Save the Date, Annual Meeting
Mark your calendars for our 32nd Annual Meeting happening June 27 at the Hilton Tampa Downtown. The Annual Meeting and Luncheon is the Tampa Downtown Partnership’s premier event. Once a year the Partnership has the opportunity to share with our members and the downtown community a celebration of our organization’s successes and accomplishments throughout the year, recognize our outgoing and incoming Board Chair and induct Board officers and directors for the upcoming year. The event features dynamic speakers, the release of the Partnership’s Annual Year in Review, remarks from the Partnership’s Board leadership, and a look at what lays ahead for downtown and our organization. The Annual Meeting is a great opportunity to connect with downtown stakeholders, learn about key issues, and celebrate downtown’s continued growth. Registration and an exciting keynote speaker to be announced soon!
We’re Hiring – Join Us
Tampa Downtown Partnership is looking for a detail-orientated person with sound judgement and a solid background in accounting with strong organizational skills to fill the role of Bookkeeper and Executive Assistant. This position requires strong reasoning skills and good analytical and problem-solving abilities. The Bookkeeper and Executive Assistant will perform administrative duties to support the President and CEO, manage the duties of the Administrative Assistant, as well as provide some human resource support. The Partnership offers fully paid Health and Dental benefits, Life Insurance, Paid-Time-Off, matching 401K, and a commuter parking allowance. View the full job description. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their resume and cover letter to Lynda Remund, Acting CEO and President.
Hurricane Preparedness Meeting, June 13
Hurricane season begins June 1st. After last year’s active and deadly season, be sure your business and employees are prepared by joining our Annual Hurricane Preparedness meeting on Wednesday, June 13 at TECO Hall in Tampa’s Downtown. Attendees will hear from Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Tampa Electric Company, Tampa Fire Rescue, Tampa Police Department, NOAA Operations Center, National Weather Center, and USF Health, CAMLS as they discuss best practices to implement in planning for an incoming storm. Register today!
Downtown Debriefing: The Hillsborough River’s Impact
Join us for this season’s last Debriefing Series until Fall 2019 as we hear from local professionals about the impact and importance of the Hillsborough River on our economy, environment, and quality of life. Hear from Roger Germann, President and CEO of the Florida Aquarium, Paul Dial, City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Director, and Shawn College, AICP, Executive Director of the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board and Team Leader of Environmental Planning, Research and Infrastructure for the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission. Moderated by Tampa Downtown Partnership Chair, Mickey Jacob of BDG Architects, the event takes place on Tuesday, May 22 at the River Center at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Networking and registration begins at 7:30am followed by a continental breakfast and program at 8am until 9am. Register today!
The following is just a sample of upcoming events in Downtown Tampa. Visit the Downtown Tampa Events Calendar for a more comprehensive list.
James and the Giant Peach
Through Sunday, May 20 Stageworks Theatre When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach… and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Suddenly, James finds himself in the center of the gigantic peach, among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities. Thanks to James’ quick wit and creative thinking, the residents learn to live and work together as a family. For more information, go to James and the Giant Peach.
Justin Timberlake: The Man Of The Woods Tour
Tuesday, May 15, begins 7:30pm Amalie Arena Global superstar Justin Timberlake makes his highly anticipated return to the stage with The Man Of The Woods Tour. The 10-time Grammy Award winner (and 4 time Emmy Award winner) will bring his hit songs and stellar moves to Downtown Tampa for a show that is sure to excite hardcore and casual fans alike. Find some tickets for this must-see concert and get ready to get moving! For more information, go to Justin Timberlake: The Man Of The Woods Tour.
Downtown’s Bike to Work Ride & Rally
Friday, May 18, begins 7am Lykes Gaslight Park Tighten your shoes, check your tires, and get ready to ride to work! Choose from seven different neighborhood meet-up locations for a guided ride with experienced cyclists. All will finish at Lykes Gaslight Square for food, music, information, and fun. For more information, go to Downtown’s Bike to Work Ride & Rally.
Unveiling of the Madame Fortune Taylor Bridge
Sunday, May 20, 10am to 11am Fortune Taylor Bridge Fortune Taylor, a former enslaved person and pioneer of Tampa is being honored with a historic marker erected by the Hillsborough County Historical Advisory Council. Come celebrate “Tampa’s Good Fortune” through music, poetry, dance and history on the Tampa Riverwalk, steps from the Fortune Taylor Bridge. For more information, go to Madame Fortune Taylor Bridge.
Taking the Stage at the Straz Center
Latin Nights – Thursday, May 17, begins 9pm The Florida Orchestra – Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony – Friday, May 18, begins 8pm The Book of Moron – Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19 Bubble Guppies Live! “Ready to Rock” – Saturday, May 19, shows at 2pm and 6pm Travis Greene: CROSSOVER LIVE TOUR Vol. 2 – Saturday, May 19, begins 8pm Angels in America Part II: Perestroika – Sunday, May 20, begins 2pm
On Stage at Jobsite Theater
1984 – Through Sunday, May 20
Hungry Greek Coming to Element Tower
Hungry Greek, which specializes in rice bowls, salads and pitas, has signed a lease for 1,931 square feet in the Element Tower, said Paul Fischetti, senior managing director of retail services at Newmark Knight Frank in Tampa. It is the third restaurant to sign on to the Element since Fischetti took over the leasing and marketing of the space in mid-2016. Element has landed deals with Burgerim (pronounced Burger-EEM) and Earl of Sandwich since Fischetti became the listing agent. The Element was sold in October 2017 to Northland Investment Corp., which kept Fischetti on as the listing agent. Other retail tenants in the building include Duckweed Urban Grocery, Kahwa Coffee and an Irish pub. Fischetti says he has a letter of intent on the last remaining space, which is 3,569 square feet, and two backup letters of intent. (Subscription Required) “With Hungry Greek Deal, Downtown Tampa’s Element Tower Is Down To One Restaurant Vacancy” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
City Market Eats Brings Convenience Downtown
A one-stop shop for food, convenience store items and retail has made its way downtown and caters to time-deprived workers. City Market Eats opened on April 30 at the corner of Morgan and Washington Streets south of County Center. The local fresh market mainly serves hot dogs, ice cream, coffee and grab-and-go items. It also features anything found at a convenience store: gum, candy, chips, sundries, toiletries and even retail items. Owned by 23 Restaurants Services, City Market Eats operates from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday, and is located at 206 N Morgan St. For more information visit citymarketeats.com/ or call (813) 591-3287. “City Market Eats Brings Convenience to Downtown Tampa” – Tampa Bay Times
Tampa EDC CEO Talks Opportunity, Strategy
Craig Richard is president and CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., a public private partnership, and he recently answered some questions from the Tampa Bay Business Journal about the agency’s biggest deals and new marketing strategies. (Subscription Required) What lessons did you learn from the Amazon HQ2 bid? “One, now we have a very solid format and template for our proposal responses. Two, we now have a model that we can use when we’re working with our friends in Pinellas County. That alone is priceless. This is unchartered territory for us in partnering with another EDC on this caliber of a project, but now we’ve done it and we need to know what needs to happen to be successful in the next go around.” “Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp.’s CEO Talks Opportunity, Strategy” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
Now a Best Seller, Jobsite’s Play 1984 Receives a Glowing Review
Now Jobsite Theater’s 8th best-performing show of all time, 1984 was called “a perfect theatrical experience” by Cathy Salustri of Creative Loafing. Salustri says, “There is absolutely no good way to review Jobsite’s production of 1984, because there’s no way to go see it and not be profoundly moved by it. It’s simply too close to what could happen, but we’re not there. Yet. So instead of reviewing it — because it’s a foregone conclusion that this is a play worth seeing, because it’s an adaptation of George Orwell and because it’s Jobsite — let’s chat about what this show does to you and what it means that Jobsite’s producing it.” Read the full review. The show runs through Sunday, May 20 – get tickets here.
HART Considers Removing In-Towner Service
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) will hold community outreach sessions and public hearings to discuss the proposed removal of Route 96/97 – In-Towner. The community outreach and public hearings will be held: Thursday, May 17 at 6am until 8:30am and again from 3pm until 6pm at the HART Marion Transit Center. The second meeting will be held Monday, May 21 from 4-6pm at the HART Marion Transit Center. Detailed proposed service changes are available on the HART website. Contact HART if you require the information in accessible format or other accommodations.
West River Construction Begins
A 160-unit senior community is the first new construction on the former North Boulevard Homes property. The Renaissance at West River officially breaks ground Thursday at the corner of Main Street and Rome Avenue in West Tampa, the Tampa Housing Authority said. It is part of the $350 million West River redevelopment, a 120-acre area bound by Rome Avenue, Columbus Avenue, the Hillsborough River and Interstate 275. DPR Construction is the general contractor for the Renaissance. North Boulevard Homes, a public housing development, was demolished in mid-2017. The redevelopment will bring thousands of new residential units and new commercial space to West Tampa, with a goal of creating a more walkable, mixed-income community. “First Construction in Tampa’s West River Begins (Rendering)” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
May is National Bike Month: Test Your Knowledge
May is National Bike Month! As part of Bike Month, Bike/Walk Tampa Bay has put together these fun quizzes to test your knowledge and share great safety info about bicycling and driving! When you finish a quiz, you can enter a drawing for bike lights, t-shirts, and the grand prize – a $300 gift card redeemable at Flying Fish Bikes!! Also, join Coast Bike Share this month and get one hour free. A coupon code and instructions will also be provided after you take the quiz! Courteous Driver quiz: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/driverquiz Smart Bicyclist quiz: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bikequiz
Straz Tweaks Redevelopment Plans
Plans to redevelop the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts are evolving as new growth brings more visitors and residents to downtown Tampa. The Straz Center first unveiled a conceptual plan for redeveloping its waterfront real estate in 2015; a master plan for a renovation that could cost up to $100 million was unveiled in 2016. In early May, Ryan Cos., a Minneapolis-based real estate developer with a large presence in Tampa, filed a design review request with the city that shows the most detailed plan yet for the Straz property. “Straz Center Tweaks $100 Million Waterfront Redevelopment Plans As Downtown Tampa Evolves (Renderings)” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
UT Creates New Sales Institute
The University of Tampa has announced a new institute tasked with the primary mission of educating interested students of all majors in sales methodologies and preparing them for careers in sales. The Institute for Sales Excellence, based in UT’s Sykes College of Business, will have four specific functions: (1) prepare students for careers in professional business-to-business sales, (2) encourage networking between students and businesses, (3) serve as a staffing resource for regional, national and global firms, and (4) provide learning resources for local and regional businesses. The institute will provide world-class sales education and training through relevant business-to-business (B2B) sales methodologies and research to enhance the sales curriculum in the Sykes College of Business. The Institute of Sales Excellence will join five other learning centers or institutes that are housed within the Sykes College of Business: the Center for Ethics; the TECO Energy Center for Leadership; the Naimoli Institute for Business Strategy; the Lowth Entrepreneurship Center; and, the Florida Directors’ Institute. For more information, contact Schetzsle at (813) 257-3145 or sschetzsle@ut.edu.
FMoPA Calls for Member Show Entries
The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is now accepting submissions for its 18th annual Members Show. Museum members can submit photographic art to the show by July 20. There will be five categories featured in this year’s exhibition: People and Portraits, Travel, Landscape and Cityscape, Animals and Nature, Still Life, Abstract. All submissions will be installed in the museum’s Community Gallery. An opening reception and awards ceremony will be held at the museum from 5-7 p.m. on July 27. Winners from each category will receive a prize awarded by our sponsors. More information about submission guidelines or how to become a member of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts can be found at www.membersshow.fmopa.org.
Jacob Decides Against Mayoral Race
The field is already crowded in the race to replace term-limited Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. Retired banker and philanthropist David Straz threw his hat into the ring this week, joining former police chief Jane Castor, council members Harry Cohen and Mike Suarez, former county commissioner Ed Turanchik and small businessman Topher Morrison. Mickey Jacob, an architect and chairman of Tampa Downtown Partnership, had contemplated a run, mulling it over on a recent family trip to Japan. Ultimately, Jacob decided against it. “I am exploring a very exciting business opportunity and also (have) accepted a second term as a chair of the Tampa Downtown Partnership. Lots to do and I feel my wife Dianne and I can have effective and valuable impact in the community, continuing to be committed to the organizations and issues that are addressing the challenges we face as a city,” Jacobs wrote in a text Wednesday, replying to a query about his potential candidacy from the Tampa Bay Times. “Jacob Decides Against Joining Tampa’s Mayor Race” – Tampa Bay Times
Colleen Chappell Named Woman of Influence
The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce has named Colleen Chappell, CEO of ChappellRoberts, the 2018 Dottie Berger MacKinnon Woman of Influence. In this interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Mrs. Chappell discusses what it means to be a Woman of Influence. “I was completely shocked more than I’ve ever been regarding anything in my professional career, and I was so honored because of the name associated with the award. I had the privilege of knowing Dottie, and she was a force and an advocate, but she always had such grace and the ability to coalesce differing sides to push forward for the greater good. I was always watching her in awe, not only what she did but how she achieved the results and her process. At the end of working through what she was trying to achieve, everybody felt better about it. Everybody felt like this was the right thing to do, we should go and do this and be a part of it.” Read the full article, published May 11, 2018.
Three Big, Mid-Priced Apartments in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay’s apartment boom is continuing unabated with three big, mid-priced projects coming out of the ground. In a joint venture, the giant Carlyle Group and Ohio-based NRP Group are clearing ground for the 274-unit Allure at Gateway on U.S. 19 in Pinellas Park. A Georgia company, Flournoy, is building 339 apartments on U.S. 19 in Clearwater and 218 apartments in Tampa’s Westchase area. While lenders have begun to rein back on high-end new multi-family construction, location and comparatively affordable rents are selling points for all three projects. There is some concern among lenders that the bay area is becoming saturated with luxury apartments, especially in popular downtown areas where rents can soar to $3,000 and above. Overall, reliable rent figures are hard to come by because most companies surveying the rental market check only large apartment complexes at a time when many people rent single family homes. According to Apartment List, Tampa’s average rent for a two-bedroom apartment has risen 4.4 percent since last year to $1,230, $70 more than the national average. Another company, RentCafe, pegs the annual increase at 5.7 percent. “Three Big New Apartment Projects Underway In Tampa Bay” – Tampa Bay Times
Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel Sells
Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. announced Tuesday that it signed a definitive agreement to sell the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza hotel for $68 million or $232,000 per key. Dallas-based Braemar, a publicly-traded lodging real estate investment trust, called the sale of the Renaissance Tampa, a 293-room property, another step in the execution of the company’s strategy for its non-core hotels that was announced in January 2017. The buyer was not identified in the release or in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter. “Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel Sold For $68 Million” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
South Tampa Getting Class A Office Building
The family that developed Tampa’s Sunset Isles and Beach Park Isles is planning South Tampa’s first significant Class A office Space in 30 years. The project, called Crown Tower, will include an eight-story, 102,355-square-foot building; a seven-story parking garage and a remodeling of the existing Crown Building at 3825 Henderson Boulevard. A building on the site will be torn town down but the U.S. post office, St. Michael’s Legal Center and a flag shop it contains will be incorporated into the new project, said David Jacobson, who is spearheading the project with his father, Mel “Sonny” Jacobson. Construction might start this fall but “could depend on capturing the right tenant,” he added. “South Tampa to Get First Large, New, Class A Office Building In 30 Years” – Tampa Bay Times
Hyde Park Village Preps for More Construction
Hyde Park Village is prepping for another round of construction — one that will leave its vacant space along Swann Avenue primed for several new tenants. WS Development, the Boston-based owner of Hyde Park, is seeking a substantial change approval from the city for the 1500 block of Swann Avenue “to address changes in retail tenancy,” according to its application. A substantial change decision, unlike a rezoning request, can be made by city staff and isn’t subject to a public hearing. LA Fitness vacated more than 30,000 square feet along Swann Avenue when it shuttered its Hyde Park location in 2017. The site plan filed with the city doesn’t reveal specific tenant names, but it shows an evolution in WS Development’s vision for the space. On a conceptual site plan WS filed with the city earlier this year, a market was shown taking up more than 16,000 square feet — the largest chunk of the space that LA Fitness vacated. (Subscription Required) “Hyde Park Village Primes Vacant Swann Avenue Block for New Retailers And Restaurants” – Tampa Bay Business Journal
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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