Lightning owner Jeff Vinik's plan to dramatically overhaul the Channelside area cleared one of its first hurdles today despite a splash of criticism from people concerned that the project looks a little, well, pasty.
The Tampa City Council, operating in its capacity as the Community Redevelopment Agency, unanimously agreed to reimburse Vinik's development company for the update it's slated to do on roads, storm water and undergrounding utilities, among other things.
If all goes as planned, the nearly 30-acre redevelopment plan is slated to include a new hotel, mixed-used residential areas, office buildings and a brand-new University of South Florida med school facility.
The $15 million it plans to give Vinik is something the city would have spent on those kinds of things there, anyway; improvements to the neighborhoods are what community redevelopment area funds are for.
Some city residents, though, were skeptical over the city's giving millions to a developer who's planning an upscale, mixed-used project when just blocks away, other residents are struggling to find jobs and pay rent.
Andre Hill, president of the West Tampa Alliance, was among those who wanted the council to make sure minorities aren't going to, once again, get the short end of the stick when it comes to contractors and other jobs.
“Of course I'm in support of new development," he said. "However, my hometown Tampa is notorious for not following through on implementing minority participation. I stand behind…Vinik Group in terms of enforcing those provisions to ensure that more minority participation is included and enforced…We want to help get those residents involved in minority participation.”
Councilman Frank Reddick, who chairs the council in its CRA board capacity, asked that the city amend the agreement to track the construction process's benefit to African Americans, which got broadened to include all minority groups. Those numbers would be reported biannually.
The how-minorities-benefit question aside, the council appeared to view Vinik's vision as a rising tide to lift all boats, even those of people on the far reaches of town.
“When this billion dollars is spent…it will be spent to the betterment of this city, of this county, of this school system, of [the Southwest Florida Water Management District], of every other agency that collects [tax revenue],” said Councilman Charlie Miranda. “It's a win-win for everybody. I don't care if you're in north Tampa, south Tampa, in east Tampa or west Tampa. Someone may buy a house in your area because they have a job here.”
Councilwoman Yvonne Yolie Capin, whose family has been in Tampa for more than three generations, said that she trusts Vinik, a Boston native, in his sweeping effort to reinvigorate Tampa's downtown.
“You are not a carpetbagger,” she said. “Your family has moved there, and you are, as they say, all in.”
The next meeting concerning the Channelside overhaul will be with the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system. Vinik and the city will ask the board to lobby state lawmakers on Tampa's plans for the USF med school, a $157 million project.
This article appears in Jan 15-21, 2015.