By Teresa Durand-Stuebben, guest blogger
How do you take out trash? Where do you walk your dog?
No matter who I talk with about our major change from living in the suburbs to a condo on the Southbank Riverwalk, they ask the same questions. I find it interesting people are most curious about how I carry groceries, take out trash or walk my dog. Most are amazed when I reply it’s actually more convenient in several ways.
Bringing bags of groceries is much easier living Downtown; no longer do I make multiple trips from my car. Grocery shopping hasn’t changed; I pass Winn Dixie and Publix during daily commute as well as a new found charm, The Seafood Market on Hendricks Avenue. When I arrive at my designated space in my residential parking garage, I utilize one of the two versatile carts that are located on each garage level elevator lobby. The rolling carts easily hold my purse, briefcase, several groceries bags and dry-cleaning, making only one trip. It’s incredibly efficient, with the added bonus of less stress on my shoulders and back.
Urban living has also offered us the fantastic feature of a trash chute. I no longer have to deal or cringe about the possibility of crossing paths with Florida’s garbage fans – raccoon and roaches. I walk 18 steps in the air conditioning to our 15th-floor clean trash-chute closet. Don’t get me wrong, I love Florida’s nature – I am an outdoor gardening feign – but the elimination of the trash pests has been a plus.
Now the question about condo and urban life with a dog: this is where the perception of Downtown is skewed. To begin with, there’s been no day I have not been on the elevator with at least one dog. If you take the time to view the area from a Google satellite map, you can see all of the green spaces for pets and, of course, we have the Riverwalk. Not only are there plenty of areas to walk your dog, but there are several “dog stations” with sanitary bags and pet-waste stations, which are non-existent in suburban neighborhoods. Walking the dog has become another benefit of living Downtown.
Want to learn about living spaces Downtown? Visit our website directory.You can read Teresa’s previous blog post on living Downtown here.