TAMPA'S DOWNTOWN

Urban Excellence

Urban Excellence Awards

The Urban Excellence Awards celebrates businesses, organizations, individuals, events and projects that have made significant contributions toward creating a unique, vibrant and diverse downtown environment – and have made a lasting, positive impact on Downtown Tampa. Each year an awards jury representing a cross-section of Downtown constituencies selects award winners honoring the leadership, innovation, hard work, talent and community spirit.

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Award Categories (click each category to expand):

This award recognizes a public sector project that has made a positive and significant contribution to Downtown; and has demonstrated a strong impact in revitalizing the Downtown area.

This award recognizes a private sector project that has made a positive and significant contribution to Downtown; and has demonstrated a commitment to assist in revitalizing the Downtown area.

This award recognizes a group partnership that has made a unique, positive contribution to Downtown; and has been responsible for a project or program that has complemented the work of the City of Tampa and the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

This award recognizes an iconic building that serves as a magnet to attract people to Downtown by improving the physical environment or by enhancing the economic, cultural or social well-being of the area.

This awards recognizes an event, entity or idea that involved people in or exposed them to a positive Downtown experience, thus enhancing their enjoyment while visiting the area.

This award recognizes a person, organization, business, project or initiative that has made a positive and significant contribution to a Downtown space or has created a more attractive pedestrian atmosphere, and commercially vibrant environment through activities, street level store front improvements or design elements.

This award recognizes a person, business, project or initiative that has made a positive and significant contribution to the Downtown marketplace or has improved Downtown by contributing a new or unique retail experience.

This award recognizes 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.

This award is voted on by the public and recognizes a business, organization, individual, event, project or initiative that has made a significant contribution toward creating a unique, vibrant and diverse Downtown, and has made a positive impact on the Downtown community.

This award recognizes an individual that has made a positive and significant contribution to a program or project in Downtown; has added to the Downtown visitor experience and/or that has demonstrated strong leadership in revitalizing the Downtown area.

2024 Category Finalists

Public Sector Project Award

– eBike Voucher Program – City of Tampa Mobility Department

– Tampa Convention Center Improvement

– Emphasizing Pedestrian Safety

 

Private Sector Project Award

– Big John the Triceratops Exhibit – Glazer Children’s Museum 

– Tampa Bay Wave – USF Health/CAMLS HealthTech | X Accelerator

– Centennial Renovation – Tampa Museum of Art

 

Downtown Collaboration Award

– “Blind Date with a Book” – Tampa Hillsborough County Public Library

– Sacred Heart “Bikes from the Heart”

– Neighborhood Brand Identities – api+

 

Landmark Development Project Award

– Hotel Flor’s Commitment to the Community

– The Mav, Channel District Multi-Family Development

– 442 W. Kennedy Blvd.

 

Downtown Experience Award

– Café Con Tampa

– Local Love Mini Market- Don Me Now

– AfroCAN

 

Activating Spaces Award

– World Car-Free Day 2023

– WATERLICHT- Strategic Property Partners

– First Take: Live at Tampa Convention Center

 

Marketplace Award

– UPS Store #4639

– Melting Pot Social

– Lilac – Tampa Edition

 

Arts & Culture Award

– Tampa Walls

– The Straz Jazz Project – The Straz Center

– The Black Heritage Festival

 

Christine Burdick Downtown Person of The Year Award

– Beth Alden

– Dr. Michael Tomor

– Dr. Ronald Vaughn

 

People’s Choice Award

AfroCAN

BELFOR Property Restoration

Beth Alden

Bicycle Friendly Business Program

Big John the Triceratops- Glazer Children’s Museum

Blind Date with a Book- Tampa Hillsborough County Public Library

Café Con Tampa

Centennial Renovation- Tampa Museum of Art

Channelside Drive Project

Dr. Michael Tomor

Dr. Ronald Vaughn

eBike Voucher Program- City of Tampa

Emphasizing Pedestrian Safety

First Take: Live at Tampa Convention Center

Hotel Flor’s Commitment to the Community

John F. Germany Public Library

Lilac- Tampa EDITION

Local Love Mini Market- Don Me Now

Melting Pot Social

Neighborhood Brand Identities- api+

Peterbrooke Chocolatier Tampa

Sacred Heart “Bikes from the Heart”

Se7ven Sounds Music

Tampa Convention Center Improvement

Tampa Walls

The Black Heritage Festival

The Mav

The Portico

The Straz Center Arts Legacy REMIX

The Straz Jazz Project

The UPS Store #4639

USF Health CAMLS and Tampa Bay Wave Partnership

WATERLICHT

World Car-Free Day 2023

442 W. Kennedy Blvd.

511 Franklin Street

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