USF Students Propose Designs for Tampa Riverwalk

TAMPA, Fla. -- A day is coming when vacation planners will have to specify which Riverwalk they're traveling to, Tampa's or San Antonio's -- that's how iconic Tampa's boosters want to see the downtown waterfront become.
The project is well on its way and University of South Florida School of Architecture and Community Design students are adding their ideas to be considered for the next phase of development.

Reshaping one of Tampa's most valuable assets -- the riverfront -- is all about burnishing the city's image and enhancing the quality of life for locals and visitors alike. If the Riverwalk is to be a major feature it has to make itself irresistible and pull people in. Right now, drivers who pass through the area don't automatically think about parking and walking around downtown. Its best features are fragmented -- separated by barren stretches.