For those of us who live in Tampa, Florida, it’s no surprise why people are falling in love with our southern, coastal gem. We’ve increasingly been topping national headlines with a Super Bowl and Stanley Cup win, beaches topping national lists and major companies choosing to relocate here.
“It’s very unique to get this versus some other parts of the state — to be close to the sports teams, and the airports, and the beaches.” – Recent Marina Pointe Buyers
With more people working remote than ever before, many are asking themselves where they really want to live…and palm trees and year-round beautiful weather are quite enticing. WalletHub ranked Tampa as the ninth fastest-growing city in the United States, and according to Niche’s 2021 Best Cities to Live in America list, Tampa was ranked among the top 50 best cities.
While escaping the cold is a clear reason people tend to move south, what else is drawing people to the Tampa Bay area?
- No personal income tax
- Diverse housing options
- Award-winning international airport
- Access to education
- Growing job market
- Top-rated beaches
- Three major sports teams
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the states with the highest migration numbers to Tampa were New York, followed by Illinois, Georgia, and Virginia. We are seeing similar trends with most of our residents buying from:
- Florida – The Tampa, Orlando and South Florida areas know that this is such a unique development for this state.
- The Northeast – Many from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut want access and year-round sunshine.
- The Midwest – Lots of Chicago interest. Why dock your boat for part of the year, when you can walk downstairs to your private boat slip?
- International – Tampa continues to top the charts as an international destination!
Construction of Tampa’s Marina Pointe, a luxury condo high-rise on Tampa Bay, reaches an important milestone as the housing market heats up.
As luxury condo buyers from around the world converge in Tampa, Marina Pointe at Westshore Marina District in South Tampa has officially topped off at 17 stories. This milestone will allow condo buyers to move into their new homes in the sky in the second half of 2022.
Fort Lauderdale-based BTI Partners completed construction of the roof of the tower almost a year after the official groundbreaking in February 2020. The luxury water-inspired high rise was designed to transform South Tampa’s urban living.
“Our first tower’s top-off is an important milestone not only for Marina Pointe, but also for the Tampa luxury residential market,” said BTI Partners CEO Noah Breakstone. “Marina Pointe is the embodiment of Tampa’s waterfront lifestyle, and that’s what is attracting our purchasers to the Westshore Marina District. Inspired by the beauty of the bay, Marina Pointe’s contemporary design will remind owners every day how fortunate they are to live on the water in the majestic Tampa / St. Pete area of Florida.”
On Friday, general contractor Plaza Construction poured the roof of the 17-story building, which is the first of three towers. The high-rise tower will be home to 113 luxury condominiums and 7 Harbor Homes with mesmerizing views of Tampa Bay and the St. Pete skyline. Marina Pointe is located off Westshore and Gandy Boulevards on Old Tampa Bay across from St. Petersburg and easily accessible from the new Selmon Expressway Extension.
“Plaza is proud to provide its expertise in high-quality construction to Marina Pointe, contributing to the growth of Tampa’s high-rise residential real estate market,” said Plaza Construction Managing Director for Central Florida, Todd Fultz. “We look forward to bringing the nautical-inspired design of the building to life in this first phase.”
Marina Pointe is helping bring some relief to Tampa’s hyper-low-inventory housing market. According to Florida Realtors, the Tampa Bay area’s estimated months’ supply of housing inventory is below one month.
Inspired by the beauty of the bay, Marina Pointe’s contemporary design will remind owners every day how fortunate they are to live on the water in the majestic Tampa / St. Pete area of Florida.”
Marina Pointe will feature state-of-the-art facilities, including a 24-hour doorman/concierge, a fitness center, an amenity deck overlooking the marina, a resident club with an entertainment room and virtual golf simulator among other amenities. Individual condo unit sizes range from 1,750 to over 4,500 square feet and offer a variety of floor plans, ranging from two to five bedrooms. The residences are priced ranging from the low $800,000s to over $3 million.
Finding inspiration in the breath-taking views of the bay, renowned architect Kobi Karp designed the luxury waterfront condominium to feature expansive open-living areas with up to 10-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass walls and windows, and oversized balconies with panoramic views of Old Tampa Bay and Downtown St. Pete on the horizon.
Marina Pointe is in the heart of Westshore Marina District, South Tampa’s premier walkable community along Tampa Bay. The award-winning District invites residents to stroll along waterfront trails with unobstructed views of St. Pete. Designed to offer a new quality of life, the Marina Pointe experience features access to a comprehensive array of amenities within the District, including specialty shops, waterfront restaurants, 1.5 miles of urban trails and parks lined with public art, outdoor lifestyle programming, access to watersports, and a brand new, deep-water marina.
Westshore Marina District is also home to several residential projects built by WCI by Lennar, The Related Group and Bainbridge, which have attracted hundreds of residents to a once-dormant waterfront. Once the master-planned community and neighboring residential projects are completed in the next several years, the area will have nearly 2,400 new residences.
Some of the first retail tenants opening at the Westshore Marina District’s 70,000-square-foot town center include: Duckweed Urban Market, Sand Surf Co., Cru Cellars, Crave Spa, Salon Color Bar, DRNK coffee + tea and QWENCH juice bar.
To learn more about Marina Pointe’s luxury condominiums and the all-new marina’s amenities and services, visit the website here.
As luxury condo buyers from around the world converge in Tampa, Marina Pointe at Westshore Marina District in South Tampa has officially topped off at 17 stories. This milestone will allow condo buyers to move into their new homes in the sky in the second half of 2022.
Fort Lauderdale-based BTI Partners completed construction of the roof of the tower almost a year after the official groundbreaking in February 2020. The luxury water-inspired high rise was designed to transform South Tampa’s urban living.
“Our first tower’s top-off is an important milestone not only for Marina Pointe, but also for the Tampa luxury residential market,” said BTI Partners CEO Noah Breakstone. “Marina Pointe is the embodiment of Tampa’s waterfront lifestyle, and that’s what is attracting our purchasers to the Westshore Marina District. Inspired by the beauty of the bay, Marina Pointe’s contemporary design will remind owners every day how fortunate they are to live on the water in the majestic Tampa / St. Pete area of Florida.”
On Friday, general contractor Plaza Construction poured the roof of the 17-story building, which is the first of three towers. The high-rise tower will be home to 113 luxury condominiums and 7 Harbor Homes with mesmerizing views of Tampa Bay and the St. Pete skyline. Marina Pointe is located off Westshore and Gandy Boulevards on Old Tampa Bay across from St. Petersburg and easily accessible from the new Selmon Expressway Extension.
“Plaza is proud to provide its expertise in high-quality construction to Marina Pointe, contributing to the growth of Tampa’s high-rise residential real estate market,” said Plaza Construction Managing Director for Central Florida, Todd Fultz. “We look forward to bringing the nautical-inspired design of the building to life in this first phase.”
Marina Pointe is helping bring some relief to Tampa’s hyper-low-inventory housing market. According to Florida Realtors, the Tampa Bay area’s estimated months’ supply of housing inventory is below one month.
Marina Pointe will feature state-of-the-art facilities, including 24-hour doorman/concierge, a fitness center, amenity deck overlooking the marina, resident club with entertainment room and virtual golf simulator among other amenities. Individual condo unit sizes range from 1,750 to over 4,500 square feet and offer a variety of floor plans, ranging from two to five bedrooms. The residences are priced ranging from the low $800,000s to over $3 million.
Finding inspiration in the breath-taking views of the bay, renowned architect Kobi Karp designed the luxury waterfront condominium to feature expansive open-living areas with up to 10-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass walls and windows, and oversized balconies with panoramic views of Old Tampa Bay and Downtown St. Pete on the horizon.
Marina Pointe is in the heart of Westshore Marina District, South Tampa’s premier walkable community along Tampa Bay. The award-winning District invites residents to stroll along waterfront trails with unobstructed views of St. Pete. Designed to offer a new quality of life, the Marina Pointe experience features access to a comprehensive array of amenities within the District, including specialty shops, waterfront restaurants, 1.5 miles of urban trails and parks lined with public art, outdoor lifestyle programming, access to watersports, and a brand new, deep-water marina.
Westshore Marina District is also home to several residential projects built by WCI by Lennar, The Related Group and Bainbridge, which have attracted hundreds of residents to a once-dormant waterfront. Once the master-planned community and neighboring residential projects are completed in the next several years, the area will have nearly 2,400 new residences.
Some of the first retail tenants opening at the Westshore Marina District’s 70,000-square-foot town center include: Duckweed Urban Market, Sand Surf Co., Cru Cellars, Crave Spa, Salon Color Bar, DRNK coffee + tea and QWENCH juice bar.
To learn more about Marina Pointe’s luxury condominiums and the all-new marina’s amenities and services, visit the website here.
The first luxury condo tower in the Westshore Marina District has topped out.
Plaza Construction has poured the roof of the 17-story tower, the first of three to break ground in the district’s Marina Pointe, developer BTI Partners said. The tower also includes seven townhouses, which the developer has branded “Harbor Homes.”
It started construction in February 2020 amid concerns of an oversupply issue in Tampa’s luxury condo market. Now, with Tampa Bay residential real estate prices surging, BTI says the new units represent much-needed inventory in a tight market.
Two-thirds of the tower’s 113 units are reserved, a spokeswoman for Fort Lauderdale-based BTI said. The condos are priced from the $800,000s to more than $3 million and range from 1,750 to over 4,000 square feet.
“Our first tower’s top-off is an important milestone not only for Marina Pointe but also for the Tampa luxury residential market,” BTI Partners CEO Noah Breakstone said in a statement. “Marina Pointe is the embodiment of Tampa’s waterfront lifestyle, and that’s what is attracting our purchasers to the Westshore Marina District.
The district is also home to luxury apartments and townhouses, as well as a retail village. Duckweed Urban Market, Sand Surf Co., Cru Cellars, Crave Spa, Salon Color Bar, DRNK coffee + tea and QWENCH juice bar have all signed on as tenants in the village.
TAMPA, Fla. — On Monday, April 19, the Selmon Expressway West Extension opens, which should make the commute between Hillsborough and Pinellas much easier.
The Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) estimates 40% of traffic will be pulled from Gandy Boulevard onto the extension, helping with congestion in that corridor.
Now businesses are hoping for a rebound after they say three years of construction deterred customers.
“A lot of cones, a lot of equipment moving. It was definitely an ordeal for people to just drive on this route,” Jerk Hut owner Andrew Ashmeade said.
Ashmeade has three Jerk Hut locations; the one in South Tampa has been around for more than a decade. But since 2017, the pastel-colored building has been competing with an abundance of orange. As more heavy-duty machinery came to Gandy to start construction on the extension, Ashmeade says he saw fewer customers.
“It was definitely a drop in business while the construction was going on,” Ashmeade said.
ABC Action News went through hundreds of pages of studies concerning the project.
In 2106, before crews even broke ground, THEA commissioned the University of South Florida for an economic assessment study. Researchers concluded, “construction can disrupt [sic] patrons’ accessibility to businesses and produce negative impacts on sales revenue.”
They went on to say businesses relying on pass-through traffic would be hit the hardest. That includes fast food spots like Jerk Hut. Altogether, estimates showed those businesses losing an estimated $4.6 million in gross sales revenue.
“The business community was very concerned about the impact it could have on the community and on their ability for customers to see their businesses,” THEA CEO Joe Waggoner said.
Waggoner told ABC Action News the agency knew early on business owners had to be prioritized.
“We literally went door to door to visit every single business establishment in this quarter to hear from them,” Waggoner said.
Documents briefly discuss those encounters. Reactions ranged from support to two business owners threatening a class-action lawsuit. But, Waggoner said from design to construction, his team wanted to find a middle ground to ease the inconvenience.
“We made assurances like during construction we wouldn’t block any driveways,” Waggoner said. “The elevation makes it easy for customers to see across the street and to see the businesses they want to get to.
We didn’t take a single driveway away from any business that’s out there.”
THEA partnered with several area chambers of commerce and created the Shop Gandy initiative. It encouraged consumers to patronize an estimated 170 businesses in the corridor to lessen the blow of lost revenue during construction.
Now, it serves as a marketing tool to let shoppers know about sales and growth in the area.
“Even during construction, 10 new businesses opened up on Gandy Boulevard while we’ve been doing our work. So it’s been a beneficial relationship,” Waggoner said.
A year into construction on the extension, Jenny Beadle says the team at Woodie’s Wash Shack knew South Tampa was the perfect place for their second location.
“We really wanted to be in the heart of an area where there’s a lot of families. There’s a lot of growth, and there’s a lot of potential for us to really be successful,” Beadle said.
For the owners of this retro-themed car wast, the good outweighed the bad — even the most terrible characteristic of stand-still traffic.
“Rush hour made me pull my hair out,” Beadle said.
Now with all the cones out of the way, traffic is already running smoother. Traffic studies for the extension estimate wait times at lights from Westshore to Dale Mabry will be reduced between 49% and 65%.
An added bonus is both residents and business owners say it’s not the eyesore they thought it would be.
“I love everything about it,” Ashmeade said. “It’s almost something well-designed and decorated to match everything that we have in the area.”
“I’d prefer obviously to see open sky, but it doesn’t really end up bothering me all that much,” South Tampa resident Samantha Miller said. “But I think they did a really good job by landscaping the medians underneath it. They’ve tried to keep it as low key as they possibly could.”
The drapes come off the signage on Monday, and the extension opens up. Business owners say this is a new sign of growth.
