Let me first quickly remind the reader about our Kapiolani Boulevard re-development lesson which I first posted in 2008, and then we will go to the pictorial tour of the 10 mile, $320 Million, 60% elevated on single posts Tampa Expressway.
Does Rail Stimulate Long Term Redevelopment? We do not need rail for development and opportunities to flourish. We need a robust economy, a well-paid populous, low taxes, good quality products and services (tourism, education, local products, etc.), steady and smart leadership, and reliable infrastructure and government operations. Rail is simply a scheme to rob a million people (through taxes) in order to benefit a few hundred insiders and a few thousand workers, most of them temporary.
On to Tampa now... Dr. Martin Stone, Planning Director for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority estimates that about $1 billion in new development at its urban end has occurred since the opening of the Tampa Expressway.
Unlike regular Transit Oriented Development (TOD) which are highly subsidized, no tax incentives were needed for these developments.
2052 Streetscape showing the Grand Central (residential, parking, multiple floors of office and commercial on first floor) development, the Slade (residential and commercial on first floor) development and the Towers of Channelside (residential, parking and commercial on first floor at the far end of photo)
2053 Grand Central and Ventana (3 separate buildings - Madison Street view)
2054 Grand Central and Ventana (3 separate buildings - Kennedy Blvd view)
2055 The Slade on Meridian
2057 The Slade with Grand Central in background
2060 Towers with retail on first floor and Cruise ship parking garage in background
2061 New History Museum (on left) with Towers on right
2062 New History Museum
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