Cool Stuff in Other Cities

[spenser1058]

The residents of Ybor City seem to be content with the Rays staying in St. Pete:

https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2018/12/25/what-s-next-for-the-tampa-bay-rays-

From Bay News 9

[spenser1058]

An update on 2019 activity in downtown Tampa:

https://www.tampabay.com/business/construction-cranes-on-the-horizon-in-2019-at-water-street-tampa-20181226/?template=amp

From the St. Pete Times 

[dcluley98]

I want a Poetic Kinetics art installation to temporarily display at DPAC or the CV Central Park green. First saw the "Liquid Shard" one in LA, but many of the others are amazing too!

Check them out: http://www.poetickinetics.com/ 

Edited December 27, 2018 by dcluley98

[Uncommon]

https://www.tampabay.com/business/hundreds-of-homes-an-elevated-highway-x2014-1-billion-in-changes-at-tampa-end-of-the-gandy-bridge-20181227/

 

Even more development in the Tampa-St. Pete area. There’s currently close to $5B in projects being developed in Tampa Bay. In 5 years, the region will be almost unrecognizable. Just a few short years ago, I lived there and complained about how rundown and antiquated many areas looked around both cities but the Bay Area is quickly becoming (if it already isn’t) one of the most desirable places to live in the southeast. Kudos to yet another Florida city for refusing to stagnate! Now if we could just get Jacksonville to blossom...

[spenser1058]

Quite a few of our crew posted about the cruise ships at Port Canaveral recently. This article from The Jaxson talks about the decline and rebirth of another historic Florida seaport, Mayport, at the mouth of the St. John’s River just east of Jacksonville.

Not only is it the home port for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, there’s also a fun ferry that you can cross the river on in your car and then head to the Jacksonville Zoo on your way back to I95 or cross the Dames Point Bridge, one of the state’s taller spans (175’). It’s also near Fernandina Beach, one of our oldest towns. Some tasty seafood, too!

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/off-the-beaten-path-mayport-village/

Edited January 16, 2019 by spenser1058

[HankStrong]

It is a fun ferry.  I've done it.

[spenser1058]

Eyesore or landmark? What’s your opinion of these Tampa Bay icons?

https://www.tampabay.com/data/2019/01/17/we-asked-you-answered-these-are-the-tampa-bay-eyesores-you-love-to-hate/

From the St Pete Times

[dcluley98]

Beer can is a landmark. Tampa would not be Tampa without that building. 

[Dale]

On 1/16/2019 at 11:58 AM, spenser1058 said:

Quite a few of our crew posted about the cruise ships at Port Canaveral recently. This article from The Jaxson talks about the decline and rebirth of another historic Florida seaport, Mayport, at the mouth of the St. John’s River just east of Jacksonville.

Not only is it the home port for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, there’s also a fun ferry that you can cross the river on in your car and then head to the Jacksonville Zoo on your way back to I95 or cross the Dames Point Bridge, one of the state’s taller spans (175’). It’s also near Fernandina Beach, one of our oldest towns. Some tasty seafood, too!

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/off-the-beaten-path-mayport-village/

My gggg-grandfather once owned the land now occupied by the zoo. His son was Lem Turner. I believe a certain road is named after him.

[Uncommon]

That round building is beautiful in my opinion. It’s my favorite Tampa building. Not sure why it’s considered an eyesore. It looks cool to me.

[dcluley98]

2 hours ago, Uncommon said:

That round building is beautiful in my opinion. It’s my favorite Tampa building. Not sure why it’s considered an eyesore. It looks cool to me.

 

Trends come and go, but the classic design of the Beer Can stands the test of time. It is constantly cited by architects as one of the best designs in Tampa. It uses symmetry, and supposedly mathematics such as the Fibonacci sequence, and natural materials to create a whole that is different than other less thought out or less permanent designs.  

Architects often praise it as an example of many different "schools of design" from Expressionist, Classical PostModern, Structuralist Institutional, to even Gothic Revival. It's hard to define, but it looks like it is many things that have been there forever and thought about longer than it actually has been. 

Edited January 18, 2019 by dcluley98

[HankStrong]

At least that round building doesn't have... nevermind.  It is a blessing!

[spenser1058]

For those who suggest we only talk about Orlando and Tampa, we reply... au contraire! 

I proudly encourage each of you to... Make It Macon!

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-heart-of-georgia-macon/

From The Jaxson

[spenser1058]

Will unchecked growth kill the very thing that makes Nashville - Nashville?

A problem we can identify with:

https://nyti.ms/2RYnOat?smid=nytcore-ios-share

From the New York Times

[dcluley98]

Developer submitted plans for 50-story skyscraper in downtown St. Petersburg, a couple blocks from the waterfront and Straub Park.  Cool looking design and would be a new tallest in Tampa bay, and probably new tallest "outside of Miami" in the state. 

https://www.tampabay.com/business/is-st-pete-ready-for-a-50-story-skyscraper-on-central-avenue-20190122/

 

[spenser1058]

7 hours ago, dcluley98 said:

Developer submitted plans for 50-story skyscraper in downtown St. Petersburg, a couple blocks from the waterfront and Straub Park.  Cool looking design and would be a new tallest in Tampa bay, and probably new tallest "outside of Miami" in the state. 

https://www.tampabay.com/business/is-st-pete-ready-for-a-50-story-skyscraper-on-central-avenue-20190122/

 

Perhaps most interesting for us is the discussion about the proposed tower’s relationship to the nearby general aviation airport. As the article notes, just because the FAA deems it a hazard doesn’t mean it can’t be built.

Just as happened with Sun Bank Center here, it’s an artificial barrier.

Edited January 22, 2019 by spenser1058

[Uncommon]

There are quite a few nimbys in downtown St. Pete. I’d be very surprised if this one got built.

[Dale]

Project has “tentative approval” from the FAA, whatever that means. And it apparently won’t be as tall as Tampa’s Riverwalk Place.

[dcluley98]

Correct, both this and Riverwalk Place are still in "planning" stages and final heights have not been determined. They both said 50+ stories. As proposed either one could be tallest in Tampa Bay depending upon what actually gets built in the end. Both are really neat projects. We will see what happens when the plans are finalized and approved for what actually will get built.  

Edited January 22, 2019 by dcluley98

[prahaboheme]

For anyone into rail construction, a great photo update on the u/c CA high speed rail:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hsrcagov/

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, prahaboheme said:

For anyone into rail construction, a great photo update on the u/c CA high speed rail:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hsrcagov/

Thanks, Governor Moonbeam! (I’m reading a book right now about the influence of the Brown family on California- it’s fascinating.)

[spenser1058]

Been wondering what gut-busting wonders to try this year at the fair? Here’s some of the goodies for the Florida State Fair in Tampa coming up in early February:

https://www.tampabay.com/florida/2019/01/29/florida-state-fair-releases-lineup-of-gut-busting-foods-coming-to-midway-this-year/?template=amp

From he St. Pete Times

[jgardnerucf]

Birds nest scallops.

[spenser1058]

This is an interesting farewell column from the Tampa Bay Times’ longtime business columnist. 

His words about the need for the cities of the region to think together as Tampa Bay has lessons for us as well.

Although there are some that hate the notion, we’re not (and, in fact, never have been) just Orlando. We are Central Florida, from Port Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center to Lake Nona and Lake Burma Vista, from rapidly growing business centers in Osceola and Seminole to the tech cluster at UCF and the Volusia beaches where we play on the weekends and claim NASCAR as our own.

Heck, we’re also the suburban and retiree behemoth that is Lake County (yep, I’m having trouble with that one but I’m trying).

If we’re all in this together, there’s no need to think everything has to be in downtown Orlando because every county in the region is growing and has a unique perspective to offer.

How many other places in the world offer you the fantasy of Star Wars and real life journeys into space? 

We have traditional towns that would fit right in next to Mayberry or as part of New England while generally embracing the notion that every person is most likely to fulfill their potential if we follow the Golden Rule and treat them with equal respect.

Mr. Trigaux likes what Tampa Bay is becoming.

For me, just an hour away, the Sentinel said it best decades ago: ‘Tis A Privilege To Live In Central Florida”.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/Trigaux-A-farewell-plea----Start-acting-like-the-Tampa-Bay-you-deserve-to-be-_163148950?template=amp

 

Edited January 31, 2019 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

If you’re an urban development geek like me, this look at where to put JEA’s new headquarters is a fascinating look at all the puzzle pieces involved in redeveloping a historic downtown while simultaneously working to meet the needs of the tenant. (JEA is Jacksonville’s public utility.)

Another home run article by The Jaxson’s Ennis Davis.

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/deciphering-jeas-search-whats-best-for-downtown/