Downtown Tampa has grown in recent years, in part due to the 3 billion dollar Water Street project backed by Jeff Vinik and Bill Gates. Navigating the condo market in the city can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to condo financing. It’s even more important to have an experienced agent. Financing challenges, hoa/condo fees, restrictions, and construction quality are all factors to consider when purchasing a condominium.
Companies with a major presence downtown include Bank of America, BB&T, Marshall &Ilsley, PNC Financial Services, SunTrust, Sykes Enterprises, TECO Energy, and Verizon. The Tampa Convention Center is located on the river close to the Amalie Arena, making Tampa a top destination for a number of popular events.
Downtown Tampa Districts:
Uptown – Also known as the River Arts District, this northwestern chunk of downtown contains the majority of nightlife and dining in the neighborhood. Important cultural landmarks such as Tampa Theatre, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the Tampa Museum of Art are clustered here. Other significant landmarks are Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the John F. Germany public library, and Glazer Children’s Museum.
Encore – The northern half of downtown is undergoing huge construction projects including retail, condos, and a large grocery store. The district, which will fill the gray zone between Downtown and Historic Ybor, will be called “Encore” and will be a “city within a city.” A stimulus grant amounting $38 million was secured to help fund the project, the remaining to be derived from private funding. It is expected to create thousands of jobs for the area including at least 1,000 permanent ones.
Riverwalk – This would act as a park to gather next to the river, as a breezeway for downtown, as well as provide aesthetic appeal for residences and visitors. Most of the Riverwalk is slated for completion around 2010 with smaller, more challenging sections being completed in 2015. At its northernmost end it will snake into the Tampa Heights neighborhood around Ulele and Armature Works. Sparkman Warf is the other endpoint. Water taxis service various stops along the Riverwalk and the downtown area as well as further up the Hillsborough River.
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park had its ribbon cutting on January 25, 2010, and hosts a variety of events including, Yoga in the Park, Oktoberfest, and Gasparilla Music Festival to name a few.
Water Street – The new district by Channelside and the Arena developed by a collaboration between lighting owner Jeff Vinik’s (Strategic Property Partners) and the Bill Gates invested Cascade Investment Group.
Channel District (Channelside) – A Residential, retail and entertainment district located on the east side of downtown.
