TAMPANIA

Greetings from a Tampa Park

2012-02-07T19:25:00.000-05:00

Postcard mailed May 1963, the back reads"Tony Jannus Park showing skyline of Tampa, Florida in background"

Two weeks ago, I managed to make some room in my Sunday for a visit to the Floridiana Festival and Highwayman Art Show at the Palladium in St. Petersburg. I have never been before and had heard good things about it in the past. I must admit I was a little disappointed; very few vendors, cramped space, and don't get me started on the lectures about Hawaiian Shirts! However, it was great to see that there is enough enthusiasm for vintage Florida ephemera that something like this can take place. I did happen to walk away with a few small nick-knacks and the postcard shown above was one of them. I was immediately drawn to it. Postcards of skylines are commonplace, however this one focuses on Tony Jannus Park, located along the Hillsborough River at the Northeast corner of Platt and Bayshore. You can see the beginnings of Platt Street bridge ballustrade in the lower right. The sign in the middle says:

TONY JANNUS PARK
SPONSORED BY
City of Tampa
Tampa Federation of Garden Club Circles
Hillsborough County Aviation Authority
Dedicated July 4th, 1955

Tony Jannus Park remains the sad younger sister to Tampa's crown jewel, Bayshore Boulevard. In the 60s the Borein bridge was built along the North end of park, increasing traffic flow and speed around the park, with very little thought to pedestrian flow and access. Later on the Crosstown Expressway was built over the park, casting a shadow over the North half.

Tony Jannus Park aerial view 1957 (PALMM FCLA)

Tony Jannus Park today (Google Earth)

The (De?)Evolution of the Shuffle in Tampa

2012-01-26T22:45:00.009-05:00

I was inspired by my recent first visit to the beautiful St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Courts and Visual Ephemera's recent postings on Florida's vanishing shuffleboard courts to go in search of Tampa's remaining public shuffleboard courts. The only court I knew of in Tampa is a well-maintained set of courts at MacFarlane Park in West Tampa.

However, I found out that the reason these courts are so nice is due to the fact they were built around 2001 when the city built a new senior center at the park, furthering the stereotypical association is between senior citizens and shuffleboard is still going strong.

Trolling through the trusty ol' Burgert Bros. Collection I typed in "Shuffleboard" and found that a few more had existed. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Complex on Oregon was actually a municipal trailer park during the depression era. The original administration building is still in use and behind it sits a set of 5 deteriorating courts, I can only assume that these were the original courts in the picture below.

A few blocks away over on Howard Avenue the scene at Rey park is very different. With help from the WPA the city built a beautiful park complete with a small bandshell, tennis court and shuffleboard court.

But as time marched on tastes have changed. The scene has changed slightly, the tennis court is now a basketball court and it appears that the city has paved over the shuffleboard courts but kept the benches.

Sadly, the crown jewel of Tampa's Shuffleboarding past is no longer standing. Back in the 30s, after the city had acquired the decaying Tampa Bay Hotel, an area North of the old Casino was turned into a tourist recreation area. The city built a large recreation hall, and several shuffleboard courts hoping to satiate the needs of visiting tourists and retirees. The courts were located where the University of Tampa's Kelce Library now stands.

Demolition of 1211 N. Tampa

2011-12-11T13:44:00.000-05:00

Well, I am beginning to wonder if I should continue doing posts highlighting abandoned buildings. Back in August I posted about a cute little 3-story building at 1211 N. Tampa Street. It is my sad duty to report that after Thanksgiving crews rolled in and started slowly chipping away at the brick facade, it was truly a Black Friday.

Friday, November 25

Saturday, November 26

Monday, November 28

Bro Bowl Doc

2011-11-22T18:42:00.001-05:00

There is a documentary about the Bro Bowl that was made a year or two ago, it finally got posted on the You Tube's so I thought I would share it here. The legendary skateboard "bowl", built by the City of Tampa's Parks & Rec Dept. at Perry Harvey Sr. Park. The bowl is still standing, but for how long? Good little doc. featuring historic footage, interviews with locals, celebs and featuring music from some awesome local bands! Enjoy!

Re/Creating Tampa: 101 Ideas for a Better City

2011-11-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

David Davisson over at Re/Creating Tampa has been diligently blogging for the past 2 years or so. His blog is like a feed providing highlights from the Tampa blogosphere and sharing random thoughts, interestingness and ideas from non-Tampa media. And yes, occasionally this blog makes the cut! I have never seen a more thorough directory of Tampa related blogs, as the one provided on the margin of Re/Creating Tampa. Well, now you can peruse Re/Creating Tampa, the book "Re/Creating Tampa: 101 Ideas for a Better City". The book is chock full with ideas (101 to be exact) to help make Tampa a better place. From the obvious (#8 Increase the population density) to the creative (#56 Human-Powered Carnival Rides in Public Parks) the list starts off strong addressing one of my favorite topics, the annoyance of overbearing Historic Districts (#1 Innovative Neighborhood Designations). Another gem and the one that probably embodies the essence of the term "Re/Creating Tampa", #91 Return mutual aid societies.

Thank you David for giving us some food for thought!

So, check it out already!

Kress building

2011-10-16T12:35:00.000-04:00


Kress in late 2010 when the plywood came off the windows.

I recently did a post for Creative Loafing's Daily Loaf blog regarding the recent happenings, or non-happenings, at the Kress building in downtown Tampa. You can read the post here. While public safety is of the utmost importance in planning events and permitting events, bringing a long vacant early 20th century building up to today's fire and life safety codes is a long and expensive process. The owners of the Kress building and the City of Tampa have been caught up in a preservation / development battle that is going on 5 years now. The battle started after the loss of the historic Gary school to neglect. After that event the city turned its eye to other threatened landmarks and the former Kress department store downtown was #1 on the list. Below is a list of links that provides a rudimentary timeline of major events over the past 4 years:

http://www2.tbo.com/news/metro/2008/sep/11/me-city-urged-to-fix-kress-building-ar-125793/

http://www2.tbo.com/news/metro/2009/oct/08/na-repairs-being-made-at-kress-building-ar-66226/

http://www2.tbo.com/news/metro/2010/aug/23/na-the-cost-of-keeping-facades-ar-37501/

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/owners-of-woolworth-and-newberry-buildings-back-mulhern-challenger/

I should be providing a few more posts for Creative Loafing. I'll be focusing on local architecture and related events, so stay tuned.

Davis Medical Building

2011-10-07T06:45:00.000-04:00

When looking at Davis Islands it can seem a strange phenomena, part residential neighborhood and part medical complex with an airport at the tip. I recently discovered that the islands were intended by the city in the 1920s to become parkland. Then Davis came in with his million dollar idea to turn most of the island into a residential development. The land at the North end of the islands, North of the bridge was set aside for Tampa's municipal hospital, the City took the Southern tip and land along the channel. The development of Davis Islands really occured in 2 phases. Phase 1 was the initial development that occurred in the 1920s. Only the middle section of the island was used for this development with the building of numerous apartment buildings and a few commercial buildings. But when the Florida real estate market collapsed in the late 20s development and property sales on the islands ground to a halt. Phase 2 occured in the 1950s with the post-war boom. During this time an annex was built at Tampa General Hospital. Developers gobbled up the scores of lots that were left vacant after the bust and began building new homes. Along with the hospital expansion in the 1950s medical offices were built on the island, mostly 1 Davis Boulevard and 17 Davis Boulevard.

1 Davis Boulevard is one of my favorite modern structures in Tampa. You drive across the bridge and this building sits there greeting you. It may seem outdated, but really it is a gem! Designed by Tampa's own Mark Hampton, part of the Sarasota School of Architecture. The Davis Medical Building, built in 1958, must have been an interesting sight for residents used to the Spanish Mediterranean style prevalent throughout the island. The building is a box 7 stories tall, the 2nd through 7th floors appear as a perfect square elevated above the ground on concrete columns. The 1960 edition of the Florida Architect mentions that the blue tiled "boxes" on the ground floor house the mechanical functions and operational offices for the building. These elements do not extend the full height of the ground floor, but stop a few feet below the Second level. Plates of glass fill the gap and enclose the lobby, furthering the feeling of an open area below the box. One of the most interesting details is the fact that the East and West facades are covered in sand colored gravel the surrounding sidewalk area of the lot is also covered in the same material, although it has been heavily worn away. Typical of the modern era the North and South walls are filled with windows that are shaded by concrete overhangs. The East and West walls have fewer windows clustered towards the middle of the building, they also sport the same overhangs but sunshades are placed over them, these elements carry a distinctively mid-century pattern.

Burgert Bros. aerial view of Norther tip of Davis Island, Davis Medical Building is seen at the top left (1959)

Crane Co. Demolition

2011-10-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

Demolition of the 1925 Crane Company building in Channelside began in mid-September. I tried to photograph the progress, you can see my efforts below. While the building was given a generous remodel in 2000, the fate of this building was sealed during the boom. The site was designated for a development called the Martin. It appears that much of the material from the building is going to be salvaged.

September 15, 2011

October 1, 2011

1701 E. 7th Ave (Broadway)

2011-09-20T13:01:00.000-04:00

Ybor City looks like a town stuck in time, however it is a constantly changing place. Buildings come down and another goes up, businesses move out and another comes in to take its place. Various civic leaders and the city government have made sure that the look and feel of the historic district remains true to its roots. Ybor City was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, The Ybor City National Historic District was created in 1989 and the Barrio Latina Commission started in 1959. Some say that the design review process for the area is too strict, stifling growth in an are that is just now starting to emerge from the damage wrought by urban renewal and the building of the interstate

I recently stumbled upon a picture of the bank at 1701 E. 7th Avenue, currently a SunTrust branch it was built as the Broadway National Bank (7th is also known as Broadway) opening in 1955. The design of the building has always stuck out to me as a rather odd solution for building a modern structure in a historic area. However, I would have never guessed that this building was as old as it was and originally such a shining example of Mid-Century modern urban infill. Although just a big block it retains qualities of modern architecture prevalent in bank building during the time. Pinkish marble adorns the front facade, brick surrounds the side and back windowless walls, and a linear line of windows punctuates the front.

The demolition of the Pruitt-Igoe high rise housing development in St. Louis in 1972 is considered to be the death of modern architecture. However, it appears that modern design was unwelcome in Ybor City even before this event. This building was targeted in the late 60s as part of the Ybor City Urban renewal project dubbed "R-13". A 1967 article states that the building would receive a "Mediterranean" style facade. However the building was given a rather odd arcaded brick facade the overhang was shortened and ornamental ironwork was added. It seems to be a rather economical solution. This building is not listed as a contributing structure to the Ybor City National Historic District.

The only building I have seen in the area with a "similar" treatment is located at 1725 E. 8th. Currently used as office space, the little one-story block building received wood shutters, a fake tile barrel overhang and ornate ironwork railings and columns. However this building was built in 1961 after the inception of the Barrio Latina, perhaps this is one of the first examples of their hand in the design review process for the district?

I can't help but wonder about the design of another building along 7th Ave. The building at 1502 E. 7th Ave., that houses the Blue Shark and New York New York Pizza appears to be a text book example of Art Deco design featuring a metal airstream style awning and a smooth pastel stuccoed facade. Why was this design allowed and the modern style building altered? The property appraisers website indicates that this building was built in 1900. I'm not sure if that is true, but if it is it makes this case even more curious.

Picture from Cigar City Magazine Urban Renewal article

Were facade treatments recommended for certain buildings? If so were they voluntary? Who funded these improvements?

The HUB of downtown existence

2011-08-16T00:39:00.000-04:00

Recently I came upon a set of videos that someone took of patrons at the HUB bar in downtown Tampa twenty years ago, in 1991. The HUB opened in 1946 at 701 N. Florida as a package lounge (around the block from its current location). Smack dab in the middle of downtown, next to the federal courthouse it soon became a popular place. The 70s and 80s saw the decline of downtown, but it is apparent from the video that one business was still thriving during this time. Downtown workers, UT students and passers-through still needed a watering hole that served affordable, yet strong drinks in a friendly atmosphere. The HUB and its patrons have seen a lot of change over the years; regulars came and went, buildings were demolished and sometimes new ones were built in their place. Around the 38 minute mark one patron mentions the night he walked towards the HUB through what he thought was fog, it was actually the building across the street burning. That building was the beautiful downtown YMCA, which burned down in June 1991, the lot has remained a parking lot ever since. The HUB moved in 2000 to 718 N. Franklin, and I believe they took the bar, chairs and tables with them. The jukebox is still pretty good and it's nice to sit at the bar, talk to a stranger and watch a train or two roll by. Check out their website for a more history and pictures http://www.thehubbartampa.com/

1211 Tampa Street

2011-08-10T18:45:00.000-04:00

There is a little 3 story building situated on Tampa Street just South of the State Administration building. It is boarded up and painted over and it appears that the first floor street side has received a rather odd treatment over the years. It is probably one of the oldest buildings left on a stretch of Tampa between the interstate and Twiggs. The property appraiser lists 1925 as the date this structure was built, however the building shows up in the 1915 Sandborn map online. It is listed as a Grocer's Warehouse with apartments above. Below, you can see the building as it was in the 20s (the 3 story building with the balcony). The little building that currently abuts it to the South was built in the early 50s. The building of the interstate and then the State Building to the immediate North contributed to a decline in the immediate area. However, this area is seeing a resurgence. I look at the 1211 Tampa building and see potential, it is fortunate that it has survived through the years.

The immediate area along N. Franklin, including this building, was listed as a National Historic District several years ago. Many of the buildings listed have already been renovated and repurposed, like Fly Bar and the Arlington apartment block. But, a listing on the National Register does not mean that the building is protected. I assume that the main reason no one has bought and restored the 1211 Tampa building is that the lot line follows the building with only about 10 additional feet in the rear (see aerial layout from the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's website below). This leaves no room for parking.

Balbin Bros. Cigar Factory In Trouble

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Is the 1904 Cigar Factory at 1202 N. Howard in trouble? I drove by the building last night and saw that the front overhang is now crumbling apart. Is this to be a sign of things to come? Bought in 2006 by Intellident, it was to have been rehabbed in similar fashion to the Berrimen-Morgan factory up the street and become the companies new office. But it seems to have became a victim of the downturn. This building is not designated locally as a landmark or on the National Register. However, it is within the West Tampa National Historic District. Doing a google search, Intellident has a history of the building located on their website.

Great map and list of the remaining factory buildings in Tampa: http://www.cigarsoftampa.com/tpa-factoriesmap.html

Gator Preservationist post on our unprotected cigar factories, including the Balbin Bros.: http://gatorpreservationist.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/cigar-factories-of-tampa-part-2/

Ybor tunnels myth comes to light again!

2011-08-01T06:43:00.001-04:00

ABC news recently did a story on how the now mythic Ybor City tunnels may have once again been uncovered during recent downpours.

The Ybor City bootlegging tunnels are perhaps one of the greatest urban legends in the Tampa Bay area. Solidified in popular culture in Scott Dietche's book "Cigar City Mafia" it is believed that bootleggers had dug tunnels under many of the establishments and clubs along the main drag in Ybor City connecting them to the port for illegal liquor shipments;

"Under the crowded streets of Ybor is a series of tunnels, the use of which has never been fully documented. The tunnels run under some of the early gaming palaces and down along the streets toward the port of Tampa."

The most recent sighting was on the Southwest Corner of 15th Street and 7th Ave, across from Czar Nightclub (former Los Novidades). I went out later this week and it appears someone has left a stake around the area where this "hole" formed.

The Southwest corner of 15th and 7th Avenue is the site of the former Blue Ribbon Supermarket which was family owned for years and then purchased by a developer in mid 2000. However the building "mysteriously" went up in flames in August 2000, and was demolished the next day. An interesting video from Fox 13 provides more of a background.

Photos from St. Pete Times (Article links above)

Even more curious is the fact that the 1931 Sandborn Maps indicate that this address was home to the Ybor City Post Office. Why would tunnels be built into a building which houses offices of the federal government? Below is a picture of the building in the 1925 from the Burgert Bros. Collection.

401 E. Washington

2011-07-18T22:36:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a building just excites, and the little building at 401 E. Washington in Downtown Tampa is such a building. Situated on the corner of Florida and Washington, the building is surrounded by parking garages and skyscrapers, right on the edge of the Southern downtown parking lot wasteland. You've probably driven by it dozens of times. It's usually open and lit at night, as you speed by you notice a spiral staircase leading up into the ceiling of the first. It just seems like an abandoned building spending its last days waiting for something else to come along. However, the building has been blessed with longevity despite recent turns in the downtown real estate market.

401 E. Washington was built in 1946 as built by a growing Ferman Motor Co. as the Ferman Olds sales and Chevrolet service center. It was directly across Washington from the original Ferman Chevrolet motor sales and service building on Jackson and Marion (You can see 401 Washington peeking out behind the Jackson building in the picture above). In the early days of the last century, just as with other major retailers, most automobile showrooms were placed in downtown shopping districts. The building is three floors, with a small showroom nestled into the Northwest corner of the building. The rest of building is open garage and service areas. As you can see in the picture above, one would just drive right into the service area on the first floor. A steep ramp in the center of the building takes you up to the second floor level, not sure if this level was more service or for car storage. (More pictures and narrative after the jump)

Once you visit the building in person and then compare it with historic pictures it strikes you, this building has been fairly unaltered over time. The original green glass tiling still adorns the Northwest side of the building, the original terracotta tiles also were left in the showroom. If you look hard enough you can see the outlines of the signage lettering on the front of the building (this does not show up in photographs). Inside the building, the stairs, signage, and even office areas look as if the original owners packed up and left only a few years ago. The columns are amazing, built in the old upside down cone style. All ceilings are painted wood lath. The day I ventured upstairs I had seen workers at the building that morning. Upon further inquiry the owners had ordered a demo of all the windows and doors. Any doors and windows I have photographed appear to have been original, but I'm sure several were broken and/or missing. Below is a photograph of the interior of the old showroom taken in January and below that a photo taken from the similar perspective just last week. You'll also see detail of the green glass tile that surrounds the window openings on the Northwest side of the building.

(Above all color pictures taken by me, B&W picture of construction from the Robertson Fresh Collection)

401 E. Washington is a hold out on the Southern edge of downtown. Despite the recent alterations it is my hope that this little gem can see a better reuse other than just parking. However, I also wonder if its utility is what has kept it alive during recent boom and bust times. While most buildings have been razed for parking this building was made for it. As the downtown Tampa real estate market slowly slumps towards more favorable conditions I will keep this guy on my radar. In the meantime I hope you all will stop and take a look the next time you drive by, I hope they'll keep the lights on for you!

Historic Tampa Google Map

2011-06-23T21:56:00.000-04:00

Growing up in Brandon and Tampa I had always dreamed of moving away as soon as I was old enough. I only got as far away as Gainesville for college. As soon as I was done with school I moved right back in with my parents and started working in Tampa. I accepted my lot and started exploring more of the city, meeting new people, discovering new places and learning more about the history of the city. I could start to see how the city was changing. Around this time the real estate bubble was just beginning to inflate, empty lots were being built on and old buildings were being bought to make way for new. Some of these places I had remembered seeing or going to as a child, but my memory was fuzzy and I couldn't really see the building in my head. So I stumbled upon the Burgert Bros. Collection and started to browse through pictures of these places. I also discovered pictures of some amazing buildings and places that were gone by the time I was born. I become obsessed with placing these building and spaces on google maps. Sometimes I find that the building was still there but heavily modified. Sometimes I'd hope to find a trace of something, a tangible link to the past. Four years ago I started making a map to highlight my finds. More after the jump...

View Historical Tampa in a larger map
I have over 100 entries on my map representing demolished buildings, infrastructure, neighborhoods or landscape features. Around the time I started this I heard of interactive maps others were creating across the country. One of my favorite applications was created for the City of Philadelphia's picture archives. Philadelphia has gone through most of the salvageable pictures in their collection, scanned them and mapped them. You can visit PhillyHistory.org and visit places like the old Moyamensing Prison or see what Broad Street looked like 50 years ago:

I would love to see something similar created for Tampa. A few years ago the University of Florida had started the "Ephemeral Cities" program where they would take various pictures and objects from 1880-1920 from their archives and archives of the cities of Tampa, Gainesville and Key West and map them against scans of old Sandborn Maps. Sadly I have never seen the application function. However I am excited about a new project that is starting at USF , spearheaded by Prof. Trent Green and many of his students at the School of Architecture. With the recent discovery of most of the drawings from M. Leo Elliot, Prof. Green and his students will be scanning in the drawings and recreate many of the buildings on the computer in 3D. Using their application anyone will be able to view both the exterior and interior of say the exquisite Tampa Gas Company building that was torn down in 1993, along with the First National Bank Building, in one of the worst blunders in Tampa preservation history.

Things are changing on Bayshore

2011-05-17T07:30:00.000-04:00

Out jogging last night and caught these huge monsters laying in wait around Rome and Bayshore. It made me wonder if the city is adding another traffic signal, perhaps at Rome and Bayshore, although the work descriptions only note upgrades to existing traffic signals.

The City of Tampa's website describes the work as this:

Phase I of the project will provide for continuous 4 foot bicycle lanes in both directions along Bayshore Boulevard between Platt Street to Rome Avenue. The existing 4-lane roadway, between Platt Street and the Davis Island Bridge, will be modified to provide 4 foot continuous bicycle lanes and a concrete median. The existing 6-lane roadway, between the Davis Island Bridge and Rome Avenue will be modified to a 4-lane roadway with a 14 foot grassed median and 4 foot bike lanes. The project will also include upgrading the existing traffic signals and enhanced pedestrian features at the intersections of Bay-to-Bay Boulevard and Platt Street. These enhancements will provide for improved safety for pedestrians and bicyclists that utilize Bayshore Boulevard.

St. Pete Times article

National Train Day post HSR

2011-05-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday, May 7th was the 4th Annual National Train Day event at Tampa Union Station, so I ventured out for the first time. The station was abuzz with young kids and older train enthusiasts(both model and regular sized), and also May 21st Doomsdayers!?

Falling somewhere in middle of the 15-65 category, and not toting around one of the former, I admit I felt a little out of place so I strolled through as quickly and quietly as possible. I went with camera in tow hoping to capture some amazing train architecture and infrastructure (accomplished - see pictures below). I also was hoping to catch someone with some information on the future of the state's high speed rail plans (nothing). As if the current news of Florida's HSR dollars finally being offered to other projects around the country wasn't enough (see here and here), it seems that FLHSR has given up fully as their website is currently down.

I had never been in the platform area before and these track markers and planters were my favorite element. There was a 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, but no 1 or 2. The font is consistent with the font used throughout the Plant system.

Digitized Historic Aerial Photo Collection

2011-04-23T13:38:00.001-04:00

TampaTerminal on the Ybor Channel looking North, Northeast towards the Tampa Gas Company storage tank (1956)

Somehow while searching for historic pictures I came across a collection of historic aerial photographs digitized by the University of South Florida that I had never seen before, The Graber Collection of Florida Aerial Photographs. The USF website for the collection states:

"As early as 1949, Robert Graber and his company, Airflite Aerial Photographers, began photographing the growth of Florida's west coast. By the time Graber stopped taking aerial photographs in 1990, the St. Petersburg photographer had accumulated approximately 27,000 aerial shots, many of which are presented here.
The Graber Collection of Aerial Photography consists of more than 8,000 individual photographic negatives spanning 1949-1990. The photographs are dated and indexed according to the records of the original photographer; logbooks provide additional information about many of the aerial shots. Most of the photographs, which were taken by Graber with a K-24 military surveillance camera, document land development and construction on Florida's west coast. The collection was donated by Ken and JoAnne Taylor in 1997. There are 4,781 images online from the years 1956-1959."

While most of the photographs available online seem to be of development along the Pinellas beaches and in Pinellas county, there are some great shots of Tampa and development taking place there during 1956-1959. Many are shots from angles I am not use to seeing or of areas that didn't get a lot of attention from the Burgert's. Please keep in mind that most of the photos are low resolution or low quality. Below are some highlights:

Railroad tracks through Hyde Park and Dobyville are looking Southwest centered over Platt and Dakota (1957)

First Gandy Bridge, with drawbridge on the Right and the Second Gandy Bridge on the Left, current crumbling Friendship trail bridge (1956)


Dale Mabry and Gandy looking North centered over the old Dale Mabry Drive-in and the Tampa Jai-Lai Fronton. I believe this photo also shows what looks like an overpass taking Dale Mabry over the railroad tracks (1956).

Tampania Tweets

2011-04-19T07:33:00.000-04:00

I am starting a twitter feed for Tampania. While I hope it will prove to be a good platform for short bursts of creativity and thinking, ruminations on the Tampa landscape, and news. I am sure there will also be a lot of relevant re-tweets. So follow me if you tweet and maybe I'll do the same to you.

Long distance switch operators at Peninsular Telephone, Tampa (1948) Burgert Bros.

Tunnel Under the Bridge Downtown NOW OPEN

2011-03-25T18:49:00.002-04:00

Went for a bike ride through downtown recently and was surprised as I rode over the Platt Street bridge to see a sign that said "Pedestrian Tunnel Open"! You may recall my recent post where I noted that I hadn't even known of this tunnel until my friend posted some pictures on his blog.

Well the tunnel is now open, due to the ongoing refurbishment of the Platt Street Bridge. Walking into the passage for the first time I was a bit apprehensive, but once I emerged on the other side I realized what a great asset this feature is, and can be. Anyone who has tried to cross Bayshore or Platt at this intersection knows that there are only 2 ways across, legally. Traffic coming into downtown from Bayshore never stops, so crossing at either the South or East sides of the intersection is not easy.

I went back last evening to take more photographs for this post and noticed several other people using the passage. I hope in the future for this tunnel to be refurbished and better connected with the surrounding sidewalk. The stairs should be replaced with a ramp and the wall between Tony Jannus park and North side of the tunnel opened. This would be such a great asset for bicyclists.

Hillsborough County is heading the current Platt Street Bridge reconstruction project, even though the City of Tampa owns the bridge. I called the County and asked how long the passage would be open, they told me that the City was the one responsible for the passage. But, if the County needs to close the passage they would put signs up in advance noting the upcoming closure.

Ghosts of the garrison

2011-01-22T16:23:00.012-05:00

It was a lovely day for a bike ride, so I headed for downtown. It was still a little too chilly in the shadows of the downtown skyscrapers so I pedaled over towards the parking wasteland of South downtown. I'm always fascinated when I travel through this area at how the bodies of the buildings that once dotted this area are still visible. Most the buildings were knocked down only to their foundations.

Sometimes a foot or two of wall was left to serve as a type of barrier between the street and lot.

The Garrison area was named after the old Ft. Brooke Garrison. At the turn of the 20th century it was a mix of warehouses, shipping related businesses and homes. As the railroads came in, two different spurs enveloped the area, Whiting Street to the North and Water Street to the South. The line came in from the North down the present day Meridian Street and continued South to Seddon Island (present day Harbour Island). As a residential area, The Garrison was predominantly an African American neighborhood, the rail lines helped provide a clear border. Below is an aerial of the area from 1938 (the red outline indicates the actual borders of The Garrison residential neighborhood):

The New Deal and Urban Renewal efforts during the middle of the decade helped create a justification for "slum renewal", these usually targeted the African American neighborhoods which were kept in such states during the segregation era due to lack of services and code enforcement provided by local government. As downtown Tampa grew the number of residential lots in the area shrank, as seen in the aerial below from 1957:

As more people moved out of the congested urban centers and more businesses moved in, the elevated highways were built to provide people with a less congested and more direct route into downtown. Room was made for the Crosstown Expressway sometime in the late 60s and early 70s effectively cutting this area in half. The aerial below is from 1982, you can see most of the warehouses and buildings were still up. However as reliance on railroad for freight and industry declined most of these buildings were being vacated during this time:

As the market for office space in downtown grew during the 80s, speculation ran rampant. Developers began gobbling up the empty warehouse spaces and tearing them down as ready to build lots, hopefully for gleaming new high rises. However a downturn in the late 80s caused most lots to lay empty. Thus started the turn towards parking spaces. Once plans for the Hockey Arena were announced more buildings came down to make way for more event parking. Any warehouse space left standing at the turn of the century was finally torn down during the last building boom. Several plans for office towers and condos were in the works, but then the bubble burst again and now we are left with an endless expanse of vacant lots and parking lots. Will this area ever been anything but parking?

Looking North toward the ConAgra plant

Remnants of the spur line remain on Whiting Street, near Brush. The city just recently paved these sections over early last year, however the asphalt is quickly eroding away.

Railroad Yards

2011-01-04T20:15:00.061-05:00

One of my favorite images in the Burgert Brothers Collection is this cirkut picture taken of Atlantic Coast Line railroad shop employees grouped in front of and on a locomotive at the Uceta Rail Yards taken in 1929:

I don't know what is the most interesting part of this photo; the process, the fact that the photographers got all or the majority of these people to stand still, the diversity of the workers, or the building looming to the right? These rail yards are still at the heart of CSXs operations in Tampa and it appears that old shop is still standing. Take a ride down Adamo between Tampa and Brandon and on the east side of 50th street you drive past a lot filled with trees, punctuated by a signed entranced to CSX. You would never know that this building and a whole rail yard lie beyond. However if you drive the elevated crosstown expressway and peer over to the yard you will see this building.

Picture taken 1988

Here is the shop building from Bing's Birds-eye-view maps (views from the West and South) :

Another recent picture from the extensive rrpicturearchives.net, reveals that the building got gussied up by CSX sometime in the middle of the decade, a new shell perhaps but the layout appears to be the same.

Below one last aerial image comparison to be sure, from 1938 USDA aerial and a current image from Google Earth:

The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's websites says that none of the buildings on the parcel were built before 1950, however these pictures seem prove otherwise. Another example of history right under our nose.

Oh, that old Infrastructure!

2010-11-12T23:10:00.003-05:00

Well it's been awhile since I've last posted, and as inspiration is lacking I'll pull a post from the archives of unpublished thoughts. So here it is a look at kooky bits of infrastructure from Tampa's past, or things that just look plain crazy to our modern eyes. These are all things that were built to help the growing city flow, literally.

1. WASTE WATER TREATMENT FIT FOR A KING!

City sewage disposal plant, septic tank building, on northwest corner of Twiggs and Twelfth Streets: Tampa, Fla

In what is now the channelside district, near the seaboard square apartments.

2. INCINERATORS
This one was at 211 N. Rome Ave., taken 1924 - closer to the then city limits in the warehousing district.

The view of City Sanitary Department Cremating Plant Number 1; Tampa, Fla.

3. WASHINGTON STREET VIADUCT
Most cities had "viaducts" to divert pedestrian, buggy and car traffic over large rail yards. This was Tampa's first attempt to cross the rail yard that was East of downtown in today's Channelside area. It's no wonder that the city decided to build a more direct bridge a few blocks North on Lafayette Street (now Kennedy Blvd.).

Washington Street Viaduct view northwest of spectators at accident aftermath showing broken guardrail from ground: Tampa, Fla.

Sadly road bridges aren't made to T at their apex today, I wonder why?

How'd you like this ride?

2010-10-15T00:49:00.000-04:00

The weather is lovely and I want to ride my bicycle, but it needs some servicing. So I'll share some images of bicycling throughout the years in Tampa. It's great to see the old bicycles, however I am even more amazed to think of the conditions early cyclists faced in Tampa back in the day.

Leo Day, Postal Telegraph Messenger, 12 years old, and a very knowing lad. (See report of L.W.H.) Location: Tampa, Florida.

A Tampa messenger boy. Location: Tampa, Florida.

Some of my favorite historic photographs of Tampa come from the National Child Labor Committee Collection photographed by Lewis Hine, showing children found working across America. In Tampa, children were found working as cigarmakers, newsboys and bicycle messengers. Mr. Hine came to Tampa at least 3 times in 1909, 1911 and 1913 to document Tampa's underage workers and the conditions they faced.

Ben Key and his brother Tom. Latter helps Ben during the day time. (See report of L.W.H.) Brother Tom nine years old; goes to school and works until six P.M., sometimes until nine. They live at 1003 Scott Street, East. Location: Tampa, Florida.

In 1921 the Burgert Bros. captured workers for the same company, Western Union Telegraph, in a different light.

I love seeing so many different handlebar types, some boys preferred the albatross, some a straight, a few uprights (yeah!), and the daring young lad at the far left who chose what seems to be an oversized track / drop style handlebar.

I wonder how many of those cycles were purchased from W.J. Rowe's Bicycle Emporium? (above as it appeared above in 1900)

Under the bridge downtown

2010-10-11T00:21:00.001-04:00

My friend Cesar of CesarDPhoto.com recently posted some pictures on his blog that caught my attention. I enjoy taking my bicycle out for the occasional leisurely ride down bayshore or through downtown and sometimes I even ride it to work. One of my biggest gripes about bicycling from South Tampa / Bayshore area into downtown is the difficult and sometimes dangerous trip over the river. Maneuvering the one-way bridges and narrow and steep curving sidewalks that lead to them are not easy for a casual or new rider. So I was surprised to see Cesar's photo of the pedestrian path under the Platt Street bridge, I thought that one may be there but never took the time to check for myself.

Underpass in 1939 before the Brorein St. Bridge was built:

The subways were part of a new deal project that created a better connection between Bayshore Boulevard and Platt Street. This project also created the municipal marina still in use today. As you can see Bayshore use to run right along the seawall all the way to the bridge, but over the years it was diverted to add a green space which holds the Columbus Memorial.

For now the underpass remains shuttered to the general public.

For easier browsing of the Burgert Bros. Collection try...

2010-10-01T21:31:00.002-04:00

http://www.lamartin.com/BurgertPivotCollection/index.htm

If you haven't already stumbled upon this great website, check it out today. The library's searchable database is a little cumbersome and slow when it comes to looking at the Burgert Bros. online collection. Mr. LaMartin has created a wonderful index site. Now you can instantly see the photos you are searching for. You can browse by year if you wish, or see all those photos that weren't tagged with a year to find something that a search won't. The site requires the Microsoft Silverlight plugin. Thank you Mr. LaMartin.

As the caption clearly states there are over 13000 digital images of photos from the Burgert Bros. Collection on the Tampa library's website, here they all are tiled out for your searching enjoyment:

Sort by year and you see that 1926 has the most index images with 1727, a busy year. Lets check out a less voluminous year, 1938:

Oh, and I see the Burgert Bros. took a photo that year of one of my favorite "lost" buildings, the former Knights of Pythias Hall built in 1913? on the Southeast corner of Morgan and Kennedy. Here it is after a few remodels during its time as the Chamber of Commerce building.

Fall comes to Tampania

2010-09-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Fall begins in approximately 6 hours and I couldn't be more ecstatic. From the second the humidity digs iin ts claws in mid-May the dread sets in, ugh another Tampa Summer! In many ways it was an excruciatingly long summer, and as I get older they just seem to get longer and harder to bear. And these last few official hours of summer symbolize the hardest wait of all, the time during which the calendar says fall and yet you are still waiting for that first under 90 breezy and dry day that leads into an even cooler night so you can open your windows and hopefully leave them open for months on end. Well that usually doesn't happen til October, so still we sit and wait.

Historically the tourist season has been October through May, and Tampa and the rest of Florida would shrink down to a small permanent population during the unbearable and non-air conditioned summer months. Board of Trade signs use to boast in big letters "Tampa - Florida's Year Round Destination" while in smaller print the truth comes out "Winter months - October through May", as in the sign below that greeted new comers and visitors at Tampa's Union Station.

Luckily modern Floridians enjoy a more comfortable and climate controlled year round situation. So, as the weather starts to get more bearable and comfortable, I hope to get out more to take more pictures and find more buildings and interesting features to write new posts on. In the meantime, the waiting begins. Here's to a pleasant and fruitful Fall!

Tampa's "Oldest" House in peril

2010-09-12T16:54:00.001-04:00

It seems that historic preservation advocates are on top of things lately. The story of the threatened status of Tampa's "Oldest" known house has been popping up all over the place lately. As much as I am an advocate for historic preservation, I wanted to check more into the facts of the story as all causes are subject to sensationalism these days. Plus I don't always trust the dates of houses shown by the property appraisers office. The image above is from Google Earth and will be used as a comparison for the house's layout. Now off to the trusty Tampa Library's Sanborn maps site to do some investigation. Supposedly, Tampa's current oldest house, at 3210 E Eighth Ave. (shown above), was originally built on the Southeast corner of the City Hall block at Jackson and Florida in 1842. The current City hall building was built in 1915.

The map above is from the 1903 Sanborn edition, the last edition avail. online before the current City Hall was built. Sure enough there was a house on the site, and the layout seems comparable to the house in the Google Earth image. The picture below that map is of the Old City Hall building, which also housed the Headquarters of the Tampa Police Department. Could that be our house in the very far left of the picture?

Now lets go the oldest Sanborn map on the libraries website, dated 1884. And sure enough seems the house was there at that time, even before city hall located to the block.

The interesting part is that the house was located along a creek that ran along Jackson street (note that it says it is "dry in summer"). As you will recall from my previous post on Spanishtown Creek, the earliest settlements in the area were usually located along the water or creeks. So this fact would help to validate the age of the house.

Now let's go to the 1915 Sanborn to confirm the move. Below we see that Jackson and Florida block in 1915. The current City Hall is shown and a new police headquarters building has been built on the site of the house. The picture below is of the police headquarters from the Burgert Collection taken in the 1960s before the police headquarters was demolished to make way for the current city hall annex.

And the last leg of our investigation is to the check the 1915 Sanborn edition for the house in its current location.

Sure enough there is a house located on that lot that fits the layout of the house currently on the site. Seems even the most basic investigation can substantiate the claims that this is indeed the house that was previously located on the City Hall lot, and it could have been built in 1842!

Sarasota School in Tampa

2010-08-12T01:03:00.001-04:00

The Sarasota school of architecture has recently undergone a resurrgence in popularity, prompted by several books and the recent fight and unfortunate demolition of Paul Rudolph's masterpiece, Riverview High School in Sarasota. Two styles of regional modernism emerged in Florida in the mid-twentieth century, the Sarasota School on the west central coast and Tropical Modernism in South Florida. There are examples of both schools of work in Tampa, but the Sarasota School is the most prominent of the two here. While most of the members of the Sarasota School came from other areas of the country, Tampa boasted the only native, Mark Hampton. Mark Hampton worked directly under Paul Rudolph in the Rudolph and Twitchell firm. Hampton then moved back to Tampa where opened his own office and worked in the area until the 1970s, when he moved to Coconut Grove. Hampton's most famous designs in Tampa were Galloway's furniture gallery, the old St. Mary's Episcopal church, the Horizon House and the Webb residence.

Galloway's Furniture gallery

Galloways was the local purveyor of modern furniture in West Central florida they had their own factory but also become wholesalers of some of the more popular mass produced items of the day, such as Eames chairs and loungers. Paul Rudolph and his fellow architects would use their furniture in photos promoting their completed work (usually taken by noted architectural photographer Ezra Stoller) later Galloway's would commission architects to construct new showrooms in up to seven different Florida locations as their business grew. In Tampa, where the company originated, the natural choice was Mark Hampton. The location was Henderson and Horatio in South Tampa. For that location Hampton created a simple box store incorporating several of the signatures of the Sarasota school; large walls of windows with large roof overhangs and thin, sleek columns supporting the overhangs. As business began to lag in the 1970s, galloway's closed most of its satellite locations and remained at the Henderson location. Mr. Galloway died in 2002 and in 2007 the family finally closed the business for good. The building is currently a Famous Tates showroom and has undergone some renovations over the years. You can see the signatures of Sarasota Modern style in the picture above, featured in the St. Pete Times with Mr. Galloway's obituary in 2002. The bottom photo is the current view of the building from Google Street View, you can see it was taken at the time the store was closing.

Galloway's Sarasota showroom was a more distinct building. It was designed by one of the more famous Sarasota School architects, Victor Lundy. Lundy designed a distinctive, round, two-story showroom, with large windows and rich interiors which would attract people passing the site on Tamiami Trail. The showroom opened in October 1959, but was already closed in 1966 when an artist tried to turn it into a gallery for his religious paintings. The sheet below is from an edition of the Sarasota Herald Tribune on October 11, 1959 that features 3 full pages of ads, features and congratulatory notes on the opening of the new showroom, praise was given to both Lundy and Galloway.

Franklin Exchange Buildings - Parasitic Modernism

2010-08-07T20:22:00.000-04:00

In the 1960s downtown Tampa experienced a new age of growth. Up until 1966 the Floridan Hotel remained the tallest building in Tampa. Office space in downtown was filling up fast and land was being gobbled up by the new interstate and crosstown projects, ultimately creating new barriers for growth within the central business district. There was nowhere left to go but UP!

On the corner of Franklin and Twiggs was the Franklin Exchange bank, one of the first banks in Tampa, instituted in the the late 1800s. In 1923 the old bank building was torn down and a temple to the 20s and Florida's boom-time was built. During the 50s the bank experienced more growth and built a 7-story annex next door on Franklin. In the picture below you see that the annex was built without disturbing any part of the 1923 building, mostly because the bank building was built next to existing buildings. It was a modern building. And in a playful, yet small gesture showing the connectivity between the two buildings, some molding on the 2nd story was added to meet with the bottom of the frieze on the 1920s building, while the top of the frieze awkwardly overlaps the new facade.

Then in 1960s a developer (not sure who built this) bought up all the lots on the eastern side of Florida Ave. and started building what would briefly become Tampa's tallest building. A gleaming white office tower built in the international style, the new Franklin exchange building clocked in at 85 meters, 22 stories tall. In building this tower the builders seem to have never touched the adjoining structures, merely building the new tower to kiss the existing structures. The joins are tight even though the styles are contrasting. In recent years, a beautiful little private pocket park has been built on the Northwestern corner adding a little oasis to the middle of a dense and busy block.

I am highlighting this block to show how development can happen with respect to the surrounding existing structures and infrastructure. Whether these buildings were built in the manner by chance or by choice doesn't matter 50 years after the fact. Not all is rosy on the site, the Florida Avenue streetside of the tower is a mass of windows looking into the offices of Florida Reprographics. The current owners could make this block even better by adding an entrance and storefronts to these spaces making a more inviting and vibrant streetfront that looks out onto one of Tampa's best architectural resources, the old federal courthouse.

My fellow Tampanians I wish you all a very happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

Fireworks over the former State Fairgrounds at the Tampa Bay Hotel (Probably not for 4th of July, but festive none the less).

A Sears surprise

2010-06-17T18:36:00.003-04:00

I had always been intrigued by the Erwin Technical School building on Hillsborough Avenue and 22nd street. I always wondered why someone would build it as a school. Well, it wasn't built as a school, it was originally built in 1959 as a Sears department store. During the 50s Sears was looking to grow with modern America. Americans loved their cars and didn't want the hassle of driving all the way to their downtown and fighting for a parking space to get Juniors new pants for the school. Thus, the big department stores decided to push out into the wilderness of the suburbs where they could build on large lots to accomodate lots of parking. Sears realized that Florida was a growing region and decided it would build a lot of new suburban style stores in the area to. I've counted at least 10 built in Florida between 1950 and 1960. Sears also knew that the styling of the stores had to be modern and reflect the new architectural style of the region. So Sears hired the law firm of Weed, Russell and Johnson out of Miami. Principal Robert Law Weed was well known for his Florida modern style, having designed the Florida Tropical showcase house at the 1933 Chicago "Century of Progress" World's Fair and collaborated on the design for the new University of Miami campus.

This building is the best example of Sears collaboration with the Weed, Russell and Johnson architectural firm from Miami, one of the more influential Miami Modern firms (this building is also the least altered of those still standing). The most striking feature is the repeating "W" shaped cast concrete roof, also heavily referred to as a "folded plate". The roof is supported by columns that helped create a more open floorplan. Windows cover the walls and originally went all the way up to the roofline, and large artistic sunscreens adorn the outside facade. The firm also designed the adjoining auto center in a complementary design. It features a V shaped concrete roof instead of the W shaped roof of the main building. Both structures are still intact and only slightly altered. You can find more pictures and information regarding this particular store here (thanks to JSDesign over at Flickr for his research and posts). I never really liked the design of this building before, but after discovering its origins I can't help but think it is a real gem.

(above photo courtesy of Giveawayboy)

Modernism in Tampa

2010-06-06T14:16:00.003-04:00

By the mid 1920s Mediterranean Revival and Craftsman were the dominant building styles in Tampa. Then the bust! Building slowed all over Florida. Just as this was happening new building styles were emerging, styles that embraced new building materials, lighter forms and new shapes. Modernism was a style fashioned for Florida, it is where styles like Miami Modern and the Sarasota School were championed. But what and where is Tampa's Modern legacy? We'll take a peek of what is left and what has disappeared in each corner of the city. You may be surprised or you may, just like me, enjoy looking at these structures of concrete and glass and varying shapes.

Punisher House Answers and Questions

2010-05-27T20:53:00.000-04:00

It appears that the Old Union Depot Hotel Building (aka Punisher House) was yet another victim of owner neglect and the economy, or owner neglect due to the economy, a Tampa Tribune post indicates. The article notes that "The hotel's owners, Tampa Union Station LLC, had amassed about $362,000 in code enforcement fines, levied since 2009, at $1,000 a day." And a recent aerial survey by the city showed that a major roof collapse had taken place. And as we have seen too often here in Tampa (see Gary School) this eventually leads to total collapse. After plans for a large condominium project failed to materialize during the downfall the property fell into foreclosure. So with the consent of the current owners, the city came in on Sunday, May 23rd and demolished the building. The city will put a lien on the property for $17,000 in demolition costs.

The city has recently set up new incentives to help owners make necessary repairs on historic buildings, in the wake of the Gary School tragedy. The property that officials and the public are watching most closely is the Kress building on Franklin Street in Downtown Tampa, it is already showing signs of roof stress. But will this mean anything in today's economic climate where many properties sit in foreclosure?

Punisher House 0, Tampa Parking 1

2010-05-26T01:31:00.002-04:00

Demolition and destruction! Unfortunately this old building has gone with not a bang, but a whisper. In fact, it seems that this demolition was barely audible, almost magical. Well it seems that within the past week or so the Old Union Depot Hotel, at 858 Zack Street, met the wrecking ball. Wikipedia alredy lists the day of death as May 23rd. This flatiron style, 2 story building was a unique fixture in Tampa. Built in 1912 to service the recently built Tampa Union Station, it would have been one of the first buidings to greet passengers as they stepped out of the Station doors. The building had six-sides and almost took on a flatiron style when viewed from the Nebraska. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. Of course the building is probably best known for it's role in the Punisher, as the apartment of the lead character and his band of misfit friends. The lot was to be part of a planned office development dubbed "Union Station" however it is unclear whether the development is still going forward as planned. The lot is already cleared, leveled and the 717 Parking signs are already up! Punisher House 0, Tampa Parking 1!

Morgan Street Jail - making way for high speed!

2010-05-10T22:34:00.001-04:00

For over the last 100 years there was always a jail on, well not necessarily Morgan, but Jefferson street near the historic Oaklawn Cemetery. In preparation and with the hope that high speed rail would come to Tampa, demolition of the Morgan Street jail started in August of 2009. This site will soon be the home of Tampa's future High Speed Rail station. Constructed in 1964, the building was functional, never anything special. By the 90s overcrowding was a common problem, and the Orient and Falkenburg jails were used instead.

However, the 1925 structure it replaced was something.

Quite a menacing building with a view of the cemetery to boot. This structure was built to replace the smaller, walled structure below on the right:

I was drawn to the jail site because it shows how a site with a public use can grow and take over surrounding sites as an area grows. Whereas large private sites are usually divided up as an area grows.

Burying our Past - Palm River

2010-04-19T01:02:00.000-04:00

When the Tampa Bay History journal was re-issued in 2007 (originally published from 1979-1998) the first essay in the edition was an intriguing look at the Tampa bypass canal system and flood management control in central Hillsborough County titled "The Taming of the Hillsborough River: How Tampa Gained a Moat, Destroyed a Creek, and Forgot a River" by Thom Foley. While the Hillsborough River is mentioned in the title, the essay focused mostly on Palm River and Six Mile Creek.

Palm River is south of SR 60 / Adamo Drive and flows into McKay bay south of Ybor City. Upstream the river bends towards the north and was called Six Mile Creek. Here was where Plant's railroad first entered the area. In the first half of the 20th century if you were traveling into Tampa from Brandon, Plant City, Lakeland or any other community to the East you had to travel down Broadway over an old bridge spanning Six Mile Creek. Surrounding the bridge was the small community of Six Mile Creek that contained a market and service station ready to meet the needs of travelers. When settlers first came to the area they set up farms along the creek and river. As the area grew industrial factories began to set up shop near the creek and river shores.

While Foley's article is titled to indicate that it is about the "taming of the Hillsborough River" it is really about the destruction of Palm River and Six Mile Creek, which were ultimately transformed into Canal 135 of the Tampa Bypass Canal system. In 1966 the first part of the canal started when dredging began between McKay Bay and the US41 / 50th street bridge. In 1968 a second contract was given for the portion of the canal to be dredged between the US41 / 50th Street bridge and SR60. However, in dredging the river in 2 phases, the area directly under the US41 bridge was never touched, leaving a berm that acted as a dam for sediment. The canal was finally finished by 1983. Today the Palm River is metaphorically buried, it's original flow path destroyed by canalization and it's waters poisoned by toxic runoff from factories that dotted its shores, malathion spraying and general polution. Out of 14 superfund sites located throughout Hillsborough County, eight are located less than 2 miles from Palm River's shores.

At the time of the essays publishing, SWFWMD had committed to looking at restoration of the river. I decided to follow up and see what had happened since 2007. After years of delays SWFWMD finally ordered a survey of the river's condition that was completed in February 2009. It found that the berm under the US 41 bridge was not as large as expected and that much more sediment had accumulated at the bottom of the river. As indicated in Foley's article a restoration project (W367) has been initiated by SWFWMD. As of February 2009 all data collection was completed, indicating that a smaller berm than anticipated is located under US41 and large amounts of sediment had accumulated in the river. Reports also indicate the Palm River has the highest salinity of any of the 4 tributaries that empty into Hillsborough and Tampa Bay. Plans for the restoration are still being formulated. However, construction is expected to commence this summer with restoration work completed by December 2012.

Burying our Past - Spanishtown Creek

2010-04-13T22:22:00.001-04:00

The first recorded non-native settlement in Tampa was at Spanishtown Creek. It was said to be inhabited by Cuban fishermen around 1783, many decades before Fort Brooke was established. Up until the establishment of Henry Plant's railway and hotel in the late 1880s this area was mainly farmland and homesteads. After Plant's hotel was built tony neighborhoods began to platted directly south of the hotel, centering along Hyde Park Ave. (named after Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood) and Plant Ave. Slowly this area started to become more developed. Below is the original plat map of the Packwoods Subdivision from 1892, from the Hills. Co. Property Appraisers site which shows the path of the creek at that time and how the lots and streets would be laid out:

Below views of the bridge being built over the creek at Bay Street (between Magnolia and Hyde Park) taken in 1906 (Burgert Bros. Collection). The last picture is of the creek running through culverts under Magnolia Avenue, South of the intersection with DeLeon.

Slowly but surely Spanishtown Creek was partly filled in and built over, ultimately being incorporated into Tampa's vast stormwater drainage system. The map below is from the 1931 volume of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps:

Then in the mid 30s the WPA came in and created the Bayshore Blvd. we know today, with a concrete roadbed and beautiful balustraded seawall. You can barely make the creek in the Aerial taken in 1948 (notice that the old streetcar line making a bend through the "Spring Block" noted in the original plat map):

Today the only indication of it's location are drains and an outlet under the newer (South) Davis Islands bridge Bayshore on-ramp.

There is also this istorical marker placed at the park on Bay Street directly over the former path of the creek.

South Franklin Street demolition "breaking news"

2010-04-07T20:33:00.001-04:00

On South Franklin Street across from the Convention Center there is a row of old buildings that are the last testament of the bustling warehousing and manufacturing center that lined the waterfront South of downtown. Recently work commenced on the TECO Streetcar line extension and a few months ago the 2 story building at 238 S. Franklin (The former Fuel teen nightclub) was demolished. You would think that the 2 events were related. You can see the block below in the birdseye view.

Then, a friend called me today to say that another building on South Franklin Street across from the convention center was coming down. Here is the picture I took this afternoon.

Here's a shot of the buildings from Google Earth Street View. The one story building on the right was built in 1905 and the two story building on the left was built in 1917, according to the property appraisers site. I'm not sure how old the orange warehouse building is, as its info has already been removed from the Hills. Co. Property Appraisers website.

In doing more research on the Property Appraisers website I see that the whole block (including the old post office building) is owned by FUEL INVESTMENTS & DEVELOPMENT LLC , which bought the properties in 2006. I went to their website and see that they were the ones planning to build a W hotel in downtown Tampa. However this project was scrapped at the beginning of the downturn. Posters over on the always informative Skyscraper City Tampa Forum say there was an agreement between the city and Fuel to not tear down the buildings until something was ready to go up and that after scrapping the W hotel plans that they were going to build student housing for UT students.

I am always a little saddened when I see old buildings coming down. It is especially hard in this case knowing the age of the 2 buildings and that they were the LAST remaining buildings from this era located south of Brorien street. This area of South Franklin and extending along the channel was full of warehouses and small storefronts catering to Tampa's vibrant shipping and manufacturing industry. In the late 70s / early 80s the district was falling in disrepair as companies were consolidating or moving to the larger and recently expanded Port of Tampa. This area was becoming an eyesore and was ripe for redevelopment. Then in the mid-80s the Harbor Island development was started "eyesores" along Franklin and throughout the rest of the district were seen as a major problem. So the infamous Harbor Island People Mover was built by the developer to shuttle visitors and potential residents safely over this problem area. The pylons for the people mover were located in the current median on Franklin as it crossed from one side of the street to the other. In 1989 The new Tampa Convention Center was built across the street from these buildings on a large tract that went all the way up to the river. Although Harbor Island fell on tough times, the redevelopment ball really started rolling when the new arena for the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Ice Palace, was built. Soon the hotels came, Harbor Island turned around (albeit the People Mover didn't survive), and little remained of the areas past except for a small patch of buildings between Platt and the Crosstown.

I am anxiously waiting to hear what the plans are for this block, hoping that these buildings were not demolished so that the current owner could make some money off of parking while awaiting sale to the next developer.

Burying our Past - Palma Ceia Springs

2010-04-05T19:04:00.001-04:00

Urban springs are fascinating to me. In Florida, springs usually seem to be billed as "natural destinations" in rural and smaller towns, off the beaten path, or the source for our bottled water needs. There are a few intact springs within the Tampa City limits. However, most of these springs have been covered over and made part of a greater underground stormwater drainage system. One of these is Palma Ceia springs right off Bayshore Blvd. and Rubideaux in Fred Ball Park.

In the mid 1800s this spring was known for it's healing powers and people came to bathe in its waters. This fountain was erected in 1906 (as the inscription on both sides indicates) and is supplied by the spring itself. one of the few indications that an actual spring lies somewhere underfoot. A large pool was erected in 1928 to accomodate the growing population and number of tourists coming to the area.

In the 1940s County Commissioner Fred Ball persuaded the county to purchase the spring and the land surrounding it. As the decades wore on and water levels in the aquifer declined, the spring, pools and surrounding land fell into disrepair. Below is an aerial of the spring, pool (indicated by yellow arrow) , and surrounding land taken in 1958.

Improvement efforts for the park were started in 1988 by the Rose Garden Circle (more history here). The park today is beautiful boasting a gazebo, tall trees, a bench swing, and the beautiful fountain as its focal point. Below you can see the outfall trail from the spring and stormwater drains flowing into the bay.

Burying the Past Series - A creek, a river and a spring.

2010-03-29T18:01:00.000-04:00

I will be starting a series of posts entitled "Burying the Past". This will be a brief look at some of the changes that development has brought to the local geography and some of the elements that have essentially been "Buried". Stay tuned!

The River:

The Creek:

The Spring:

Gate to Tampania

2010-03-16T23:58:00.001-04:00

Browsing through the digitized Burgert Bros. Collection a few years ago I stumbled upon this beauty (I admit it was the lit sign and font that did it). The inspiration for the name of this blog, the entrance gate to the Tampania subdivision. The gate spanned a narrow West Shore Boulevard at North B Street.

As the Florida real estate market boomed in the early 20s companies were scrambling to buy up the wilderness, subdivide it into nice little lots and sell the Florida dream to sunshine seeking Northerners. When companies bought up this land the first thing they would do was clear it and plop down an elaborate entrance and maybe a sales office, usually a large arched gate would mark the entrance. Once these were in place the cold hard selling could begin. In Tampania's instance, the gate also served as the sales, or "field", office. Here you can see the company had it's own sales bus that could bring potential buyers right to the site.

You can tell that the Florida Real Estate bust of the mid 20s hit the neighborhood hard. From this picture you can see that there is already damage to the roof of the gate, most of the lots were undeveloped and the ones that were developed were mostly apartment buildings. I can only assume that the gate was torn down sometime in the 50s / early 60s as the Howard Frankland went up and traffic along westshore would have swelled (trucks were probably getting taller too). Soon most of the neighborhood would be demolished to make way for Westshore Mall and the surrounding businesses. Stayed tuned for more gate posting fun in the future!

The Tampania subdivision was originally platted and registered with the county in 1917. But the gate wasn't built until 1926. Set out in the burbs, this land wouldn't become a part of the City until the 1953 annexation, Tampania would have been an ideal subdivision. Near the bay and situated along the Memorial Highway (which ran down Kennedy) it had easy access to both Tampa and Pinellas County. Tampania was your typical Mediterranean Styled housing development and featured a mix of both apartment buildings and single family houses. Here is a beautiful Cirkut panorama of part of the subdivision as it looked in 1937 (bigger view here):

Hiding our past

2010-03-12T19:18:00.001-05:00

One would think that the Floridan Hotel and the Tampa Theater building are the last remaining historic high rises left in downtown tampa. Well, that isn't true. There is another 1920s era skyscraper still gracing our skyline.

The large 12 story structure built in 1925 was formally called the Wallace S. Building (The 4 story adjacent structure was home to the Tampa Morning Tribune) and it sits on block bordered by Ashley, Twiggs, Tampa and Zack. Today it is better known as the Huntington Bank building (formally Gold Bank) and my how it has changed.

(The above picture is from Emporis.com)

In the late 60s / early 70s the building underwent a major renovation. Elevator shafts were added on the South side of building, the window court was closed in and she got the royal Florida stucco treatment. All remaining buildings on the block were demolished, making way for the most important feature of late 20th century downtowns, parking! While the renovation hardly does the original justice, it ultimately saved the building during a period when most of downtowns historic structures were being neglected and/or demolished.

There are many more buildings throughout Tampa that have received updates and renovations that hide their historic character, but this is probably the best and most dramatic example.

WELCOME

2010-03-10T21:43:00.000-05:00

Ah, Tampa! That beautiful, sunny, humid "second-rate" city on Florida's Gulf Coast. Tourists, new comers, and school children are beaten over the head with a history and culture that centers around cigar factories, Cuban sandwiches and hotel minarets. Apparently, Tampa was nothing until some Connecticut Yankee decided to build his guilded age masterpiece hotel on her riverfront and bring in the railroad. Of course, several more events and developments contributed to Tampa's growth than just these. On this blog I will highlight many of my own personal discoveries and other interesting facts about Tampa's built environment and development. Here I will wax poetic about demolished buildings and crumbling infrastructure. I will also try to explain this anomoly that is a Rust-belt city of the New South. I am a Tampanian and this is my Tampa.