Hyde Park Village

Hyde Park Village is a historic development in Tampa, FL that features high-end retail, dining, and entertainment establishments. Conner was hired to preserve the iconic character of this area, while also implementing safe and effective traffic patterns for motorists and pedestrians.

This historic mixed-use development is a high-end retail, dining, and entertainment destination in south Tampa. The Hyde Park neighborhood was originally established in 1880 by Henry B. Plant, the railroad financier who built the first bridge across the Hillsborough River in order to support the development of Henry Plant’s Tampa Bay Hotel, which is now part of the University of Tampa campus.

In 2014, WS Development purchased the commercial property of Hyde Park Village and hired Conner to preserve the iconic character of this quaint old-Florida area. Conner participated in the neighborhood community meetings as the liaison between the old and the new; they brought concise understanding of the issues facing numerous entities opposed to change. For example, the oak-lined Swann Avenue saw trees whose roots had no place to go; consequently, these majestic trees were removed, protected, then, once modular pavement support systems were installed, these mighty long-time residents were restored to their former glory with a much better chance of survival. Street widening and traffic calming through medians and pedestrian crosswalks made safety and walkability a priority. The iconic fountain at Snow Circle was removed, renovated, and restored to its original splendor; now a shady outdoor seating area to escape the Florida sun with coffee and cupcakes only steps away.