Transforming off-campus housing (The Edge and formally Fontana Hall)

[Cow Pie]

John Knox Village is fine where its at and the north side of campus is mostly student housing with Dunderbaks, Peabody's, and some greek tavern a short walk, bike ride, or bull runner trip away over on BB Downs.

The area that has some real potential that is currently dragging down the University is the West side of campus... the entire area from BB Downs north to Nebraska that is between Fletcher and Fowler needs to get dealt with before the seniors should be addressed.

Since USF has dropped the ball on this area I'm hoping that the VA uses some of their money to finish taking out everything up to N. 22nd Street. This area would be perfect for more student housing complexes and a nice little Bulls town center or something like that.

[Paisa el Toro]

John Knox Village is fine where its at and the north side of campus is mostly student housing with Dunderbaks, Peabody's, and some greek tavern a short walk, bike ride, or bull runner trip away over on BB Downs.

The area that has some real potential that is currently dragging down the University is the West side of campus... the entire area from BB Downs north to Nebraska that is between Fletcher and Fowler needs to get dealt with before the seniors should be addressed.

Since USF has dropped the ball on this area I'm hoping that the VA uses some of their money to finish taking out everything up to N. 22nd Street. This area would be perfect for more student housing complexes and a nice little Bulls town center or something like that.

I'm still hoping that Glichmer, owner of the Univ. Mall, decides to sell this single mall (not packaging it with the one it has in Houston). If the mall falls into the hands of USF, you can bet some serious redevelopment will be able to take off in the area you reference.

[Southshore26]

John Knox Village is fine where its at and the north side of campus is mostly student housing with Dunderbaks, Peabody's, and some greek tavern a short walk, bike ride, or bull runner trip away over on BB Downs.

The area that has some real potential that is currently dragging down the University is the West side of campus... the entire area from BB Downs north to Nebraska that is between Fletcher and Fowler needs to get dealt with before the seniors should be addressed.

Since USF has dropped the ball on this area I'm hoping that the VA uses some of their money to finish taking out everything up to N. 22nd Street. This area would be perfect for more student housing complexes and a nice little Bulls town center or something like that.

I'm still hoping that Glichmer, owner of the Univ. Mall, decides to sell this single mall (not packaging it with the one it has in Houston). If the mall falls into the hands of USF, you can bet some serious redevelopment will be able to take off in the area you reference.

Two immediate problems with that... 1. That mall is actually making them a profit right now. 2. They might own the building but they don't own all the land... Sears owns their actual building as well as the land underneath it and the auto center on that property.

University Mall isn't going anywhere.

[Paisa el Toro]

John Knox Village is fine where its at and the north side of campus is mostly student housing with Dunderbaks, Peabody's, and some greek tavern a short walk, bike ride, or bull runner trip away over on BB Downs.

The area that has some real potential that is currently dragging down the University is the West side of campus... the entire area from BB Downs north to Nebraska that is between Fletcher and Fowler needs to get dealt with before the seniors should be addressed.

Since USF has dropped the ball on this area I'm hoping that the VA uses some of their money to finish taking out everything up to N. 22nd Street. This area would be perfect for more student housing complexes and a nice little Bulls town center or something like that.

I'm still hoping that Glichmer, owner of the Univ. Mall, decides to sell this single mall (not packaging it with the one it has in Houston). If the mall falls into the hands of USF, you can bet some serious redevelopment will be able to take off in the area you reference.

Two immediate problems with that... 1. That mall is actually making them a profit right now. 2. They might own the building but they don't own all the land... Sears owns their actual building as well as the land underneath it and the auto center on that property.

University Mall isn't going anywhere.

It may not keep earning a profit if more anchor stores keep defecting out of there. I am aware that some anchor stores own their lot and building, but without a viable mall, I'm not sure they'll stay there. The University will have to go the way of the dinosaur, eventually. I just hope it's sooner rather than later.

[Ricky the Bull]

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/create-an-achievable-vision-for-suitcase-city/1229463

Create an achievable vision for 'Suitcase City'

In Print: Friday, May 11, 2012

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Hillsborough County officials are looking at several proposals to redevelop the impoverished and transient neighborhood known as Suitcase City, west of the University of South Florida's main campus in north Tampa. County planners are examining how to attract businesses and make the area more pedestrian-friendly. Commissioner Mark Sharpe wants to leverage USF to create a high-tech corridor, and Commissioner Victor Crist wants a more ambitious plan to remake the entire university area. The attention is long overdue. But the county needs to focus its efforts and offer something achievable.

The area certainly has enough vacant land to cobble together a research and medical arts hub. The university, the nearby hospitals and the specialized research institutes provide a solid foundation to develop the area into a leading academic and clinical care destination. While the county needs to invest in the basics — from new sidewalks and bike lanes to better gateways into the corridor — Sharpe and Crist are right to push a larger vision. Small-bore makeovers will not reverse a spiral of poverty, blight and crime.

But commissioners also need to be realistic about the area's fundamental problems and needs. The neighborhoods west and south of the university have been on the downward trend for decades. Nine out of 10 of the area's 38,000 residents rent their homes, nearly three times the county average. Despite the building boom of the last decade, the area has seen a net loss of single-family homes. Household earnings are about half the countywide average. Almost half the residents live below the poverty level, more than three times the countywide average. Students attending USF account in part for the young population and the high density of rental housing. But there is a town-and-gown phenomenon in play, too. Entire neighborhoods west and south of the university are home to struggling Tampa residents — not students passing through. Creating greater economic opportunities for them will be a challenge.

Sharpe and Crist should boil down their separate visions and reach some consensus on a plan of action. Crist should pare back his footprint for redevelopment; it includes neighborhoods in Temple Terrace and New Tampa that are hardly distressed. While the gateways matter, the focus for now should be on attacking the underlying problems that deter private investment. Crime prevention efforts, beefed-up enforcement of housing codes, targeted job incentives — these should be the first priorities. But it's good to see the university area draw the commission's interest. The tough part will be deciding where to start first.

[Last modified: May 10, 2012 05:07 PM]

Copyright 2012 Tampa Bay Times

[wjdiamantas]

42nd street needs better lighting and sidewalks for the amount of students that live in the area.

+1

The roads are awful too.

[wjdiamantas]

The 3 mile stretch of Fletcher Ave from Nebraska to 50th just east of the USF campus is probably the most dangerous corridor in Hillsborough county for pedestrians and bike riders. Over 40,000 vehicles/day use Fletcher. The road needs improvements and needs to be widened all the way to I-75; improvements to the road are at a stall now because there isn't enough money ($120 million+?) available to fix the mess.

http://www.tampabay....-avenue/1217253

Totally agree but it doesn't help that 9/10 pedestrians I see crossing that stretch of Fletcher are jaywalking.

[ctbrown24]

http://livetheflats.com/

The new complex replacing Fontana/Edge.

[atticman]

This is the same student complex ownership as The Province which is on the south side of campus. They are a nicer management group when it comes to upkeep and the physical appearance of their apartments. So it should be a visually appeasing complex for the corner of 42nd. Lets see how it turns out!

[outrunner]

So I was driving around the area the other day and noticed just how many new complexes are being built, and it got me thinking about one of the other threads on here about USF being a commuter school.

With all the new apartments being built, what impact does that have on the rental market in the area? The supply is increasing, but with USF having capped admittance, the demand may not increase with it, so you would think prices would have to start dropping. Throw in the fact that on campus housing is severely overpriced and that USF hasn't signed any off-campus housing contracts, I wouldn't be surprised to see more and more students moving off campus once they finish their freshman year on campus (which I think is illegal in my opinion).

I'm just starting to wonder when USF will realize that they are on the losing end of the housing issue right now. And its not just about having students live on campus, but creating a on campus culture.

Just some food for thought.