Although it's being reported that the Tampa City Council postponed voting on the ambitious 36-story apartment tower complex near the Straz Center last night, in fact it was the point man for the city of Tampa, economic development head Bob McDonough, who accurately read the temperature in the room at City Hall and deduced that the city needed more time to answer questions from the Council — and the public — about the development.
As we reported earlier this week, opposition that has grown in recent months since the proposal by developers Greg Minder and Phillip Smith to built to the immediate west of the John F. Germany Public Library and to the south of the Straz Center.
Straz Center president Judy Lisi (who did not return a request for comment by CL last week on her position about the proposal) came out last night showing much more concern about the development than when it was originally unveiled months ago. One of the main issues of contention last night was about the reconfiguring of Cass and Tyler streets near the Straz – something that the performing arts center supported. But now? "This is a case of be careful what you wish for." she told the Council.
City officials and the developers now have a couple of months to sell the community on the project – that should be interesting.
A new poll taken in Gus Bilirakis congressional district says that the majority of folks polled there support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Gus has said it's all about border security. But until the Democrats produce a viable candidate to knock off the Bilirakis brand in that upper Pinellas/Pasco area, what does Gus care what the polls say?
CL met up with Tampa-area House Democrat Mark Danish the other night, the quintessential "citizen-legislator." Danish is a middle-school teacher who never ran for office until last November, where he was vastly outspent but pulled off a narrow victory over Republican Shawn Harrison. On Wednesday night he told a crowd in Ybor City about his experiences over the past two months as a freshman legislator. A freshman legislator in the minority, need we add.
USF Student and veterans advocate Kiersten Downs is getting poised for her bike trip across the country that is gaining national attention.
And CL's new issue is all about how to enjoy the upcoming summer months in Tampa Bay. Our addition is about the little known product that is Minor League Baseball here in the region.
This article appears in May 9-15, 2013.