The Channel District Community Alliance is proud to announce the First Annual Holiday Home Tour on December 13, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.! Get your tickets now to tour 12 unique residences open throughout the Channel District with participating retail businesses offering samples and giveaways. The Home Tour is followed by live music, a drawing and a pop-up Duckweed Market in the Grand Central at Kennedy courtyard, located at the corner of East Kennedy and Meridien.

The Holiday Home Tour will raise funds to support future community events and projects and will provide a donation to Stageworks, the designated CDCA charity for 2015. The walking tour will be open to the general public for $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event. Parking for the event is complimentary in the Grand Central at Kennedy parking garages where the tour will begin and end. A tour book will contain a history of the Channel District, information about Stageworks and other local businesses. Also included is a tour map that indicates home locations.

Advance tickets are available online. Get yours today at http://channeldistrictcommunityalliance.com/memberships-payments/

The Channel District Community Alliance (CDCA) is the designated neighborhood association for the Channel District. It was incorporated as a 501 (c)(3) not for profit organization on 4/14/15. The CDCA was organized to enhance the connected nature of the residential community by improving communication, scheduling social and educational events for residents and fostering an attitude of tolerance and inclusion. It also promotes businesses within the District and businesses hoping to locate within the district, especially creative industries. The CDCA also works collaboratively with government agencies.

The Holiday Home Tour will raise funds to support future community activities and provide a donation to Stageworks, Inc. the designated CDCA charity for 2015. The public event will take place on December 13 from 11 am to 4 pm in approximately 12 homes located throughout the Channel District. The Tour will be open to the general public for a ticket price of $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event. The CDCA will be soliciting sponsorships and ads for an event program booklet. The booklet will include a history of the District, information about Stageworks and a Tour map that includes markers to indicate the home locations. Parking for the event will be complimentary at the Grand Central at Kennedy (GCAK) complex. The Tour will start and end at the courtyard at GCAK and volunteers wearing CDCA tee shirts will be directing pedestrian traffic throughout the District. Temporary directional signage will also be available.

A non-public event will take place the day before at the Skyhouse Rooftop to allow volunteers and homeowners to take the tour in advance. The preview tour will run from 3-6 pm followed by a party from 6-8 pm. This event will also honor and recognize event sponsors.

The CDCA expects this walking home tour of the Channel District to become its signature annual fundraising event. The organization requires funds to maintain communication outlets, plan social and educational events and support community charitable endeavors. The Holiday Home Tour will be one of the CDCA’s primary fundraising activities. Since its inception, the CDCA has held one other successful community event, Bikes, Blues and Brews, which boosted membership and raised start-up money for the organization. The CDCA now has an established website, channeldistrictcommunityalliance.com, to promote community events and share information. The Home Tour Committee has already been in contact with the local media, the Tampa Downtown Partnership, 83 Degrees and local businesses. Since the event will begin and end at GCAK, the CDCA has contacted businesses in the courtyard who have agreed to host a “Block Party” post event.

In the weeks prior to the Home Tour, the CDCA will place posters in area businesses and flyers in all the residence buildings. Directional signs will be strategically placed the day of the event and collected afterwards for future use. Stageworks has agreed to promote the event through their marketing and will offer ticketing through their box office.

The Home Tour Committee is fortunate to have several members who have experience conducting similar events, including the Chairman who chaired several very successful home tours in Seminole Heights. They have been involved as both home owners and volunteers and are very knowledgeable about what has to be considered. One major difference is the walkability of the Channel District and the proximity to the downtown and trolley transportation. Smith and Associates held a similar tour last year and they are represented on the current committee.

Our residents and their guests represent several of the most desirable demographic groups for economic impact. There are several target audiences: first are the young professionals living in and around Tampa Bay. These may be first time homeowners or renters, typically college graduates, single or newly married. Next are the established Channel District residents and business owners who are vested in living and working in an urban setting. They typically have higher than average disposable income and may be looking for design ideas or investment opportunities. A third target is the Baby Boomers/ empty nesters who are growing in numbers in the Channel District. They are drawn to a simpler lifestyle, a walkable environment, dining, entertainment and sports activities. The CDCA expects the target audiences to be diverse and will employ marketing tactics to reach all of them. The attendance goal for this first time event is 500. The budget reflects that half the ticket sales will be in advance and half will be the day of the event. Major sponsors will receive appropriate complimentary ticketing. We have identified 29 businesses within the District and will be contacting each of them to participate. They may choose to make special offers available to attendees to bring them back to the District at a future date. First time visitors will get a comprehensive overview of all the Channel District has to offer. The Block Party after the event will keep them in the District and generate additional revenue for the area. The tour booklet will be a keepsake with lots of information about the Channel District and its environs and history.

The CDCA Home Tour Committee has secured financial commitments for 2 of the 3 major sponsorships, donors who are also contributing other services. They are Mercury Advisors and Smith and Associates. The committee has also received a commitment from the CRA’s Community Advisory Committee. In addition to cash donations, Mercury Advisors is donating parking and some marketing while Smith and Associates is donating cash and helium for balloons, use of its table at Food Truck night and some signage. Stageworks will be marketing the event through its website and announcements from the stage during performances. They will also help with ticket sales. The Tampa Downtown Partnership will promote the event to local businesses and the Tampa Downtown Partnership is help to bring vendors to the Block Party before and after the event. Building management companies have agreed to allowing the event. So far they are tentatively Bell Channelside, Grand Central at Kennedy, the Meridien (which is also Victory Lofts and the Model T Building) and Skyhouse. Others are pending. The committee is using Channel District vendors when possible. City Blue is designing and printing the program at reduced cost. The West Coast Bartenders Guild will provide low cost professional bartending for the patron party. Cena will provide some food for the party, other vendors are pending. The CDCA Home Tour Committee has met with Walk Bike Tampa who will help establish the safest route for the tour once home selection has been finalized. The CDCA will distribute coupons or promotional materials provided by local businesses.