Tampa's renowned Water Street, a development by Strategic Property Partners, LLC (SPP), has made history by achieving the Gold-level WELL Community Certification. In collaboration with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), Water Street Tampa has become the first North American neighborhood to earn this recognition. This esteemed certification, provided by IWBI, applauds the incorporation of design and policy to advance health and wellness throughout Water Street Tampa. Notably, this neighborhood was the pioneer in 2017 to test the WELL Community Standard.
Josh Taube, CEO of SPP, remarked, "Water Street Tampa was envisioned as a haven for the holistic well-being of its residents and visitors. This certification emphasizes our dedication to cultivating spaces that resonate with people. It's a testament to our ambition of reshaping urban design to foster community wellness, especially in an era where the design of our surroundings influences our life choices."
IWBI, a global advocate for health and well-being in construction, established the WELL Community Standard to honor neighborhoods that champion communal health and wellness. This standard applies a scientific, evidence-driven approach to assess communities, like Water Street Tampa, that adopt design and policy measures to enhance their inhabitants' quality of life. The WELL Community Standard, akin to the WELL Building Standard, is an innovative benchmark for neighborhood development, examining public spaces and various factors influencing daily health and contentment.
Rachel Hodgdon, CEO of IWBI, stated, "Water Street Tampa stands as a beacon of community health, being the first in North America to attain WELL Community Certification. This neighborhood is truly groundbreaking, setting a precedent for communities globally."
Some standout features of Water Street Tampa include:
Double-wide sidewalks for enhanced walkability.
Measures to monitor air quality.
An expansive public art program and frequent free public events.
Increased access to purified water and healthier food options.
Initiatives to promote physical activity.
Native landscaping to reduce light and noise pollution.
The WELL Community Standard, as the pinnacle of community wellness, advocates for tenant contentment, productivity, and overall health. To retain its status, Water Street Tampa will undergo periodic reviews to ensure adherence to the strict certification criteria.
Furthermore, Water Street Tampa's emblematic office tower, Thousand & One, has achieved WELL Core Certification at the Gold level, emphasizing its commitment to tenant wellness.
The neighborhood's continuous efforts and achievements haven't gone unnoticed. Recently, Water Street Tampa bagged the Urban Land Institute’s Americas Award for Excellence 2023 and was named one of Time’s “World’s Greatest Places” for 2023, marking its footprint in global standards of innovation and community engagement.
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