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Downtown By The Numbers

Tribune photo by FRED FOX

The Tampa Downtown Partnership revealed what’s on the minds of workers and residents at its presentation today on the findings of its first downtown census.

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By JANIS D. FROELICH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 30, 2008

DOWNTOWN - None of the findings in the inaugural "Who Is A Downtowner?" survey presented by the Tampa Downtown Partnership this morning surprised Anddrikk Frazier.

He has worked downtown for Tampa Electric Co. for 10 years. So Frazier is bone tired of his commute from Brandon and, yes, he would like to live downtown someday.

"But that's a big someday," Frazier said after the breakfast gathering of about 100 people at the St. Pete Times Forum.

He has children and a dog and that, in his mind, requires a yard.

The partnership's survey of downtown workers and residents, conducted by HCP & Associates, found that 12.5 percent of respondents are "very interested" in living downtown.

The key reason is the urban living experience. But getting to work quicker and cheaper are also factors.

"Obviously a shorter commute would be ideal," said Frazier, who's thinking of ways to save toll and fuel costs, such as using the bus.

Car pools don't seem to be making a dent. The survey found that 84 percent of downtown workers drive alone into the city on weekdays.

Does anybody walk?

"I drove across downtown to attend here today," Patrick Hill, who conducted the survey, told the audience.

The survey drew responses from 1,074 of downtown's estimated 50,800 workers and from 212 of its 4,900 residents.

Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 835-2104 or jfroelich@tampatrib.com.

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