Tampa's Channel District is such a fascinating draw and a magnet for new condominiums and shops because it is alive with cruise ships, freighters and other sights and sounds of a working waterfront. This mix of tourism and heavy industry is good for the port and for the region, and the next port director should work to keep these two industries happy.
Tampa's port, to its credit, has diversified rapidly in recent years, attracting cruise ships and dinner-dance boats to a waterfront that long was the home of commercial ship repair and loading docks. Today, the Channelside entertainment and restaurant complex draws visitors to the busy shipping channels that give downtown Tampa and Harbour Island a bustling, urban feel. The new lofts and condos planned for the district speak to the demand for living in Tampa's hot, new neighborhood.
But the port authority needs to preserve a place for old-time industrial users. Shipyards, machine shops and other operations that keep the tugs and freighters running play a vital role in keeping Tampa an important maritime center.
The port authority should look to replace its former director with an administrator who would balance the needs of the tourist and the traditional maritime industries. The port, as it should, is playing a larger role in developing the entire Channel District. The impulse is to drive up revenue for the agency - which means enticing cruise ships and residential development. Industrial users at the port have called for a study to measure the impact on jobs and the economy anytime the authority faces a development decision. That request is reasonable. It would better prepare the port's governing board to do what's best, not only for the agency, but for the region it serves.
