Downtown Residential Community

Recent trends in and around Tampa’s Central Business District indicate the city’s downtown core is poised for residential development. Harbour Island, Hyde Park and Davis Islands are established neighborhoods and the Channel District, Tampa Heights and Ybor City are emerging as viable, stable neighborhoods.

The large master-planned communities of “The Heights” and “Central Park Village” have been approved for zoning and are in the planning stages. Amidst all of this new development activity, the Central Business District has begun to attract interest for residential development. Recently 1,500 residential units have been completed or are under construction and over 4,600 units have received zoning approval. Many of these projects have commercial space for retail and restaurants, creating a vibrant environment to enhance downtown residential life and generating a destination attraction for the entire city.

This strategic focus area sets the stage for downtown as the focal point of a larger “central city” neighborhood comprised of Tampa’s downtown core and the surrounding residential communities. It seeks to promote residential development in the North Franklin Street area while supporting links to the nearby established and emerging residential areas. Strategies that create an environment to encourage and stimulate private investment in downtown Tampa such as development incentives and public/ private partnerships will be pursued to promote continued residential development.

Safety and security is an important element of a successful residential community, and a downtown public safety plan will be implemented to help ensure a safe, stable environment for both residents and visitors. Building upon such assets as the Cultural Arts District, Franklin Street and the waterfront, the city will strive to create an environment where people will want to live. The construction of the Tampa Museum of Art, the Children’s Museum, and the Riverwalk will add to these amenities. Attractive streetscape, parks and open spaces, public art and pedestrian lighting will also be pursued in an effort to enhance the downtown environment.

Transportation including connectivity and links plays a critical role in promoting downtown as a residential community. Because the Central Business District, downtown Tampa, is also the city’s principal financial, economic and government center, transportation strategies must be examined from multiple perspectives. Updating the downtown transportation plan will provide an opportunity to examine street alignment, traffic flow, parking and pedestrian movement, and will lead to a heightened focus on public transportation alternatives. Specific attention will be directed to improving the design, function and appearance of the key gateways into downtown: Kennedy Boulevard, Ashley Street and Nebraska Avenue.