Suitcase City

[USFishin]

Rescuing a community

By DON GRANTHAM Special To The Tampa Tribune

The communities located in the six-square-mile area just west of the University of South Florida's Tampa campus once represented gross crime, blight, decay and poverty. Last week, with more than 1,300 people in attendance, the 3,000-member USF Area Community Civic Association, Inc. (USFACCA) commemorated its 20th year of success by honoring 35 of its "unsung heroes." Today, their accomplishments stand as a case study of leadership, community organization and cooperation.

It was in 1989 that despair turned to hope and began its march toward community redevelopment. The first step was to create strength in numbers and merge the USFACCA with seven other disparate civic groups to become the lead community organization for the area. Toiling through two years of community meetings, studies and reviews, these tireless volunteers and stakeholders created a plan of action built around the common strategy of revitalization through grassroots organization and advocacy.

By 1993, more than 2,000 street lights were in place. By 1994, the university area community was selected as one of only 15 target areas nationwide to receive a coveted Federal Weed & Seed designation. This $2.2 million grant, renewed on three separate occasions, leveraged millions of federal dollars to weed out crime and seed redevelopment. By 1998, there were miles of new sidewalks, major infrastructure and drainage improvements as well as the new District 1 Sheriff's Command Center.

Through these efforts, the USFACCA helped to provide a hand up rather than a hand out to the over 40,000 at-risk children and adults. Now in 2009, this once desolate, blighted area known as "Suitcase City" has the award-winning University Area Community Center Complex as its anchor. With the University Area Community Health Center, the University Area Community Human Services Center, Bowers-Whitley Career Center, Muller Elementary Magnet School, the University Area Mass Transit Center and the North 22nd Street "Main Street" initiative, core educational programs continue the focus on crime, children and strained families. Today many, if not most, of these efforts stand as models for community redevelopment throughout our county, state and country.

As we proudly celebrate our success, we humbly recognize that much remains to be accomplished. With daunting tasks ahead, we remain steadfast in our planning, commitment, focus and - most importantly - unity. Now, that's a successful strategy for community redevelopment.

Link

[Costa]

I understand the area used to be worse than it is now, but it is far from cleaned up. That area should be where USF students live and could have made the "college town atmosphere" we all want here at USF. I really hope they continue to improve this area and gear it more towards students. Get the low income housing people out of there, and tailor it to students. Thats what it should have been after all.

[BleacherBull]

As a proud former resident of Suitcase City (before it earned its name), I can attest that the area's apartments were where many students lived and partied in the early to mid-1970s.  I guess we were oblivious to its blight.  Of course, there was no mall back then.   Practically, the only thing I remember along that tract to the North of Fowler was the University Restaurant (Italian cuisine).  GB!

[IHuckItDeep]

i hate suitcase city.....destroy it all start over

[SRQ]

lived in a duplex there in early 70's for $140/month and never had a problem.

[Matt]

my cousin lived in a house on the corner of 131 and 19th back in 2002.

one time i was over there and his two dogs were in the backyard going CRAZY.  we went out there and there was a guy with 1 hand in a handcuff and the other part of the handcuff...where his 2nd hand should of been....got caught on his fence while the guy was trying to jump it.

other than that...they didnt have any problems there.  sure there is crime but i like to think i live in a decent neighborhood and we have had 2 home invasion robberies on my block in the last 4 years.

crime is everywhere.

[cmhatter]

the surrounding area around USF is embarrassing...

I refuse to live anywhere but on BBD. It just looks old around USF. Places like the whistle junction, all rundown with weeds growing all over it make it a disaster...

[Donno]

Rescuing a community

By DON GRANTHAM Special To The Tampa Tribune

The communities located in the six-square-mile area just west of the University of South Florida's Tampa campus once represented gross crime, blight, decay and poverty. Last week, with more than 1,300 people in attendance, the 3,000-member USF Area Community Civic Association, Inc. (USFACCA) commemorated its 20th year of success by honoring 35 of its "unsung heroes." Today, their accomplishments stand as a case study of leadership, community organization and cooperation.

It was in 1989 that despair turned to hope and began its march toward community redevelopment. The first step was to create strength in numbers and merge the USFACCA with seven other disparate civic groups to become the lead community organization for the area. Toiling through two years of community meetings, studies and reviews, these tireless volunteers and stakeholders created a plan of action built around the common strategy of revitalization through grassroots organization and advocacy.

By 1993, more than 2,000 street lights were in place. By 1994, the university area community was selected as one of only 15 target areas nationwide to receive a coveted Federal Weed & Seed designation. This $2.2 million grant, renewed on three separate occasions, leveraged millions of federal dollars to weed out crime and seed redevelopment. By 1998, there were miles of new sidewalks, major infrastructure and drainage improvements as well as the new District 1 Sheriff's Command Center.

Through these efforts, the USFACCA helped to provide a hand up rather than a hand out to the over 40,000 at-risk children and adults. Now in 2009, this once desolate, blighted area known as "Suitcase City" has the award-winning University Area Community Center Complex as its anchor. With the University Area Community Health Center, the University Area Community Human Services Center, Bowers-Whitley Career Center, Muller Elementary Magnet School, the University Area Mass Transit Center and the North 22nd Street "Main Street" initiative, core educational programs continue the focus on crime, children and strained families. Today many, if not most, of these efforts stand as models for community redevelopment throughout our county, state and country.

As we proudly celebrate our success, we humbly recognize that much remains to be accomplished. With daunting tasks ahead, we remain steadfast in our planning, commitment, focus and - most importantly - unity. Now, that's a successful strategy for community redevelopment.

Link

I lived there in 1993, and in reading this article, my reaction was... HOLY **** it was better by then?

Although the apartment I lived in was 2 bedroom and was $500/month, and it was HUGE!  Best apartment building I have ever lived in.  Parents and 5 Kids lived above me and the only time I heard them was when their feet squeaked on the bath tub.  If I had a problem, the maintenance crew was always there within an hour!

Of course, my girlfriend (now wife), wouldn't come over but that has it's advantages too, thinking of moving back!  ;D

It had security gates and a guard!  Are you kidding me, I was high falutent nod my head, security guy wave me in (after he manned his machine gun) student of USF!

[Paul Wall]

dam i wish i could of seen when how it was back then

[EduBull]

dam i wish i could of seen when how it was back then

I'm not sure how to ask this so I'll just do it - Is your name really Paul Wall?  Sorry, if that's your real name I'm not trying to be a ****, just sounds unusual.  Like Steve Sleeve.  Or Joe Hoe.