Benefits of Raising Urban Kids
For Downtown Tampa families with young children, the neighborhood isn’t an urban jungle, it’s an urban jungle gym with easy access to outdoor space and cultural activities. According to a recent biennial survey compiled by Tampa Downtown Partnership, married couples with children make up 21 percent of the population living downtown or within three miles of the city hub. And with more than 4,000 residential units in the downtown area currently under construction or slated for construction, more will be coming to fill those halls with the laughter of children. “We are catering to families more and more; that’s what good cities do,” says Kelsy Van Camp, Director of Marketing and Communications for Tampa Downtown Partnership. Tampa’s multigenerational appeal is clearly on the rise. Read the full article in this 83 Degrees write-up.
Join a Discussion on Attainable & Micro Housing
Join us on Tuesday, January 23 at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel for a conversation on Attainable and Micro Housing. Representatives from the City of Tampa, Urban Core Holdings, and Stan Johnson Company will discuss the importance and impact of attainable and micro housing in Tampa and downtowns across the country. The panel of experts will be moderated by Mickey Jacob, FAIA, NCARB, Board Chair of the Tampa Downtown Partnership and Chief Marketing Officer for BDG Architects. Networking and registration begins at 7:30am with the program and continental breakfast beginning at 8am. Register here.
Save the Date: Development Forum
Be sure to mark your calendar for March 23 from 7:30am until noon for our 13th Annual Development Forum. This half-day event focuses on the exploration of innovative ideas in urban development and serves as a catalyst for discussion and problem solving for major urban issues. Attendees hear from developers and industry experts on the front lines of the most significant projects in downtown and learn about Tampa’s city center progress in economic development, transportation, and commercial and residential development. The event features local and national keynote speakers who provide insights on the state of downtown as well as provide recommendations for future improvements. Additionally, representatives from some of the most significant and innovative Downtown industries give “barometer” reports of activities in their respective business sectors and provide a picture of how each sector is performing and what to expect in the near future. Each year, hundreds of downtown stakeholders, urban planners, developers, real estate professionals, property owners, public officials, non-profit organizations, and arts and entertainment professionals and those interested in improving downtown are in attendance. Mark your calendar, tell your colleagues, and we look forward to seeing you there! Registration opens soon.
Mateys, Be On Alert
Gasparilla season is in full swing and in collaboration with the NHL All-Star weekend! Kicking off around 11am on January 23, Mayor Bob Buckhorn will be kidnapped by scurvey Pirates and brought to Lykes Gaslight Park at high noon where he will be asked to surrender the key to the City of Tampa. Be on alert, mateys, as cannons may be heard starting as early as 11:30am. Then, on Friday, January 26, the NHL All-Star concert at Curtis Hixon will have midday sound checks scheduled for 1pm and 4pm. During this time downtown businesses and residents may be impacted by loud sounds. The concert will take place between 8pm and 10:30pm. Downtown residents and businesses will be impacted by loud music, fireworks, with heavy traffic and pedestrian levels. To see the full schedule of weekend activities, visit our website here.
Test an Interactive Digital Kiosk
On Friday, January 26, stop by the Poe Plaza Esplanade from 10:30am until 2:30pm to test out an interactive digital kiosk, called IKE. Tampa Downtown Partnership has partnered with IKE Smart City to bring this demo to our City. IKE Smart City is a leader in the development and operation of Smart City interactive digital kiosks. IKE, a proven proprietary system that connects Business Improvement Districts with citizens, provides multimodal wayfinding, local business and event listings, free Wi-Fi, increased cellular connectivity and valuable data and analytics. Check out this promo video to see how it works. Thank you to Tampa City Center for hosting the demonstration.
The following is just a sample of upcoming events in Downtown Tampa. Visit the Downtown Tampa Events Calendar for a more comprehensive list. Going to one of the events? Snap a photo and tag #UrbanInsiderTPA
Fourth Friday
Friday, January 26, 4pm to 10pm Downtown Tampa and Ybor City When the sun goes down, the streets of Tampa and Ybor will light up with music, laughter, art, friends and FREE fun. This evening of special offerings and programs by cultural venues, restaurants, and more takes place on the fourth Friday of every month! For more information, go to Fourth Friday.
NHL All-Star Friday Night
Friday, January 26, begins 8pm Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park The best hockey players in the world are descending upon Downtown Tampa for an exciting weekend full of music, hockey, and more. Kick off the festivities with a concert on the water. Fitz and the Tantrums will perform live and you may even see some hockey heroes at the event! For more information, go to NHL All-Star Friday Night.
NHL All-Star Pregame
Friday, January 26 to Sunday, January 28 Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park This three-day event is hockey heaven! Meet the NHL Mascots™, test your hockey skills in the NHL All-Star Skills Zone™, take a photo with the Stanley Cup, and meet some top NHL players from the past and present. Bring your autograph book! For more information, go to NHL All-Star Pregame.
Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa
Saturday, January 27, begins 11am Downtown Tampa This event showcases a celebration of the Gasparilla Invasion. See the cannons a-blazing and guns a-flashing as hundreds of vessels of all sizes serve as escort for the spectacular Parade of Pirates. Tampa’s favorite parade only comes once a year!. For more information, go to Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa.
Taking the Stage at the Straz Center
The Tempest – Through Sunday, February 11 (Jobsite Theater) Forever Plaid – Through Sunday, March 11 Open Rehearsal – The Barber of Seville – Through Thursday, January 25 John Gorka – Monday, January 22, begins 7:30pm RyLee Madison – Tuesday, January 23, begins 7pm Gobsmacked! – Wednesday, January 24, begins 7:30pm Latin Nights – Thursday, January 25, begins 9pm Decades Rewind – Friday, January 26, begins 7:30pm Miranda Sings… You’re Welcome – Saturday, January 27, begins 8:30pm
Now Showing at Tampa Theatre
Member Mixer – Monday, January 22, begins 6pm This Is Spinal Tap (1984) – Friday, January 26, 10:30pm to Midnight Steel Magnolias (1989) – Sunday, January 28, 3pm to 5pm
This Week at Amalie Arena
NHL All-Star Skills Competition – Saturday, January 27, begins 7pm 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game – Sunday, January 28, begins 3:30pm
A Call for Art in Water Street Tampa
The City of Tampa’s Art Program Division and Strategic Property Partners, LLC, the developer of Water Street Tampa along with The University of South Florida Art in State Buildings Program, seek to commission a professional artist to create a site-specific exterior artwork to be placed or integrated in the open plaza area designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. The Plaza is situated between the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute, designed by HOK Architects, and a high performance office tower, designed by COOKFOX Architects. Download full Call to Artists.
NHL All-Star Friday Night Lineup
American alt-rock band Moon Taxi has joined the bill for the 2018 Enterprise NHL® All-Star Friday Night concert at Curtis Hixon Park on Friday, Jan. 26, the National Hockey League and Tampa Bay Sports Commission announced today. Headlined by Fitz and The Tantrums, the two-hour free concert will begin at 8 p.m. and will be hosted by Nashville Predators defenseman and 2018 NHL All-Star captain P.K. Subban and 93.3 FLZ’s Scotty Davis. The event will be open to the public, rain or shine. A ticket will not be required for entry. Doors to the 2018 Enterprise NHL® All-Star Friday Night will open at 6 p.m. Before heading to Curtis Hixon Park on Friday, Jan. 26, fans should visit NHL.com/AllStar to review the security reminders and list of prohibited items. The bag policy only allows small personal handbags, backpacks or baby bags into the venue for the event. All bags are subject to search before being allowed into Curtis Hixon Park. Fans will have an opportunity to take a picture at the Selfie Station and tag themselves using the official event hashtag – #NHLAllStarFriday. View the full press release.
Tampa Bay WaVE Joins Accelerator Network
The Tampa Bay WaVE, downtown Tampa’s tech accelerator, has become the first in Florida to join the Global Accelerator Network, a move expected to create new international opportunities for Tampa Bay’s tech community. The Global Accelerator Network, which includes 90 top accelerators in more than 120 cities globally, can advertise the WaVE’s programs, giving it international exposure in its efforts to attract tech companies to Tampa Bay. It also will create new potential funding opportunities for WaVE companies, provide access to discounts, and enable free shared workspace opportunities in other cities. “Tech Bytes: Tampa Bay WaVE joins Global Accelerator Network” – 83 Degrees
Park Tower Leasing Signals Office Strength
The oldest office tower in downtown Tampa saw a flurry of leasing activity in 2017 — a year in which the rest of the downtown office market was largely at a standstill. Before the ownership of Park Tower — a joint venture of City Office REIT, Tower Realty Partners and Feldman Equities — announced a multimillion-dollar renovation project, the 36-story office tower saw its occupancy dip to 79 percent after Nestle Professional Vitality vacated 43,000 square feet in the tower in May 2017. But through a series of deals totaling 44,000 square feet, including the relocation of CapTrust Advisors from another Feldman-owned property, the tower’s occupancy is 87 percent. If all of the potential deals the landlord is chasing come to fruition, occupancy could top 90 percent by this summer, said Mike DiBlasi, vice president of leasing and marketing for Feldman. Photo Link Exterior Photo Link Lobby “For Downtown Tampa’s Park Tower, A Flurry Of Leasing Activity Unfolded Before Multimillion-Dollar Renovations Began” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
Feldman to Turn CapTrust Building into Billboard
To make way for the 50-plus-story mixed-use tower proposed on downtown Tampa’s waterfront, the developers plan to demolish the CapTrust building on the north end of the site — but first, they’ll use the six-story office tower as a billboard. Feldman Equities, the developer behind the project, in late December filed plans with the city to begin construction of the tower’s 51,300-square-foot foundation and demolish the CapTrust building. Both the sales center and signage for the proposed tower would be positive signs for the tower, which is one of the most anticipated real estate developments in the Tampa Bay region. The tower is described in city documents as more than 1.2 million square feet, with 220 residential units and 54 stories tall. The actual height of the building — 628 feet — hasn’t changed since the initial proposal, but the developer said in July that the number of stories has fluctuated with the design changes, like the addition of penthouses that are technically two stories. “Feldman to Turn Captrust Building in Downtown Tampa Into A Six-Story Billboard For New Mixed-Use Tower” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
The Year for Office Development Boom
For those who follow Tampa Bay’s office market, it’s a tired storyline: Rents are creeping up, almost enough to make new development profitable. But Cushman & Wakefield of Florida Inc., unveiling its year-end data on the region’s office leasing and sales activity, says that 2018 might finally be the year that Tampa Bay’s office development boom begins. For modern, top-tier office space, the vacancy rate in 2017 fell to just below 8 percent — a level this market hasn’t seen since 2006. Overall, rental rates increased nearly 8 percent year-over-year. The office leasing market is one barometer of a region’s economic health. A growing corporate base requires more office space, and having modern workspaces available is key to attracting both new companies and talent. When companies are looking to expand into new markets, a lack of available space can be a hindrance to economic development efforts, as decision-makers aren’t always keen on waiting for new construction. “2018 Could Be The Year Tampa Bay’s Office Boom Begins” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
Two Hilton Hotel Brands, Same Property
When Tampa-based Liberty Group first considered the idea of developing a new hotel in its home city, market research indicated that both a new Hampton Inn and a Home2Suites would fit well with visitor demand and travel trends. So Liberty decided to do both — on the same property in Tampa’s Channel District. Liberty Group CEO Punit Shah says combining the two Hilton Hotels Corp. brands will generate operating efficiencies and provide both choice and an expanded experience for guests. In addition to the 213 rooms and extended-stay suites, Liberty Group’s new project will contain a Starbucks coffee shop on its ground floor. Shah says the coffee house also is likely to be among the first to sell beer and wine in Florida, under plans being formulated by the Seattle-based chain. The $40 million hotel, which will feature a social media wall, charging stations for electronic devices, meeting space, fitness center, a rooftop outdoor swimming pool and be within walking distance of the planned $3 billion redevelopment of Water Street Tampa and Amalie Arena, is slated to open in mid-2019. “Twice As Nice” – Business Observer
Multi-County Transit Looks to Bus
The newest hope for transportation in the Tampa Bay area is a bus rapid transit system projected to cover the 41-miles separating St. Petersburg from Wesley Chapel and attract 4,500 new riders at a fraction of the cost of light rail. Also known as BRT, it was identified as the bay area’s best bet to bring mass transit to the region by a 2½-year study conducted by Jacobs Engineering at the behest of state and local officials. The plan was unveiled Friday to political and business leaders and the public. Jacobs also outlined what kind of system the bay area should build after BRT: a passenger rail system connecting downtown Tampa to the University of South Florida using 9 miles of existing CSX tracks. Referendums to bring rail to Tampa Bay failed in Hillsborough County in 2010 and in Pinellas County in 2014. In 2016, the Hillsborough County Commission decided to not even give the voters a choice and killed it before it could go to the ballot. A key money-saver for this version of BRT is that it would utilize the interstate shoulders to create bus lanes. By using existing right-of-ways, Jacobs engineers project the cost would drop to about $455 million. “Learn How Bus Rapid Transit (And Rail) Could Work In Tampa Bay” – TBO.com
Hill Ward Henderson Elects Shareholder
Hill Ward Henderson is pleased to announce attorney, R. Travis Santos, was recently elected as a Shareholder in the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights and Commercial Litigation Groups. Mr. Santos has been an attorney at Hill Ward Henderson for nine years, where his practice primarily involves business bankruptcy and creditors’ rights litigation, including mortgage foreclosures, receiverships, replevins and proceedings supplementary. In addition to his practice, Mr. Santos serves as an appointed member of The Florida Bar’s Young Lawyer’s Division Board of Governors and has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers as a Rising Star consecutively from 2013-2017.
Hamilton Co-Author Comes to the Straz
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Jeremy McCarter on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 7pm in Ferguson Hall. Co-author with Lin-Manuel Miranda on the book Hamilton: The Revolution, the No. 1 New York Times bestseller, Jeremy McCarter’s extensive writing on culture, politics and where drama fits right in bigger conversations cast him as a leading thinker and speaker for issues surrounding exciting topics in art and society. Well-respected and easy to like, McCarter shares his personal account of what it was like to be friends with Miranda as Hamilton took shape and discusses the intriguing anecdotes of his latest publication, Young Radicals, a novel about Americans fighting for their ideals. Regularly priced tickets for the Sunday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. discussion with Jeremy McCarter are $20-$45 and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Sales Office or online at www.strazcenter.org.
A Call for Artists
Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture & the Arts “TBBCA” announces Call to Artists is now open for 2018 Tampa Bay Foundation for Architecture & Design HART Bus Wrap Art Program. Entries should be an artistic representation of how art and music combine to create community, and brings people together. Artists are requested to register intent to submit by Feb. 1st! Send email to susanaweymouth@tbbca.org. Artist’s final concept image digital submission deadline is Friday, April 27, 2018. The program is presented by Tampa Bay Foundation for Architecture & Design (“TBFAD”) in partnership with Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture & the Arts, Gasparilla Music Festival, the Vinik Family Foundation, and VSA Florida – The State Organization on Arts and Disability. “Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture & the Arts announces Call to Artists for 2018 Tampa Bay Foundation for Architecture & Design HART Bus Wrap Art Program” – Tampa Bay Newswire
Straz Presents Complexions Contemporary Dance
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Complexions Contemporary Dance From Bach to Bowie on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 8 p.m. in Ferguson Hall. From sold-out performances that garnered gushing reviews, Complexions Contemporary Ballet brings its latest jaw-dropping program including Star Dust, the glam, “utterly transfixing” tribute to David Bowie (Billboard). Combining technical precision, power and passion, Complexions transcends tradition in a groundbreaking mix of styles ranging from ballet to hip-hop. For more information about the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts and its upcoming events, please visit www.strazcenter.org. The Straz Center is a NPN Partner of the National Performance Network (NPN). “Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Complexions Contemporary Ballet From Bach to Bowie” – Tampa Bay Newswire
Patel Conservatory Presents Free Camp-a-palooza
On Saturday, February 14 from 10am until 2pm, the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts brings Camp-a-palooza. This FREE event features a smorgasbord of summer camps and classes, with bonus activities such as face painting, bounce houses and food samplings. Patel Conservatory instructors will be on hand to meet parents and potential students, who may take tours throughout the classrooms, theater and facilities. This fun event will also feature detailed information about, and registration for, summer classes and camps. Entertainment will be provided by the Patel Conservatory’s dance, theater and music programs. Registration and more information are available at www.patelconservatory.org and by calling 813.222.1040.
Budweiser Clydesdales to Appear In Tampa
The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales, the symbol of quality and tradition for Anheuser-Busch since 1933, are scheduled to make several appearances in the Bay area, January 23rd through January 27th, including one at the Gasparilla Pirate Fest. The eight-horse hitch will be harnessed and hitched to the famous red beer wagon and will be part of the traditional Gasparilla Parade of Pirates in Tampa, on Saturday, January 27th, from 2 pm to 5 pm. On Gasparilla eve, 3 pm, Friday the 26th, the “Gentle Giants,” as they are often referred to, will crash a house party and deliver cases of Budweiser. Consumers are invited to watch the beer delivery in person, which will take place at 2323 W North B Street Tampa, FL 33609. Other stops by the Clydesdales include: Tuesday, January 23rd 3 pm till 5 pm at Total Wine at 1720 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33607; Wednesday, January 24th 1 pm till 4 pm at Walmart at 10327 Big Bend Rd, Riverview, FL 33578; Thursday, January 25th 2 pm till 6 pm at Circle K at 17565 FL-54, Lutz, FL 33558.
Amazon’s HQ2 Not Coming to Tampa Bay
To no one’s surprise, Amazon on Thursday released its list of location finalists for its second headquarters, and neither Tampa nor St. Petersburg was on it. “We knew it was going to be a long shot and a difficult road,” Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said. Miami did make the short list of cities left vying for a new campus for as many as 50,000 Amazon employees with salaries averaging more than $100,000 a year. Pinellas and Hillsborough counties had joined efforts to convince Amazon the Tampa Bay area should be the home of the company’s North American headquarters. The locations pitched included the 85-acre site of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg and the 40 acres that Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment capital fund have assembled at the southern end of downtown Tampa. “Tampa Bay Area Doesn’t Make Cut As Amazon Second Headquarter Finalist” – Tampa Bay Times
Developer Plans Mixed-Use in Grand Central District
A South Florida developer has assembled more than an acre in St. Petersburg’s up-and-coming Grand Central District where it plans to build a mixed-use building with one-bedroom apartments and commercial space. JB Howell Real Estate Solutions has acquired a total of 10 parcels, eight of which are on the north side of First Avenue South, between 28th and 29th streets, and two vacant lots at 2800 Central Ave., in a deal that closed Thursday. The purchase price was $1.66 million. The developer’s plans include 72 one-bedroom, one-and-half bath units that are loft-style, with 16- to 18-foot ceilings and an average almost 800 square feet. The building will also include 5,000 square feet of commercial space along Central Avenue. Groundbreaking is slated for the second quarter and construction is expected to wrap up in mid-2019. “Developer Buys Property in St. Pete’s Grand Central District, Plans Mixed-Use Building (Rendering)” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
Related Group Focuses on Tampa Bay
The Related Group is continuing to branch out, both from its home base of Miami and from the condominium towers that made the company synonymous with urban living. As part of a push to diversify both geographically and by product type, Related is focusing increasingly on providing upscale apartments in select urban markets, including Tampa and St. Petersburg. The latest evidence of the pivot can be found in Icon Central, a 15-story multifamily rental project that is under construction in downtown St. Petersburg. There, Related is building 368 units in the city’s Arts District to appeal to a burgeoning “creative class” of young professionals who want to live and work downtown and are “renters by choice.” In addition to Icon Central, the company has completed Icon Harbour Island, a 22-story luxury rental tower in downtown Tampa; is constructing a 400-unit project on the site of the former Tampa Tribune called Manor Riverwalk; and is building a 396-unit apartment project in the Westshore Marina District known as Town Westshore. Another Related division that focuses on more affordable housing is planning to rehabilitate roughly 700 units and add 900 market-rate dwellings in the 150-acre West River, a project in conjunction with the Tampa Housing Authority. “All Related” – Business Observer
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