The year 2007 will certainly be remembered for the housing market downturn, especially here in Florida.

By some accounts, Tampa is in the eye of this real estate storm, and unfortunately, the storm began just as excitement was building about the long overdue revitalization of downtown Tampa.

Over the last three years, I have rezoned more than 4,000 residential units in downtown Tampa. Having lived in Tampa all my life, I was excited that our downtown might finally become a lively urban center with a multitude of cultural, retail, dining and entertainment options available any time of the day, enjoyed by a population of urban residents who would make these businesses thrive.

It is easy to point to shelved condominium projects - an obvious example is the Trump Tower - as evidence that this latest wave of revitalization is over and that we've missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as a city to breathe vibrancy back into our downtown.

However, when the dust settles and the real estate market rebounds, I think we will be amazed at what has been accomplished over the last few years. I believe Tampa will look back on these years as a critical tipping point that ensured downtown's future success.

Here's why:

Over the last decade, more and more people have moved back to the urban centers from the suburbs. In part, this is because people have grown tired of spending countless hours stuck in traffic.

More important, people have developed a longing to reconnect with their cities and communities. In response to this powerful trend and the success of urban revitalization efforts in cities like Atlanta, San Diego, Portland, Charlotte and Minneapolis, residential development began to happen in Tampa's downtown as well as in the Channel District. SkyPoint, which more than 500 people call home, the Residences of Franklin Street and the Arts Center Lofts have all been tremendous successes for downtown.

Over the last three years, the Channel District has gone from an area of abandoned warehouses to an urban neighborhood with more than 1,000 residential units constructed. While some would argue that too much was built in the Channel District in too short a time, it is important to remember that the trend of moving back to urban neighborhoods is still in its infancy and is only getting stronger.

Downtown Tampa, like many other urban markets across the country, is experiencing nothing short of a long overdue residential renaissance.

In addition to downtown's recent residential rebirth, cultural projects which have been discussed for years are moving from the blackboard to the construction site. The History Museum recently broke ground and the new Art Museum, Children's Museum, and Riverfront Park are slated to begin construction next year.

These are all wonderful additions to our downtown that will serve to complement previous cultural amenities such as the Aquarium, St. Pete Times Forum, the Tampa Theater and the Performing Arts Center.

Within the past few months, restaurants like Malio's have opened downtown along with Fly, Paninoteca, L'Eden and others. And this is only the beginning; other new restaurants and wine bars will be making announcements in the near future. These independently owned restaurants are another validation of the renaissance and have already given the downtown restaurant scene an authentic feel that no national chain or mall could ever replicate.

Finally, I am optimistic about downtown's future because so many people realize that if Tampa is to live up to its potential, its downtown - its heart and soul - must be exciting and alive. You hear this sentiment from business leaders who never gave up on the dream of a History Museum for Tampa, from residents at SkyPoint and from the proprietors of new downtown restaurants.

Over the past 20 years, many leaders have spent a great deal of time planning for downtown's rebirth. But now, it is more than mere rhetoric and conjecture - things are truly happening. What has been accomplished in downtown over the last few years has been impressive, but what will happen over the next few years will be truly amazing. Take heart Tampa; the stage has already been set.

T. Truett Gardner is a land-use lawyer with Gardner Law Group, P.A.