Putting the Waterfront on Water Street | Tampa, Florida

Tampa is the 17th largest metro area in the U.S. The region’s heart is downtown Tampa, home to multiple world-class attractions such as the Florida Aquarium, Riverwalk, Glazer Children’s Museum, Straz Center Stage, Hixon Waterfront Park, and more. The largest venue is Amalie Arena, which has a seating capacity of over 20,000. Holding the city center back was the lack of vibrancy that comes from stitching these uses together.

Jeff Vinik, the owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning, envisioned a dynamic mixed-use district as a catalyst to energize downtown. His development company, Strategic Property Partners (SPP), acquired key sites surrounding the arena and charted a path forward.

SPP approached UDA to help design this urban entertainment district, create a memorable home for the Lightning, and make downtown Tampa a must-see destination. The UDA team positioned itself as the user — tracking the walk between the arena and cultural institutions, considering what one would see, hear, and experience along the way. Restaurants, cafes, parks, seating, and shade were choreographed. Parks and open space would frame future development blocks and support dense new development along Water Street.

Today, the Water Street Tampa development is fully underway. Sparkman Wharf was the first project of many out of the ground, with an integrated mix of office and spirited retail. Downtown is now known for its vibrant nightlife, family-friendly entertainment, beautiful waterfront, and parks — a world-class place on the Garrison Channel waterfront.