What is InVision Tampa?
In 2011, the City of Tampa began creating a master plan for Tampa’s Center City, spanning from downtown to Ybor City on the east, Armenia Avenue on the west, and north along historic Nebraska Avenue to Hillsborough Avenue. We walked, talked, photographed, mapped, and -- most importantly -- listened to you about the nuances of your neighborhood, as well as the things that matter to you and your families now and in our future. We worked closely with experts and scholars with worldwide experience and insight and returned to you, once again, to ensure we’d found a blueprint that supported your vision and could transform our community. By November 2012, we shared the Center City Plan. Since then, we've been hard at work making it a reality.
The Vision
Center City Tampa will be a community of livable places, connected people, and collaborative progress that embraces and celebrates its river and waterfront. The Hillsborough River will be the center of our downtown, providing an accessible, comfortable, safe, and highly active place for our residents and visitors. Our neighborhoods will be vibrant, diverse, distinctive, and safe and will be linked to each other and to the river through a series of attractive, bicycle and pedestrian connections. Our Center City will be a place for people of all ages to live, work and play – a place where opportunities can be found and hope for a better future can be realized.
Where We Are Now (as of December 2019)?
The plan is finished and we have turned our attention to making it happen! The original 106 actions listed in the Center City plan have grown to 123 actions. Of those 123 actions, 95 have been completed or are underway, representing a 77.3% overall implementation rate to date. Here are some highlights of what's been achieved:
- 2012 - 2019
- 5,645 dwelling units, 468,235 SF commercial space, 473 hotel rooms, and 1,188 student beds have been constructed in the downtown area.
- 2014
- Le Meridian Hotel opens in the renovated Federal Courthouse building.
- The new Waterworks Park was completed and opened.
- The Zack Street Avenue of the Arts streetscape was completed.
- 2015
- The Kennedy Boulevard Plaza segment of the Tampa Riverwalk was completed.
- The Selmon Greenway bike-pedestrian trail was completed.
- A community redevelopment area was established in the West Tampa area in 2015.
- 2016
- The Doyle Carlton segment of the Tampa Riverwalk was completed.
- Tyler and Cass Streets were converted to two-way streets.
- Perry Harvey Park improvements were completed.
- New Central Business District design regulations were adopted.
- The 21st/22nd Street streetscape improvements were completed.
- The downtown segment of the separated bike trail (Green Spine) was completed.
- The Jewish Community Center opened within the historic Armory Building in 2016.
- A master plan was produced for the West River community was finalized.
- 2017
- Scott Street Streetscape was completed
- SPP Breaks ground on the Tampa Water Street project
- USF Medical School begins construction
- 2018
- Armature Works at The Heights opens
- Sparkman Wharf at Channelside opens
- Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park is completed
- Blake Trail in West River breaks ground
- Mary Bethune High Rise renovation begins
- 2019
- Manor Riverwalk on the west side of the river is completed
- Channelside Publix opens
- Scooters begin operation in the downtown area
- West Tampa CRA Strategic Action Plan was completed
Center City Master Plan Timeline
11/27/12
InVision Tampa Center City Plan is presented to the community at Tampa Prep.
04/30/13 - 05/02/13
The InVision Tampa Consulting Team conducts a three-day design workshop to develop preliminary ideas and a preliminary vision for the Corridor. On April 30, the consulting team led a working session with community participants to draft ideas and tactics for the corridor plan. On May 2, the consulting team presented preliminary ideas.
12/05/12 - 12/11/12
The InVision Tampa Consulting Team leads four corridor charrettes in support of the Nebraska - Hillsborough Primary Transit Corridor Master Plan. The charrettes were held at the Ragan Park and Robles Park Community Centers, Seminole Heights Garden Center, and the Children's Board.
11/27/12
The Center City Vision Plan is presented to the public during an open house at Tampa Prep.
11/13/12
The Issues and Opportunities Report summarizing the output, findings, and summary of the public engagement process is released.
07/23/12 - 7/26/12
The InVision Tampa Consulting Team conducts a four-day design workshop to develop preliminary ideas and a preliminary vision for the master plan. On July 23, the consulting team led a working session with community participants to draft the mission and objectives for the plan. On July 26, the consulting team presented preliminary design ideas.
06/20/12
Knowledge Exchange Forum #4 - "Livable Transportation".
05/30/12
Knowledge Exchange Forum #3 - "Economic Development".
05/16/12
Knowledge Exchange Forum #2 - "Public Realm".
04/28/12 - 05/19/12
The InVision Tampa consulting team leads neighborhood charrettes and walking audits for 8 neighborhoods - CBD, Channel District, North Hyde Park, Tampa Heights, West Tampa, V.M. Ybor, Ybor City, and north Nebraska - Hillsborough Corridor. Approximately 150 people participate.
04/11/12
Knowledge Exchange Forum #1 - "21st Century Cities".
04/09/12
The City officially kicked off the project with a special announcement by the Mayor. The project was given a new name to provide identity and focus - InVision Tampa. The website went live and the schedule of events and meetings was provided to the media. A 90-second video was produced to introduce the project to residents and posted on the webpage. www.invisiontampa.com
03/01/12
Consultant Contract Approved by the City of Tampa.
11/29/11
AECOM was selected as the consultant to lead the planning efforts for the Nebraska - Hillsborough Avenue Primary Transit Corridor Master Plan and the Downtown Area Conceptual Master Plan.
10/14/11
The City of Tampa hosted an Urban Land Institute (ULI) Advisory Panel on October 9-14 to help develop an initial vision for the city's central city area, identify potential issues and opportunities for redevelopment, and highlight areas that need more targeted analysis by the consultant. Approximately 100 people attended an open house reception hosted by the Tampa Bay ULI (the local chapter of the Urban Land Institute) to meet the Advisory Panel. The Panel then met with city staff and held small group interviews with approximately 70 community stakeholders representing businesses, employers, government, architects, planners, residents, and community organizations. On Friday, October 14, nearly 200 individuals attended the presentation of the ULI Advisory Panel's recommendations and suggestions. The final report from the ULI Advisory Panel will be available in January.