Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune February 19, 2004

Affluence Poised To Make Move To North, South
Author: JOSH POLTILOVE: jpoltilove@tampatrib.com

Edition: FINAL
Section: SOUTH TAMPA
Page: 1
Index Terms:
GROWTH SERIES

KENNEDY BOULEVARD
GANDY BOULEVARD

TPH
Article Text:

KENNEDY, GANDY BECOME LESS OF A BOUNDARY
SOUTH TAMPA - They're outsiders.

The stigma has been that homeowners south of Gandy Boulevard and just north of Kennedy Boulevard were a lower class than those in "the real South Tampa." Acronyms for south of Gandy, SOG, and north of Kennedy, NOK, are not perceived as compliments.

The stigma may be fading.

Warren Weathers, Hillsborough County's chief deputy property appraiser, said both areas are poised to improve in quality and property value.

"People are going to start ignoring these perceptions of north of Kennedy and south of Gandy," Weathers said. "They're still physically close to where they want to be."

South Tampa's assimilation already has begun, city Councilman John Dingfelder said.

"The affluence of the core of South Tampa is now sort of overflowing its borders to the north and south," he said.

At the moment, the south of Gandy area is growing faster. Property values have been increasing at a higher rate - a trend Weathers expects to continue for at least 10 years.

Figures from the property appraiser's office show that from 1998 to 2003, the median sales price for a house between Gandy and MacDill Air Force Base rose 77.8 percent, from $68,900 to $122,500. By comparison, the median price between Kennedy and Interstate 275 rose 66.3 percent, from $63,100 to $104,950.

That slower growth is partly because the noncommercial area north of Kennedy is densely built; there is greater space to build south of Gandy, though it is fast disappearing.

The area between Gandy and the base is more than double the area between Kennedy and the interstate, and there are more than twice as many single-family houses there, according to the Property Appraiser's Office.

Also, the average home north of Kennedy was built in 1954, while the average home south of Gandy was built in 1964.

"A couple of years from now, I think that the perception is going to be that anything south of Kennedy is going to be a place where everyone wants to live," Dingfelder said. "And I think it will be happening to the north a little bit slower. The interstate is really a factor in that, too."

Weathers said the interstate will serve as a mental and physical barrier for 15 to 20 years, but that major redevelopment eventually will occur north of Cypress Street as well. Until then, the area between Cypress and the interstate serves as a buffer for those who live south of it, Weathers said.

Growth already is occurring rapidly south of Gandy. If real estate market trends continue, however, the south of Gandy area may be built out in about 10 years, Weathers said. When that happens, those seeking affordable housing in the South Tampa area may have no choice but to move north of Kennedy, Weathers said.

South Tampa's boundaries might be extending, but right now, the area between Kennedy and Gandy is where most want to live.

"There's always going to be that group of people who say, "I absolutely don't want to see anything north of Kennedy or south of Gandy. I only want to see homes in that corridor,' " Realtor and Beach Park resident Emmy Purcell Reynolds said. "And if that's where they want to look, that's where I show them."

Commercial Changes

Reynolds doesn't think that has to do with stigmas. She said it is because home buyers "want a large house on a large lot and want to live on the water and have their children go to Plant High School."

Weathers expects a significant increase in chain stores along the major corridors south of Gandy. He said it won't be long before residents see the Paneras of the world replace mom and pop shops.

"I predict more retail shops, specialty restaurants," Weathers said. "Stuff that caters to the demographics with money."

Dingfelder said that isn't always a good thing.

"Sometimes that sort of commercial pressure can create unfortunate results - like the corner of Gandy and MacDill, where you've got a whole array of nice little commercial uses and that developer for Walgreens feels the need to knock down those neighborhood uses and put up another Walgreens," Dingfelder said.

Those in the area between Kennedy and Cypress don't have to worry much about this kind of growth; commercial development already is in place along the area's main corridors.

South Of Gandy

The perception of those living south of Gandy has changed already, said Al Steenson, president of the Gandy Civic Association.

"I certainly wouldn't say that they're a bunch of rednecks," he said. "They certainly aren't."

Growth south of Gandy began near Bayshore Boulevard. Now Weathers said it will slowly continue.

"What's that called? The herd theory?" property appraiser Rob Turner said. "People find where other people are locating, and they want to locate there."

The growth is continuing, though it may not last long near the base.

John Lum, co-owner of LIST Realty, said receiving approval to develop near there is getting harder.

"It's going to curb a lot of multifamily growth in that area," he said.

Dingfelder agreed the base "is being pretty proactive with the administration to try and discourage intense development too close."

North Of Kennedy

For years, Kennedy Boulevard has served as the line separating Tampa from South Tampa. But as growth continues north of Kennedy, the line may travel north as well.

Weathers said there really isn't much of a difference between the area north of Kennedy and the area just south of it - except for property values.

"The mind-set of people saying, "I want to live south of Kennedy' will soon be, "I want to live near Kennedy,' " Weathers said.

Lum said that in five to 10 years, South Tampa will extend to the interstate.

Of course, Dingfelder said, much depends on the development of Kennedy Boulevard.

So far so good. Several town house projects are being built just south of Kennedy, and the Faith Cafe, which serves food to all in need, soon will be replaced by an office complex. Seven new town houses are slated to be built in Oakford Park.

"Kennedy has had its issues - drug issues and prostitution issues, homeless issues over the years," Dingfelder said. "And the more we can clean up Kennedy and improve it and put offices and restaurants and other positive things on Kennedy, it can only assist the neighborhoods around Kennedy."

Kathy Good Jenkins, president of Oakford Park's neighborhood association, doesn't have such high hopes for Kennedy's improvement.

"Kennedy is a four-lane highway to get people where they want to go," she said. "I don't ever know that it'll ever be the grand boulevard that they want it to be."

The Becoming

Residents south of Gandy Boulevard and just north of Kennedy Boulevard live in affordable housing - at least by South Tampa standards. They have the convenience of being near downtown, the airport and the West Shore Business District.

Slowly, this is being realized.

"The homes south of Gandy cost less for a long time, just like our homes north of Kennedy," Jenkins said. "Now I really think the trend is starting to change because South Tampa is saturated."

Life may become more upscale for those on South Tampa's borders. Someday, the terms NOK and SOG may fade away. And a new, larger South Tampa may emerge.

(CHART) Property Values North of Kennedy and South of Gandy

Residents north of Kennedy Boulevard and south of Gandy Boulevard are similar in many ways. For instance, they both have borne the stigma of being lower class than those living between Kennedy and Gandy. However, both areas are becoming part of the core of South Tampa. The rise in median sales prices in those areas is shown below.

South of Gandy to MacDill A.F. Base

Average year built: 1964

Count: 6716

2003 = $122,500

North of Kennedy To the Interstate

Average year build: 1954

Count: 3294

2003 = $104,950

Tribune chart by CAITLIN HOPE WRIGHT; Source: Hillsborough County Property Appraiser

Caption:
Tribune photo by GARY RINGS

New town houses under construction at MacDill Avenue and Wyoming Avenue are part of the building boom taking place in Tampa, especially south of Gandy Boulevard.PHOTO

CHART (C)

Memo:
SOUTH TAMPA TRANSITIONS (CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS ON GROWTH)

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 835-2105.