By Cathy Salustri
TAMPA (December 4, 2018) – Duckweed. The streetcar. Love is Calling at the Tampa Museum of Art. Each of these things helps make downtown Tampa… well, excellent. The Downtown Tampa Partnership’s Urban Excellence awards recognizes people, places, things and ideas like these, as they did last Thursday night at their annual awards ceremony.
Here are the finalists for the Urban Excellence awards, with the winners in italics:
Activating Public Spaces “recognizes a person, organization, business, project or initiative that has made a positive and significant contribution to a Downtown space or has created a more attractive pedestrian atmosphere, and commercially vibrant environment through activities, street-level storefront improvements or design elements,” according to the press release. Tampa Hillsborough County Expressway Authority Pocket Parks Phase 1 Street Car Live by GMF Downtown Crawlers
Arts & Culture award goes to “an organization, event or initiative that has had a significant and lasting impact on downtown’s arts and cultural life, stimulates economic growth, encourages tourism and enhances downtown’s cultural image,” the press release says.
Tampa Museum’s ‘Love is Calling’ Exhibit The History Center’s New Pirate Ship Exhibit Pep Rally Inc.
Downtown Collaboration is for any group partnership that’s been able to make a sustained difference in downtown Tampa (uh, in a good way). Streetcar by HART 2018 Commuter Challenge Week Madame Fortune Taylor Bridge Historical Marker Ceremony and Unveiling
Downtown Experience is for an event, business, person or concept that’s provided people with a positive experience in downtown Tampa. Two Wheel Bike Valet ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’ Franklin Street Block Party 2018 Riverfest
Landmark Development goes to a building one could call a flagship type of building, the sort of place that draws people to downtown Tampa. Tampa Theatre Armature Works The Hall
Marketplace award goes to a new retail space that’s made a positive difference in downtown Tampa. Don Me Now Duckweed Maven Market Channel District
Private Sector is like marketplace, but need not be retail. Wilson Company Collective – Gin Joint SHUFFLE – The Heights Shuffleboard Society Tampa Bay Fiber
Public Sector is not unlike the private sector award, only for public entities. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park Florida Department of Transportation – District Seven Jackson Street Rampello K-8 Downtown Partnership School
Christine Burdick Person of The Year goes to a person who’s enriched the downtown experience. Leo Rodgers Abbey Dohring John Bell
https://www.cltampa.com/news-views/local-news/article/21035261/here-are-the-winners-of-tampa-bays-urban-excellence-awards
