Robert Stern joined Trenam Law in 1990 and is the co-leader of the Real Estate & Lending Transactions Group. Robert represents clients in all aspects of real estate, distressed property, and financing commercial work. His practice focuses on commercial real estate, with an emphasis on transactional and financing matters. His clients include developers, lenders, investors, and retailers. Robert has served as an expert witness, receiver, mediator and adjunct professor of law. He strives to add value to every deal as a trusted advisor for his clients, based on negotiation skills and practical experience honed over twenty years of buying, developing, financing, permitting, leasing and selling commercial real estate.
Read his full bio.
The Tampa Downtown Partnership is making Lynda Remund its permanent President and CEO after leading the agency for a year as acting head. Remund is replacing former CEO Christine Burdick who retired in December 2017.
Remund will assume the official position January 1.
“Lynda’s ability to support and lead a collaborative work environment while effectively managing the Partnership’s strategic initiatives has proven to the Board Officers and the Executive Committee that Lynda is the best person for this position,” said Mickey Jacob, Chairman of the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
“Over the past 18 years, Lynda has been steadfast in adhering to the organization’s vision and mission of cultivating a diverse and vibrant downtown through the initiatives she’d lead and the relationships she’d built to support those efforts,” said Jacob.
As CEO, Remund manages the Partnership’s organizational structure, vision and mission and facilitates the organization’s strategic initiatives. She also works with downtown stakeholders to ensure Tampa’s urban core is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood.
During her tenure with the Tampa Downtown Partnership, Remund led efforts to expand the Special Services District (SSD) into Tampa Heights, and in October the Tampa Downtown Partnership officially extended its SSD boundaries for the first time since its creation in 1994.
The Special Services District collects a special assessment from businesses within its boundaries to help fund the Partnership’s operations. The expanded service area not only provides additional resources for the group, it also opens opportunities for emerging businesses north of Interstate 275 to tap into the downtown momentum and access Partnership resources like the popular Downtowner- an electric on-demand vehicle that provides free rides within the Partnership’s boundaries.
Remund joined the Partnership in 2000 as the Director of District Operations. She served on several committees and organizations including the Krewe of Agustina de Aragon, Transportation Committee Chair for the Westshore Alliance, HARC Auxiliary Committee, Westshore Midday Business of Professional Women, Hillsborough County Committee of 99, and March of Dimes Task Force Member.
She is an alumna of the Leadership Westshore Class of 1998, Leadership Tampa Class of 2005, and International Downtown Association’s 2018 Emerging Leader Fellowship Program.
She holds a SHRM-CP certification in human resources and is currently a member of the International Downtown Association, Urban Land Institute, Florida Redevelopment Association, Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Tampa, and serves on the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, Tampa Preparatory School’s Board of Trustees, Visit Tampa Bay’s Advisory Committee, and the Rays 100 Committee.
“Lynda Remund officially hired as Tampa Downtown Partnership head” – Florida Politics
The Tampa Museum of Art was awarded the 2018 Urban Excellence Arts & Culture Award for their “Love is Calling” exhibit.
On view September 28, 2018 through February 14, 2019, the Tampa Museum of Art presents Yayoi Kusama’s LOVE IS CALLING, one of the artist’s iconic Infinity Rooms, on loan from the Vinik Family Foundation Collection. An immersive, experiential work of art, LOVE IS CALLING invites visitors to enter a mirrored room with tentacle-like soft sculptures hanging from the ceiling and positioned on the floor. These forms glow with changing colors and feature Kusama’s signature polka dots. Mirrored walls create a kaleidoscopic effect, with the reflected imagery of the tentacles seemingly extending into infinite space. In groups of 10, visitors hear audio of the artist reciting a love poem in Japanese as they walk throughout the installation.
Yayoi Kusama (Japanese, b. 1929) is one of today’s most recognized and celebrated artists. In addition to her widely popular Infinity Rooms, such as LOVE IS CALLING, Kusama creates vibrant paintings, works on paper, and sculpture with abstract imagery. Her artwork has been shown and collected by leading institutions across the globe and she is considered “the world’s most popular artist.” A comprehensive retrospective, organized by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC, is currently travelling around the US and Canada. In October 2017, the Yayoi Kusama Museum opened in Tokyo. The artist lives and works in Tokyo.
About the award: This award is presented to an organization, event or initiative that has had a significant and lasting impact on downtown’s arts and cultural life, stimulates economic growth, encourages tourism and enhances downtown’s cultural image.
Finalists are chosen through a three-step process. First, the Tampa Downtown Partnership invites the public to submit nominations for each category. When the nomination period closes, each submission is considered based on the criteria set within each category. Finally, a panel of jurors representing a cross-section of downtown constituencies evaluate the nominations on a scale of 1-10 based on the criteria and their relation to six topics; innovation, creativity, engagement, sustainability, advancement, and impact.
See all of the winners.
Please be aware of the following special holiday hours.
Tampa Downtown Partnership Office:
December 31 – Closed January 1 – Closed
Tampa’s Downtown Guides
January 1 – Off
Tampa’s Downtown Clean Team
For Emergencies (Police – Fire – Medical) DIAL 9-1-1 For Non-Emergencies call: (813) 231-6130
The magic of the holidays is about making dreams come true and at the outdoor ice skating rink in Winter Village, the Tampa Downtown Partnership is working to make sure visitors with all different abilities can experience something special.
The rink is a place where you’ll find grand gestures like proposals and family reunions. But if you look a little closer it’s the smaller moments, like a simple helping hand, that can make a big difference.
“I had to come back out here at least one more time,” Henry Spells told ABC Action News Reporter Kylie McGivern when they met at the rink.
Spells is a big hockey fan, rattling off his favorites players – including Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov.
A year ago, Spells came to Winter Village’s ice skating rink.
“I rubbed my hand on the ice, I was like…I wonder if I could ever, you know, think about sled hockey or whatnot,” he said.
Or maybe, even a step further.
“Ice skating like a regular, normal person,” Spells said, sitting on a bench a the edge of the rink.
You see, Spells walks with the help of a cane. This year, he found he doesn’t need it. Not on the ice.
“I let go of the wall and of course KJ had me the whole time and we were out in the middle,” Spells said of Kenandrae Telfair, who works at the rink.
Shaun Drinkard, Senior Director of Public Programming & Operations, with the Tampa Downtown Partnership, says this is what it’s all about.
“Whether it’s turning off the sound and creating a calm environment…they accommodate disabilities of all sorts,” he said of the contractor, Ice Rink Events. “Including anybody in a wheelchair, they will coordinate with the family to actually bring the wheelchair on the ice and the staff here will bring them around.”
Jill Bosack brought her 5-year-old son with autism for the first time and was able to learn the times it would be less crowded.
“There are many people that are on staff that are here to help with people that have needs,” she said. “It’s just so nice to be able to have everyone together and to have him be able to be with other children who are participating in the normal activities that children should participate in, in the holiday season.”
Spells wants to inspire others with disabilities to live fully.
“Don’t let nothing stop you from doing what you do. I mean go big. Go beyond yourself. And for those other people that are sitting at home, just saying, ‘I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this.’ Well they’re going to be wrong.” Spells said. “I can’t have people sitting at home, I really can’t.”
Winter Village will be open until 6:00 Christmas Eve and reopen at 4:00 Christmas afternoon. After that, Winter Village will be open from 10:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night until Jan. 5.
“Winter Village takes steps to accommodate skaters with special needs” – ABC Action News
Be informed and join us for a chance to have your questions answered by the 2019 Mayoral Candidates on Wednesday, January 16th from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at the Rialto Theatre. A panel discussion with moderator will follow networking and casual conversation. Confirmed candidates: Jane Castor, Harry Cohen, Topher Morrison, Mike Suarez, and Ed Turanchik. Invited but not confirmed candidates: LaVaughn King and David Straz. Register today! Interested in sponsorship for this event? Check out our Sponsorship Packet.
This edition of the Tampa Downtown Partnership Quarterly Downtown Security Network Breakfast will focus on human trafficking awareness and response. The discussion will include what signs property managers, security professionals, business leaders, and other stakeholders should be on the lookout for and how to take action. The event will take place January 24 at TECO Hall in Tampa’s Downtown with breakfast and registration starting at 7:15am and the program running 8am to 9am. Click here to register.
More construction cranes are on the horizon in Tampa for 2019, many (but probably not all) of them at Water Street Tampa.
“We’re going to keep the accelerator down and keep moving ahead,” developer and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik said at a recent groundbreaking for 815 Water Street, a twin pair of apartment towers that is the first residential project to be built in the 53-acre development.
To create Water Street Tampa, a $3 billion project, Vinik teamed up with Cascade Investment, the private capital fund of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, to form Strategic Property Partners.
During the first phase of construction, Strategic executives have said there could be 20 construction cranes at a time working on up to 10 buildings simultaneously.
“There’s a lot more to come for us,” Strategic CEO James Nozar said at the same groundbreaking in November. “You’re only seeing kind of the tip of the iceberg. We’re so fortunate to have started four projects this year” — a JW Marriott hotel, the twin apartment towers, the re-creation of Channelside Bay Plaza as Sparkman Wharf and a district-wide cooling plant — “we have another six that are going to start” in 2019. “This is going to be a very different place this time next year.”
Projects expected to break ground this year include:
“It will be the city’s first trophy Class A office building built in over 25 years,” Nozar said of 1001 Water Street. “It’s a 180,000-square-foot building. … We can’t announce any of the tenants we’re talking to, (but) there’s many. We’re very excited about the progress on that project.”
While discussion is picking up nationwide about the possibility that economic growth will slow into a recession, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said he’s not worried about a downturn undermining construction or leasing at Water Street Tampa.
That’s because Vinik and Cascade have enough money on their own that they don’t have to take out typical development loans, he said. And as developer-owners, they do not have to worry about pre-leasing their projects, finishing them on a tight schedule and selling them quickly to pay off construction loans.
“We’re going to go through our blips in the cycle,” Buckhorn said. “The good thing is, the developers have the wherewithal to withstand those types of cycles. They’re committed to the long-term, 30-year window, not a five-year flip.”
Water Street Tampa, however, won’t necessarily have a monopoly on high-rise construction in the coming year.
Away from downtown, The Bromley Companies have said construction is expected to start in 2019 on Midtown One, a seven-story office building at Bromley’s $500 million Midtown Tampa project. The 22-acre site is just southeast of Interstate 275’s interchange at N Dale Mabry Highway.
And at the former site of the failed Trump Tower, developers said in November that the 50-plus story Riverwalk Place residential tower appears to be on track for a start to construction in 2019. The project is being developed by Larry Feldman and Two Roads Development, based in South Florida.
“Construction cranes on the horizon in 2019 at Water Street Tampa” – Tampa Bay Times
The Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2019 People to Watch consists of big names impacting Tampa’s Downtown including Nocturnal Hospitality Group’s Lanfranco Pescante and David Anderson, Chas Bruck and Adam Harden of SoHo Capital, Dr. Charles Lockwood of USF Health, Tampa General Hospital’s John Couris, Florida Department of Transportation District 7 Secretary David Gwynn, new executive director for the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority David Green.
This is an annual tradition for the newsroom. In mid-November, the TBBJ staff gather as a group to brainstorm and prognosticate about who will be the top business newsmakers in Tampa Bay in the year ahead.
Some made the list because what they are working on will have a positive impact in compelling ways with services and products, jobs and opportunities, and help shape our competitive landscape. For others, it’s not a joyful distinction. They are in the hot seat, with issues to resolve or overcome that meet a threshold, we believe, of regional relevance.
“25 People to Watch in 2019” – Tampa Bay Business Journal (subscription required)
The 2019 Synapse Summit, a symposium to help innovators build connections in the tech community, returns to downtown Tampa January 23rd and 24th with a full slate of programming designed to spotlight Florida’s growing presence in the world of innovation.
“Florida is experiencing an innovation revolution,” says Marc Blumenthal, executive director and co-founder of Synapse, a nonprofit founded to accelerate innovation in Florida. “The Synapse Summit provides the opportunity to engage with Florida’s most innovative people, entrepreneurs, investors and corporations in a meaningful and purposeful way.”
Tampa was chosen to host the event again this year because it’s close to the state’s geographic center, attracting great companies and talent from across the state, says Brian Kornfeld, Synapse president and co-founder. Plus, he notes, the summit falls between Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Gasparilla, giving a more “South by Southwest” feel to the week.
This year’s summit, themed “Innovation Lives Here,” is the centerpiece of Synapse Innovation Week, which runs January 21st-25th. Organizers expect more than 5,000 attendees, along with 300 exhibitors and 250 speakers from across the country. Technologies to be featured include everything from virtual and augmented reality to the Internet of Things to cryptocurrency.
“Innovation Lives Here” was chosen as the theme for a number of reasons, Kornfeld says, including that the title can mean different things to different people.
“Our four main stage sessions are themed “Innovation Lives Here,” “Talent Lives Here,” “Investment Lives Here,” and “Opportunity Lives Here,” he says. “Those are just four of the potential meanings. It could mean that innovation lives in Florida, or innovation lives in a particular industry, or within a particular talent. At the end of the day, we want to spread the message across the world that Florida is open for people to start a business and scale a business in the innovation space. We can’t wait to see what happens once the entire world begins to take notice.”
Keynote speakers include Larry Quinlan, Deloitte’s Global Chief Information Officer; Sara Margulis, CEO and founder of Honeyfund and successful participants on Shark Tank; a mainstage discussion about the unique talent in Florida featuring Vincent Jackson, co-founder and CEO of CTV Capital and former wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kent Paro, VP of Enterprise Risk Management at Grow Financial Credit Union and retired Navy SEAL commander; a mainstage panel with Steve MacDonald, former CEO of MyMatrixx, Jake Seid, Managing Director of Silicon Valley-based Stone Bridge Ventures and Zach Coelius, Managing Partner of Silicon-Valley based Coelius Capital; Lakshmi Shenoy, CEO of Embarc Collective; Steve Barsh, Managing Partner of DreamIt Ventures; and Charlie Shrem, Blockchain expert and founder of Sarasota-based CryptoIQ.
Activities planned for the event include:
Kornfeld says that by the end of the summit, he hopes attendees will feel a greater sense of connection to the community.
“That could mean meeting one person or company that helps drive value to you. That could mean hiring talent or getting a job. That could mean getting an investment. That could mean connecting to a new set of education from one of our amazing breakout sessions. That could mean just feeling connected to the future when trying out a Magic Leap headset,” he says. “If each person can make one valuable connection, this community becomes that much tighter and stronger.”
To learn more and to register for the summit at Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa FL 33602, visit the Synapse website.
“2019 Synapse Summit spotlights innovation in Florida” – 83 Degrees Media
Your Downtown Calendar
The following is just a sample of upcoming events in Downtown Tampa. Visit the Downtown Tampa Events Calendar for a more comprehensive list.
Kid’s New Year’s Eve Balloon Drop
Monday, December 31, begins 11:30am Armature Works Dance and celebrate the New Year a bit early! Since midnight is way past bed times, bring the kids downtown for this special, early NYE celebration. The event kicks off in the Courtyard and will feature the Spheres Bubble and Magic Show as well as a countdown to noon, a sparkling cider toast, and a balloon drop! This family-friendly event is free to attend and open to the public. For more information, go to Kid’s New Year’s Eve Balloon Drop.
NYE Wrap Party: Austin Powers
Monday, December 31, begins 9pm Tampa Theatre Join Dr. Evil and Mr. Bigglesworth for heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts, live music and dancing, the ball drop live on the big screen at midnight, and an open beer-and-wine bar all night long. Austin Powers-themed signature themed cocktails (Mini-Me-mosas, anyone?) and a cash liquor bar will also be available. For more information, go to Downtown Tampa Holiday Boat Parade of Lights.
New Year’s Eve 2019
Monday, December 31, begins 9pm Armature Works Dance all night to the beats of a high energy live band and DJ while enjoying a top-shelf open bar and a wide selection of late night hors d’oeuvres, as well as a champagne bar and midnight toast. At midnight, head outside to the Armature Works front lawn to catch one of the most elaborate firework displays in the city, with Downtown Tampa as the backdrop. For more information, go to New Year’s Eve 2019.
Mayor’s Food Truck Fiesta
Wednesday, January 2, 11am to 2pm Lykes Gaslight Square Looking for a larger selection of lunch options? Step outside for a meal in the park! Choose from a wide variety of local food trucks serving up all sorts of delicious culinary creations. You’ll have your pick of dishes from plenty of delectable kitchens on wheels! For more information, go to Mayor’s Food Truck Fiesta.
Rock the Park
Thursday, January 3, 6:30pm to 9pm Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park Listen to some great musical talent in a beautiful, relaxing setting. This month’s show features The Sagas, The Venus, and Joshua Reilly. With food and drinks on the premises and an always exciting vibe, this free concert is guaranteed not to disappoint. For more information, go to Rock the Park.
Taking the Stage at the Straz Center
The Florida Orchestra – Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – Friday, January 4, begins 8pm Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow Youth America Grand Prix Gala – Saturday, January 5, begins 8pm
Monday Morning Memo –Monday Morning Memo is a weekly update of “insider downtown information” regarding developments, transportation, special opportunities and other useful information to help you make the most of downtown. Subscribe to receive this weekly newsletter.
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