Tell me about Tampa Bay? What do you know?

[BigRedChief]

I told the company in Phoenix thanks but no thanks. Now, I've got a job in Tampa Bay that I've interviewed for, past the tech screen and HR wants to talk. What do I need to know about the area? Which ones are nice? Avoid? etc. Looks like you get beachfront property for 1/2 of what it was worth a year ago. Has the area real estate reached bottom yet?

The job would be at a military base in the area on the bay.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We got our first offer to host our group from Dockside Bar and Grill in Palm Harbor
Cliff LePoer's offer to the group
I would be happy to host your group. Dockside Sports bar has over 25 HDTV's most over 40 inches. We also have a 10 Foot screen as well. Take a break afetr the game and relax by the poolside at out tiki bar. We will offer beer and wings special as well as half price apps.

For those in Clearwater/St. Pete/South Tampa it's at least a 30min drive. Never been there myself.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We got our first offer to host our group from Dockside Bar and Grill in Palm Harbor
Cliff LePoer's offer to the group
I would be happy to host your group. Dockside Sports bar has over 25 HDTV's most over 40 inches. We also have a 10 Foot screen as well. Take a break afetr the game and relax by the poolside at out tiki bar. We will offer beer and wings special as well as half price apps.

Did you end up moving there, BRC?

[CosmicPal]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

For those in Clearwater/St. Pete/South Tampa it's at least a 30min drive. Never been there myself.

It'd be an hour drive for me. I'd like something centrally located.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Did you end up moving there, BRC?

yep. Been here for about 2 months. View below from my living room taken while sitting in my barcolounger. Walked out to go to work last week and found a mantee just staring at me curiously. A lot better drive to work than going through the grandview triangle,

[clyde05]

its great for me

[DaKCMan AP]

Someplace centrally located would be nice. It also depends how many people we have if we choose someplace that's new or not that busy, but there are several sports bars that are always packed.

A Beef O'Brady's just opened this month in Clearwater/St. Pete in the Feather Sound area.
2325 Ulmerton Road #3, Clearwater, FL 33762 - (727) 299-9464

Press Box in South Tampa is always PACKED:
222 South Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL‎ - (813) 876-3528‎

Courtside grill is a nice, upscale sports bar but also gets pretty busy.
110 Fountain Parkway North, St Petersburg, FL‎ - (727) 561-7433‎

There are tons of Winghouse and a few Ale House locations.

Buffalo Wild Wings shows all the games on large projection screens, and gets busy.
21688 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater, FL‎ - (727) 723-9100‎

Those are some suggestions, but there are plenty of places all over the area.

[wutamess]

Dude... I might make that jump down there?
How's the weather and how is it as far as raising my family their?
Cost of living comparable to KC/LS or what?

I wanted Florida with a little bit of winter just enough to barely miss it.
Tampa might be too far south though.
I love fall and spring months.

Thing is... wifey's fam is in Mia, Jax and GA. Just trying to figure out if Tampa is a good place to be? What you got?

[dtebbe]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

yep. Been here for about 2 months. View below from my living room taken while sitting in my barcolounger. Walked out to go to work last week and found a mantee just staring at me curiously. A lot better drive to work than going through the grandview triangle,

Nice.. we vacationed there this summer and enjoyed it. Indian Rocks Beach.

DT

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by wutamess

Dude... I might make that jump down there?
How's the weather and how is it as far as raising my family their?
Cost of living comparable to KC/LS or what?

I wanted Florida with a little bit of winter just enough to barely miss it.
Tampa might be too far south though.
I love fall and spring months.

Thing is... wifey's fam is in Mia, Jax and GA. Just trying to figure out if Tampa is a good place to be? What you got?

I like the Tampa area. I grew up in South Florida, family still lives there, but I don't plan on moving back. That area is too crowded. To me, the Tampa area has the laid back feel of a beach town but with all the amenities a big city/metropolitan area offers. As anywhere else, certain neighborhoods are better for families/singles/etc. Weather is good, but like anywhere in FL hot & humid summers. To me, cost of living is fine.

[wutamess]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

I like the Tampa area. I grew up in South Florida, family still lives there, but I don't plan on moving back. That area is too crowded. To me, the Tampa area has the laid back feel of a beach town but with all the amenities a big city/metropolitan area offers. As anywhere else, certain neighborhoods are better for families/singles/etc. Weather is good, but like anywhere in FL hot & humid summers. To me, cost of living is fine.

To put things into perspective... we get about 2-6 murders a week in the hot months. Most of it's concentrated to a 10 sq mile area. Is it the same there? Or are serious crimes more sporadic in area? Also, how good are the schools? Are there any suburbs in particular I should be looking at (for a family). Is Tampa the same as most other FL cities where there's really no tradition because everyone is from somewhere else?

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by wutamess

To put things into perspective... we get about 2-6 murders a week in the hot months. Most of it's concentrated to a 10 sq mile area. Is it the same there? Or are serious crimes more sporadic in area? Also, how good are the schools? Are there any suburbs in particular I should be looking at (for a family). Is Tampa the same as most other FL cities where there's really no tradition because everyone is from somewhere else?

I don't watch the local news so I'm not keen on the location of all the high crime areas. There are definitely spots in Tampa & St. Pete that you don't want to go. There are also some very nice areas. For families I'd probably recommend Westchase, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Temple Terrace, New Tampa, Carrollwood, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs. I love Hyde Park/South Tampa, but certain spots there are better for young professionals than families. For that area, definitely stay south of Kennedy and North of Gandy. There are some very nice homes around Westshore which is centrally located.

I don't have kids, nor did I grow up in Tampa, so I don't know about the schools.

Tampa does have a lot of imports. Many people from up north (Ohio, Michigan, New York, etc.). However, there are also many people who grew up in Tampa.

This thread might be helpful to you: http://www.city-data.com/forum/tampa...ghborhood.html

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by wutamess

Dude... I might make that jump down there?
How's the weather and how is it as far as raising my family their?
Cost of living comparable to KC/LS or what?

I wanted Florida with a little bit of winter just enough to barely miss it.
Tampa might be too far south though.
I love fall and spring months.

Thing is... wifey's fam is in Mia, Jax and GA. Just trying to figure out if Tampa is a good place to be? What you got?

I hear jobs are hard to come by down here, but no first hand information about the job market.

I know Verizon is hiring jobs like you use to have when we worked together. Interested I can put you together with a fellow Planeteer that works there in tampa.

It's hot and humid these days. July and August is the worst time here and its when I've been here. The trade off is 62 in january.

I see no difference in the cost of living. Homes for sale are cheap. You can get a 2 bedroom condo for $100K in a good neighboorhood.

A lot of people where I work moved in from out of state. Most of them are living in Brandeton (sp?) and Riverview. Say they have great schools, good neighboorhoods.

[CosmicPal]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I hear jobs are hard to come by down here, but no first hand information about the job market.

Yep...the state of Florida is at 11% unemployment and Tampa is at 12% unemployment from the last statistics I've heard. The national average is 10%

I know Verizon is hiring jobs like you use to have when we worked together. Interested I can put you together with a fellow Planeteer that works there in tampa.

That would be me.

Verizon Wireless is indeed hiring.

I've been told by several recruiters in the Tampa area that Verizon is one of the most difficult companies to get into, but once you're in- you're golden.

I think the job market here is picking up though. I couldn't find sh*t for a year and a half, and then in the space of two weeks, I managed to score 4 different jobs before accepting the offer with Verizon.

It's hot and humid these days. July and August is the worst time here and its when I've been here. The trade off is 62 in january.

6 months of blazing heat and humidity and then 6 months of absolutely beautiful warm weather.

A lot of people where I work moved in from out of state. Most of them are living in Brandeton (sp?) and Riverview. Say they have great schools, good neighboorhoods.

Bleh on Bradenton. Some areas of Bradenton are very nice, but the rest of it is cardboard city. Riverview is cool. My girlfriend lives there. Nice neighborhood, but too far everything. Bradenton would be all right if you don't mind the long drive to/from Tampa. Too bad Sarasota is even further south, because I'd live in Sarasota if it wasn't such a long ass drive to/from Tampa each day.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by CosmicPal

That would be me.

I wasn't going to out you.....NTIAWWT

[DaKCMan AP]

I'll be in Tennessee for the Florida game, but I'll be back Sunday morning in time for the game. Unless I find out differently on Sunday, I plan on meeting at Hattrick's.