| This city a few miles east of Tampa was named after settler John Brandon who founded the town in the 1850's. Located far away enough from the city but close enough for a pleasant commute, Brandon long had a reputation as a rural community, thick with cattle grazing pastures. Despite its prime location, Brandon remained largely rural until the 1990s when developers began to realize the city's potential. Builders and developers honed in on prime real estate property and the construction followed. One of the major catalysts for change was when Brandon Town Center opened in 1995. It was the first new shopping mall constructed in the Tampa Bay area in nearly twenty years. Constructed at the junction of Interstate 75 and State Rd. 60 (Brandon Blvd.), the 1-million-square-foot mall proved a boon to the area. The shopping mecca drew locals and tourists alike from miles around. New home projects and condominiums began to appear. Businesses began relocating to the area for its rural lifestyle and respite from city life. Brandon was experiencing a metamorphosis of change. Construction of the Crosstown Expressway followed Brandon Town Center. Although residents of Brandon had a reasonably fair commute time to downtown Tampa, the advent of the Crosstown Expressway proved what was once thought impossible. The Crosstown Expressway is an elevated, 15-mile limited-access toll road connecting Brandon to downtown Tampa. As a result, commutes between Brandon and downtown Tampa have been shortened tremendously. Such an expedited route ushered in a new wave of real estate investors. Home and condominium sales flourished. Cattle pastures slowly disappeared, giving way to condos, vacation rentals, restaurants, strip malls and a bevy of other businesses. The population of Brandon began to grow. New schools were built to accommodate the influx of new residents eager to leave the overpopulated urbanized communities throughout the Tampa Bay area. The allure of living in the country while working in the city resonated with many and Brandon offered the perfect respite. While the city lacks in nightlife, Brandon makes up for in recreation. Lithia Springs Park located along the Alafia River offers swimming, hiking, canoeing, camping and more. Forty campsites perched near the river offer both electricity and water. Full facilities including a bath house are also provided. The actual springs are made up of two pools, each with an active boil providing superb snorkeling activity and a year round temperature of 72 degrees. The springs provide the perfect antidote to Florida's sweltering summer days. One of Brandon's best-kept secrets is its population of large mouth bass. Any number of those nondescript ponds and lakes found throughout the Brandon area may hold that trophy lunker. Ten to 17-pounders measuring 28 inches are not uncommon. Brandon is perfect for those seeking a convenient location to the city while reaping the benefits of residing in one of the few remaining Bay areas that hasn't lost its rural appeal. It offers easy and ready access to both Interstate 75 and Interstate 4. Brandon offers the benefit of suburban living without the congestion of other Bay area communities.To view condominiums and vacation rentals available in Brandon, visit CondoCompany.com, the Web's primary information source for condominiums and vacation rental information. |
