Health and wellness community standards for real estate developers, shaped by Water Street Tampa, launches next week
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Aug 31, 2017

A set of building standards for communities that cater to health and wellness - shaped by Strategic Property Partners' $3 billion mixed-use district in downtown Tampa - will launch its pilot phase next week.

The International WELL Building Institute will debut the WELL Community Standard on Sept. 5.

The institute has a set of standards that promote health and wellness in commercial buildings - think circadian lighting and healthy snacks - and, with the influence of SPP, has devised a set of standards for entire developments. Buildings are certified based on the following criteria: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.

Water Street Tampa, SPP's district, is aiming to be the first WELL certified community in the world. SPP is also pursuing LEED certification for Water Street, which at completion will be more than 9 million square feet of commercial, residential, office, hospitality, education, retail and cultural space.

The first phase of Water Street is slated to begin construction in early 2018. SPP recently unveiled a conceptual design for the first phase as well as a rendering of a 500-room convention hotel across the street from the existing Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina.

"Throughout our planning process for Water Street Tampa, we have challenged ourselves to rethink how to implement the best practices in wellness and sustainability both within the buildings themselves and in the public realm," SPP CEO James Nozar said in a statement.

"In partnership with IWBI, we are planning for a holistic approach to wellness, including having a supermarket for easy access to healthy food, water bottle refilling stations and wide sidewalks for a walkable neighborhood.”

The WELL certification for entire neighborhoods is two years in the making. In September 2015, SPP unveiled its plans for a $20 million wellness initiative alongside the Clinton Global Initiative.

New York-based Delos is creator of the WELL standards. Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and Cascade Investment LLC - the partners behind SPP - led a $108 million round of funding for Delos in October 2015.

Ashley Gurbal Kritzer is senior reporter for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.