corridor is unrealistic because there are too many competing interests.

"We already have good, sound and established neighborhood policies in those areas," he said.

Pollyea said her neighborhood has fought as many as four condo tower projects in the past two years, with each seeking waivers for extra height or other variances.

"It should not be the neighborhoods always fighting these battles," Pollyea said. "The zoning code should."

City staff will report to the city council Oct. 19.

http://southtampa.tb...GBUCF4YARE.html


  

[Tampa_Mayor]

Thought I should post a link to renderings of Place 2 and a rendering of Channelside with Seaboard Square and many other projects are completed.

http://villagerealestate.blogspot.com/

Edited by Tampa_Mayor, 27 August 2006 - 01:12 PM.

[hjack]

"People is what drives resturants, entertainment venues and everything else. So, it's not assbackwards to build condos first downtown."

There is more than enough people a stone's throw away from downtown in South Tampa (ie. Harbour Island, Davis Island, Hyde Park, Univ of Tampa) to start creating venues now. The motivation to move to an area is for what is IN that area. You don't move to a dead downtown area in hopes that someday, it might be happening. To do that is called AN INVESTMENT...

hjack

[condo21]

Any info on the new  "Venu" condo tower which I read is supposed to rival the TRUMP tower? The model looks really nice...

[cheeriokid61]

Do you have any pictures of the model?

[cwat212]

http://www.venutampa.com/

[Dale]

This must be built.

[tampasteve]

This is a really great project indeed. I absolutly love the design. The only thing even more interesting is the lot that it is going on (there is a Mercantile Bank building there now). If they are planning on keeping the Sheraton hotel right there then that is a interesting piece of small property to place such a large hotel. I hope that this one gets built though, we could use some development around that spot.

Steve

[FloridaFuture]

Over at the Tampa forums at skyscrapercity.com there is a much more complete list that mainy I keep up to date. The forum over there is much more active then the one over here.

Skyscrapercity.com Tampa forum- http://www.skyscrape...amp;forumid=842

Tampa list- http://www.skyscrape...ad.php?t=450050

Edited by FloridaFuture, 07 October 2007 - 08:29 AM.

[tampasteve]

Floridafuture,
Thats why you see me over there now...this forum has hardly any people from Tampa active on it, gotta love it over there!

Steve

[tombarnes]

OK guys, I'm not from Tampa, but I'd still like to see something develop over here.  Don't give up so easily on your forum!

[Florida]

Those skyscraper forums are far to unorganized to be respected. Urban Planet has a far better platform. Tampa just needs someone with some passion to lead these discussions. Maybe Tom Barnes is our man!