South Tampa Neighborhoods

Palma Ceia

Overview

The Tampa area has quickly become one of the more popular places to live in Florida, and for good reason. Many of its neighborhoods have a friendly community-like atmosphere where residents can live in relative peace and quiet while still taking advantage of the resources that cities such as Tampa offer. One such neighborhood is Palma Ceia. Palma Ceia real estate has become particularly sought after over the last couple of years. Not only is it close to other popular Tampa neighborhoods, such as Bayshore Beautiful, Hyde Park and SoHo, it also boasts a number of amenities for owners of Palma Ceia real estate to take advantage of, from the Palma Ceia Design District to the Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club. The scenic beauty of the nearby ocean adds to the value of homes in Plama Ceia, as do the charming European-style bricked streets that the community has become known for.

Situated on the southwestern end of downtown Tampa, this beautiful neighborhood is a complicated land mass area, bounded by the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway to the east; by Miguel Street West of MacDill Avenue and Neptune Street East of MacDill Avenue to the north; MacDill Avenue between Neptune and San Miguel, Dale Mabry Highway between San Miguel and Bay to Bay and Himes between Bay to Bay and El Prado to the west;Bay to Bay Boulevard from Dale Mabry to Himes and El Prado between Himes and the Crosstown Expressway to the south. 

 
 

History

According to History, Angel Cuesta, president of Cuesta, Rey Cigars, jointly shared a map with the contractor and land developer Thomas Palmer in deliberating the best way to develop the area hence the street names in Palma Ceia are Cuban most of which were streets in the old part of Havana. Located amidst red brick roads, mighty oak trees, some of Tampa’s best homes can be found, with an excellent mix of old Mediterranean styled houses as well as the 1920’s Bungalows, thereby making Palma Ceia one of the most desired neighborhoods in Tampa. Without a doubt, Palma Ceia has become the pride and joy of its homeowners, residents and business owners dues to its nearness to Tampa's finest locations which have duly earned it its popularity, this neighborhood also prides itself in having fantastic golf course home sites providing excellent views, Palma Ceia also has a proximity to highways with easy accessibility to downtown facilities.

WHAT DOES PALMA CEIA MEAN?

Now let’s understand what Palma Ceia means History tells us that although Palma Ceia sounds like a Spanish name, it was actually coined by Thomas Palmer (the developer whom Angel Cuesta, president of Cuesta, Rey Cigars consulted to develop the land) who felt the vicinity deserved an exciting and posh name. History further tells us the name was coined from his own last name and merged with "Leia" from Terra Ceia. He had already used his name as a derivative for a street called Palmira and the renowned spring named Palmera.

Shopping and Dining

Owners of Palma Ceia real estate have a large variety of options to choose from when it comes to going out to eat or to shop, whether they stick around Palma Ceia or they decide to drive to one of the neighboring communities. If they decide to stay close to home, residents will be able to try out any number of fantastic locally owned restaurants, including Wright's Gourmet House, Datz, Restaurant BT, Barrow's Gourmet Deli, Pinky's Byblos Café and more. If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to stop by Dough, the confectionery sister restaurant to Datz which features doughnut ice cream cones! It doesn't matter what residents are in the mood for, whether it's traditional American food, Greek food, Ethiopian food, Italian food, or anything else, odds are they'll find it within a short distance of their homes. There are plenty of places to go shopping as well. Residents will find both national chains as well as locally owned shops around Palma Ceia. Some of the shopping options include Seedlings, Joe and Son's Olive Oils, The Flower Market at Bayshore, Feet First, Flying Fish Bikes and Queen's Fabric, just to name a few. Residents will also want to make sure to head down to the Palma Ceia Business & Design District, which is not only located at the heart of South Tampa, but also overlooks the longest waterfront sidewalk, Bayshore Boulevard. Here, residents will be able to check out hundreds of boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, cafés and shops.

Parks and Recreation

Residents who value parks and recreational opportunities have ample options from which to choose. Located close to the water allows residents to enjoy any number of aquatic-based activities, from swimming or diving to boating or fishing. Palma Ceia Park, which contains a picnic area complete with shelters, grills, and restrooms, is a perfect place to spend a lazy weekend afternoon with the family. There are also several play courts, a playground, and a full dog park. Residents who enjoy a good game of golf will want to make sure to join the historic Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club, founded in 1916.

Living

The population of Palma Ceia is 4,536. The average household income in Palma Ceia, which is $72,739, is quite a bit higher than the rest of Tampa, which sits at $43,117. The income per capita in Palma Ceia is $39,922 higher than both the income per capita in the rest of Tampa, which is $28,362, and the state of Florida, which is $27,640. The poverty level is currently at 5 percent, which is incredibly respectable when compared to the 18.1 percent poverty rate of Tampa and the 13.1 percent poverty rate of Florida as a whole. The majority of residents work in education, health and social services or financial and insurance services.

Schools, Health & Transportation

Palma Ceia real estate lies within the Hillsborough County School District and is home to two highly rated public schools, Roosevelt Elementary School and Henry B. Plant High School. Roosevelt Elementary School serves 707 students, while Henry B. Plant High School serves 2,308 students. Henry B. Plant High School was ranked as the 22nd best public school in the state as well as the 321st best school in the country by US News and World Report in 2012. There are several hospitals located right on the outskirts of Palma Ceia that will serve all residents. They include Memorial Hospital of Tampa, Urgicare Tampa, and Tampa General Hospital. All three hospitals provide emergency care. There are also plenty of family practices and physicians located within the area. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) provides public transportation on Davis Islands and throughout Tampa. There are also several airports and train stations located within 30 miles of Palma Ceia including Tampa International Airport.