Mayor Buckhorn is moving decisively with an economic development strategy that recognizes that our future as a vibrant, livable and sustainable community depends upon connecting People, redefining Places, and igniting Progress. For the past year, AECOM and Parsons Brinckerhoff, planning and transportation experts, respectively, have worked with the city and our community stakeholders and opinion leaders to develop a shared vision and give city leaders an implementable plan of action. These efforts have produced broad-based community support for the InVision Tampa Center City Plan and the soon-to-be-completed Nebraska–Hillsborough Corridor Master Plan. As part of that plan’s implementation, we are now beginning a more focused conversation on the West River area of Tampa’s Center City.

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What Area of Tampa Will You Study?

The InVision Tampa Center City Plan recommended a detailed development plan for the west side of the Hillsborough River. The general boundaries for this development plan are Rome Avenue, the Hillsborough River and Green Street.

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How Will This Work?

We have already begun by doing research, of course, but more importantly, we have been seeking to understand how Tampa's people and their lives are shaped by the land itself, the financial implications and long-term community effects in the West River area. Proactively, the Tampa Housing Authority has been holding resident meetings for more than a year, and these meeting will continue to ensure that the residents have input throughout the redevelopment process. Currently, there are no concrete plans or resources in place to relocate anyone.

Some time back, we hosted a series of community knowledge exchanges and meetings, neighborhood charettes (including the West Tampa area), and one-on-one dialogues that have resulted in traditional, broad-based community participation. Further, we have integrated I-town hall meetings with numerous online and social channels for greater outreach and to ensure input from various audiences, including traditionally marginalized communities.

Now, in the West River area, we are hosting one–on–one stakeholder meetings, several community meetings and charrettes, and a multi-day design workshop. Additionally, we will also initiate surveys of local citizens and residents. With the perspective of Tampa's people and places, we are creating a very actionable plan for economic progress, one that links market opportunities with supportive policies and a critical mass of both grassroots and grass tops advocates.

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