Westshore Alliance

   

 

 

 

 

Westshore e-news 

A monthly update for Tampa's Westshore district

May 2012

In This Issue
New Members & Milestones
Membership Drive!
Westshore Master Plan
Courtney Campbell repaving
Share the ride and save
Roland Park K-8 open house
Westshore Real Estate News
Member Company News
Upcoming Events
Get full details here

Member Orientation

May 8

 

Membership Luncheon

May 22

Topic - Republican National Convention 

 

Formal Networking

June 7

 

Shutts & Bowen

Taste of Westshore

October 7 at Hillsborough Community College

 

Westshore Alliance Golf Tournament

October 26 at Rocky Point

Committee Meetings

Members only please

 

Taste of Westshore

May 9, 3 p.m.

Contact Melanie Rodriguez

 

Master Plan Committee

May 10, 9 a.m.

Contact Ann Kulig

 

Transportation Committee

May 16, 10 a.m. 

Contact Chris Weber

 

Ambassador Committee

May 22, 11 a.m.

Contact Melanie Rodriguez

 

New Members

Cigar City Brewing, LLC

sponsored by Brandon Marshall, Marriott Corp.

 

DeVry University

 

Frank Crum Staffing

sponsored by Rick Houston, Creative Sign Designs

 

Kim Francis Communications

 

Paychex

 

SERVPRO of West Tampa

 
Time Warner Business Services, LLC
 
Urgicare Tampa, LLC

 

Receive a certificate for free admission to an upcoming Westshore Alliance Luncheon for referring a new member. Contact Melanie Rodriguez for details.

Membership Milestones
Thank you to the following members that recently renewed their Alliance membership:

 

15 to 20 Years

Concorde Companies

Cushman & Wakefield of Florida

Girl Scouts of  West Central Florida

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

URS Corporation

WestShore Plaza

 
10 to 14 Years

Grimail Crawford, Inc.

Wal*Mart

  

5 to 9 Years

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

PROSHRED Security

Redstone Asset Management Services, LLC
  
1 to 4 years

AvMed Health Plan

Bashor and Legendre, LLP, CPAs

Charles Schwab

Crowne Plaza Tampa Westshore

Decorator's Office Furniture of Tampa Bay

Florida Business Interiors

Igler & Dougherty, PA

Keiser University

Schwabe Benefits Group

The Florida Aquarium

The Rusty Pelican Restaurant & Banquet Venue
  
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Westshore Alliance News
May 22 Membership Luncheon focuses on RNC
Tampa Bay Host Committee 2012 RNC The Republican National Convention (RNC) will be in Tampa in less than four months.  Make plans to join us on May 22 at the Marriott Westshore for our monthly membership luncheon focusing on the RNC, its impact on Tampa Bay and how you can get involved.   

Guest Speakers:  
Al Austin, Chairman, Tampa Bay Host Committee and Chairman & CEO of A.S. Austin Company.
Ken Jones, President & CEO, Tampa Bay Host Committee

  

Cost: $35 for members; $55 for non-members. 
Register at our website by noon on Friday, May 18  

Media Sponsor
Tampa Bay Business Journal  
Shutts & Bowen Taste of WestshoreThe 2nd annual Shutts & Bowen Taste of Westshore will be held on October 7, 2012 at Hillsborough Community College (HCC).  The event showcases the great diversity of Westshore's restaurant scene.  We have partnered with HCC to produce the event and many of their hospitality and culinary students will join us in this effort. Thanks to Shutts & Bowen LLC for their title sponsorship again this year.   Thanks also to Bruce Edel from HCC, our committee chair, and David Trainer from Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar for chairing our restaurant committee. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or would like to volunteer, contact our office at 813-289-5488 or email [email protected].

Win prizes during our Annual Membership Drive

Our membership drive is underway and runs through September 4th.  It's easy to participate!  Simply refer companies that you believe would benefit from Alliance membership to Melanie Rodriguez, our membership director, and she will follow up with them.  Prizes include a stay at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza, breakfast at Pelagia Trattoria, dinner and lunch at the Centre Club and 3 month complimentary membership to the Centre Club.   As always, you receive a certificate for free admission to a Westshore Alliance Luncheon just for referring a new member.  If you have an interest in providing a prize, please contact Melanie Rodriguez at (813) 289-5488.  Download contest details here.

Westshore Area News & Opportunities

Westshore Master Plan Update

Our consultant is nearing completion of the information gathering task for the Westshore Master Plan.   We will be soliciting feedback on initial concepts for the plan at the next Westshore Alliance Master Plan Committee meeting on May 10.  The plan will be complete early next year and will identify specific improvements to streets, sidewalks, parks, etc. that will foster new private-sector investment and create opportunities for economic development throughout Westshore.   For more information contact Ann Kulig.

Courtney Campbell repaving underway

Repaving of the Courtney Campbell Causeway from the Pinellas County line to Rocky Point began last week.   The Florida Department of Transportation advises motorists to use caution as the pavement may at times be rough and the lanes uneven.  Lane closures are allowed between 8 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. The majority of the paving activities will be completed by August. 

Sprucing up Landscaping in Westshore

The city is sprucing up the landscaping on Boy Scout and West Shore Blvds. over the next few weeks.  On Boy Scout, between Westshore and Dale Mabry, the city's contractor will be filling in missing palms and trees, adding Crape Myrtle trees on the north side and replacing damaged shrubs and groundcovers.  Shrubs in the medians on West Shore Blvd. between Cypress and Laurel Streets will also be replaced.  New annuals will be added in June.

Westshore Alliance offers commuter assistance.
With the price of gasoline at record levels, many employees are looking for ways to save on their commute costs.  The Westshore Alliance has a wealth of information about ways to save by sharing the ride to work.   We can provide information about setting up carpools or vanpools and the Emergency Ride Home program which provides a limited number of rides from work to home in case of emergencies or unplanned schedule changes.  To learn more about these and other commute option programs contact Chris Weber at 813-289-5488 or [email protected]  
Roland Park K-8 Magnet School Applications due May 7
The Roland Park K-8 Magnet School for International Studies, located at 1510 N. Manhattan, offers a fantastic option for Westshore working parents looking for a quality education experience for their children.  Want more details?  Attend an open house this week.  Visit http://rolandpark.mysdhc.org/ for dates & times.  
Be the Face of Tampa Bay.  Volunteer for the Republican National Convention.  The 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee needs thousands of volunteers to be the faces of Tampa Bay during the week of the 2012 Republican National Convention. Volunteers will welcome guests at local airports and hotels throughout the area, as well as support Host Committee programs and a variety of events during the year leading up to the convention.  For more information, visit http://2012tampa.com/get-involved/ 
Westshore Development & Real Estate News
Westshore Real estate market turning the corner...
Nearly 100 real estate industry insiders attended our 10th Annual Westshore Development Forum on April 17.   We heard a lot of positive news about the state of the real estate market in Westshore, plans for highway and airport improvements and efforts to attract/grow business in Westshore.  If you missed the event, you can get copies of the speaker presentations here.  

Saber Real Estate Advisors has broken ground for "The Corner", a development anchored by the area's first Container Store at the corner of Boy Scout and West Shore Blvds.

Watermark Acquisition Group LLC, an investment group led by Dr. Kiran Patel purchased the Watermark 5 and Watermark 7 office buildings located at 5420 Bay Center Drive and 5415 W. Mariner St. for $3.75 million.

OAC, Ltd., an Ohio limited liability company, recently purchased the K-Mart anchored shopping center located at 2905 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.

Cycle Sports Concepts has opened a new 6000 square foot showroom at 207 N. Dale Mabry Highway.  This is the first Specialized Bikes Concept Store in Florida. 

ConnectWise is moving their corporate headquarters to Independence Park I this month.  They have signed a 10 year lease for 50,000 square feet.   

Chase Bank recently purchased property at the northeast corner of Dale Mabry & Spruce Street for nearly $3 million and will be building a new branch at the location.  The new location is scheduled to open in September.

Atlanta based Perennial Properties, has recently filed a rezoning application with City of Tampa for a proposed apartment complex at 4310 W. Spruce Street. The proposal, which is subject to City Council approval, is for a 200 to 300 unit apartment complex.   It is tentatively scheduled for a public hearing before City Council on August 9.  

The City of Tampa produces a monthly newsletter that lists upcoming public hearings for rezonings, wet-zonings, variance requests and more.  You can access the latest newsletter here.
Member Company News & Events

YOUTH VIRTUAL JOB FAIR - May 13-19, 2012
Tampa Bay WorkForce Alliance is recruiting employers who can offer job opportunities to youth ages 14-24 for full-time, part-time, summer, temporary or permanent positions. IT'S FREE!  Register on http://vjf.worknetpinellas.org/ , post job openings, review submitted resumes, schedule an interview...then, make the hire! 


Tampa will welcome the US Men's National Soccer Team on June 8 as they kick off the effort to qualify for their seventh consecutive FIFA World Cup.  The US team will take on Antigua and Barbuda at Raymond James Stadium.  Tickets start at $22 and are available through www.ussoccer.com

Raymond James Stadium will also host the Brothers Of The Sun Tour Featuring Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw on Saturday, June 2.  Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com.  

Tampa Bay & Company will celebrate National Tourism Week (NTW) beginning May 7 with a full schedule of events to recognize the contributions of the hospitality industry to the local community. The events are being sponsored locally by AAA-The Auto Club Group for the tenth consecutive year and include the Ninth Annual Hospitality Olympics at Raymond James Stadium, "Rally Day for Tourism" at Tampa International Airport and the NTW Luncheon at the Tampa Marriott
Waterside Hotel & Marina. Get details at www.visittampabay.com/meetings.

ItaliAsia, located inside DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa at 4500 W. Cypress Street will offer a Mother's Day Brunch buffet on Sunday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $21.95 adults, $10.95 children 6 to 12 yrs, Children 5 & under free, Military and Seniors 20% Off.

The 3rd Annual DINE Tampa Bay Restaurant Week is back from August 3 to 17. This event gives local foodies and visitors the opportunity to enjoy a selection of specially priced three-course meals from some of the Tampa Bay area's finest restaurants. Many of Westshore's best restaurants including Boizao Brazilian Steakhouse, The Capital Grill, Fleming's, Roy's, Ocean Prime and Pelagia Trattoria will be participating.  Visit www.dinetampabay.com  for details.
If you would like to submit news about your company for an upcoming newsletter, send 25 to 50 words to [email protected].   Information must be received by the 24th of the month for publication in the next monthly newsletter.  News will be included on a space available basis.
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