Community Update spring 2019

Community Update Spring 2019 | Issue 2

SIGHTS UNSEEN SURVEYING THE INDUSTRY WITH VIVID CONSULTING GROUP

Designing Women

Meet the powerful women who are changing the way we do business

Water Street Tampa builds on

Fly Girl MEET AERIAL INNOVATIONS’ COLET TE EDDY

BUILDING + PL ANTING

Water Street Tampa Builds American Heart Association Teaching Garden at Lockhart Elementary

Pictured Here Coastal Construction’s Veronique Vorbe, Assistant Project Manager for the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street Photo by Damian Presiga, Strategic Property Partners

Progress highlights Transformation of the existing structure at Sparkman Wharf is underway.

The ground floor will accommodate approximately 10 new retail establishments, while the second floor will welcome 150,000 square feet of leasable creative office space.

Channelside Drive has been narrowed for connectivity to the rest of the neighborhood.

Sparkman Wharf has extended its hours, now open Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Chillers and pumps have been installed in the neighborhood’s District Cooling Plant, with completion anticipated by late summer 2019.

The recently renamed Tampa Marriott Water Street opened two new food and beverage outlets. This includes a new Starbucks, and Garrison Tavern, the first concept by world renowned Chef Richard Sandoval.

The City of Tampa successfully approved the rename of Old Water Street to Water Street.

Re-engineering the workplace: Meet Rhonda Nelson

Construction and design have always intrigued me. It was only natural that I further pursued these interests at an engineering school, where I was surprised to find the male to female ratio was 6:1. It was then that I realized that this was an unexpected career choice for a woman, which was only affirmed as I continued down this path.

While the presence of women in my chosen career has been minimal, those I have encountered are some of the most passionate and inspiring personalities I know.

In my current role, I oversee the roadway and infrastructure work for Water Street Tampa. We are presently working on the final stage of the master infrastructure work, laying the foundation for the future fully connected street grid. This stage includes upgraded and enhanced utilities that will support the initial phase of Water Street Tampa. Upon completion, the improved roadway network will provide

SPP has built a strong team in order to successfully execute on this transformative vision.

Unlike engineering school, I now work alongside 28 other women – an entire 53 percent of the company.

It is exciting and impressive, and it demonstrates the company’s commitment to the success of women in all aspects of the real estate profession.

vibrant walkable corridors and engaging public spaces.

Rhonda Nelson Vice President of Construction Management Strategic Property Partners

Each quarter, an SPP team member will provide a Water Street Tampa update and share their unique perspective with the community

Going vertical with Coastal Construction Over the last few months, Coastal continues to make significant progress toward the Water Street Tampa vision, with two projects out of the ground and several more in the works.

JW Marriott Work is well underway on the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, including the hotel tower concrete frame with the 16th floor placed and the convention center structural steel nearly 50 percent framed. The project is comprised of over 4.4 million pounds of steel. It continues to grow floor by floor each

JW Marriott construction progress as of April 15, 2019

week, tracking towards topping out its 27 floors by the end of this summer.

815 Water Street

Supporting diversity

Deep foundation work on 815 Water Street—

As the procurement process moves

situated just north of the Tampa Bay History

forward, Coastal continues to prioritize the

Center—is complete and transitioning to

commitment to engaging local, diverse

vertical construction. Large-scale concrete

businesses. The JW Marriott Tampa Water

pours to set the building’s foundation are

Street is approaching a 15 percent utilization

ongoing, with the initial structural lifts of

rate for diverse firms, and the 815 Water

columns in progress. The centralized tripod

Street project has gained interest from

structure, known as the “tree column,” that

small, local businesses, several of which

supports parking for both towers as well as

attended the recent subcontractor outreach

the grocer, has a projected completion of

event hosted in conjunction with Water

fall 2019.

Street Tampa and Strategist Project Support Services.

815 Water Street construction progress as of April 29, 2019

Subcontractor outreach event March 19, 2019

Local participation: Diversity and inclusion update On March 19, 2019, subcontractors gathered for an outreach event for 815 Water Street at Armature Works focusing primarily on mechanical, electrical, structure, and shell trades. The goal of these events is to connect diverse businesses directly with major prime subcontractors for the initial phase of work on the Water Street Tampa project.

There was an impressive representation of diverse subcontractors with an average of four per each of the 14 trades at the event.

Kenneth Stewart of the African Americanowned firm, Integrated Security Consultants, spoke to the opportunities that can come from attending these events.

“In spite of our local and national successes, we have had difficulties finding opportunities with local major projects here in Tampa,” he said. “That was not the case with the Water Street Tampa project. From the first outreach meeting we attended, we found contractors and subcontractors that were eager to work with us and get us involved in various aspects of the project.”

Over the next year, construction on Water Street Tampa will continue to increase with new projects breaking ground. There will be several additional opportunities for local subcontractors to get involved.

For information on upcoming events or to simply learn more about opportunities with Water Street Tampa, please connect with Strategist Project Support Services at otdelancy@strategistsupport.com.

Sights unseen

Foundation Corp. and Coastal Construction for the 815 Water Street project. Over the course of their four-month contract,

Surveying the Industry with Vivid Consulting Group

Vivid was responsible for land surveying, specifically for groundwork foundation piles, topographic design, and silt fencing. Vivid’s

Although Mercedes Young is originally from

work was necessary in order for this building

Panama, you would never guess based on

to progress towards vertical construction.

her tightly woven relationships throughout the Tampa Bay community.

Young is a member of the Hispanic Professional Women’s Association,

After one visit in 2007, Young was convinced

Conference of Minority Transportation

that Tampa would be a great place to

Officials, and serves on the board for the

live. Twelve years later, Mercedes runs

National Association of Black Women in

the successful civil engineering and land

construction.

surveying company, Vivid Consulting Group.

“Being a business owner and an engineer The company currently has 12 employees

requires a wide variety of skill sets, and you

and 15 active contracts in Tampa and

have to be able to multitask to keep up,”

Orlando every month - and isn’t looking to

Young said. “Having the support of other

slow down any time soon.

women in the community makes it easier.”

Vivid Consulting Group was chosen as the

When asked about new contracts, Young

surveyor of choice to work alongside BAUER

explained the importance of aligning philosophies, focusing on projects that will benefit the community and doing work that will have a lasting impact. In addition to Vivid’s work with Water Street Tampa, Vivid has contributed to Tampa International Airport, Moffitt Cancer Center, the City of Tampa, and more.

“There’s a sense of pride when you build something so impactful. You can drive by it and say ‘I was a part of that.

I was there.’”

Mercedes Young, CEO, Vivid Consulting Group

Fly girl Meet Aerial Innovations’ Colette Eddy As a Tampa native, Colette Eddy has been documenting the city’s growth over the past 32 years. Aerial Innovations, her aerial photography business, has taken off - with projects across Florida, a sister company in Tennessee, and one in Georgia, both of

“I have found over the years that relationships have truly been the building blocks of this business, especially given that it is so niche in nature,” said Eddy.

Though this started out as a flight-focused aerial photography company, Eddy has

which are also women-owned.

focused her efforts on keeping up with the

Eddy graduated from University of

of her organization in addition to growing

South Florida and began her career in photography doing sales for an aerial

industry trends, building out the drone side her helicopter portfolio substantially. Eddy and her team have played a significant role

photography company out of Tampa.

in documenting the initial growth of Water

Although this provided her with a solid

new street grid, and continuing into vertical

foundation of the industry, when Eddy

Street Tampa, capturing the creation of the construction.

opened her business in 1987, she still had no technical training in the photography side of the business.

Determined to be self-sufficient and master all verticals of the business, Eddy decided to teach herself.

It was a slow start with only two jobs out of Tampa, but it rapidly expanded to Sarasota, Lakeland, followed by the rest of Florida. Today, with over 15 contracted helicopter flights per month, she has found herself shooting everything from roller coasters at Busch Gardens to construction on the Water Street Tampa project.

Colette Eddy, Founder / Principal, Aerial Innovations Photo by Aerial Innovations

Growing with friends Water Street Tampa builds American Heart Association Teaching Garden at Lockhart Elementary SPP partnered with the American Heart Association to develop plans for a Teaching Garden at Lockhart Elementary School in Tampa. SPP was honored to participate in the first Teaching Garden in Tampa Bay in four years, promoting healthy eating and a better understanding for the students of where their food comes from.

“We’re so happy to be working alongside a company with such a strong mission to help the community,” said Amber Hubbard at the American Heart Association.

In February, SPP team members joined school staff, students and parents for “Build Day” to assemble planters, followed by a “Plant Day,” where the team assisted students with planting a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. To make this a more interactive and fun experience for the students, there were pizza and salsa-themed gardens, including tomatoes, basil, eggplant and peppers. The Teaching Garden will be an hands-on tool for educating Lockhart students on the importance of nutrition and healthy eating.

Looking forward, Lockhart will be hosting a night for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics). For the arts portion of the night, students will be painting the various planters from the Teaching Garden, encouraging artistic expression and creativity. Following the painting, the last step in the process will be the “Harvest Day” where students will be

Students at Lockhart Elementary plant fruits and veggies with Water Street Tampa February, 2019

Betty Who performing at Sparkman Wharf Tampa Pride, 2019

Water Street Tampa builds on Pride

In addition to supporting and participating in the parade, Sparkman Wharf hosted the first annual Tampa Pride Tea Dance, a traditional day-after-Pride celebration of

In March, Water Street Tampa was proud

the LGBTQ community.

to sponsor and walk in the Fifth Annual Tampa Pride parade in Ybor City. The team

The day was a tremendous success,

even walked with a special guest – award-

featuring family friendly activities, brunch

winning Chef Art Smith of Splitsville at

hosted by Chef Art Smith as well as live

Sparkman Wharf.

music all afternoon, including a surprise performance by pop artist Betty Who.

Top: Crowd at Betty Who performance at Sparkman Wharf Lower left: SPP staff with Tampa Pride parade float Lower right: Betty Who performing at Sparkman Wharf Tea Dance

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