How close are we to being a "real" city?

[Uncommon]

2 hours ago, Dale said:

Creative Village may do for Orlando what Water Street Tampa is doing for that downtown, albeit on a more modest scale.

A much more modest scale, but overall I agree. Creative Village will add to downtown Orlando, but Water Street will completely revamp Tampa. Just as well, since downtown Orlando currently trumps downtown Tampa. But in the next half-decade, Tampa will catch up significantly, arguably eclipsing Orlando and St. Pete.

[Dale]

8 minutes ago, Uncommon said:

A much more modest scale, but overall I agree. Creative Village will add to downtown Orlando, but Water Street will completely revamp Tampa. Just as well, since downtown Orlando currently trumps downtown Tampa. But in the next half-decade, Tampa will catch up significantly, arguably eclipsing Orlando and St. Pete.

Oh, you don’t have to sell me on WST. IMO, it is the most transformative project of ANY US city. With WST on the south, Brightline on the north ... watch out for Downtown Tampa!

[Naqiy90]

To every one promoting Water Street, can anyone point to other large redevelopment projects in the States that have had great success, because large projects like it remind me of old urban renewal projects that often failed to achieve their goals. I'm hoping it succeeds at making Tampa a more urban environment, but more organic urban growth seems to have better outcomes to me than large scale redevelopment projects.

For example, Baldwin Park , while nice,  feels synthetic and not particularly urban to me, while old Bungalow Neighborhoods like College Park or Thorton Park feel much more vibrant than Baldwin park or other New Urbanism inspired districts districts in the area. Admittedly, I don't know much about Water Street, but  Harbour Island nearby is another example of a large scale redevelopment that is cool, but feels exclusive and not welcoming as a public urban place compared to nearby historical Tampa neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Seminole Heights. Basically i'm wondering if Water Street will be different than past redevelopments or more or the same?

[dcluley98]

Brooklyn Atlantic Yards revitalization including Barclays center, LA Live entertainment complex and surrounding area (parallel can be drawn to MEC and CV here on the west side of I-4), Portland's River District. 

[Dale]

38 minutes ago, Naqiy90 said:

To every one promoting Water Street, can anyone point to other large redevelopment projects in the States that have had great success, because large projects like it remind me of old urban renewal projects that often failed to achieve their goals. I'm hoping it succeeds at making Tampa a more urban environment, but more organic urban growth seems to have better outcomes to me than large scale redevelopment projects.

For example, Baldwin Park , while nice,  feels synthetic and not particularly urban to me, while old Bungalow Neighborhoods like College Park or Thorton Park feel much more vibrant than Baldwin park or other New Urbanism inspired districts districts in the area. Admittedly, I don't know much about Water Street, but  Harbour Island nearby is another example of a large scale redevelopment that is cool, but feels exclusive and not welcoming as a public urban place compared to nearby historical Tampa neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Seminole Heights. Basically i'm wondering if Water Street will be different than past redevelopments or more or the same?

I hear you, but based on what I’ve seen the design quality is top shelf.

[gibby]

I agree.  I stayed in downtown Tampa last Monday night and it's very impressive.  Water Street seems to be very well designed.  Encore is decent also and it's in a location that will help other areas fill in.  Once Brightline decides on a location, they'll be in excellent shape.  There are a few cool projects happening in Ybor also.

[prahaboheme]

It would be fantastic to see Tampa finally utilize it's great geographic location to fuller potential. It's all good for the region.  I'd like Lakeland to further its (actually) great legacy of quality architecture and design.

That being said, if I recall Orlando does have a larger amount of internationally recognized architects who have planted a legacy in the metro. 

Don't quote me on that...

[tennis32801]

Home for Christmas I may reminded of how beautiful and coherent the surrounding downtown neighborhoods are, from milk district to Ivanhoe strip. Saw the Yard and man that thing is massive. Definitely a game changer to that area, hopefully for the better.

[Dale]

On 12/13/2018 at 2:09 PM, AndyPok1 said:

I don't think it has anything to do with random metrics like 24/7 drugstores.

What I do care about...

We have a downtown population of over 45,000.  Austin has 14,000. 
Employee wise, Austin has 92,000 in 10 million sqft.  We have 150,000 in 13 mil sqft.

I will never understand the love for Austin.  The only metric they win in is Breakfast Tacos.  And boy do I love breakfast tacos.

Blasphemy!