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Knight Volume 64
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Writers 6311 S Lois Ave, Tampa, Fla. 33616
Oct. 13, 2023
Issue 1
Gentrification and Overbuilding: The Loss of SOG The South of Gandy community is plagued by gentrification and overbuilding causing rising rent and strains on infrastructure. By VIKRAM SAMBASIVAN, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Over the past decade, Tampa has begun to grow exponentially, becoming one of the fastestgrowing cities in the United States. With the large influx of new residents, home prices and rent have skyrocketed to new highs. For the past few years, much of this has been concentrated in the Downtown and Hyde Park areas, however, gentrification has taken root in the South of Gandy (SOG) community as well. “The gentrification has already happened out here,” said Stephanie Poynor, leader of the neighborhood advocacy group, Stop Overbuilding SOG. “So much of what was here when I moved here 11 years ago is gone. It used to be a solid blue-collar area…now folks who’ve lived here their whole lives can’t really afford to live here.”
consequence that Tampa’s growth encroachment of apartment has had on the SOG community, buildings in the historically lowthe other is overbuilding. population density areas.
declares evacuation, there’s gridlock everywhere. There’s no way for people to escape.”
Overbuilding is when an area is developed so rapidly that not only do prices rise and costs increase, but the infrastructure of the area is outpaced by the subsequent population growth which follows sudden development. Historically, the SOG area has been very residential, littered with single family homes. Because of this history of low population density, the outdated infrastructure of the area is really only equipped to handle that type of population.
Although a plethora of issues are caused by this rapid development of SOG, some are seeing the positive effects of the economic development.
“Now total down here, South of Gandy, they have almost doubled our dwelling units,” Poynor said. “We started at about 10,000 units, and once they get everything built, it’ll be 19,996 units.” The strain on infrastructure, especially roads, caused by overbuilding, is an extremely important issue. With much of SOG being in a flood zone and with increasing occurrences of hurricanes and severe weather patterns due to climate change, evacuating from SOG is a factor that needs to be taken into consideration.
“I think some upsides [to the development] are that there is more money going into schools, and the neighborhoods have become nicer,” Rubio said.
While economic development tends to bring nicer neighborhoods and jobs, historically, economic development in Florida has been synonymous with real estate “I’ve noticed that they’re development and population tearing down a lot of older growth which is what is being houses and trying to fit two or “McMansions [are] an issue seen in SOG. However, even three houses where only because people either don’t like it Carlson claims that these are not one used to be and it looks really aesthetically, they feel crowded, mutually exclusive. cramped to the point where they they feel there’s flooding, but Increased rent is an issue hardly have any yard space,” “I am pushing to change affecting Robinson students, said Nina Rubio (’26), an SOG that’s better than a huge multiplanning, make planning such as Shoira Afandikhonova resident. “In my neighborhood, family,” said Bill Carlson, City around people instead of Councilman for District 4. (’24), as well. there are a lot of older houses, buildings,” Carlson said. “If “Huge multifamily creates really but since new, wealthier people we plan around people, we “Forcing people out of the area are moving in they are tearing bad traffic issues. And what we can still build buildings, but they live in makes it harder to down a lot of the houses to build find, the coastal high hazard we’ll build them in a way that find new housing with the same townhouses and more modern issue is important because when is productive, creating a more conditions,” said Afandikhonova, houses.” MacDill declares evacuation, positive community…. But, we who had to move three years ago which is usually an hour or need to focus on real economic due to increases in her family’s The building of townhouses is two before the county does… development [bringing in rent. “The financial pressure is perhaps the most mild example you can’t get out. already an issue and it keeps of the overbuilding of And then the different industries] which adding on to that.” SOG. Many SOG county is helping to grow our local companies.” residents have However, displacing noticed people from their homes and the neighborhoods is only one
A sign advertising the new multi-family housing coming to the historically low-population density South of Gandy. Photo by V. Sambasivan.
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A new modern home in the historic South of Gandy area. Photo by V. Sambasivan.
HEADLINES FROM THE INSIDE
Construction of the Marlowe Apartment Complex on Interbay. Photo by V. Sambasivan.
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