The name Palma Ceia is at once peaceful, beautiful, graceful. While the name itself inspires questions to its origin, there is no question about the exclusive and consistent popularity of one of South Tampa’s most desirable neighborhoods.
Located southwest of downtown Tampa, Palma Ceia is a jigsaw puzzle of land bordered by Miguel Street West of MacDill Avenue and Neptune Street East of MacDill Avenue to the north; Bay to Bay Boulevard from Dale Mabry to Himes and El Prado between Himes and the Crosstown Expressway to the south; 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; and the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway to the east.
The street names throughout Palma Ceia are of Cuban origin, coming from streets in the old section of Havana. Historians say the most likely explanation is that Angel Cuesta, president of Cuesta, Rey Cigars, shared a map of Havana with developer Thomas Palmer while discussing the area.
Palma Ceia is a one of Tampa’s most sought after communities. Nestled among towering oaks and red brick roads, here you will find some of Tampa’s finest homes in a blend of 1920’s Bungalows and Mediterranean style homes.
Palma Ceia’s proximity to all that Tampa has to offer is part of its consistent popularity. It is located conveniently near major highways for access to downtown amenities, Palma Ceia also offers stunning golf course home sites for fantastic views. Its no wonder why Palma Ceia is the pride and joy of its residents and business owners!
What does Palma Ceia Mean?
So what about the name Palma Ceia?
It sounds like its origin is Spanish, but according to historians the name was made up by developer Tom Palmer, who wanted an exotic-sounding name for the neighborhood. It is believed the name was a modification of his last name combined with “ceia” from Terra Ceia. Palmer likely applied his name to the famous spring in the community (Palmera) and street (Palmira) and then, eventually, the neighborhood (Palma Ceia).
The neighborhood is home to the Palma Ceia Design District, centered on the intersection of MacDill Ave. and Bay to Bay Blvd. This district contains many specialty boutiques and cafes, including some of the highest rated in the city. Studios, small houses converted into stores and attractive boutiques offer Tampa’s hippest hotbed of artistic treasures appealing to the most diverse tastes. With more than 100 shops offering something for every mood or occasion, Palma Ceia Business & Design District maintains consistent appeal to Tampa natives since 1907.
Palma Ceia is within the district of Henry B. Plant High School and is also home to the exclusive Palma Ceia Country Club.
Palma Ceia Country Club
This beautiful neighborhood is home to the prestigious Palma Ceia Country Club.
Founded in 1916, it is Tampa’s premier golf and country club, offering the best of what the sport has to offer combined with the rich tradition that is Tampa’s oldest private golf club.
Palma Ceia Country Club states their mission is to “provide its members, their families, and guests with a unique, private social institution, with recreation and refuge from the stress of everyday life. We will provide the highest quality of service with the finest experience in golf, tennis, fitness, aquatics, dining, and social interaction.” There is no doubt among its members that the club lives up to its mission.
Culture & Art
The Tampa Bay area was recently named one of the top five most culturally diverse and integrated urban areas in the country by the U.S. Census Bureau. The neighborhood’s proximity to downtown and major highway’s provides easy access to the city’s rich array of art and museums like the Tampa Museum of Art, Florida Museum of Photographic Arts , Tampa Bay History Museum, Henry B. Plant Museum, Contemporary Art Museum, as well the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts and the Dali Museum.
Things To Do
Palma Ceia is near the area’s finest dining establishments, and sporting events like the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey, Tampa Bay Buccaneer Football at Raymond James Stadium. Bayshore Boulevard’s nine mile continuous sidewalk along Hillsborough Bay is s short walk and a favorite for bikers, joggers, and those looking for a peaceful stroll along the bay.
The community is also dotted with beautiful parks like Palma Ceia Dog Park, Palma Ceia Lions Park and Fred Ball Park to name a few
With its proximity to such quality of life, its beautiful red brick streets among towering oaks and the charm of the Palma Ceia Design District, its no wonder that this community remains one of South Tampa’s most sought after neighborhoods.
If this sounds like the right neighborhood for your custom home building project, use the handy button below to set up a free consultation with us to learn more about the neighborhood and our expertise in building custom homes in this community. You can also learn more about schools in the area using the school locator button.
[vc_row][vc_column width=’1/2′][button size=’medium’ style=” text=’School Locator’ icon=’fa-search’ icon_color=” link=’http://gis.sdhc.k12.fl.us/schoollocator/’ target=’_self’ color=” hover_color=” border_color=” hover_border_color=” background_color=” hover_background_color=” font_style=” font_weight=” text_align=” margin=”][/vc_column][vc_column width=’1/2′][button size=” style=” text=’Free Consultation’ icon=” icon_color=” link=’http://www.devonshirecustomhomes.com/custom-home-consultation/’ target=’_self’ color=” hover_color=” border_color=” hover_border_color=” background_color=” hover_background_color=” font_style=” font_weight=” text_align=” margin=”][/vc_column]