Spotlight On: Neil Callaghan, Brand Manager, Cigar City Brewing

Spotlight On: Neil Callaghan, Brand Manager, Cigar City Brewing

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read November 2019 — The Tampa Bay region is known for having and being headquarters to a wide variety of business types. While all these businesses contribute to the local economy and community in various ways, perhaps one of the most sought after and visited are the local breweries that call Tampa Bay home. One of the most well-known is Cigar City Brewing, which started as a local brand and has now expanded to become a widely recognized national presence. Invest: spoke with Brand Manager Neil Callaghan about how Tampa Bay has shaped the company, being stewards of the environment and the impact the brewery has on the local economy.

 

 

How has Tampa Bay influenced the brand and culture of your business? 

 

Our Brewery is unique in that so much of what we do is really influenced by the culture, the cuisine and the history of Tampa Bay. We feel like our success has really been part and parcel of the story of Tampa Bay resonating with people outside of the Florida area. We are extremely fortunate because we do get a lot of tourism to this region for a number of reasons, whether to visit family or go to the beach. Tampa Bay has really molded what we are doing as a company, from the names of our beers to how we market ourselves. This speaks to the way outsiders have responded to the culture of Tampa Bay as a whole. Tampa is still our biggest market by a long shot, and we are still growing at a double-digit rate in the Tampa Bay area, which is exceptional.

 

How important is consistent innovation to your business? 

 

The questions we constantly ask ourselves are: How do we keep people engaged? How do we keep them excited? And how do we keep that growth trajectory where it has been for the last few years? The answer is innovation. We are not a company that puts out a beer and just keeps pushing it for years. We have been incredibly fortunate with our brands like Jai Alai, which is our biggest seller, but at the same time it is the new brands, styles of beer, new ingredients and new processes that we are working with that keep people interested. Our innovation is really going to help us continue to grow for the foreseeable future. We are not just brewing the same beers that we were brewing five years ago. We always want to maintain the quality and consistency that we have never deviated from since day one, but our innovation is really where we are putting a lot of our chips these days.

 

How is Cigar City Brewing promoting environmental sustainability in the region? 

 

In the last year, one big innovation that we have worked on in regards to environmental sustainability is our move away from the clear plastic rings that hold the six-packs together. While they are sustainable, we felt like there was a better option and a better way to not only help our brand from a branding perspective but also to help the environment. We have now moved to cardboard wraps and these are much more environmentally friendly and recyclable. It has been a big project for us to literally change the whole way that we are packaging our beer, but again, it is an opportunity for us. We get more of our branding out in front of consumers because they are now looking at a box that is a lot more engaging than a collection of cans. Our vendors have a heightened focus on environmental sustainability as well. 

 

What is the economic impact of the brewery on the local region? 

 

We are employing around 70 people full time in the Tampa Bay area, and we are also employing sales teams all over the country. We are helping impact the local economy by this employment, but also by the amount of beer that we are selling. Because beer is a relatively highly taxed commodity we, along with the rest of the beer community in Tampa Bay, are helping to bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue. This goes directly to our local communities, counties and the state of Florida. Certainly, as one of the larger breweries in the area, we are proud of the direct impact that our brewery is making. At the same time we think the more compelling story is that there are now over 80 breweries in the Tampa Bay area, which is incredible because 10 years ago there were six. Our industry is helping to directly impact the local economy in a meaningful way. 

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://www.cigarcitybrewing.com/

 

Spotlight On: Matt Crum, Executive Vice President, FrankCrum

Spotlight On: Matt Crum, Executive Vice President, FrankCrum

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read November 2019 — Achieving longevity in any marketplace is difficult. That level of difficulty increases significantly when an area is growing and competition is introduced on a frequent basis. The solution to continuing to remain a leader is the flexibility to evolve with a customer’s needs, as well as having the ability to quickly switch gears in terms of focus for the business. Matt Crum, the executive vice president for Clearwater-based FrankCrum, understands these concepts, an understanding that has contributed to 38 years of success for his family’s business. 

 

 To what do you attribute the company’s longevity in this market? 

 

Change is inevitable in any business and I believe part of the reason we have been successful over the years is our acceptance and embrace of change. The company started as a staffing firm in 1981, opened what is the professional employer organization (PEO) a few years later, and we now have an insurance carrier, insurance agency and a managing general agency all under the FrankCrum flag. We understand that to remain relevant, we must continue to evolve with our customer’s needs. Something that has remained the same since we’ve been in business is our value system. Our three brand pillars are integrity, prosperity and affinity and those ideals are extended to all of the stakeholders in our business.

What benefits have been afforded to FrankCrum remaining a privately held business all these years? 

Tampa Bay, and specifically Clearwater, is more of a regional business hub as compared to some of the other, large markets in the Southeast. While there is a national company presence in the region, there are not a lot of big companies headquartered here. Being a privately held business allows us the autonomy to make decisions on a different time horizon than publicly traded or private equity-owned businesses. We can make an evaluation without having to consider what our shareholders are going to say or how the quarterly results are going to be affected. It lends itself to longer term thinking, clearly focusing on what is important and executing.

How has the location of Clearwater been beneficial to the success of FrankCrum? 

Being in the Clearwater/Tampa Bay region has been a huge benefit to our business. It is a fantastic market as the cost of living is pretty low, there is easy access to the No. 1 beach in the country, there are major market sports teams and the region really has everything that any other major market in the country has. The friendly tax environment for individuals and companies makes it easier to compete on a national level, especially when we are competing against the companies based in more expensive, higher tax environments. This location also helps in recruiting people who live in those environments. The idea of paying less in taxes and living in a great area is attractive to them. 

What lessons did you learn from the last financial crisis and how do they apply now? 

As a professional employer organization (PEO), we offer payroll processing, HR services and consulting, tax and benefits administration, and workers’ compensation and risk management to our customers.  Prior to the financial crisis, we were more specialized, focusing on specific industry segments. This was good while it lasted but hit us pretty hard during the recession. It forced us to look closely at our processes and our service offering. We realized we needed to invest pretty heavily in technology and personnel to expand our potential customer base and prepare for growth as the economy turned around. It turned out to be a successful strategy because we’ve experienced very solid growth over the last eight to nine years.  Our business benefits from the strength in the labor market and rising wages. As competition increases for talent, businesses need to improve their benefit offering so they often turn to a PEO. As they grow, especially into other states, we help them stay in compliance with state and local laws. 

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://www.frankcrum.com/

 

Spotlight On: Frank Dame, EVP & COO , Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Spotlight On: Frank Dame, EVP & COO , Clearwater Marine Aquarium

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read November 2019 — The city of Clearwater has a lot of enticing offerings within its borders, ranging from the No. 1 beach in the United States to a multitude of arts and cultural options. One of the most widely recognizable features of the city is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. As a staple of marine conservation and education as well as the filming location for both Dolphin Tale feature length films, the aquarium has adapted its business model to remain strong after all these years. Invest: spoke with Executive Vice President and COO for the aquarium Frank Dame, about adapting its business practices to stay competitive, the renovations being made to the aquarium, the challenges from last year’s red tide and maintaining Clearwater’s No. 1 beach status. 

 

 How have you adapted your business to stay competitive?

Before the movie Dolphin Tale came out, we implemented a new philosophy and strategy. Although we are a nonprofit, we decided we would run the aquarium like a for-profit company and develop a business model that could fund the operations of Clearwater Marine Aquarium with minimal donations. We would then use donations to expand the business and for our various initiatives. We set this business model in place, and then expanded the gift shop, improved the guest experience and enhanced our food service. This started to drive revenue, and between 2006 and 2010, we grew attendance from 75,000 a year to about 220,000 just before the movie was released. The year after the movie was released in 2012, our attendance went from 220,000 to over 740,000. 

What can be expected for Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s new facilities? 

We are under construction. This is an $80-million project that is being supported by the city, county and the state. We were awarded $26 million from Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater, while the city of Clearwater gave us $5 million, plus the land where we are located. The state of Florida also donated another $3 million in a grant, and we have an ongoing capital campaign to raise another $15 million. Overall, we have had a tremendous amount of support from the community. When we open the doors to our new facility, sometime next year, we are going to have almost four times the guest space we have now. We are also building five new dolphin pools. Currently, between all our facilities we have about 985,000 gallons of water, and these five new dolphin pools will add another million and a half gallons. We are really ramping up our ability to rescue more animals and provide a better living environment for our dolphins, as well as drastically improve the guest experience.

How much of an adverse effect did last year’s red tide have on the region? 

A year or so ago when the red tide came through the region, it had an extremely adverse effect on the local economy. We should commend Pinellas County because they tried to get in front of this issue by hiring boats to collect the dead fish and debris offshore before it ever hit the beaches. Our city was out there at 4:30 in the morning raking the beaches to make sure that tourism was not too badly impacted by it. While we were impacted somewhat, it could have been a lot worse. That red tide probably resulted from the runoff from storm water and other waste that goes into our waterways. This is damaging not only to the water environment itself, but to the tourism sector and the local economy, so human impact should always be something that we are conscious of. 

How can Clearwater Beach maintain its title as No. 1 beach in the nation? 

We need to focus on maintaining our recognition as the No. 1 beach in the nation, and we can’t accomplish this by just promoting ourselves as No. 1. The mission now is to make us the No. 1 beach because we are ocean friendly. We can do this by eliminating trash and doing things like stopping the use of single-use plastics. At the aquarium, we have gotten rid of all plastic bottles. Our water bottles now are all biodegradable and our spoons are all made of bamboo as opposed to plastic. We are trying to be an example of an environmentally responsible organization, and teaching people the right way to live in a model of environmental sustainability. 

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://www.seewinter.com/

 

Spotlight On: Courtney Orr, Ybor Development Manager, Ybor City Development Corporation

Spotlight On: Courtney Orr, Ybor Development Manager, Ybor City Development Corporation

Writer: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read October 2019 — Founded in the late 1800s, Ybor City is not only a staple in the Tampa Bay region but in the entire state of Florida. While it is not geographically large, Tampa Bay’s National Historic Landmark District has quite a large economic impact on the region. Invest: Tampa Bay recently spoke with Courtney Orr, the Ybor development manager for Ybor City Development Corporation, who discussed the impact of changing demographics on the district, respecting Ybor City’s history in light of ongoing development and the vital role young professionals play in the future of Ybor. 

 

How have the changing demographics of the region impacted Ybor City? 

The dynamics of Ybor City are shifting as we see an increase in the residential population, office users and one-of-a-kind restaurants and retailers. What’s most notable though is the influx of residents wanting to call Tampa’s National Historic Landmark home. Ybor has long been known strictly as an entertainment district and that mindset is changing with the current progressive shift underway. 

How are you working to improve Ybor City for the future while still respecting its history? 

Safeguarding Ybor’s historic features and history, especially the cigar industry from which Ybor City was built, is fundamental to the neighborhood’s success. The city of Tampa’s Barrio Latino Commission provides oversight to historic preservation by reviewing all development projects to ensure Ybor’s charm stays intact. We participate by offering a commercial facade grant to inspire historic preservation. This grant, along with other separate ones we offer, has made a tremendous difference throughout the historic neighborhood. Altogether, it helps breed additional private investment that enhances the district and ultimately will forever maintain Ybor’s charm.

Fortunately, Ybor draws very unique restaurant concepts here. Copper Shaker is one example of a successful restaurant opening its second location on 7th Avenue by the end of the year. New establishments like it preserve Ybor’s distinct vibe and with all the new residential development online, retailers are sure to follow.

What role do young professionals play in the development of Ybor City? 

Young professionals play a big role in the overall Ybor scene. They love the area’s walkability and many are willing to forgo their cars. They tend to favor smaller living quarters, if it guarantees them a certain quality of life in a stimulating neighborhood. As more young professionals move in so will office users to gain access to that creative talent, not to mention to enjoy all that Ybor has to offer too.

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

https://yborcityonline.com/

 

Spotlight On: Daniels Ikajevs, Chairman, The Ring Workspaces

Spotlight On: Daniels Ikajevs, Chairman, The Ring Workspaces

Writer: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read October 2019 — As the need for office space continues unabated, innovative solutions like coworking spaces are rising to fill the gap. One such coworking space is The Ring, which is a state-of-the-art co-working space with an emphasis on health and wellness. It is based in Downtown Clearwater. The Ring held its grand opening on April 26 and is home to over 70 companies across the Tampa Bay area, with about 110 people coming to the space on a daily basis. Invest: spoke with Daniels Ikajevs, chairman of The Ring Workspaces, about his innovative approach to office space, its collaboration with Harvard University and why Clearwater is the perfect location for The Ring Workspaces. 

Why was it important to construct The Ring to WELL standards? 

WELL standards are still fairly new, but they are becoming more commonplace. There is some similarity with LEED building standards, but WELL is more human-centric, and it looks at what is important for people inside the physical space, such as quality of the air, nutrition inside the space, access to daylight, biophilia and other health and wellness-related aspects. It also focuses on everything that LEED emphasizes, like quality of the materials, energy efficiency, and so forth. There is only one WELL-certified co-working space in the world and that is in Boston. We are in the process of getting our certification, and unlike in Boston where they have silver-level certification, we are going for the platinum level. 

What are some ways The Ring is working to help promote and foster the startup and tech ecosystem in the region? 

One of the ways we are doing this is through a collaboration The Ring entered with Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health to pilot their innovation and sustainable technology program in Tampa Bay. This will be the first U.S.-based location for this program. It will happen over the course of two years, and will consist of a first and second round in which the university professors will teach young startups how to bring their ideas into reality. They will provide a blueprint on what investors are looking for when they go out and try to raise money. At the end of the program, people who are successful in funding their ideas will receive a certificate of completion from Harvard University T.H Chan School of Public Health. 

How is Clearwater the perfect match for a coworking space like The Ring?

When we were looking at locations for The Ring, we looked at what makes Clearwater a more attractive market for startups. Clearwater offers lower real estate costs in comparison to similar Tampa and St. Petersburg markets. We are geared more toward the startup culture, and because the cost of doing business in Clearwater is less than anywhere else in Tampa Bay, we thought we could use this environment to attract more startups. As a startup you try to save money every step of the way until you reach the maturity stage of the business, so real estate is one of the biggest values that Clearwater can offer. The overall business environment in Clearwater is also in line with the four principles of The Ring, which are health, innovation, sustainability and productivity.

What does the future of coworking spaces look like? 

Coworking spaces will continue on an upward trend, especially as more startups emerge all around the Tampa Bay region. In this fast-moving business environment it is very difficult for these startups to predict the amount of space they will need in the near future, so coworking spaces like The Ring that offer flexible memberships where these businesses can upgrade or downgrade with ease are a huge benefit. Flexibility is key for startups, which is why big players in the coworking space, like Spaces, are expanding quickly to address the growing demand. It will also be interesting to see how the coworking concept works in a down market, as this has not been properly tested yet. There is no doubt in my mind that there will be a down market in real estate in the near future, so we will pay special attention to see how this market adjusts and operates when this happens. 

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit: 

http://theringworkspaces.com/

 

Spotlight On: Brian Katz, CEO & Founder, Katz Capital

Spotlight On: Brian Katz, CEO & Founder, Katz Capital

Writer: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read October 2019 —There has never been a more perfect time to invest in Tampa Bay then the present. With seemingly all sectors of the economy in expansion mode, it is not a surprise that both foreign and domestic investment has been streaming into the Bay area at a rapid rate. Invest: Tampa Bay spoke with Brian Katz, the CEO and founder of Katz Capital whose business is headquartered in Tampa Bay  and focused on investing in the real estate and financial services sectors. Katz covered the advantages of being headquartered in the region, keeping his company’s growth sustainable and what makes Tampa Bay resilient in the face of real estate market changes.  

What makes Tampa Bay a conducive environment for your business? 

From a pricing standpoint, although nationally we are in a low interest rate environment, Tampa relative to Orlando, South Florida or places like Atlanta is still an affordable market. My personal feeling is that we are soon going to have negative interest rates. Six months ago, the collective mindset was that we would be in a rising rate environment, but that is simply not the case. A good analogy for what Tampa Bay is in terms of the scope of the market is that the region is a value stock. As a real estate and financial services private equity firm, this is a really great time for us to be in this market.

How does a business like Katz Capital sustain its growth in Tampa Bay’s business environment? 

Our various businesses employ different investment strategies for us to be able to remain sustainable. When I think of being an investor, I view the business world in terms of hunting and farming, so psychologically I am more of a farmer and all of these businesses are my crops that I can reap the benefits of on a regular basis. The problem with a hunter mentality is you can get the big kill, but it can be a long time before getting another kill, which is risky. To remain sustainable in this business environment, it’s better to diversify your business so that you’re not reliant on one source of income.

How susceptible is Tampa Bay to fluctuations in the real estate market? 

The fact that real estate pricing in Tampa is still relatively attractive versus other markets, I believe insulates Tampa Bay to a degree from real estate sector cycles and general market cycles. This is the opposite of South Florida, where there tends to be more dependency on these market cycles. When the South Florida market is hot, there is tons of money pouring in and prices push up. Although it’s increasingly on investors’ radar, Tampa Bay still has a lower modulation in these cycle waves. The big concern is that asset values keep rising. If we look at real estate development in the region, land values are up, labor costs are up and material prices are up. That means to achieve the same return for the amount of risk an investor is taking, you have to raise the exit price. This is going to be one constraint that Tampa Bay is going to face, and will have to figure out how to navigate that. 

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit:

https://katzcapital.com/

Spotlight On: Ronnie Felder, Mayor, City of Riviera Beach

Spotlight On: Ronnie Felder, Mayor, City of Riviera Beach

By Max Crampton-Thomas

 

2 min read September 2019 — When Ronnie Felder won the runoff race for mayor in March, he had campaigned on the idea of revitalizing the city of Riviera Beach. Invest: Palm Beach sat down the mayor to discuss how he is encouraging economic revitalization and development in the city by rebuilding relationships with the local business community, specific industries he is targeting as part of his economic development plan and what the next few years will look like for Riviera Beach.

How are you working to strengthen the city’s relationship with local businesses? 

One of our goals is to meet with every business in this city to become more familiar with the organizations that are out there and their needs. We are learning through these relationships that a lot of these companies want to hire individuals from Riviera Beach but there is a lack of experienced workforce. We want Riviera residents to know that these job opportunities exist, and as the mayor, I feel it is my responsibility to make sure that happens. In past years, Riviera Beach did not have this established dialogue with the business community. For us to progress as a city and to have the trust of the business community, we must continue to build and strengthen this dialogue.

 

What are some industries you are targeting to help grow the city’s economy? 

We need more hotels and restaurants, which is a significant way for us to begin to push this city into the future. We do not have enough hotels to accommodate a large influx of tourism, which is impeding our growth. We have to be aggressive in our development efforts. I want to see cranes throughout Riviera Beach because when you see cranes in the city, that means economic growth, it means we are tapping into our potential and other businesses will see this and also want to be part of our city.

 

What are your short-term goals for the city’s economic development? 

We want to see exponential growth in the next two years. We will be working with businesses to encourage them to hire our young people when they graduate so we can retain some of that local talent. We have to begin to address the long-neglected infrastructure improvements and redevelopment of our public facilities like city hall, the police station and our schools. Everyone from the private and the public sectors should start seeing the benefits from our efforts to grow the local economy.

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit:

http://www.rivierabch.com/

Spotlight On: Mark Hardy, Vice President & Regional Manager, Universal Engineering Sciences

Spotlight On: Mark Hardy, Vice President & Regional Manager, Universal Engineering Sciences

Writer: Max Crampton-Thomas

2 min read August 2019 — Growth in the Tampa Bay construction industry has not only benefited construction and real estate development companies in the area, it has also been a massive plus for engineering firms. Quality development and construction is dependent upon the availability of highly professional and proficient engineers, and demand can quickly outweigh supply. Invest: Tampa Bay recently sat down with Mark Hardy, vice president and regional manager for Universal Engineering Sciences’s Tampa Bay office. Among the many topics covered, Hardy discussed the growth in demand for building inspection services, a growing focus on environmental sustainability and what the next year will hold for his office.

Which of your services are seeing the most growth in demand? 

We are seeing tremendous growth in demand for our building inspection services. A new law signed by Gov. DeSantis, allows companies like ours to provide plan review and inspections that municipalities would normally conduct. While the private provider option has been available since 2002, the new law reduces the time frame and cost that this would normally entail. As a private firm we can help accelerate the process during a time when municipalities are overwhelmed.

 

How much of a focus is environmental sustainability to your clients? 

As new projects get underway, they are hitting some roadblocks because they are infringing on wetlands. We have hired an individual who specializes in wetlands and endangered species so we can better assist clients in finding the balance between being able to do a new development and still remain cognizant of those environmental areas. Another area where we are seeing a lot of expansion is renewable energy projects, like solar farms; we are getting frequent calls to provide expertise on how to get them planned and constructed.

 

What does the next 12 months look like for your office? 

We have a lot of projects on the books that haven’t started yet but are on the horizon for the new year. This includes a new performing arts center and new contracts with Pasco County Schools, Hillsborough County Public Schools and Hillsborough County for infrastructure improvements. This year, we surpassed 100 employees at this office and we will look to build off that momentum. The remainder of 2019 and 2020 are shaping up to be really great years for the company.

 

To learn more about our interviewee, visit:

https://universalengineering.com/

Face Off: Tampa’s Transportation Task Forces

Writer: Max Crampton-Thomas

4 min read September 2019 — Whether it is Hillsborough, Pasco or Pinellas County, transportation issues seem to plague the entirety of this growing region. Mitigating these challenges requires innovative thinking and collaboration between the community, local government and both public and private organizations. Invest: Tampa Bay recently spoke with Beth Alden, executive director for the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Whit Blanton, executive director of Forward Pinellas. These two organizations, whose primary focus is addressing the transportation and transit issues in the Tampa Bay region, discussed how they are gauging community needs in regards to these issues, facilitating better transit options and how they are turning dollars into solutions.

How do you gauge the community’s needs in regards to new transportation options?

Beth Alden: We have been engaging the public with an online survey, which is an interactive, gamified survey to ask folks about their priorities in regards to transportation. We received 5,200 responses, and it is amazing how many people are saying that they want a better rapid transit system. We have also discovered that they are very interested in reusing the freight rail tracks. That would require an agreement with CSX, which owns those tracks, but it’s a very underutilized asset. There’s no freight rail track between Downtown Tampa, the airport and the Westshore Business District, and it will take some extra steps to create that.

Whit Blanton: Our challenge in Pinellas County is that we are not growing like Pasco, Hillsborough, or Manatee County. We are expected to add about 90,000 people by the year 2045, which is a small fraction of what the other counties are expected to have. We have to plan and think differently. We have a situation here where the average new worker in Pinellas County is almost 50 years old, so we are not attracting young workers, except maybe in St. Petersburg, but most young people can’t afford to live there. Our strategy is really aimed at the future of our workforce, how do we draw talent and how do we retain this talent. We believe the solution is investing in housing and better mass transit services.

How are you facilitating better transit options?

Alden: In regards to transit, having some form of passenger rail system or rapid transit system would be one way we could do that. The important point with a rapid transit system is that we provide a way for it not to get stuck in traffic, so we need to provide some space for it to run and get out of traffic. We can do this with our bus system by providing special bypass lanes for buses where there is room on major roads. The walk and bicycle infrastructure is really important as well. People do not realize how many trips they make that are less than two miles long. If there are safe ways to walk or bicycle, then they do not necessarily have to be putting another car on the road to make that short trip. This also relates to our Vision Zero project, which is the vision of zero traffic deaths in Tampa Bay.

Blanton: ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) 2.0 is our plan for moving toward more intelligent transportation systems. Since the early 2000s, we’ve done a good job of implementing smart signals for moving traffic, responding to hot spots of congestion and facilitating traffic flow.  ITS 2.0 is intended to reimagine what the next phase of that investment is going to look like, which will focus more on real-time information and also ensuring the safety of bicycling and walking. Our advanced traffic management system has been focused on moving cars through intersections and keeping the flow going, but the next phase will include recognition of pedestrians at crosswalks. We also have an integrated transit fare payment system, called Flamingo Fares, that has been under development for a couple of years. That should go live in the next year. It will be a one-fare payment that can be used all over the region, whether someone is in Hillsborough or Pinellas County.

What specific plans are being implemented to move transportation development forward?

Alden: We will start with the essentials: resurfacing, safety and smart traffic signal projects. Almost half (the new Hillsborough transportation tax) is for transit, starting with expanding the bus service so it runs on evenings, weekends and often enough that you do not have to spend an hour waiting for a transfer. This is an amazing opportunity to implement the changes we have been planning for years. There are many more exciting projects in the pipeline. We finally have the resources to make the changes that the community wants to see in Tampa Bay.

Blanton: The Gateway District is our economic engine in Pinellas County. It is where the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is located, and there are a significant number of manufacturing and office jobs in that area. The challenge is that it is a loose and segregated type of development that is in need of an update. The Gateway is in four different jurisdictions, so it can be hard to design a cohesive plan for that area. We asked all four local governments, Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg, Largo and Pinellas County, to contribute $100,000. Forward Pinellas then put in $100,000 and the Department of Transportation put in another $500,000. With all this funding, we were able to put together a million-dollar master plan that is about to be finished. It is a reimagining of how the Gateway will develop in the future and focus on sustainable development because a lot of the gateway is in a coastal, high hazard, flood-prone area where businesses and potential development are vulnerable. The plan addresses how we are looking at higher density development to support transit in that area because we need to get our workers between the counties.

 

 

To learn more about our interviewees, visit:

http://forwardpinellas.org/

http://www.planhillsborough.org/

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