I’m an urban-synergy sort. I love, for example, what the University of Tampa means to downtown Tampa, not just to the west bank of the Hillsborough River. UT, in seeming perpetual expansion mode these days, has become a key catalyst in the ongoing resurgence.
Part of that expansion fronts Kennedy Boulevard and provides a major upgrade to that historic downtown entrance. Nobody misses, for example, the aesthetically-challenged Olin Mott auto repair center that was razed to make way for UT’s new, Vince Naimoli-funded, 1,500-seat lacrosse stadium. It’s sandwiched between Delaware and Willow Avenues. The brick facade is attractive.
Just one problem. A permanent, 60-foot-high net has been erected along Kennedy to prevent lacrosse balls from flying into traffic. It’s functional, but it’s also really cheesy looking. The ironic result, amid all the gentrification: a net loss.