Connections : Development News

After two years of fundraising efforts and months of work, the Adamo Drive Mural project is making progress toward completion.

The approximately $30,000 project is expected to enhance the appeal of the Ybor City Historic District, transforming industrial weather-beaten portions of Adamo Drive into a work of art representing the culture, heritage and vitality of both Ybor City and Tampa; the mural covers the rear exterior of a 370-by-35-foot space on the 12,000-square-foot Fabricated Products Building at 17th Street and Adamo Drive.

“Art projects such as these not only help to illustrate a rich history and bring students, artists and residents together, but they can stimulate a renewal of energy in urban areas,” says Dave Scott, the project's organizer. “Recently, several major cities such as Omaha, Nebraska and Chattanooga, Tennessee have embraced similar art projects as a smart investment to attract potential investors, visitors and residents. I hope this mural is the spark that helps ignite a greater spirit of renewal in Ybor and the downtown area.”

Spanning two blocks, project organizers believe the Adamo Drive Mural to be one of the largest outdoor murals in the state of Florida. Designed by local artist Mike Parker, the mural depicts the vitality of Ybor City, focusing on the people and families that continue to make the neighborhood what it is today: One continuously welcoming and embracing new ideas, businesses and faces.

“The mural is a tribute to the history of Ybor City. It even reflects the character of the neighborhood today; it’s bright, interesting, and forward-looking,” says Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “Public art projects like this are an important economic driver and help us define Ybor as a creative place.”

As part of the preplanning process for the project, Parker taught a class at  Hillsborough Community College where students immersed themselves into the history, heritage and current feel of the Ybor City neighborhood. Through research of the neighborhood and interviews with residents, Parker and the HCC students were able to integrate the results into a mural that tells the story of Ybor City.

“We too often forget that Tampa has one of the greatest examples of people embracing the 'American Dream',” Scott says. “The mural can be an inspiration to all of us to make the most of our talent and potential -- an important perspective for the renaissance of Ybor and the growth of the Tampa Bay area.”

An on-site dedication by Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and local community leaders is planned for the community-driven project on Tuesday, May 21st at 2 p.m.

In addition to the City of Tampa and Ybor City Development Corporation, the project has been supported by local businesses including the Columbia Restaurant, Rotary International, Kimmins Contracting Corp., Vykin Corp., Actsoft Inc., Hoffman Porges Gallery, Fabricated Products, Ybor City Round Table, Protective Coating Solutions, Inc., Safway Scaffolding and Acccess Solutions, Corrosion Specialties, Inc., Sherwin-Willliams, Ring Power's Cat Rental Store, Glendale Painting Corp., Empire Paint, Brandon School of Dance Arts, Salem Enterprise Solutions, Radiant Oil, Bad Monkey Ybor, Special Forces Motorcycle Club, Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club and La Gaceta.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Sources: Dave Scott, Adamo Drive Mural; Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn

A local resident is working toward building Tampa's first handicap-friendly dog park.

Located on the western side of Henry and Ola Park at 502 West Henry Ave., the Seminole Heights Dog Park is slated to feature a large green space for pups to enjoy without the restraints of a leash, including water fountains, handicap-accessible cement pathways and various activities.

“Seminole Heights has a strong history and we deserve the same -- if not better -- amenities that we find in other parts of Tampa,” says Seminole Heights Dog Park Founder Mauricio Rosas.

According to Rosas, the park will become the City of Tampa's first handicap-friendly dog park and will be dedicated to service animals, as well as first responder K9s who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Rosas, who lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and has an 8-year-old service dog named Roscoe, decided to present the Seminole Heights Dog Park idea to the City of Tampa Park and Recreations Department because he thought Seminole Heights was lacking public green spaces for both dogs and their owners to enjoy; a main focus for Rosas was that dogs needed to be able to enjoy being outside, free from leashes.

“Service dogs can pretty much go in and out of anywhere and, if they're training, have free rein in public parks,” he says. “I think other dogs need to have the same opportunity as Roscoe. This project is about the community.”

Already backed by an extensive list of local sponsors including Dallas 1 Construction and Development, Seminole Heights Foundation, Courteous Canine, Ginger Snips Beauty Salon and Spa, Health Mutt, Phoenix Glass Studio, Forever Beautiful Salon and Wine Spa and Mickey's Cafe and Bakery, Rosas is looking for 16 businesses that can raise approximately $2,500 each to cover the initial $38,000 in project costs, which is expected to see completion within one year.

A fundraiser for the park will be held on May 5th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Courteous Canine's main campus in Lutz at 3414 Melissa Country Way. The event is expected to feature Taco Bus, a local mobile grooming truck, free dog training advice and agility courses. For more information on how to volunteer or become involved with Seminole Heights Dog Park, visit the official Facebook page.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Mauricio Rosas, Seminole Heights Dog Park

Bringing together residents, organizations, businesses and agencies interested in changing culture through the creation of accessible, sustainable and enduring creative public spaces throughout the Tampa Bay area, non-profit education group Learning is for Everyone (LI4E) is heading the LI4E Makerspace Project, providing places where everyone can learn, innovate, manufacture and create locally.

Promoting personally fulfilling and economically productive ways, the Makerspace Project's first project has been donated by local South Tampa homeowner Terre Tulsiak; Tulsiak says she wants to give people the chance to feel capable and be capable to learn more if they want, giving them a place and chance to do so.

“Because then they'll want to,” Tulsiak says.

It will be more than six months before Tulsiak's donation of her home and property will become operational as LI4E currently gathers information on the cost of finishing the interior of the home, zoning issues and potential collaborative partners.

“I think this location is fabulous because it's urban, residential, accessible and inclusive-- all the things a public creative space should be,” says LI4E Founder and President Terri Willingham. “The size of the home, large yard and community where the home is located all lend itself to our small scale, light-use educational and environmental sustainability focus.”

Tulsiak and Willingham plan to create a space where skills can be learned, honed and advanced; ideas incubated and tested; and an agrarian-self-supporting venture developed, with the home potentially becoming a catalyst for people to refine sustainable businesses.

Specifically, Tulsiak is looking to work with LI4E's Makerspace Project to explore creating “a collaborative, stimulating, encouraging place for people to come to together to learn how to think more clearly, more expansively and more productively,” she says.

Ultimately, both Tulsiak and Willingham see the South Tampa home becoming a “health club for the mind,” featuring a community garden, laboratory for sustainability and entrepreneurial efforts, small-scale workshop for 3D printing and prototyping and classroom space.

“This is a beautiful, useful and collaborative community project. The house is a blank canvas, and the community is the collective artist,” Willingham says. “Makerspaces provide culture-changing opportunity to move from passive consumption to active creation. They're good for individuals and neighborhoods, providing community-enhancing ways to repurpose unused or abandoned spaces, becoming community gathering places by putting capacity building and resource development into the hands of area residents who need it most.”

Willingham hopes this project will kick start a flurry of makerspace projects, empowering local, ordinary people to become extraordinary makers of both their personal futures, as well as the Tampa Bay area's, as a whole.

Apart from the South Tampa project, LI4E has been working with Pasco County libraries to help create makerspaces in their public library system. Keep an eye out for more makerspace projects throughout the Tampa Bay area and get involved by contacting LI4E at info@learningis4everyone.org or (813) 728-2822.

Check out the Tampa Bay Makers Consortium Directory and Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire website to learn more about similar efforts going on in the area.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Terri Willingham, Learning is for Everyone

As of Monday, April 1st, South Tampa's Inkwood Books has changed hands.

Opened 21 years ago, the locally owned bookstore has been satisfying the needs of Tampa Bay area book lovers long before the arrival of chain stores, online competitors and the e-book craze -- and now founders Carla Jimenez and Leslie Reiner are saying goodbye, welcoming long-time customer Stefani Beddingfield.

Situated inside of a small renovated bungalow at 216 S. Armenia Ave., Inkwood Books will keep the same name and location, continuing business as Tampa's only locally owned independent bookstore exclusively selling new books. Beddingfield says she will continue many of Inkwood's regular services and events, but has plans to spice things up with some new to-be-announced ideas.

“I am grateful to Leslie and Carla for this next chapter in my life and look forward to promoting Inkwood's passion for books, reading and community,” says Beddingfield, who has already made her local mark by starting the Freedom Playground Foundation.

In 2012, Jimenez and Reiner began quietly looking for the right person to sell the store to and were delighted to find an enthusiastic, long-time customer like Beddingfield to continue Inkwood's success; in addition to being an avid Inkwood's customer and event attendee, Beddingfield attended American Bookseller's Association Prospective Booksellers School.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to pass forward a vibrant, healthy bookstore to Stefani,” Jimenez says. “We are confident the new Inkwood will take care of our devoted patrons, as well as the new customers attracted by the fresh,  admittedly younger steward.”

Reiner plans to remain engaged in the local literary scene and will continue working part-time at Inkwood, along with booksellers Amanda, Lindsay and Christian.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Stefani Beddingfield, Inkwood Books; Carla Jimenez & Leslie Reiner

Think Hillsborough Avenue could use some road improvements? The Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) wants your input.

During a recent Crash Severity Reduction Study, the Hillsborough MPO analyzed county corridors, roadways and intersections with high crash rates, ultimately identifying a few areas that needed to be further studied, including Dale Mabry Highway and Waters Avenue, Waters Avenue and Hanley Road, nearly all of Fowler Avenue and East Hillsborough Avenue from I-275 to 50th Street.

"We did this overall crash analysis of the county and found that East Hillsborough Avenue could definitely use some help,'' says Gena Torres, project manager for the Hillsborough MPO. "There are some things we can do for cars, cyclists and people walking -- things that have been done across the country that need to be brought to Florida.''

Titled the East Hillsborough Avenue Corridor Project, the project will ultimately make traffic better and reduce crashes, says Torres. For example, after a lane was taken away to add bike lanes and bus pullovers on Nebraska Avenue, traffic slowed and crash rates dropped by up to 70 percent.

"Both traffic and crashes are a real problem here, in both the county and the state -- it's just not a good situation,'' Torres says. "We're trying to come up with inexpensive ways to ease traffic.''

According to Torres, this particular section of the road has been studied by many different agencies for different reasons: HART is looking to put in one of their new MetroRapid systems, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently installed new medians and the East Tampa Redevelopment is looking to do some work to make the lower-income, high-minority East Tampa community a more vibrant place to live, work and play.

"Whether residents walk, bicycle or are dependent on transit, someone in the community does these things and we need to be concerned about making Hillsborough Avenue a better road for everyone to use,'' Torres says. "Residents should be concerned.''

What will make East Hillsborough Avenue safer, walkable and bikeable? Lighting? Diverting traffic? Making space for on-street parking, buses and trees? Your thoughts will help determine the outcome of what the MPO presents to the FDOT for implementation. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 30th, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Ragan Park Community Center at 1200 E. Lake Ave.

"We really need to determine the goals and objectives of the community and I think people have some really good thoughts that we won't be able to think of.''

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Gena Torres, Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization

A drop-in workspace for freelancers, entrepreneurs and on-the-go professionals in the Tampa Bay region, CoCreativ will open on Second Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg.

CoCreativ President and CEO Joseph Warren says he plans to redefine the modern workspace, promoting coworking in St. Pete with a cheap, alternative to typical makeshift offices and meeting spaces like Starbucks and Panera.

“Working on the go just got a whole lot easier,” Warren says. “People use makeshift office and meeting spaces because they have no place else to go. CoCreativ provides them with a flexible and professional workspace they can drop into as needed.”

Promoting an energetic and supportive community, CoCreativ's 5,500-square-foot pilot space is on the 12th floor of the Wells Fargo Plaza at 150 2nd Avenue North in downtown St. Pete. The space will feature a lounge area, private meeting room and conference room, as well as several rooms and cubbyholes for “heads down” work. CoCreativ's new space will also include a large multipurpose room for classroom training.

No long-term contracts and unlimited monthly acccess are among some of CoCreativ's features. Members simply drop in, plug in and begin working.

“Coworking spaces already exist in Tampa at places like Oxford Exchange, CoWork Tampa and FirstWaVE Venture Center, but up until now, St. Pete did not have a coworking space to call its own,” Warren says. “With all of the amenities that today's mobile professionals desire, such as great restaurants, cafes, nightlife and cultural variety, downtown St. Pete is the perfect place to launch our concept.”

CoCreativ will officially open the doors to a temporary location at the Wells Fargo Plaza on March 18th with plans to move to a larger, ground floor space in the near future; a pre-launch party and open house will be held on March 15th from 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“Coworking is being driven by a growing and more cohesive tech ecosystem that is quickly gaining national attention as a great place for start ups to launch,” Warren says. “We think we have a pretty solid understanding of our customers' needs and desires. Heck, we're part of our own target market for CoCreativ -- we designed this space for us too!”

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Joseph Warren, CoCreativ

Sarasota's HuB, a creative and collaborative space and community allowing entrepreneurs to come together to develop ideas and contribute toward building a new economy and culture, has opened a new space.

Since 2009, HuB has been active in promoting big ideas in the Sarasota area and their renovation of a 10,000-square-foot building at 1680 Fruitville Rd. is continuing to embrace that concept by housing innovative tech companies, entrepreneurs and creative/tech start ups. HuB founder Rich Swier Jr. worked on the renovation with Sarasota's HOYT Architects and Biter Enterprises.

“We're looking to create a new economy based on creativity,” Swier says. “We wanted to be more centrally located -- downtown -- near a vibrant, creative community.”

The first floor of HuB's new space houses Florida Shores Bank with the second, third and fourth floors offering workspace to tech companies; the third floor is also home to an incubator/collaborative space to local entrepreneurs and startups. A full production studio, bar and event space are among some of the building's features.

A grand opening event for the new Fruitville Road location was hosted on December 8th, featuring a digital show in collaboration with Sarasota's own Ringling College of Art and Design.

Each month, HuB hosts the Entrepreneur Symposium, imviting memebers to network, discuss and share thoughts on entrepreneurship in a non-traditional setting. The Tech Symposium is also hosted monthly, covering a wide range of topics around technology from implementation to innovation.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Rich Swier Jr., HuB

With a mission to provide the highest quality, innovative, compassionate and nonjudgmental health care services to youth in an environment tailored to specific and unique needs, the new Ybor Youth Clinic will open on October 15th.

Sponsored by USF Health and the Lazydays Employee Foundation, the clinic, located at 1315 E. Seventh Ave., Suite 104, will concentrate on treating patients ages 13- to 24-years-old with at-risk behavior, including those who are homeless; HIV positive; gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth (GLBTQ); and/or have been sexually exploited.

“Physicians from the USF Health Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Adolescent Medicine Division will staff the clinic, along with community physicians and USF medical student volunteers,” says USF Director of Public Affairs Anne DeLotto Baier. “Plans call for other health professions students to eventually rotate through the facility to gain the knowledge and skills needed to work with these vulnerable problems.”

The clinic is currently open for work on outreach programs, research and surveys.

A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in September, featuring speakers such as Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, Medical Director for the Hillsborough County Health Department Douglas A. Holt, M.D., President of the Lazydays Employee Foundation Randy Lay and Lewis A. Barness Endowed Chair Professor and Chair of Pediatrics for USF Health Patricia Emmanuel, M.D.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Anne DeLotto Baier, USF

Thanks to the help of Drs. Kiran C. and Pallavi Patel, a new College of Global Sustainability may be in the works for the University of South Florida (USF).

The latest contribution to the USF: Unstoppable Campaign -- a $600 million effort to celebrate the energy, vision and future of the university -- the Patels recently donated $12 million to the university toward an endowment aimed at creating the new Patel College of Global Sustainability.

The new college will expand on nearly a decade of research in an attempt to advance sustainability around the globe.

“The Earth is God's gift to humanity and we believe that the current generation must ensure that while meeting our present needs,” the Patels say. “The world's rapidly depleting resources and growing population require us to become more efficient and think of new ways to develop sustainable and renewable sources of clean water, energy, food and transportation.”

Upon university approval, the new Patel college -- which could begin accepting students as early as January 2013 -- will bring the current work of the Patel School of Global Sustainability to a new level, allowing it to focus on improved urban systems, water and transportation.

Recently, the Patel School of Global Sustainability, which Pallavi Patel calls a “do tank, not a think tank,” became the first North American university to obtain a research and strategy partnership with the UN-HABITAT Partner University Initiative. Together, USF and UN-HABITAT will establish the first United Nations Urban Futures Research Hub in the U.S., promoting education and professional development in emerging cities.

“We are inspired by the Patels' vision of a world where all people have a real chance to reach their full potential in a clean, healthy environment,” says USF President Judy Genshaft. “We are humbled that they have entrusted USF to be a partner in making the vision of a better tomorrow a reality. The Patels' trust in us means as much as the money they give.”

Right here in Tampa, the current Patel School has created a multiyear learning and research partnership with water management in the Netherlands called Resilient Tampa Bay. An effort to prepare the region for potential urban flooding challenges brought by hurricanes and rising sea levels, the program is guiding future development in an attempt to protect areas vulnerable to severe flooding.

The latest $12 million gift from the Patels brings the family's contribution to USF to $25.8 million. Through a series of donations and matching state funds, the Patels have focused their endowments and attention on sustainable global development and healthcare through supporting the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions Endowment Fund, USF Health, the Dr. Kiran Patel Center for Global Solutions Operating Fund and the Patel Center for Global Solutions.

According to Genshaft, the Patels leadership, influence and donations have helped USF become one of the top 50 research universities in the nation.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Drs. Kiran C. and Pallavi Patel & Judy Genshaft, USF

Attention book clubbees, meetup groups, friends, wine lovers in search of your peeps: Cru Cellars in South Tampa is expanding.

Located at 2506 S. MacDill Ave., the 2,000-square-foot space wine bar was voted Tampa's “Best Wine Bar” by Creative Loafing, featuring more than 25 wines by the glass and seven wine flights. Cru recently expanded, adding a kitchen in February 2012 and is expected to further expand with a 35-seat Wine Garden.

Extending from the existing wine bar, the Wine Garden will feature long banquette tables and chairs with the back half of the garden available to rent for private parties. Greenery and plants will be added, as well a large window from the current wine bar.

“The rentable space will hold about 20 people for a cocktail or mingling-style event or about 10 to 12 in a sit-down dinner style event,” says Cru Cellars owner Jennifer Bingham.

Cru will celebrate the Wine Garden grand opening on October 11th from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will coincide with the 3rd Annual Perfect Pairing wine tasting event, featuring a sneak peak of a new fall menu.

“This is the biggest and best tasting we do all year. Featuring six stations of wine, each will be paired perfectly with a small bite, cheese or dessert,” Bingham says. “A percentage of the net sales will go to The Children's Home, as it has for the last two years.”

Designed by Hope Montgomery Ruhe and Jason Ruhe of In Bloom, the new Fall menu will debut mid-October 2012 including a new Saturday and Sunday wine brunch menu featuring breakfast and lunch options by chef Josh Burton.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Jennifer Bingham, Cru Cellars

Looking for a cool place to take the kids on a hot afternoon? Check out the new play spaces, climbing apparatus and water jets at the redesigned Ballast Point Park in south Tampa.

Designed by Hardeman-Kempton and Associates, construction on the $995,602 improvement project began in December 2011 and was funded by the City of Tampa's Community Investment Tax (CIT). The City matched a portion of funds raised by Ballast Point for a tot lot, a playground for children under 5 years old.

“Ballast Point Park has been an integral part of our community for over 100 years,” says Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “It's a popular spot because it has something from everyone -- from the fishing pier to the expanded wellness center to the new splash pad.”

In addition, park improvements include a sail structure to cover an existing playground, a great circular lawn, four new prefabricated picnic shelters featuring benches and grills, eight additional parking spaces and a new patio at the existing Joe Abrahams Fitness and Wellness Center. Florida friendly landscaping and irrigation were also installed.

The park also features a New England-style restaurant, Taste of Boston, featuring seafood, burgers, a kid's menu and Old Meeting House brand ice cream served on the edge of the Tampa Bay. The restaurant recently underwent new management.

Ballast Point Park was originally developed as a tropical park in 1984, serving as a terminal for an electric trolley-car line at the south end of Bayshore Boulevard; the park was previously named Jules Verne Park.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa

Independent contractors, freelancers and entrepreneurs in Tampa now have the option to ditch the coffee shops and WiFi hotspots: CoWorkTampa recently celebrated the successful launch of a new coworking loft and learning facility.

Located at 3104 N. Armenia Ave., Suite 2 in Tampa's historic Garcia & Vega Cigar Factory, CoWorkTampa offers an open place to work with private offices starting at $200 per month and coworking passes starting at $25 per day; the new facility offers monthly memberships for $97.

Featuring rentable meeting rooms by the hour and day, the fully furnished 6,000-square-foot facility boasts a large coworking area, high-speed internet, kitchen and breakroom, six TVs and free parking. CoWorkTampa is conveniently located just five miles from Tampa International Airport, one mile from Interstate 275.

“It’s so important for Tampa to have successful coworking spaces,” says Chris Arnoldi, the facility's founder. “This supports small business.”

Founded by global internet marketing company Uhsome, CoWorkTampa is working toward the goal of becoming one of the finest coworking spaces in Florida, providing better value and more benefits than other cowork spaces with an impressive roster of start-ups in the Tampa Bay area, according to Arnoldi.

CoWorkTampa members will receive 50 percent off of CoLearnTampa classes and 10 percent off at local businesses such as Wings Gone Wild, LIT Premium Cigar Lounge and Soho Saloon.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Chris Arnoldi, CoWorkTampa

A successful Christian-based coffeehouse in Lutz, a commuter town in Hillsborough County north of Tampa, is making plans for expansion and has opened a second store in Palm Harbor, north of Clearwater in Pinellas County.

With the motto "More Than Just a Coffeehouse,'' Organic Life Coffeehouse offers fresh homemade baked goods, salads and wraps made with organic and locally purchased vegetables, all natural smoothies, and organic fair trade coffee. By day, you'll find a myriad of customers, including business folks conducting one-on-one meetings, people in corners on laptops and moms with their toddlers enjoying a treat. Some evenings live entertainment is added to the mix.

The coffeehouse off of State Road 54 in Lutz has a strong community focus, making it a favored location for group meetings. It was these meetings that sparked the expansion that will include offices and meeting space.

"We have a lot of groups of 10 or 12 people come in, and we don't get a lot of walk-in traffic during that time,'' says Glenn Deller, co-partner and co-owner.

He says he expansion is the result of community partnerships. A storefront a few doors down became vacant, and Deller convinced the children's consignment store next door to move there, making the adjacent space available. A local School of Ministry is financing some of the build out and placing an office in the new space. Local church members are donating time and services.

"We're very happy to be taking care of youth groups, doing community fundraisers, and assisting the community,'' says Deller.

Groups of 10 or more will be able to reserve space for meetings, provided they place a minimum food order while there. The meeting space is scheduled to open in mid-September or early October.

Organic Life's second location is at 35263 U.S. Hwy. 19 N. in Palm Harbor. This was made possible by a financial investment by Deller’s mother and father-in law, Joanne and Larry Davidson, who will be running the second location. Joanne Davidson does a majority of the baking for the current store, and the second location will provide economies of scale for both places. Most of the menu is the same, but the space is smaller with not as much live entertainment.

Writer: Megan Hendricks
Source: Glenn Deller, Organic Life Coffeehouse

Providing a wide-range of consulting services for roadways, bridges, traffic signals, airports, land developments and landscape architecture, Kimley-Horn and Associates (KHA) recently celebrated the opening of its new office in downtown Tampa.

With 18 offices and more than 400 employees in Florida, the nationally-recognized Raleigh, N.C.-based firm opened their first office in Tampa in 1978. Making the move to 655 N. Franklin St. in downtown Tampa, KHA's new 7,100-square-foot office currently houses 23 employees.

“The combination of the location of some of the staff's homes, client locations and professional relationships made being in a more central location like the downtown area a strong contender for places to look for new office spaces,” says KHA Director of Communications Julie Beauvais.

According to Beauvais, the firm considered locations in downtown and Ybor City before deciding on the North Franklin Street space, working with Gensler Architects on interior design and Solutions General Contractors for the space build-out.

Since the move, KHA has taken pride in significantly reducing their carbon footprint: Thanks to the convenience of the downtown location, approximately 25 percent of the staff bike to work and lunch every week. Prior to the move, Beauvais says they found the majority of their staff driving more than 10 miles daily to get to work alone.

“The office morale has never been higher,” says David Walthall, KHA downtown office leader. “The work environment helped the collaboration between an already close group of co-workers, giving folks variety in their daily routine with all that downtown has to offer during work and after work hours -- hardly anyone gets in their car to drive to lunch."

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Julie Beauvais & David Walthall, KHA

A new community center opens in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa.

Located at 1000 E. Eskimo Ave. between Eskimo and Okaloosa Avenues, the $2.5 million, 16,000-square-foot Springhill Park Community Center will be the location of the middle school component of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA's Neighborhood of Promise Initiative (NOPI) efforts.

Featuring work by Tampa artist Susan Gott, the new community center provides academic support and mentoring opportunities for children transitioning into middle school in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood. A gymnasium, warming kitchen, computer classroom, multipurpose room, splash pad, playground and sports field will be made available to community members, replacing a once rundown block previously devoted to a baseball field.

In addition, the Virginia Rivers Creative Arts Studio will call the new Springhill Community Center home, offering three classrooms and a performance workshop dedicated to theater and performing arts programs.

“This [effort] will continue to strengthen the foundation of our community,” says Mike McCollum, operations executive director of the Promise Initiative.

Funded by Community Investment Tax, the new center will focus on serving social, recreational, health and educational needs through a variety of programs and classes in the economically challenged Sulphur Springs neighborhood.

According to McCollum, the only way to eradicate generational poverty is to implement a complete wraparound model that works to address the systematic issues plaguing low-income communities.

Apart from establishing the new Springhill Park Community Center, NOPI is making additional investments in Sulphur Springs, including the recent opening of Layla's House, a new community center designed to provide assistance to low-income families.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Mike McCollum, NOPI