TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tampa Hopes To Make Zack Street 2-Way And Artsy

ADVERTISEMENT

By RICH SHOPES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 7, 2009

TAMPA - City leaders are trying to revive plans to make Zack Street two-way and turn it into an avenue of the arts for downtown.

The city has wanted for years to get rid of the street's one-way designation, but that effort was delayed last year by a Supreme Court ruling that shot down the city's plans for how it would finance the project.

Though the city still is unsure how to finance any work, officials hope to get Zack back on the agenda this year. They want the street converted to two-way and to update it with benches, trash cans, special lighting, landscaping, angled parking and possibly a sculpture walk.

The idea is to attract retailers and galleries and link downtown to the new art museum and children's museum under construction.

"This is an important project for downtown and we hope to fund it in the coming fiscal year," Mayor Pam Iorio said.

Mark Huey, the city's economic and urban development administrator, said the city probably will borrow money for the project when interest rates on municipal markets are more favorable, possibly the third or fourth quarter.

Most of the money would go toward converting Zack from a one-way, eastbound street to two-way between Ashley Drive and Jefferson Street. Zack already is two-way between Jefferson and Nebraska Avenue.

The plans follow conversions a few years ago on Twiggs and Madison streets. Based on those projects, the Zack conversion would run $1 million-$1.2 million.

The idea, officials said, is to make downtown more pedestrian-friendly to draw retailers and residents. Scores of cities around the country have created arts districts to boost economic development.

Tom Murphy, former mayor of Pittsburgh, said that city transformed a seedy downtown district of sex shops and strip clubs into a vibrant arts district. The arts lured retailers, restaurants, offices and, eventually, condo developers.

"I can't tell you how unattractive this place was 15 to 20 years ago," said Murphy, now with the think tank the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C. "Lots of cities are doing this now. You need to create a threshold of activity. It has to be walkable and connected to restaurants and retailers."

Robin Nigh, manager of art programs for the city, said Zack could be transformed into a hub of galleries, restaurants and shops with Union Station at one end and the Tampa Museum of Art at the other. Zack itself would get new lighting, benches, landscaping and, possibly, a sculpture walk, all designed with the intention of getting people out of their cars.

"It's not a big project if it's really smart and focused," she said. "What you want to do is to create an identity, but also to have this straight shot to the park and the museums."

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT