Seminole Heights, Tampa, Florida
| Seminole Heights, Tampa, Florida | |
 |
|
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Florida |
| County | Hillsborough |
| City | Tampa |
| Population (2000 census) | |
| - City | |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| Website: www.seminoleheights.com | |
Seminole Heights is a neighborhood and district located in central Tampa. As of the 2000 census, the district had a population of 24,567 [1].
Description
Known for its historic background. Seminole Heights is popular due to the craftsman style bungalows from the early 20th century that remain. Certain buildings in the neighborhood existed back in the early 1900's, including the Seminole Heights Methodist Church, Seminole Heights Elementary School, Broward Elementary, Hillsborough High School, and St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Nebraska Avenue, which runs through Seminole Heights, is also U.S. Route 41, a major commercial road through the neighborhood. The road contains several retailers including Publix, Family Dollar, and a few corner stores. Garden Center, a neighborhood park, is used for many events such as art festivals and picnics. Seminole Heights has the longest stretch of Riverfront parkland in the city of Tampa. Rivercrest, Epps, and several unnamed pocket parks provide access to the Hillsborough River.
In recent years the region has seen rising property values and a decrease in crime. The area is popular among young professionals and their families who are seeking an alternative to master planned communities. The area contains two designated historical districts including Seminole Heights (local and national designation), Hampton Terrace (national designation).
An ever evolving neighborhood tradition is the "porch party." Some are sponsored by one of the three active neighborhood organizations and others by individuals. There are also two annual home tours. Old Seminole Heights Home tour has become an April tradition. Southeast Seminole Heights conducts a holiday home tour in December.
The region also is known for having a significant gay and lesbian population and many gay establishments such as bars, dance clubs , coffeehouses and resturants catering to the gay community are located in the area.
Seminole Heights is known for its civic activism. In most city and county elections, a resident from Seminole Heights is a candidate. Rose Ferlita, neighborhood drug store owner, and former president of Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association was a 2 term Tampa City Council member from 1999 to 2006 until she was elected to the Hillsborough County Commission. April Griffin, Seminole Heights resident, was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board in 2006. Randy Baron, current president of Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association, is a candidate in the March 2007 City Council race.
History of Seminole Heights
Seminole Heights was born in 1911. T. Roy Young had 40 acres and a dream to develop Tampa’s first suburb three miles north of downtown. He called it Seminole Heights.
Ten years earlier Tampa’s population had reached 26,000. A trolley line connected Sulphur Springs to downtown making travel to the suburbs possible and inviting. The streetcar made it possible to live in one area of town and work in another.
Young recognized this potential. His Seminole Development Corporation property encompassed a rectangle bordered by Hillsborough Avenue, Central Avenue, Wilder Avenue and Florida Avenue. The houses built here were mostly bungalow, oriented east-to-west and started at $5,000.
Other developments quickly followed. By 1912, the Mutual Development Company owned by Milton and Giddings Mabry and the Dekle Investment Company owned by Lee and James Dekle surveyed and platted land adjacent to Seminole Heights forming the Suwanee Heights subdivision. Bounded by Henry Avenue, Hillsborough Avenue, Central Avenue and Florida Avenue, Suwanee Heights was also a restricted subdivision. Like the original Seminole Heights, houses required the same east/west orientation but started at $1,400.
During the “Florida Bloom” years (roughly 1919-1929) more development came to areas north and east of the original subdivisions. Of course, with this development came the merchants seeing an opportunity to provide welcome goods and services to the residents. Some of those early businesses have faded away. However, many current Seminole Heights businesses have been open for more than 50 years.
Areas within Seminole Heights
Seminole Heights consists of three distinct areas:
- Old Seminole Heights (pop. 15,062)
- South Seminole Heights (pop. 3,160)
- Southeast Seminole Heights (pop. 3,384)
source for populaton figures: The Planning Commission
Education
Schools within Seminole Heights include:
See also
External links
- Seminole Heights website
- Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association
- Hampton Terrace Historic District
- South Seminole Heights
- Southeast Seminole Heights
- Seminole Heights Real Estate
- Business Guild of Seminole Heights
- Seminole Heights Blog
- Tommy's Old Seminole Heights Blog
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