Now that the Platt Street Bridge segment of the Tampa Riverwalk is open, pedestrians can amble 6/10 of a mile to Cotanchobee Park — and take in those postcard vistas. And maybe stop and sip a few along the way.
The starting point is actually USF Park. But before proceeding under the bridge and past the Convention Center and the Marriott Waterside, notice what’s wedged between the park and Platt. It’s 239 South Ashley Boulevard, a weedy, triangular-shaped parcel. It’s nondescript; it’s tiny; it’s intriguing. It’s in a very high-profile location across from the Tampa Convention Center.
To Lee Hoffman, the Riverwalk’s Development Manager, it could be a “prime” staging area for vendors – as downtown’s critical mass grows and the Riverwalk becomes its own destination.
“It’s fairly small (about 1,750 square feet) and very limited,” says Hoffman. “I think we have to be creative, and we have to maximize every opportunity. It could also be a kayak rental and storage area – or even bike rentals. “The key is that it can be something that can help activate the Riverwalk,” emphasizes Hoffman. “A way that keeps people coming back.”
But if you’re Donald L. Torina, the owner of that (CBD-2) parcel, and your asking price is $800,000 — or more than $450 per square foot — you’re thinking of scenarios more ambitious than that. (He’ll also consider a long-term lease at $4,000 a month.)
Broker/owner Torina, 72, has held 239 South Ashley for 25 years. He says he’s already turned down an offer of $200 a square foot from the city. He thinks the right entrepreneur will see what he foresees: a “restaurant, café/lounge, package store/lounge, high end retail or residential flat,” according to his real estate flier. In fact, Torina once thought of putting in a restaurant himself, one designed around the bow of a ship.
“This is the apex of the Riverwalk,” points out Torina. “It’s the prime spot with hotels nearby and (convention center garage) 800 parking spots across the street. And you can (with limited air rights) go up three or four stories. I’d like to see something special. I can see a classy restaurant with a lounge on top – with a canopy.”
While Torina acknowledges that the parcel is pricey, he says he has “no problem” waiting for the entire 2.2-mile Riverwalk — from Tampa Heights to the Channel District — to be completed in 2010. “I want somebody with the wherewithal to do it right,” he underscores.
“The Riverwalk will absolutely make downtown Tampa,” he asserts. “The mayor has the right idea. It will tie everything together.”
Including, presumably, a certain odd-shaped, undersized sliver of real estate.