Growth is a constant part of life in the Bay area. In both downtowns, new buildings are sprouting like weeds and proposed projects number in the hundreds. So take a good look around, because Tampa Bay as we know it is disappearing. In its place, two vibrant urban centers are trying to take shape. For the moment, construction cranes still form the backbone of the view, but as Skypoint in Tampa and Progress Energy Florida’s new complex in St. Pete assume their permanent place in the tableau, they also usher in a wave of permanent change to our home. Whether or not the Bay area grows in anything more than this physical sense, we’ll have to wait and see. But things are definitely looking up.
This article appears in Sep 13-19, 2006.