Strategic Property Partners, LLC Unveils First Look at Reimagined Mixed-Use Waterfront Development, Sparkman Wharf

Improvements are underway, ushering in new era for Tampa’s historic waterfront

Tampa, Fla. (April 16, 2019) – With the dining garden and recreational lawn open at Sparkman Wharf—the mixed-use redevelopment of the former Channelside Bay Plaza retail center in downtown Tampa’s Channel District and adjacent to the Water Street Tampa neighborhood—Tampa-based developer Strategic Property Partners, LLC (SPP) is unveiling the first look at the reimagined waterfront complex, where construction is currently underway. Set to be a new workplace and leisure destination, Sparkman Wharf will feature innovative, loft-style workspace and a host of next-generation retail storefronts that complement the existing park and dining garden that opened in late 2018, which is now home to 10 restaurant concepts by some of the city’s best culinary minds, the Fermented Reality Biergarten, and Splitsville.

Core to its spirit of innovation, Sparkman Wharf seeks to continually elevate the experience for its guests and future tenants. Ten thousand guests, on average, visit Sparkman Wharf’s biergarten and dining garden each week. As part of that effort, in addition to the large-scale transformation of the building and waterfront park, additional enhancements are currently underway at Sparkman Wharf, including replacing the existing security fence along the wharf, improving pedestrian facilities along Channelside Drive, and extended hours.

“Sparkman Wharf aims to provide Tampa with a comfortable community gathering place along the waterfront,  and we intend to continue celebrating the culinary talent, craft beer, music, arts and cultural scene that our amazing city provides – all in one place,” said James Nozar, CEO of SPP. “The addition of new retail and office spaces at Sparkman Wharf will further enrich and welcome the community and new businesses, and with such strong initial success of the park that recently opened, we believe there is significant additional potential at Sparkman Wharf along Tampa’s waterfront.”

Much more to come

With the complete renovation of the building being led by Walbridge Construction, SPP is completely transforming the existing structure into a modern, industrial-inspired waterfront locale for work and play. The ground floor will accommodate approximately 10 new retail establishments, while the second floor will welcome 150,000 square feet of new leasable creative office space.

The entire structure is being modernized, with a new roof and structural upgrades, as well as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The building’s stucco façade is being reinvented to match the caliber of its new offerings, embracing its new identity as a contemporary enclave with some of the best spaces to work and play in Tampa. Wood paneling will create a fresh new look for the building, and expansive windows are being added to maximize natural light into the building. A new two-story office lobby will be located along Channelside Drive, providing a centralized front door and direct access to the new office space.

Specifically designed for creative and innovation-oriented tenants, more than 150,000 square feet of loft-like office space will be constructed at Sparkman Wharf. With spectacular 40-foot ceiling heights, the offices will welcome abundant natural light, overlook the waterfront, and feature approximately 10,000 square feet of private outdoor terraces. Office tenants will also enjoy private and secure on-site bike storage, as well as private facilities with showers, meant to encourage alternative methods of transportation to work.

“The office space at Sparkman Wharf will be a game-changer for the Tampa Bay market and will introduce an entirely new working environment that is unlike anything else in the city,” added SPP’s Nozar. “As the first new office space that we’re opening in the neighborhood, Sparkman Wharf will provide employers and employees with a well-rounded lifestyle that reflects what Water Street Tampa is all about: access to a variety of dining options, a premium waterfront location and regular programming within the park.”

SPP will locate its company headquarters within Sparkman Wharf, assuming approximately 30,000 square feet of office space for staff, in addition to space for an interactive marketing center for the Water Street Tampa development.

In addition to Splitsville, which recently reopened after a renovation, approximately 65,000 square feet of retail space lines the interior and ground floor of Sparkman Wharf along Channelside Drive, making way for approximately 10 new retailers. With an emphasis on food and beverage tenants, the new spaces will provide a variety of options, including fast-casual and fine dining. Additional indoor and outdoor seating will allow the new retailers to enhance the existing offerings at Sparkman Wharf’s dining garden.

Fitness will also be a focus for the new retail spaces, which will complement Sparkman Wharf’s programmatic emphasis on providing amenities for wellbeing, from yoga to the inaugural CAMP Games.

Franklin Street is handling the office leasing at Sparkman Wharf. Colliers is handling retail leasing. To connect with the leasing teams, please visit SparkmanWharf.com.

Excitement is building today

With Sparkman Wharf’s emphasis to continually enhance guest experience, several new improvements are underway, including extended operating hours, improved pedestrian facilities along Channelside Drive, and the replacement of the security fence along the waterfront.

The dining garden at Sparkman Wharf is now open from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Individual tenants may also extend their hours above the standard operating hours. Sparkman Wharf is open on any day there is a Tampa Bay Lightning home game or event at the Amalie Arena, beginning at 4 p.m.

Water Street Tampa, the neighborhood surrounding Sparkman Wharf, is built on the values of connectedness, walkability, and accessibility. Along with the improvements to the existing building at Sparkman Wharf, additional interim improvements have been made throughout the neighborhood to enhance the pedestrian experience while the neighborhood is under construction. Marked, signalized crossings have been added along Channelside Drive to better connect the Channel District neighborhood to the waterfront and facilitate foot traffic to the Port Tampa Bay Garage.

In the summer of 2019, the current security fence at Sparkman Wharf, which separates the recreational lawn from the wharf, will be replaced with a new collapsible fence to provide less obstructed views of the waterfront while also maintaining the safety required for Port Tampa Bay.

Sparkman Wharf is named after Stephen Sparkman, one of Tampa’s original movers and shakers who forever changed the economic and physical landscape of downtown Tampa. Sparkman Wharf celebrates the people who do things differently to change Tampa for the better.

Feel a spark?  Follow @SparkmanWharf on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or sign up for the newsletter at SparkmanWharf.com to stay up to speed with everything planned for Sparkman Wharf.

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About Sparkman Wharf:

Sparkman Wharf features 180,000 square feet of reimagined, spacious loft-style office space, 65,000 square feet of ground-level retail, and a one- acredynamic park-like environment, which will feature an intimate dining garden, biergarten, and lawn for recreation, situated in a relaxed, outdoor setting along the waterfront at the intersection of the Garrison Channel, Ybor Turning Basin, and Sparkman Channel  in downtown Tampa. The dining garden will feature ten of Tampa’s best restauranteurs and chefs experimenting with new culinary concepts. Sparkman Wharf is owned and operated by Strategic Property Partners, LLC, the partnership between Cascade Investment LLC, and Jeff Vinik. SPP is a full-service commercial real estate development firm based in Tampa, Florida. Feel the spark? Learn more about Sparkman Wharf at SparkmanWharf.com and follow @SparkmanWharf on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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