TAMPA, Fla. -- After much anticipation, developers of the $3 billion Water Street Tampa project recently unveiled plans for "Sparkman Wharf." It will replace the struggling Channelside Bay Plaza.
- “Sparkman Wharf” plans revealed
- Project to replace Channelside Bay Plaza
- Plaza expected to open October 2018
One of the plaza’s remaining tenants, Hooters, announced this week it would be leaving the area after 15 years because owners and developers have different plans for the space.
"We have had a great 15-year run at this location and truly appreciate all the support from our neighbors and customers, especially the city of Tampa and all the organizations we so successfully partnered with to promote downtown Tampa and the waterfront," CEO Neil Kiefer said.
For the last several months, visitors have had construction blocking their waterfront view. Hovering over the heavy machinery, piles of dirt and steel beams is the $3 billion vision to turn the area into a thriving downtown district.
Jason Smith, co-owner of Foundation Coffee Co., has two locations in Tampa and Riverview. He was one of the first business owners signed up to open up shop at Sparkman Wharf.
"When we saw how much it was going to change Channelside into an outdoor venue and really tie families and community and all that together, we were excited," Smith said.
Smith is confident that Jeff Vinik, one of the major partners on the project, has the recipe for success.
"We're Tampa-proud and we want to grow as much as we can organically and through great growth but when you can do it in a new area that's got those buzzwords, it's really encouraging and I think it's something that'll be around for plenty of years," Smith said.
Sparkman Wharf features approximately 180,000 square feet of reimagined, spacious loft-style office space, 65,000 square feet of ground-level retail and a one-acre dynamic park-like environment, which will feature an intimate dining garden, biergarten, and lawn for recreation.
The dining garden will feature ten of Tampa’s best restaurateurs 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.
Sparkman Wharf is named after Stephen Sparkman, one of Tampa’s original movers and shakers. A true disruptor in every sense of the word, he brought innovation and transformation that pushed the boundaries of what was being done in the city at the time.
As the region’s first congressman, Sparkman secured the federal funding to dig the deep-water channels to downtown, creating Port Tampa Bay and allowing larger ships to come closer to downtown and historic Ybor City.
Several other local businesses have signed on to open at Sparkman Wharf, which is expected to open October 2018.
For more information, visit the website.