By Matt Wiley
The future development of the land owned by Hillsborough County across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Hunter’s Green is in the hands of New Tampa residents. At least, that’s what county representatives repeatedly told attendees at a recent public meeting held at the New Tampa Regional Library on Cross Creek Blvd.
The meeting, held on May 5, attracted more than 40 people who wanted to give county officials their input about what should be done with the 13.4 vacant (and buildable) acres of about 80 acres of land the county purchased years ago to create the large retention pond now handling the drainage for the now-completed widening of BBD in that area.
Several attendees showed interest in the creation of a cultural center at the county-run meeting and requests also were heard for a dog park, playground area and even no development at all. Several of the speakers expressed other concerns about the development process itself.
Several projects have been proposed for the land over the past ten years, but Hillsborough commissioner Ken Hagan (who was unable to attend the May 5 meeting) has said for some time that he hopes to bring some sort of a “passive park” (similar to Flatwoods Park just south of Hunter’s Green) to the area, which could include a dog park and biking/hiking trails, as well as a cultural center, but the meeting on May 5 was held to give county officials a better understanding of what the public would like to see developed at the site.
“Today is the beginning of a fact-finding mission,” Dist. 2 Comm. Victor Crist — who lives in New Tampa — told the crowd. “Nothing is in concrete.”
Crist explained that both he and Hagan share interest in developing the site and want to put together a private-public partnership (also known as a P3) to develop the useable acres of land.
“The county’s interest up here (in the New Tampa area) has fallen short, and we recognize that,” Crist said.
For the past several years, the New Tampa Players (NTP) theatre troupe has been trying to find a permanent home and has been actively pushing a deal with the county for the land in question to build a community theater. NTP president Doug Wall said during the meeting that the problem is not that NTP couldn’t raise the funds for a theater, but that there were additional county requirements that made it more difficult to comply.
In addition to the 13.4 acres for a cultural center, or whatever the county ultimately decides to build on the parcel, there also are 3-4 acres along BBD that could be sold to the private sector for development. However, Crist said that he has another idea.
“If we lease (instead of sell) the land (to the private sector), we can control what happens on it, the way it looks, the way it feels and the way it blends with the community,” Crist said. “We can also bond the rent. This allows the county to begin development at the same time as the private sector.”
Crist added that county staff currently is conducting feasibility studies to determine what the best course of action should be.
“(The developable land) is not large enough for sports,” Crist said. “The (environmental) footprint (for athletic fields) is too large.”
But, Crist says that there’s easily enough room for a cultural center, similar to the University Area Community Development Center, which he helped facilitate near the University of South Florida.
The planned cultural center in New Tampa would have room for a performance theater, as well as office and meeting space, Crist explains. He also noted that the acreage would provide enough room for adequate parking and room for stormwater runoff mitigation, as well.
“We’re not dead set on what should go in there,” Crist said. “The community should tell us what should go in there.”
Adam DeLuca, the president of the Quail Creek Homeowners Association in Hunter’s Green, suggested closing the future park or facility at a certain time, similar to Flatwoods, to keep people from hanging out late.
“Traffic and security are a big concern for Hunter’s Green residents,” DeLuca said.
Elizabeth Belcher, who is running against Crist in the November local elections to represent New Tampa on the county commission, said that she wants to see a button for more info and updates about the land decision on the front page of the county’s website.
Other residents were concerned about the timeframe for development.
“The most important part is the decision making,” said Swathi Bose, a representative for the county’s Real Estate & Facilities Department. “If county funded, it could take at least a year and a half before permits (are received) and infrastructure (is built). A P3 or RFP (request for proposal process) could take longer. The land will have to go through the rezoning process and that could take up to two years.”
David Larson, of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church (located on Cross Creek Blvd.) spoke of the church’s plan to convert its current sanctuary into a community event center once its new sanctuary’s construction is complete.
“We have a 28,000-sq.-ft. building basically across the street,” Larson explained, adding that the space will have a stage and seating for more than 1,000 people. “I question the need for a second center like this, especially if it’s going to cost the public money.”
Wall said that NTP does have interest in the St. Mark’s building, as well. “We want to look at both sites and see what fits (NTP) best,” Wall said.
To watch the presentation and meeting online, please visit the Hillsborough County YouTube channel. Stay with the New Tampa Neighborhood News as we continue to follow this story as it develops.
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