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Award-winning Florida real estate Broker PROUDLY SELLING IN PINELLAS, HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, MANATEE & SARASOTA COUNTIES since 2004.

Historic Hyde Park Tampa Real Estate

June 7, 2017 By Chris

Hyde Park is renown as Tampa’s sophisticated, upscale historic neighborhood that refuses to remain quietly in the past.

Hyde Park’s Beginning

In the midst of Tampa’s harrowing 1886 yellow fever epidemic, which put a strangle hold on every facet of the city’s economy, railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant announced his vision for the development of farmland and citrus groves on the west side of the Hillsborough River adjacent to what is now the city’s center. At the time, the only access to the area destined to become Tampa’s Hyde Park was by ferry.

Plant possessed a strong reputation for results and the City of Tampa recognized an opportunity that might not knock twice. Very quickly, the city approved the construction of a bridge across the river at Lafayette Street (now Kennedy Boulevard), which is where Plant proposed to build a grand resort, the Tampa Bay Hotel. Suddenly, the land west of the river was accessible, and development, including the construction of a streetcar line, quickly followed.

By 1910, the groves had all been subdivided. During the 15-year period between 1913 and 1928, the area bustled with development. Simple two-story, wood frame homes soon gave way to

Hyde Park

photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

impressive revival-style (Queen Anne, Colonial, Tudor, Classical and even French and Mediterranean) residences that began to set the architectural styles of what would become today’s Hyde Park.

Home building began to slow when Florida’s real estate boom hit the skids in 1924. By the time the stock market crashed in 1929, building in Hyde Park was at a standstill.

Expanding Hyde Park

After the Depression, construction picked up again and followed the trend for smaller homes. However, World War II, and building that shifted toward the north and west created a stop-start construction environment in Hyde Park that lasted into the 1970s and 1980s when historic preservation gained popularity, which helped restart development again.

It is this stop-start development history, during which architectural styles came in and out of favor, that gives Hyde Park the diversity we see today, and what makes it one of the most desirable neighborhoods throughout the St. Petersburg – Tampa area.

Today, Hyde Park is bounded by Hillsborough Bay to the east, Kennedy Boulevard to the north, Bayshore Boulevard to the east and south, and Armenia Avenue to the west. Two of the neighborhood’s main thoroughfares, Swann and Rome Avenues, had streetcars operating on them, which is why they are extra wide still today. And Bayshore Boulevard, at 4.5 miles, is claimed to be the longest continuous sidewalk in the world.

Hyde Park Village – The Heart Of Tampa’s High End Shopping And Dining

historic hyde park tampa real estate

On the edge of the Hyde Park neighborhood is Hyde Park Village, a seven-block collection of national, regional and local retailers, cinemas, bakeries and some of the finest restaurants in all of the Tampa Bay area. It’s one of the most popular entertainment destinations along the West Coast of Florida.

Near the end of October, Hyde Park Village stages their annual Art Fair, which attracts thousands of visitors during a two-day mainly outdoor extravaganza combining all that makes Hyde Park so special. And year-round on the first Sunday of each month, The Fresh Market at Hyde Park Village presents 50-70 vendors offering up the best in retail, food and entertainment.

Overseeing the continual development and redevelopment of Hyde Park is the all-volunteer Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association (HHPNA), a non-profit association charged with preserving the historical integrity and safety of the neighborhood.

If living in a highly diverse, historic neighborhood closely adjacent to downtown Tampa, and complete with one of the finest shopping and dining menus in all of Florida appeals to you, Hyde Park needs to be on the top of your list of communities to explore.


Editor’s note: This post was originally published in April 2014. It has since been edited to reflect updated information.

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Neighborhoods Tagged With: dining, featured neighborhoods, history, Hyde Park, neighborhoods, shopping

Hyde Park Tampa’s Upscale Neighborhood

February 23, 2016 By Chris Leave a Comment

Where would you expect to find the world’s longest sidewalk? Monte Carlo? Paris? London perhaps? You might be surprised to find that it’s actually right here in the Tampa Bay area. Bayshore Boulevard holds the record. It is Tampa’s main waterfront thoroughfare running from the Hillsborough River just west of downtown and four and a half miles south to the east side of MacDill Air Force Base.

Bayshore Boulevard is a gently meandering urban greenway offering views of Tampa’s skyline, the waters of Tampa Bay, and also forms the eastern and southern boundaries of Hyde Park. Hyde Park is one of Tampa Bay’s most historic and much sought-after neighborhoods. This upscale residential neighborhood is home to Hyde Park Village, one of Florida’s most fashionable shopping, dining and nightlife destinations.

Hyde Park Neighborhood Tampa Bay

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

The neighborhood of Hyde Park, adjacent to the University of Tampa and the city’s bustling downtown area, got its start in the 1880s when railroad tycoon Henry Plant, builder of the Port of Tampa, financed the building of a bridge spanning the Hillsborough River where Kennedy Boulevard is today. The first house appeared in 1882 and rapid growth followed.

Large citrus groves covered originally covered the majority of the area. By 1910, the groves were gone, the area was subdivided and large revival-style homes were being built. The area flourished until the Stock Market Crash of 1929 when the entire country was plunged into the Great Depression.

Following World War II, Hyde Park underwent renewed growth, but at a much slower pace as a majority of the real estate development was to the western and northwestern “rural” areas. The 1970s and 1980s witnessed a renewed interest in more “urban” living, together with gaining popularity for architectural historic preservation. Since then, Hyde Park has enjoyed a reputation as one of the most desirable neighborhoods throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Hyde Park is the perfect place to live if you want to be in an established, historic neighborhood of distinctive homes, and be less than two miles from downtown Tampa where you’ll find the Tampa Bay Times Forum, home to the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, The Florida Aquarium, The Convention Center and all that downtown Tampa has to offer. And just nearby are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Legend’s Field, winter home to the New York Yankees and Ybor City. It’s also one of Tampa’s leading shopping, dining and entertainment destinations, where you’ll find a diverse mix of both local original restaurants and leading national favorites. You’ll find the big names stores as well as an eclectic collection of boutiques and creative one-of-a-kinders.

A bit newer on the Hyde Park scene is the area known as SoHo, or south of Howard Avenue. SoHo has become one of Tampa’s leading entertainment destinations as well, and is home to the iconic Bern’s Steak House. Creative epicurean takes are also cropping up in some of SoHo’s new higher-end restaurants, and nightclubs offer an eclectic mix of music, cocktails and some great Hyde Park nightlife. Art galleries, cafes, cool boutiques round out the offerings, making SoHo a vibrant addition to Hyde Park’s unique character.

Hyde Park Preservation, Inc., the neighborhood’s recognized association of residents, is a strong advocate of historic preservation, and works closely with the City of Tampa to ensure that the area retains its character. They provide a Neighborhood Watch program, and help maintain many things like Hyde Park’s signature street signs.

Ready to make Hyde Park your home? Contact us at 727-642-9107.


Editor’s note: This post was original published in October 2013. It has since been updated to include current information and edited for clarity.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Neighborhoods Tagged With: Bayshore Blvd, Hyde Park, neighborhood

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Chris Hounchell · RE/MAX Metro · 150 2nd Ave N. Suite 100 St. Petersburg, FL 33701 · Office: (727) 642-9107 · chris@hounchellrealestate.com