Sparkman Wharf

Strategic Property Partners engaged Groundswell Design Group to transform a struggling retail development into a thriving outdoor food hall and public space. The existing site, located along the Garrison Channel in downtown Tampa, FL, originally turned its back on the waterfront, with public space hidden behind two commercial buildings. The team addressed this by selectively demolishing a large portion of the smaller building to open views and reconnect the site with the waterfront.

The remaining section of the demolished building, with its utility infrastructure, was repurposed to support a new incubator for food, beverage, and performance venues. Now rebranded as Sparkman Wharf, the park hosts 10 of Tampa’s best food and beverage artisans. Serving as an incubator for small local businesses, the project provides them with a low-cost venue and prime location, akin to an artist-in-residency program for chefs. These restaurateurs may eventually transition to brick-and-mortar locations in the new Water Street Retail district. Since opening in November 2018, the previously vacant retail spaces in the remaining original Channelside building have been leased, sparking revitalization for the waterfront development.

The project features an open-air beer garden, dining garden, flexible lawn area and stage, food and beverage vendors, and weekly programming. Local mural artists collaborated to create colorful murals on 16 shipping containers. Contrasting the bright colors of the dining terrace, the open-air beer garden incorporates industrial-inspired materials such as steel, concrete, and corrugated metal. Visitors can catch a game on a large flat-screen TV, play oversized chess, enjoy custom swings, or listen to live music on the stage, ensuring there's something for everyone in this vibrant space.