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'Downtown Tampa', is the central business district of Tampa, Florida and the chief financial district of the Tampa Bay Area. It is second only to Westshore regarding employment in the area. Companies with a major presence downtown include but are not limited to: Bank of America, Suntrust, and Verizon. The Tampa Convention Center is located downtown right on the river.

Contents

Description

Municipal services

Arts and Culture

Future developments

Notable Downtown Skyscrapers

Entertainment

Channel District

Riverwalk

See also

External links

Description

Downtown Tampa is bounded by the Hillsborough River to the west, Channelside to
the east, Interstate 275 to the north, Davis Islands and Harbour Island to the south. The total area for the area is 521 acres. [1]
Historical Fort Brooke was located at the southern end of downtown Tampa, near the mouth of the Hillsborough River.

Municipal services

★ Tampa City Hall

★ Tampa Police Dept. Headquarters

★ John F. Germany Main Branch Library

Arts and Culture

Although small, downtown is an important cultural landmark. The prominent Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is located there. Other points of interest relating to arts are: Tampa Theatre, Tampa Museum of Art, and the Henry B. Plant Museum on the University of Tampa campus. The UT campus itself has been recognized as a local wonder.^[2]

Future developments

The downtown area is also undergoing a large transformation to be mostly completed in time for the hosting of the Super Bowl in 2009 with over 43 condo, hotel, and mixed-use developments proposed/approved/under construction as of October 2005. An earlier list by the city of Tampa includes large developments that have been approved and/or are under construction. A large portion of these projects have multiple towers to compensate for the high land values in Downtown Tampa. The next tower currently under construction in the central business district is the Trump Tower Tampa, the largest residential tower on the Gulf Coast according to The Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Notable Downtown Skyscrapers

★ Park Tower ''(1973)''

★ Bank of America Tower ''(1986)''

★ One Tampa City Center ''(1981)''

★ AmSouth Building ''(1992)''

★ Sun Trust Financial Centre ''(1992)''

★ Rivergate Tower ''(1988)''

★ Hillsborough County Center ''(1993)''

★ Sam Gibbons Federal Corthouse ''(1997)''

★ Tampa City Hall ''(1915)''

★ SkyPoint Tower ''(2007)''

Entertainment

Currently, Downtown's primary role is as a financial district and CBD. However, there are several nightclubs, bars, and restaurants that wield local prominence. Some examples of restaurants are: Eddie and Sam's NY Pizza, Jerk Hut, and the Ashley Street Grille. Nightspots include the Hub bar, Club 112, Jackson's, and the Fly Bar.^[3] The Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL play at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Channel District

Although technically downtown, Channelside is often thought to be adjacent to the main CBD. This district is the location for many prominent downtown venues. The Tampa Convention Center, St. Pete Times Forum, and the Florida Aquarium are located in the Channel District. Twin 30 story condos are in the process of being built as well, called the Towers at Channelside.^[4] Many locals know the Channel District (often abbreviated to Channelside in local parlance) for its nightlife. The Channelside Entertainment Complex is located in the middle of the district.^[5]

Riverwalk

Mayor Pam Iorio has firm plans to build a riverwalk downtown. This would act as a park to gather next to the river, as well as provide aesthetic appeal. There is also potential for the riverwalk to act as a media park.^[6]
It is slated for completion around 2010.

See also

★ Westshore, a business district located near Tampa International Airport. This area actually eclipses downtown itself for most jobs in the region.

External links

★ Official Website

★ Tampa Downtown Partnership

★ Details on Tampa's skyscrapers and other high rises

★ View all Downtown Tampa's Condo residences

★ Downtown Tampa Guide