Journal
South Tampa from the city records, storms and flood rules, design, and the money side of a custom home.
10 posts
Bayshore Boulevard: 4.5 miles along Tampa's waterfront edgeThe City of Tampa describes Bayshore Boulevard as 4.5 miles of road beside Tampa Bay, with a 10-foot-wide sidewalk from Columbus Statue Park at Platt Street to Gandy Boulevard. City pages do not set special building rules for it, so check flood zone, surge risk and zoning for each address.Oct 29, 2026
Beach Park: 1920s Mediterranean homes and drainage workThe City of Tampa says Beach Park was developed in the early 1920s on the Old Tampa Bay waterfront, and many original Mediterranean style mansions remain. The City also lists drainage and flood relief projects there, including one estimated at $1,000,000. Check the flood map for any lot before you design.Oct 29, 2026
Davis Islands flood zones and seawalls: what city records sayA June 2020 City of Tampa report puts the whole Davis Islands basin in the preliminary special flood hazard area. About 80 percent is zone AE, with a base flood elevation of 11 to 12 feet. The airport area is zone VE at 13 feet. Check current maps before you design.Oct 29, 2026
Design styles around Tampa: Mediterranean Revival to modernTampa's older neighborhoods hold many styles. The City says Beach Park has original Mediterranean style mansions, and the Hyde Park guidelines list Queen Anne, Tudor, Colonial, Mediterranean, Prairie and Bungalow. Modern design is newer, but flood and permit rules apply to every style the same way.Oct 29, 2026
How big is a new single-family home? Census dataThe U.S. Census Bureau says the median size of a single-family home completed in 2025 was 2,142 square feet. It also says 41 percent of homes built for sale sat on lots under 7,000 square feet. These are national figures. A Tampa lot's zoning decides what size fits.Oct 29, 2026
How Davis Islands was built from bay mud in the 1920sDeveloper D.P. Davis created Davis Islands in the 1920s from two small natural islands, Little Grassy Key and Big Grassy Key. Dredges built up the land with material from the bottom of Tampa Bay. That origin explains the low ground, the canals and the flood zones builders deal with today.Oct 29, 2026
Hyde Park: what historic review means for a new homeIn the Hyde Park Historic District, a new home needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from Tampa's Architectural Review Commission before a building permit. The City says to contact staff early. The review checks scale, massing, setback, materials, windows, porches and roof forms. It does not dictate style.Oct 29, 2026
Palma Ceia's oaks and the Tampa tree permit rulesThe City of Tampa describes Palma Ceia as having antique red brick roads shaded by enormous oaks. Mature trees affect any build there. The City requires a permit to prune a tree 24 inches or more in diameter, and it protects oaks over 5 inches. Plan the house around the trees early.Oct 29, 2026
Ten questions to ask before you sign a builder contractBefore you sign, check the license, ask how the price is set, and ask when the builder will pull permits and start work. Florida law s. 489.126 covers a first payment above 10 percent of the price. Also ask about allowances, change orders and how loan draws are paid.Oct 29, 2026
What Helene and Milton did in Tampa Bay: facts for buildersThe National Hurricane Center reports that Helene pushed 5 to 7 feet of storm surge into Tampa Bay in 2024. Milton brought only 1 to 2 feet of surge to the bay but record river crests from rain. Both storms made flood rules, elevation and the 50 percent rule matter to builders.Oct 29, 2026
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