A viewer tip led me to discover how ZooTampa's ambitious expansion plans are transforming the area around the Lowry Park and Seminole Heights neighborhoods, creating new opportunities along the Hillsborough River.

The story idea came after a previous Tampa Bay 28 report highlighting the potential transformation of North Tampa.

The Hillsborough River winds through the beating heart of Tampa, but one section often goes overlooked.

Mark Haney, Chief External Relations Officer at ZooTampa, is working to change that with a $125 million expansion project he calls "Riverwalk North."

"We anticipate the first phase of this will be about $125 million," Haney said.

On a beautiful fall day surrounded by wildlife inside and outside the zoo, Haney took me on a golf cart ride to Lowry Park, where a

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