Congratulations to the winners of the First Annual Urban Excellence Awards, which was held this past week.  Of the 23 finalists, 7 organizations and companies stood out.  Each of the finalists have contributed tremendously to downtown’s continued evolution. 

The winners were:

• Channel District Community Redevelopment Area – Strategic PlanFly Bar & RestaurantLights On Tampa
• Old Tampa Book CompanySkyPoint
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts CenterTampa Theatre

To view images and read a description of each winner, click here.  The Partnership looks forward to this becoming an annual event in which the best of downtown is recognized.

Monday, December 3, 2007 - 2:12 PM ESTTampa Downtown Partnership honors movers and shakersTampa Bay Business Journal
Seven businesses and groups active in Tampa's downtown core were recent winners in the Downtown Tampa Urban Excellence Awards.
Presented by the Tampa Downtown Partnership, winners included the strategic action plan of the Channel District Community Redevelopment Area, the Fly Bar & Restaurant, Lights On Tampa, Old Tampa Book Co., SkyPoint, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and Tampa Theatre.

The Channel District CRA is the culmination of a three-year planning project that helped put Tampa on the map with the country's more progressive cities, according to partnership officials. Wilson Miller and Urban Studio Architects are among those groups credited with putting the strategic action plan together.

The Fly Bar & Restaurant was developed by Tampa native Leslie Shirah, who spent time in San Francisco long enough to bring back a restaurant concept she felt would work on Franklin Street.

Lights On Tampa has used new media technologies to bring more free access to art in Tampa's downtown. It debuted in 2006 and is expected to return in January 2009.
The Old Tampa Book Co. has provided a destination for book lovers and tourists for 13 years, creating an "experience" that includes talking to owners David and Ellen Brown.

SkyPoint, with an estimated real estate value of $100 million, has brought an estimated 500 new residents to downtown Tampa. Developed through Novare-intowngroup, the new development is anchoring the city's emerging arts district, according to partnership officials.

The Performing Arts Center has been ranked fourth overall in ticket sales worldwide among venues with less than 5,000 seats, according to Billboard magazine. It provides more than 3,000 performances, community events and arts education programs, serving more than 600,000 residents and visitors to downtown Tampa annually.

The Tampa Theatre has been a center for educational and school-oriented programming, and has been able to continue as a business success since 1926. The theater hosts more than 600 events each year, drawing an average of 140,000 patrons. The theater's activities translate into increased foot traffic, more energy and an economic stimulus for the area, according to partnership officials.