Tampa Leaders Envision Arts In Zack's Future

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 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 pay for 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 in 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 cost $1 million to $1.2 million.

The idea, officials said, is to make downtown more pedestrian-friendly to draw retailers and residents. Scores of cities across 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 community. The arts lured retailers, restaurants, offices and, eventually, condominium developers.

"I can't tell you how unattractive this place was 15 to 20 years ago," said Murphy, now with the Urban Land Institute, a think tank 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 turned into a hub of galleries, restaurants and shops with Union Station at one end and the Tampa Museum of Art at the other.

"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."