Across the country, project owners are moving forward with developments that are altering, to one degree or another, the quality and pace of city life. In Tampa, Strategic Property Partners (SPP) is undertaking one of the more ambitious such developments as it moves forward on its sprawling and highly ambitious Water Street Tampa project.

Aiming to revitalize downtown Tampa’s waterfront district, SPP is “integrating principals of walkability, wellness, sustainability and connectivity” into the $3-billion development as it seeks to set “a new standard for wellness and sustainability in the built environment.” The developer is planning to make Water Street Tampa the world’s first WELL-certified community under the WELL Community Standard, currently being developed by the International Well Building Institute.

A real estate development joint venture between Cascade Investment, LLC, and Jeff Vinik—owner of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning—SPP owns or controls more than 50 acres along the downtown Tampa waterfront. In all, the mixed-use waterfront district will ultimately accommodate more than 9 million square feet of commercial, residential, hospitality, cultural, entertainment, education and retail uses.

Contractors kicked off vertical construction in 2017, but project activity ramped up notably in 2018, with SPP reporting numerous construction milestones. Prominent among those, says SPP, was the ground breaking for the Tampa JW Marriott hotel, designed by Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates and Champalimaud Design; and 815 Water Street, a dual-tower residential building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and Cecconi Simone.

Based on the sprawling scope and lofty ambition of this project, ENR editors have voted to recognize Strategic Property Partners as this year’s Southeast Owner of the Year. ENR Southeast will delve further into the details of Water Street Tampa in its March 11th print edition.