SOtampa Sampler: USF Med. School Revitalizes Downtown, 4Rivers Opening Date

Dedication Ceremony Marks Beginning of Downtown Redevelopment 

This morning the city of Tampa was buzzing with excitement as Mayor Bob Buckhorn, officials from USF Tampa and downtown visionary Jeff Vinik gathered just outside the Channelside District. This gathering was to celebrate USF Health's new Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute (MCOMHI).

"Today we come together to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter for downtown Tampa.” USF President Judy Genshaft pic.twitter.com/7k9HVMqkY0

— USF Health (@USFHealth) December 8, 2015

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The project is backed by $57 million in state funding and $18 million in private funding.

It begins today, it's the culmination of generations of work, @USFHealth is where #Tampa turns the page. pic.twitter.com/UiUWjkzy3L

— Bob Buckhorn (@BobBuckhorn) December 8, 2015

The MCOMHI is located at the corner of South Meridian Avenue and Channelside Drive. The school is part of a larger, $2 billion real estate development plan. From a release from USF, "The development, amounting to roughly 40 acres, will transform downtown into a multi-use, urban waterfront district designed to promote a walkable, sustainable, healthy environment for downtown residents, workers, students and visitors."

This project is by Strategic Property Partners (SPP), a partnership between Cascade Investment, LLC and Vinik.

By 2020 from this site you'll also be seeing 500-room hotel, 1k residential units, 600k sf office building, entertainment, vibrancy

— Ashley Kritzer (@TBBJAshley) December 8, 2015

This new school is just the beginning of a vision that will bring museums, a high-end hotel, art, retail shops and condos to the ever developing Channelside and downtown area.

4Rivers Smokehouse brings artisinal BBQ to South Tampa

With eight acclaimed locations already open in Florida, 4Rivers sets is sights on the growing South Tampa area. The popular restaurant plans to open its doors at 620 South MacDill Avenue on Friday, December 11.

*Photo by 4Rivers Smokehouse

For those unfamiliar with 4Rivers' offerings, the restaurant features your standard BBQ fare with a few 4Rivers signatures. Their Brontosaurus Beef Rib could feed you for a few days. The signature angus brisket, framed by sweet bark, is customer favorite. Their smoked turkey and smoked chicken wings are worthy of the titled, #foodporn.  

Their doors open at 11am on Friday. The restaurant will also feature a bakery serving up unique desserts like their Coca Cola Potato Chip, and Moutain Dew Dorito cupcakes.