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South County/Barrier IslandsMore than any other feature, Pinellas County is known for its coastline, from its 35 miles of white sand beaches to its many waterfront downtowns. Nowhere is this more apparent than the south county, where Tampa Bay joins the Gulf of Mexico at the tip of the Pinellas peninsula, and the barrier islands, where virtually every piece of property touches the Gulf or the Intracoastal Waterway. Many small communities are found in these areas, and they welcome both residents and visitors to experience the waterfront. To return to Redevelopment Districts, click here.Gulfport Waterfront District Beach Tourism District Gulfport Waterfront District  photo provided by the Peninsula Inn and Spa District Type: Downtown Assets: The district is anchored by a 13 acre beachfront park and recreation complex, which includes a 1930s ballroom casino that has been restored and continues to be used as a social dance and events hall. The main corridor, Beach Boulevard, is a charming downtown street that retains the flavor of historic Florida. Gulfport is known for its friendliness and diversity, and for a thriving arts community that is centered on the waterfront. Land Use: Predominantly single and multifamily residential, with commercial, recreation, and institutional uses along the center corridor. A handful of vacant parcels in and around the district provide opportunities for infill. Public Investments: The city has invested more than $2 million in its waterfront recreational assets. Projects have included creation of a new 2.8 acre park, renovation of the casino, renovation of an existing community center, construction of a theater, and enhancement of the Beach Boulevard streetscape. The district is a designated CRA. Contact: For more information about this community, please visit the websites of the City of Gulfport or the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce. For personal assistance with your business or redevelopment needs, please contact Fred Metcalf, Director of Community Development at 727-893-1095 or fmetcalf@mygulfport.us.   General
Location: The district includes the Gulf Boulevard corridor, from
Clearwater on the north to St. Pete Beach on the south. See
map. District Type: Tourism Assets: The eleven barrier island communities together provide 35 miles of beachfront, serve as the premiere tourism corridor in Pinellas County, and offer some of the most desirable residential real estate. Each community has its own character, ranging from intensive tourist-oriented development, to traditionally-styled beach villages, to quiet neighborhoods of estate homes. Land Use: Tourist-oriented, commercial, recreational, and multifamily uses intermixed with single-family residential neighborhoods. Public Investments: A number of communities have created redevelopment plans, accompanied by streetscape improvements such as landscaping, brick crosswalks, entrance signage, and burying of utilities. Notable examples include the Indian Shores Town Square Plan and Clearwater's Beach by Design effort. An extensive corridor-wide beautification plan, the Gulf Boulevard Improvements Program, has also been planned as a cooperative effort between all of the barrier island communities and Pinellas County. Complementing that effort, the countywide transit authority has created a trolley line that travels the length of the Gulf Boulevard corridor and connects to the mainland, and the county has installed decorative mile-marker signs throughout the corridor to assist visitors with wayfinding. Contact: For more information about the barrier island communities, please visit the websites of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce or the Barrier Islands Governmental Council. |
