Living in Seminole Heights - The Basics
I’m sure you’ve heard of Seminole Heights. But where exactly is Seminole Heights, and what do you need to know?
In this blog, I am going to provide you with a very general overview of the Seminole Heights neighborhoods so that YOU can decide if you’d like to explore this area further. I’m also going to let you know what I think is Seminole Height’s BEST KEPT SECRET!
General Location
There are 4 neighborhoods that make up Seminole Heights, which are Old Seminole Heights, South Seminole Heights, Hampton Terrace, and Southeast Seminole Heights.
The main zip codes of Seminole Heights are 33603 and 33604, with a small portion to the east located in 33610.
I like to describe Seminole Heights as an arc because you have a natural boundary with the river that curves and forms the north end of Old Seminole Heights. Down the middle runs 275, and there are three major commercial corridors that run through the area, Nebraska Avenue and Florida Avenue that run north and south on either side of 275, and Hillsborough Avenue that runs east and west, and mostly divides Old Seminole Heights from the smaller neighborhoods of South and Southeast Seminole Heights.
Within the upper part of this arc is Old Seminole Heights, with a small portion carved out called Hampton Terrace. Below the right side of the arc is Southeast Seminole Heights, which was named the Best Neighborhood in America by Neighborhoods USA back in 2003. Below the left side of the arc is the highly coveted South Seminole Heights.
Local Historic District
One of the city’s 4 Local Historic Districts is located within Old Seminole Heights, and a small portion of this extends south of Hillsborough Avenue, and is generally where Hillsborough High School is located, with its beautiful Gothic Revival architectural style.
West of I-275
For the last several years, the area to the west of 275 has been perceived to be more desirable than the east side of 275. I believe this is because Florida Avenue is a little more advanced as far as commercial development goes than Nebraska Avenue, and the inventory in this particular area has been at an historic low for several years now.
There also seems to be a higher concentration of historic bungalows on the west side of 275, mostly built in the 1920s, versus the east side of 275 that had quite a bit of infill in the 1940s and 50s, during which the type of construction was a little more conservative in nature and the homes didn’t necessarily have those huge front porches, were smaller, and were built with lower roof lines.
The Infamous Nebraska Avenue
And then there’s Nebraska Avenue with its infamous reputation. As someone that lives one block off of Nebraska Avenue, I believe this area IS changing, and will take just a little bit longer to turn the corner. I am seeing good progress, like popular restaurants and bars, and some newly constructed rentals and townhouses, which will definitely help this major thoroughfare along!
Seminole Heights Basics
There is walkability to bars, restaurants and shops pretty much in ALL areas of Seminole Heights, which is one of the main attractors to the area.
The home prices have exploded in Seminole Heights over the past year, and this is most likely due to the limited available space to build. With the natural boundary of the river, there is only so far to the west and north you can go, which is pushing development to the east, and is making homes located on the east side of 275 generally more affordable than the west side.
There are definitely great places to explore on the east side of 275, and you will find things like the awesome tree tunnels over the streets in the northern part, as well as slightly hilly, curvy roads that are an unexpected surprise as you get near the river.
Seminole Heights’ Best Kept Secret!
And now for Seminole Heights’ best kept secret, Rivercrest Park in South Seminole Heights. This park has something for everyone, play equipment for the kids, an 8’ wide asphalt perimeter trail for walking, running, or biking, an awesome oak tree canopy keeping the park cool year round, and direct access to the river.