Perhaps Tampa’s best-known neighborhood, Ybor City chronicles the history of Tampa’s (and arguable Florida’s) immigrant experience and the local journey along the country’s economic roller coaster ride. “Founded in 1886 by Vicente Martinez Ybor, Ybor City became ‘the cigar capital of the world’ by 1900,’’ boasts the City of Tampa’s website. A thriving hub of tobacco manufacturing, it soon became home to a growing working class of immigrants from Spain and Cuba and Italy, as well as from Germany, Eastern Europe and China as entrepreneurs, restauranteurs and shopkeepers arrived to meet a growing community’s needs. That thriving pool of diverse talent created a living environment rich with an abundance of talent and innovation in architecture, dining, entertainment, social and civic organizations, housing and health care. It’s that image of American success and not the ups and downs in between that developers see today in their vision for the future of Ybor City as an attractive hub of live, work, play and stay spaces for creatives, artists, techies, foodies, designers, educators and innovators connecting Tampa’s Downtown, Port Tampa Bay and neighborhoods to the north and east.
Looking for recycled craft supplies, unique finds and people who share your interest in making art out of vintage materials? Check out Tampa Upcycle. Owner Morgan Abdallah is using her space inside The Roosevelt 2.0 as a supplier for Tampa Bay's eager crafters.
Design Styles, a Clearwater architecture firm, will reopen in the former V.M. grocery store.
The cultural diversity of Tampa's rich heritage is on display year-round at the historic Ybor City Museum on 9th Avenue. Visitors should plan to spend a few hours inside because there is so much to see and learn.
Spooky, gory and gross are in season during October and Tampa will get in on the fun with an indie, zombie film called Dead Season. An exclusive pre-release screening of the film will be held at the Muvico Centro Ybor on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. Some Floridians played key roles in the horror film which is one of the reasons that Tampa Bay will get a sneak peek. Cinematographer Jeff Peters attended Full Sail University in Orlando; Corsica Wilson, an actress who plays the character Rachel, attended Florida State University; and John Jassy, the film's executive producer, lives in Tampa. "We chose Tampa as the location for several reasons," says Loren Semmens, producer and writer for Dead Season. "Tampa has one of the country's largest zombie-genre communities, it is a great test market due to its diverse demographics and lastly because many of the key filmmakers of Dead Season have connections to the area." The film follows two post-zombie outbreak survivors, Elvis and Tweeter, who escape to a tropical island only to find that they will have to deal with treacherous, post-zombie escape situations. The film is said to deal with "what if" situations and how it relates to survival. The film's crew has already gained some acclaim because they are the first to shoot the entire feature film with a Canon 7D camera. Dead Season is also the first feature film to shoot on location at Vieques, Puerto Rico, since the original Lord of the Flies movie shot at the previous site, which was home to naval test bombings. After the screening, the filmmakers, including Director Adam Deyoe and Semmons, will be in town for a Q&A session. To get spooked, view the trailer here, follow them on Facebook or @deadseasonmovie on Twitter, or register here to attend the pre-screening release. Seats are limited. Writer: Nancy Vaughn Source: Loren Semmons, Dead Season
The pictures of The Bricks of Ybor, a new café on 7th Ave. in Ybor City, tell a story of friendship, determination and fun.The pics on its Facebook page show happy people celebrating big and little moments -- all over the world.Brian Schaefer, owner of The Bricks, has been involved with Skatepark of Tampa for 17 years, traveling with SpoTlight Productions from one skate event to another. The Bricks is just an extension of that passion."We always do events in Ybor after our events at the Skatepark," says Schaefer. "So it was a need we wanted to fill. We're sophisticated but rough around the edges; fun and hospitable." The café menu features salad and sandwich fare, as well as coffee, wine and creative drinks from a full-liquor bar. Schaefer states proudly that there is not a fryer on site and vegetarians have their pick from the menu, too. Schaefer and his friends worked on the interior for months in anticipation of its opening. "We did all the work ourselves," says Schaefer. "The brick aesthetics, exposed A/C and electrical conduit give it a nice industrial look. The fine birch and pine work we did gives it a nice modern but sophisticated feel." But they're not done yet. "The Bricks is an extension of our involvement in the community," continues Schaefer. "We have SPoT Skate Shop opening up next to The Bricks, so there will be a welcoming crossover between the shop, Skatepark, and SPoT Skate Shop. Now we'll have a location to host our after-gatherings for all the skatepark events." The Bricks is open Sunday and Monday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Writer: Missy Kavanaugh Source: Brian Schaefer, The Bricks of Ybor
Lots of people in Florida and elsewhere talk "green'' in concept, while others talk it, walk it and chalk it up to experience by developing real-life projects to save energy, extend resources and create cool living and working spaces that promise to make the world a bit better one building at a time. 83 Degrees takes a look at three such "green'' projects in Ybor City, an historic neighborhood in Tampa that is helping lead the region into a sustainable future.
Finding your peeps is never easy in a big place, especially when you're fresh out of college, working in your first or second job and spending much of your day just getting to where you're going on time. With that in mind, 83 Degrees is launching a new series of stories designed to document a day in the life of successful young professionals in the Tampa Bay region. This first 24Hours piece was produced in conjunction with Next American City, a national magazine created for and by a new generation of urban thinkers and leaders.
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