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Obituary

Architect cast grand visions on small scale

His models of some of Tampa's grandest buildings enticed investors, tenants and sometimes his children.

By MARTY CLEAR
Published June 3, 2005

JOSEPH J. DiMISA - 1945-2005

OLD HYDE PARK - Joseph J. DiMisa spent his career creating tiny buildings. But he played an important role in the creation of some of Tampa's biggest skyscrapers.

Mr. DiMisa was trained as an architect. But his life's work consisted of building detailed architectural scale models of proposed buildings. He created models for many condominiums on the Pinellas County gulf beaches as well as several downtown Tampa landmarks, including the round building at Ashley Street and Kennedy Boulevard.

He died Wednesday (May 25, 2005) at age 60 of liver cancer.

When area architects needed scale models of major projects, they would often turn to Mr. DiMisa's company, DiMisa and Associates, family members said. Mr. DiMisa was a perfectionist and insisted on keeping his company small.

"He would only work on one building at a time, but he would work on it for months," said his daughter, Jennifer Rhoades. "He'd work on it all night long."

Mr. DiMisa considered himself an artist, and his models were known for their realism and attention to detail. Instead of buying model trees from hobby stores, he would take his six children on field trips to Ocala where they'd gather lichens that he'd use to fashion trees, grass and other landscaping details.

Fungus-gathering wasn't a typical activity for a family outing, Rhoades said, but Mr. DiMisa and his wife, Jane, created such a loving family atmosphere that the details didn't matter.

"We didn't care what we did, as long as we were together," Rhoades said.

The models were used to attract investors, get permits from governmental agencies and show prospective tenants. Once the projects were completed, the models often became toys for his children.

Mr. DiMisa was in his early 20s when he and his wife came to Tampa from their native Queens, N.Y., in the late 1960s. The area's building boom had started, so Mr. DiMisa thought it would be a great place to start a business. He worked for another company for a few years before starting DiMisa and Associates on Florida Avenue north of downtown.

He proved to be an astute businessman, but his family always came first.

Every Sunday was devoted to a family meal at their home in Old Hyde Park, highlighted by Mr. DiMisa's sandwich creations. He'd put the same care into sandwich platters that he did into his architectural models.

"They were works of art," said his son Joseph F. DiMisa. "You wouldn't want to touch them because they looked so beautiful."

Mr. DiMisa collected vintage cars and kept about 60 antique American automobiles in a warehouse. He liked Chrysler products and Cadillacs and had a special fondness for Dodge Challengers, Plymouth Barracudas and convertibles.

"Some of them are in great shape, and some of them are in not-so-great shape," Rhoades said. "He always looked for bargains."

Usually, she said, Mr. DiMisa would buy a car, drive it for a few months and then store it. He'd look for excuses to drive his cars, picking up his grandchildren from school or taking them for rides on Bayshore Boulevard with the top down.

His art and his devotion to his family endured to his final days. Even when he was in the hospital, Mr. DiMisa often prepared presents for his visiting grandchildren.

"He would take the rubber gloves and blow them up and draw faces on them, very artistically, so the kids would have something to take home from the hospital," Rhodes said. "I've never met any grandfather who loved his grandchildren so much."

Mr. DiMisa is survived by his mother, Josephine; a brother Mario; his wife; six children, Carie Ann Herrera, Joseph F. DiMisa, Christopher DiMisa, Gregory DiMisa, Jennifer Rhoades and Noel DiMisa; and 15 grandchildren.

[Last modified June 2, 2005, 08:00:13]