The District Magazine LIVE.WORK.PLAY 2018 | Page 10

LIVE WORK PLAY
Keith Gaines
LIVE
Where do you live in Tampa?
The hippest neighborhood in town, duh, Seminole
Heights!!
How long have you lived in the area and why?
16 years. I bought my first fixer-upper in Seminole
Heights in 2002. I fell in love with the unique architecture
& character of the neighborhood and saw its potential
back then.
What do you like most about the area?
Oh geez, so many more things to like now than when
I first moved here. I would have say the community
for sure. Seminole Heights has become such a
collaborative melting pot for teachers, artists, students,
entrepreneurs, young and old professionals alike.
Definitely a very friendly vibe here. Not to mention a
seemingly endless supply of top notch restaurants,
breweries and wineries to choose from.
If you could change anything in the urban districts
what would it be?
I remember when I first moved to Tampa, going
downtown after 5pm or on the weekend felt like a scene
out of Armageddon, like literally no people. Thankfully
much progress has been made and it’s no longer like
that, but we still have some catching up to do compared
the amount of pedestrian traffic you find in and around
downtown St Pete and other “mature” cities on nights
and weekends.
What excites you the most about the current and
future expansion of the downtown district and
surrounding urban areas?
Wow, there are so many projects under construction
and on the board for Tampa’s urban core that is hard
to pick one. Continued development in/around Tampa
Heights/Armature Works and billions slated for future
developments like Water Street Tampa and West River
Tampa, just to name a few, continue to make Tampa an
exciting place to be for now and the foreseeable future.
WORK
Do you work in the urban districts and what do you
do?
A graduate of the University of Florida’s School of
Architecture, I have been restoring 1920’s Craftsman
Bungalows and 1950’s mid-century modern homes
to their original grandeur with some modern design
upgrades since 2012. I have also built multiple new
construction homes from the ground up. My area of
focus has been Seminole Heights, Riverside Heights
and Tampa Heights.
What is your favorite part about working in the same
area you live in?
When I take on a new restoration project, it’s not just
a “flip.” As an artist at heart, with an extensive design
background, I see each home as a blank canvas on
which I can bring forth my vision and create a unique
masterpiece of design and efficiency, while still
providing an end product that is affordable.
How do you think the current Downtown Tampa and
surrounding areas explosion of new residents has
affected your business?
I heard a statistic from a respected source recently that
upwards of 160 million people are currently moving
into Florida on an annual basis. This combined with
continued low available home inventory (sellers market),
will help to insure demand for new housing remains
strong.
What do you vision for the urban core to be in ten
years?
I see a very pedestrian friendly, connected urban
core, where residence consistently CHOOSE to walk,
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