TAMPA - Along the banks of the Hillsborough River, on a once-forlorn piece of city-owned property named after a former Tampa mayor, an "urban miracle" is about to be unveiled.

That's how New York-based architect Thomas Balsley describes the transformation of the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park from a barren site into a tree-lined thoroughfare.

"Every city needs a place that residents can point to and say 'This is our center; our soul; this is where we celebrate ourselves,'" said Balsley, the man behind the park redesign.

The eight-acre park, which reopens Sunday after a $43 million face-lift, will include a riverfront stage, a dog run, a playground, fountains, restrooms, elevated seating and art displays.

It also will serve as a gateway to the new Tampa Museum of Art, scheduled to open in February, and the Glazer Children's Museum, which will be unveiled later this year.

Mayor Pam Iorio said Curtis Hixon will serve as Tampa's central park and a key element of her administration's efforts to transform the riverfront section into a new arts district.

"This park is a gift to the community," she said. "It's an investment in Tampa's future and a place that will serve as the focal point of our downtown for generations to come."

Funding for the park makeover included gas and sales taxes, downtown redevelopment taxes and city funds designated for infrastructure, such as buildings and parking lots.

The final cost of the renovation project was about $6 million more than what the city council had signed off two years ago. City officials said the price tag was driven up because they decided to add several other infrastructure improvements to the project, including repairs to a section of the seawall, a parking garage and road upgrades.

Budget constraints had forced the city to shelve several amenities that were eventually added back to the project, such as the dog park, a pavilion and concession stand.

Iorio said she understands that in these tough economic times some might question the use of tax dollars for a beautification project, but says the money was well spent.

"This is the kind of thing that cities should be doing, building for the future and creating quality assets that are not only good for the public but also spur investment," she said.

The nonprofit F.E. Lykes Foundation donated $1 million to pay for two fountains in the new park, a large one at the entrance along Ashley Street and a smaller one near the river.

"This is going to reinvigorate our downtown," said Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena. "It will become a meeting place for residents and visitors right in the heart of our city."

The park's reopening, which begins at 1:30 p.m., will include music and food, dance troupes, and exhibits by the Lowry Park Zoo and Museum of Science and Industry.

On Jan. 30, the park will serve as the end of the annual Gasparilla pirate parade, which will feature a concert with Collective Soul with the riverfront stage as a backdrop.

The park can hold more than 10,000 people and city officials plan to stage other events such as monthly jazz concerts and a Florida Orchestra performance.

Lee Hoffman, Tampa's Riverwalk manager, said the park will bring together elements of the city's 2.2 mile long riverfront pedestrian corridor that begins at the Channel District.

More importantly, he said, it will give people a new reason to come downtown.

"We've never really had a central gathering spot," he said. "This will be that place."

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679