Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Save our green space

By STEVE STANLEY
Published April 22, 2005

CON: Tampa General Hospital is proposing another expansion to the 288,000-square-foot addition now under construction.

Barely a year after the city approved the last expansion, TGH proposes to add 67,200 square feet to the building under construction, a 126,000-square-foot, 10-story building next to the hospital off-ramp, and a seven-story parking garage on city waterfront park land.

TGH's obvious lack of long-term planning has resulted in a proposal that would impinge on waterfront park land, prevent future expansion of bridge ramps leading to and from the hospital, discourage the use of mass transit, and add 1,400 to 5,600 vehicles to an already congested neighborhood.

On Tuesday, the City Council will decide the fate of a waterfront park when it considers TGH's rezoning request and accompanying 25-year lease of the parkland for a parking garage at $1 a year. The Davis Islands Civic Association opposes TGH's requests because we believe in long-term planning and preservation of parkland.

This particular park is the portion of Marjorie Park the city agreed to dedicate as protected park in 1985, when it tore down the historic tennis facility to build TGH's existing parking garages. The parkland is held by the city in public trust for its citizens. Approval of a parking garage on this land is a broken promise and violation of the public trust.

The value of waterfront green space in an urban area is priceless. Consider the waterfront parcels Tampa recently acquired downtown, including a 2.47-acre site along the Garrison Channel for $8-million. Mayor Pam Iorio plans to tie these spaces together via a riverwalk. Obviously, she understands the public trust doctrine and realizes that connecting green spaces creates a desirable urban oasis along the waterfront.

TGH's plan is contrary to the Davis Islands neighborhood planning effort because it eliminates the green space and water views and replaces them with an 8-foot concrete walk between a garage and Seddon Channel. TGH needs to explore alternatives.

What happens to this park is now in the hands of our elected public officials. We urge residents who care about parks and good urban planning to make their voices heard by calling council members at 274-8131, e-mailing them or attending Tuesday's meeting at City Hall.

The Davis Islands Civic Association is having a "Save the Davis Islands Waterfront Park" party with free beer, soda and snacks from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Davis Islands Garden Club, 81 Columbia Drive.

Steve Stanley is president of the Davis Islands Civic Association.

[Last modified April 21, 2005, 08:33:10]