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ISSN 2578-2053

A Boat by Any Other Name

Workout on Water

Capturing Lightning: The Magic That Happens Inside Amalie Arena In Living Color

The Dogs of Water Street Tampa Eat Water Street Curves in All the Right Places An Unlikely Date with Fate What Does It

Tech-Savvy City

“The

Water Street Tampa neighborhood offers so much for pups while keeping their parents entertained. It’s bonding to do activities with your dogs, great for their mental health and a beautiful way to meet your community.”

FROM ‘THE DOGS OF WATER STREET TAMPA’

A Boat by Any Other Name

Meet Tampa’s most prolific namer of boats.

The process of naming a boat starts with a familiar, yet complex, emotion: love.

That’s what Doug Rohloff says, anyway. The New Jersey native and graphic designer spent the ‘80s with an airbrush in his hand before transitioning to wall murals and portraits in the ‘90s. Photography, painting, and sign making took up some years in between, but he’s always worked in the arts.

“And so, I guess that just led to this,” Rohloff explains.

On a sunny, fall Saturday on the Garrison Channel in downtown Tampa, “this” includes 30 boat slips behind the Tampa Marriott Water Street. Rohloff helped put names on at least 10 of the vessels

BY Ray Roa

Illustrations by Kalen Hollomon →

“A boat’s name—usually on the back, or transom, of the vessel—says a lot about its captain.”

docked there, which range from Carvers to Sea Ray Sundancers, Uniflites, and even luxury Azimut yachts.

In its most basic function, a boat name is like a license plate. With a few exceptions, most boats over 30-feet long must have a name and hailing port, which helps the Coast Guard identify the vessel. More importantly, a boat’s name—usually on the back, or transom, of the vessel—also says a lot about its captain.

To name a boat, Rohloff, literally known as “Boat Name Guy,” suggests opening one book in particular—the thesaurus. He tells owners to find synonyms for words that represent the things they love in their lives besides the boat.

Behind the Tampa Marriott, handles include some that are punny: Aquasition, geographical (Nola), abstract (Think Tank) or just literal names (Lisa Ann, Brenda Marie). One boat owned by a local cardiologist has a particularly apropos tag, Knot On Call, displayed in rope lettering.

Rohloff—who currently doesn’t own boats but had a couple called Soulmates and Blue Oasis—has even named boats for clients when they really wanted him to.

Sometimes he has to remove old boat names, which, like christening a boat, can be a ritual in itself. The process often includes a lot of elbow grease and acetone, and gets tricky depending on how long the previous names have been baking in the Florida sun.

De-naming a boat can also involve superstitious rites like burning the material from the old name. In other instances, complications arise when a boat needs a new name after the owner goes through a major life change like a divorce.

“I just did one of those,” Rohloff says. “It’s called, Not His.”

No matter the circumstance, Boat Name Guy always wants the boat name to look good. Once an owner decides on a name, Rohloff helps them select the perfect lettering style, font, and colors. He also provides mockups of the boat name on the transom or side of the vessel, and can do the installation of the new name, too.

Jeff Schrier says one of Rohloff’s unsung talents is his ability to match all aspects of a boat’s name to both the aesthetic of the vessel and the feel of the owner’s personality.

Schrier is retired now but sells boats for the Tom George Yacht Group and has three vessels of his own. One is named Rocco’s Ride in honor of his French bulldog, the others—a dinghy called Puck and a fishing boat named Breakaway—are a nod to Schrier’s love of hockey and the Tampa Bay Lightning. “The ‘Y’ in Breakaway is a hockey stick,” Schrier adds.

Schrier met Rohloff shortly after his transition to full-time boat naming in 2015 and has tapped him to not only handle the names on his own boats, but the vessels of every client that buys a boat from him. “Every time I get a new customer, I send them the link for the Boat Name Guy,” he says.

And over the last couple of years, there’ve been a lot of new people on the water. In 2020 and 2021, as the U.S. navigated COVID restrictions, a wave of firsttime buyers helped the marine products industry nudge boat sales to highs not seen in more than a decade. While sales have since cooled, the National Marine Manufacturers Association says numbers are still 7% above the five-year sales average.

Boat Name Guy, headed to name a boat, presumably. →

Rohloff, who admits he could use an assistant to help with the day-to-day operations, has been fortunate to keep up with demand, but can’t put a number on how many boats he’s helped christen in his career. With a coverage area that spans the 115 miles of coast between Siesta Key and Spring Hill, it’s not surprising that the Dunedin resident has lost count. Rohloff estimates that he does 200 to 300 boat names a year.

He won’t say that he’s the most prolific boat name guy in the U.S., but Tampa Bay has always been a particularly good place to be in Rohloff’s line of work.

In May, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that the Sunshine State was home to more than 1 million registered recreational vessels (read: boats). Hillsborough’s 41,495 registered vessels put it in the top five Florida counties for boat registration behind Miami-Dade, Lee, Broward, and Pinellas.

And while there’s no hard rule that says a captain has to name their boat, there are some guidelines the coast guard makes boat owners adhere to.

For one, boat names must not be more than 33 characters. They also may not actually or phonetically be identical to any words used to solicit assistance while at sea. Boat names that are phonetically identical to hateful epithets are a nogo, and while some boats definitely bend the rules with creative abbreviations and innuendo, profane, indecent, or obscene language is off-limits, too.

Other frowned upon boat names allude to tragedy (Titanic, or Summit Venture here in the Bay area) or test the fates (Cyclone, Hurricane).

Rohloff has his own simple rule when it comes to avoiding a bad boat name.

“A negative name, I think, is bad for a boat,” he says. “Like Last Time or something like that. People are just saying bad things right off the bat before they leave the port.”

But boat people probably already know all of that. “I’ve been selling boats for four years, and been around boats my whole life, and generally speaking, people who boat know how to have a good time,” Schrier says. “They know how to get away from work, they know how to unwind. And if they don’t, once they have a boat, they learn how.”

And as they let loose, Rohloff can walk past the docks knowing he helped by practicing what he’s been doing his whole life—making art.

For him, peeling off that last bit of film off a boat name, taking a picture of work he’s satisfied with, posting it online and sending a link to the owner is the ultimate gratification. “They come back and say, ‘Great job,’ or ‘I love it.’ Some people say they’re crying, you know,” he explains.

It’s a feeling Boat Name Guy says he’d chase after forever.

“I’ll probably work for the rest of my life, even if I was a billionaire—this is fun to me,” he says. “I always decided to do something fun.”

Workout on Water

There are lots of great workout options in Tampa’s newest and most vibrant neighborhood.

BY Virginia Pelley

Drawn to the area’s walkability, well-designed, waterfront beauty, and vibrant sense of community, residents and visitors to Water Street Tampa tend to be active and social. They walk their dogs around the neighborhood and stroll, run or bike on the Tampa Riverwalk, a 2.6-mile path linking the neighborhood to Armature Works in Tampa Heights. A bonus to the area’s DIY fitness opportunities, Water Street Tampa offers an impressive variety of boutique studios. Here’s a run down of ways to sweat while in the neighborhood.

BODYROK

These hybrid Pilates classes—offered in group or in one-on-one sessions—up the intensity of traditional Pilates, a tried-and-true method for sculpting lean muscles and strengthening cores. BODYROK’s aluminum reformer machines

are larger than classic reformers, a little wider and slightly longer, with platforms in the front and in the back, says co-owner Alicia Whitis. In addition to incorporating strength work with hand weights, BODYROK also veers from traditional Pilates classes with movements that are slow and controlled, but faster paced in transition times between moves, Whitis says. The moves are often timed to the beat of the music, which makes the workout more fun.

“We also have a three-stage lighting system, which changes colors to clue you in on how far along you’ve gotten in the workout,” Whitis says. “So that’s something unique as well.”

Since opening their doors in March 2022, Whitis and co-owner Erin Greco have found their location at Sparkman Wharf—the only BODYROK franchise in

Florida as of press time—to be a particularly good fit. “We love the location—it’s great for the brand,” Greco says. “It’s really walkable so we get a mix of foot traffic and also people who drive by and like the city feel of the neighborhood.”

BODYROK also offers free outdoor classes on the lawn at Sparkman Wharf once a month that have proved popular. “Water Street Tampa has a great community aspect; People are out and about, with their dogs,” Whitis says. “And they’re super supportive of local events.”

Orangetheory Fitness

Already a force among Tampa boutique fitness enthusiasts, Orangetheory Fitness opened its newest area location in Water Street Tampa in November 2022. The studio offers one-hour, fullbody interval training workouts to help patrons build endurance, strength, and power. The studio workout room equipment includes treadmills (and alternative bikes and striders), WaterRowers, and floor equipment including dumbbells, benches, TRX suspension trainers, medicine balls, BOSU trainers, and AB Dolly, a portable, handled platform on wheels that helps keep the core engaged during plank exercises, mountain climbers, and crunches.

Patrons wear heart rate monitors so they, and Orangetheory coaches, can gauge progress throughout the workout, keeping them working hard enough to be challenged but without risk for overexertion or overtraining. The Orangetheory Fitness app also helps patrons chart their workouts and progress, even when they’re outside of the studio.

F45 Training

Despite opening their first location in the middle of the pandemic, F45 Training has thrived, opening six locations in the Tampa Bay area in only two years. Co-owned by former professional baseball outfielder Matthew Joyce and his wife, Brittany, F45 Training is a circuit and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout that’s a favorite of actor Mark Wahlberg (who’s also an investor) and legendary former English soccer player David Beckham, Joyce says.

Joyce played for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2009 to 2014, then played for teams in Oakland, California,

The walkability—and jogability—of Water Street Tampa is a draw.

Philadelphia, and Miami before returning to his roots in the Tampa Bay area. In his late 30s and after a lengthy career in baseball, Joyce felt it was time for a career shift. After trying F45 Training (which stands for “functional” fitness) themselves, the Joyces went all-in. Certified personal trainers lead strategically designed group classes through challenging intervals, keeping an eye on patrons’ heart rate data on the screens above each exercise station. Another part of the screen shows videos demonstrating proper form and technique for each exercise.

Exercise stations include stationary bikes, row machines, Plyometric jump boxes, TRX suspension trainers and space for burpees and weightlifting. The program includes more than 1,000 exercises and classes are divided into strength sessions, speed, agility and cardio sessions and hybrid classes, on Fridays.

“I’ve worked with a lot of trainers over the years, paying over $1,000 a month for personal training,”

Joyce says. “We designed F45 to be exactly the same stuff you do with a personal trainer.”

Asher

Although the facilities are only available to Asher residents and Roost Tampa guests, the fitness offerings at Asher are so well-appointed, we couldn’t neglect to include them. In addition to the large, resort-style outdoor heated pool, Asher boasts an airy, window-lined indoor fitness studio and outdoor dynamic fitness area for yoga and stretching. State-of-the art equipment in the indoor fitness studio includes Precor weight benches, a squat rack, elliptical trainers, treadmills, and exercise bikes (Precor recumbent and three Les Mills spin bikes), as well as TRX weight bags, Concept SkiErg, StairMasters, row machines, and a Nautilus Pull Down. Also available are sets of free weights, plated weights, medicine balls, a Plyometric jump box, and two flip tires.

Rukus Cycling Studio

Rukus Cycling Studios features high intensity cardio sessions, muscle shaping strength training, premium boutique amenities and world class CyclePro instructors to guide you throughout your workout. The advanced technology, statistics and heart rate monitors will help you track your progress throughout your ride.

Located at 615 Channelside Drive right in the (healthy) beating heart of Water Street Tampa, there are a variety of ride types to choose from that focus not only on cardio, but strengthening the upper body with Rukus Resistance Bands. The immersive CycleArena features advanced studio-quality audio, LED mood lighting, and much more. Alongside industry-leading ride statistics displaying power, mileage, rank, and leaderboard points, each class showcases your CyclePro with a live front and side view.

Union Three

Known as “U3” to its many devotees, Union Three opened in Tampa in 2020 and offers hot yoga, hot boot camp and hot cycling instruction. Cycling shoes and yoga mats can be rented for $2 each.

Its yoga studio is drenched in natural light, and its cycling classes take place in a darkened, candlelit studio. In Hot Boot Camp sessions, patrons use weights, resistance bands and bodyweight movements to tone the upper body, lower body, and core in addition to cardio drills to jack up the heart rate.

Capturing Lightning: The Magic That Happens Inside Amalie Arena

This is what it takes to run a world-class venue.

BY Terry Ward

In the leadup to the goosebump-inducing moment that Latin music’s most legendary superstar took to the stage at Tampa’s Amalie Arena for the Viviendo Tour on a recent Friday night, all of Water Street Tampa was electric with big Marc Anthony energy.

Together with my Cuban-American, Puerto Rican and Tampeño family and friends–full of giddy anticipation and teetering on stilettos for the occasion–we gathered within eyeshot of the arena on the rooftop pool deck of the newly opened Tampa EDITION.

Raising spicy margaritas and mojitos, we swapped stories of Marc Anthony concerts of yore and speculated about whether he’d close with “Vivir Mi Vida”–his biggest hit and a song the star has said is about living life, being happy and forgetting sadness.

By the time we left the hotel’s bougainvilleadraped pool bar and strolled right across the street to the arena, crowds were dancing to salsa music and reggaeton blasting over speakers in the main plaza, creating a block party atmosphere in the heart of downtown while queuing excitedly for the doors to open.

If the energy outside was electric, inside Amalie Arena it could have lifted the roof.

As the three-time Grammy Award-winning singer stepped on stage to open with his runaway 2022 hit, “Pa’lla Voy”, the crowd, who hardly needed to be coaxed to their feet for a fiesta, swayed their hips in unison like one massive salsa dancing machine. And they didn’t stop until the show ended with “Vivir Mi Vida” (we called it).

Illustration by Alex Fine →

Less than 24 hours later, I was back at Amalie Arena sporting my Steven Stamkos jersey with my husband and kids in tow, sipping a craft beer and chomping nachos, to cheer the Tampa Bay Lightning to a win over the Buffalo Sabres during one of the team’s 41 home games played here each year.

The complete change in scenery–from the crowd to the event to the whole vibe of the place–couldn’t have been more different than the day prior. But for the 19,092-seat Amalie Arena that hosts more than 160 ticketed events in a calendar year for the roughly 2 million people that walk through its doors, it was just business as usual.

In the six days that followed my weekend’s fun, comedian Adam Sandler took to the stage at Amalie Arena before a sold-out crowd, the Lightning skated back onto the ice for another home game thriller and the Queen of Country, Reba McEntire, crooned her classics.

Between its programming lineup in 2022 and 2023, the arena’s diverse range of entertainment will stage everything from heavy metal bands and Christian pop stars to Bruce Springsteen, The Millennium Tour’s R&B and hip hop acts, Anna and Elsa on skates with Disney On Ice and the toothy velociraptors and Tyrannosaurus Rex of Jurassic World Live Tour.

What’s behind the momentum that’s helping Amalie Arena draw some of the most diverse acts in the country right now, I wondered. Not to mention–how had the place gone from sultry concert palace to rowdy ice rink while I was sleeping?

I sat down to chat with three of the key players from Vinik Sports Group–which operates and manages Amalie Arena–to find out how some of the best live entertainment in the country comes together under Tampa’s most exciting roof.

Current: Talk to us about Tampa right now and Amalie Arena’s position at the heart of Water Street Tampa. What’s the vibe?

Kevin Preast

CHIEF VENUE OFFICER FOR VINIK SPORTS GROUP, WHICH MANAGES AND OPERATES AMALIE ARENA:

The city has exploded over the course of the pandemic. People were leaving other areas to come

down here and live where people vacation. We’ve gotten bigger, better, faster and stronger. And as a byproduct of that, the city has gotten younger, more diverse and with more disposable income.

Tampa is now a full-fledged top 10 market that needs to have the full selection of entertainment offered to it. And that’s the market Amalie Arena serves.

The arena was built to be an epicenter of community, and as Water Street Tampa continues to evolve around us, it’s very exciting. We were kind of out on an island before here in the downtown area, along with the Florida Aquarium. Now there are more places to stay, eat and shop. It makes the area much more of a destination and that only accentuates where we are and what we can bring to town.

Current: Speaking of that, how has Amalie Arena’s programming evolved alongside the city?

Kelli Yeloushan SENIOR DIRECTOR

OF EVENT MANAGEMENT AT VINIK

SPORTS

GROUP:

I think our event mix was pretty diverse before, but it’s really intensifying from a diversity standpoint. Our Latin market is on fire right now, and we’re looking at what future we have in other areas, too, like the Filipino market, among others.

So many people have moved to Tampa from spots like L.A. and New York and we’re seeing it with the success of how many tickets are being sold to different shows and how much more diverse the city is as a whole through ticket sales. That, in turn, gives us the ability to book more of those artists.

Our event mix is across the board—basketball, hip hop, a University of Florida game, country music— there’s not really any area we aren’t touching as far as a programming standpoint.

Current: What has the reaction from out-of-towners been to the Tampa and Amalie Arena experience?

Yeloushan

I’m already seeing the change in how Water Street Tampa affects our events. The promoters and artists coming in are wanting to go outside and look around. They’re saying, wow, last time I was here there were none of these buildings. I feel

the visitors who aren’t local are opening their eyes to this idea that Tampa is doing good things right now. We can all see it with our eyes here that Tampa is really changing, and they can see it, too. We’re a boom town, people are talking about Tampa. And it’s amazing to watch agents and promoters come in and realize it, too, and say oh, yes, we need to bring new artists to this city.

Current: Is there ever a down moment or season where you can kick back and take a breather?

Preast

The arena never stops. This building is never not occupied with staff, whether that’s conversion staff flipping it for the next event, security staff, cleaning staff, marketing people here late and early. This is a 24/7 endeavor.

In November and December, we [hosted] something like 45 to 48 events over a 60-day period. Summer

is usually leaner with major tours going outside or performing at stadiums. But there are always those who want to come into the air conditioning and get out of the rain, too.

As for who’s coming to the arena, lots of our ticket buyers are coming in from out of state. They’re going to a show, a game—maybe playing golf, going to the beach or Busch Gardens—then coming back and doing another game. People want to come to Tampa and we get to be the beneficiary of that, as long as we’re hosting something that entertains them.

Current: How do you convert the building so quickly to keep up with such a busy and diverse lineup of events?

Rhett Blewett VP OF FACILITIES OPERATIONS, ASSISTANT GM FOR VINIK SPORTS GROUP

:

It really starts with our culture of being a team. Facility services is the group that helps with

We can all see it with our eyes here that Tampa is really changing.” “

flipping a building. We don’t remove the ice after every hockey game like some people might imagine, we just cover it and make some configurations with the seating. A lot of the process is mechanical, but so much of it is manpower, too.

To help our building stay humming, help maintain it on a daily basis, help extend the life of it, my team includes full time carpenters, plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, grounds crew, housekeeping staff…we have two full time employees specialized in ice maintenance, too.

When flipping the arena from a hockey game to a concert, it starts right when the horn sounds and we’ve won the game. People naturally start migrating to the exits, we don’t rush them out, we let them enjoy the moment.

The process of cleaning up is the first phase of converting things, and it really starts with our guest experience staff. The ushers help us collect all of our recyclables. They really hop in and help knock some time off our housekeeping crew’s cleaning process. It can take seven or eight hours to clean up, all through the night. I always joke it’s like little gnomes come out and the building gets turned over and cleaned.

Next, we cover the ice with synthetic insulation materials to create a work space. These deck boards are almost like foam pressed really hard together. It takes about an hour for our team to cover the ice, laying it right on top. It goes together like a puzzle. Then it’s time to set up for the show. A lot of tours nowadays carry their own stage with them, which we love. If we are building a stage, it adds a lot of time.

I love seeing the front of house at the arena, talking and meeting people, but I fell in love with the process of building things up and tearing them down. And for going from a game to a concert and then back, it’s almost like building a house all in one day and tearing it down. It’s pretty exciting.

Current: When do you breathe that final sigh of relief that everything is good to go before an event?

Yeloushan

If it’s an extremely large-scale show and we know it’s going to be tricky to be built and ready to go before doors open, it might be that moment when I see the chairs being set down on the floor. It’s a signal that the stage and production are ready to go. It tells us we’re good, we’re moving, we’re going to make doors.

But the real moment of joy comes when I see the fans. Like when Marc Anthony came out. It’s really just hearing the fans and their reactions when an artist they love takes to the stage. I remember hearing everyone cheer for Adam Sandler, too.

The memories for the fans are the really big moments that make everything we do to get there worth it—being able to help create those memories.

And in Tampa, this is the moment, too. It’s the time. I think there’s so much more to come with what we’re going to see here in the next year, five years and onward.

The Dogs of Water Street Tampa

No matter the day, the stars are always out.

BY Jen Ring

The extreme walkability of Water Street Tampa lends itself quite nicely to residents and visitors who may want to bring their four-legged furry friends along for a trip in Tampa’s newest neighborhood. There you’ll see Corgis congregating at Sparkman Wharf, Maltipoos at the Meridian Dog Run, Chihuahuas walking down Channelside Drive, Weimaraners on Water Street, myriad Maltese on S. Meridian Ave., and Terriers on Tampa Riverwalk. They get pup cups at Chill Bros. Scoop Shop and duck into The Modern Paws, a Sparkman Wharf hot spot for dog treats, toys, and apparel. In short, Water Street Tampa has gone to the dogs. And that’s a good thing.

It’s easy to see why. Lots of bright, sunny outdoor space and year-round warm weather makes it the perfect spot for dog lovers who enjoy city life and quick bites. There also happen to be a ton of pet-friendly events in Water Street Tampa as well. The multi-block section of Tampa all but entirely transformed into a walkable urban waterfront utopia for dogs and humans alike.

For instance: In February, Water Street Tampa unveiled its second dog park, The Barking Lot. Located on the north end of the Garrison parking lot, it’s another one of the reasons Tampa has been named one of the top five dog-friendly cities in the country.

Tampa resident Brian Pengelly and his Instagramfamous dog, Copper, walked over to another dog fave, Sparkman Wharf, on its opening day just four

years ago. An event photographer snapped Copper’s pic, shared it on the official Sparkman Wharf IG, and with that came Copper’s new-found fame. It’s clear why the Mini Goldendoodle (@the.mini. copper, who now has over 44.5k followers) became so popular. At only ten pounds, Copper has massive cuddle appeal.

“I felt a pull toward her,” Pengelly says about his first meeting with Copper, “I knew she was exactly what I was looking for.”

He felt a similar pull on that fateful first visit to Sparkman Wharf.

“I felt like it was going to be something that would pull a lot more people in,” he says.

And it has. Over the past three years, Pengelly’s had a front seat to all the changes that have to come to the Water Street area.

“I love how walkable and pet friendly it is here. I can bring Copper everywhere, which is a lot of fun for us both!”

Pengelly and Copper aren’t alone. Lots of folks are walking Water Street Tampa with their doggos. We unleashed (get it?) a couple photographers into the neighborhood to capture a few and learn their stories. Good dogs, all.

Callie Doodle Dog Gets Doodle Down

Callie Doodle Dog | @callie.doodle.dog

When Tampa resident Jennifer Heckner made an IG handle for her dog Callie, the blue-eyed Aussiedoodle was only eight weeks old.

“It gave me an outlet to meet other dog parents,” says Heckner.

Two years later, Callie has more than 2,000 followers, and Jen is one of five admins for The Dog Moms of Tampa Bay (@thedogmomsoftampabay), a group of…perhaps unsurprisingly…dog moms who host monthly meetups and events across the Tampa Bay area.

Outside of the office, Callie and Heckner are inseparable. They go to Lightning watch parties together, parks and bars, and, naturally, Sparkman Wharf.

The two have been hanging out in Water Street Tampa for about a year now and love the walkability and dog-friendly vibes.

“There are water bowls out near almost every business,” Heckner says. “And it’s fun to be able to bring her to so many places with me.”

Oski: This Spaniel Don’t Hunt

Oski the Boykin | @oski.theboykin

You can’t hunt in the city, but that didn’t stop Shayna Scott from requesting a Boykin Spaniel as a graduation present in March 2020. Hunting dogs are kind of a Scott tradition—there are six in the family. (Hers is named Oski.)

Two years later, the University of Tampa grad tells us, “my whole world is dogs.”

Scott started Instagramming her pup from the moment she first got him, and she’s been posting regularly since. Oski’s IG documents what it’s like here for Tampa dogs, from summer swims at Davis Island to jaunts at Hair of the Dog Park (a dog-bar), Two Shepherds Taproom, and, of course, outdoors at Sparkman Wharf.

“Oski loves going on walks to Sparkman to visit Modern Paws to pick out a toy and a treat,” says Scott. “I walk him there most mornings to get my iced matcha from Fit Bowl Co…Oski loves getting his peanut butter pup cup from Chill Bros. ice cream and watching the Lightning win at watch parties.”

The People’s Champ: Rocky

Rocky | @doobierockylouie

When Samantha rescued her Shepherd mix, Rocky, from a Washington shelter, he was only four days away from being euthanized. “Because he was high energy, but what eight-month-old isn’t?” she asks.

Samantha moved to Water Street Tampa with Rocky in October 2022, and the two are enjoying their new home at the dog-friendly Heron, one of the newest residential buildings in the area.

“Rocky loves Heron,” says Samantha. “He’s friends with everybody. He loves to see the concierge in the morning, and there are a lot of dogs there too, so he gets to say hi to everybody.”

Outside of Heron, Samantha tells us that Rocky enjoys listening to the live bands at Sparkman Wharf, visiting the parks, walking the Riverwalk, pup cups, and shopping at Modern Paws.

Benji Stays Golden

Benji | @dooditsbenji13

Tampa native Liana Peguero and her Goldendoodle Benji live about a 10 to 15-minute drive away from Water Street Tampa and usually come to Sparkman Wharf by boat on weekends, traveling down the Hillsborough River from Armature Works in historic Tampa Heights.

Benji is calm in nature, super fluffy, and…loves to eat socks.

“He knows he’s not supposed to eat them, but he does anyway,” says Peguero. “He had to go to the vet last week...”

When he’s not making emergency trips to the dog doc, Benji enjoys eating (non-sock) treats, sleeping in, playing in the yard, and those boat rides to Water Street Tampa. On their weekend visits, Peguero and Benji enjoy walking the neighborhood, taking pictures by the IG-famous Tampa sign, and getting treats at Modern Paws. (The salmon sticks are Benji’s favorite. At least until they make a sock flavor.)

Obie: A Great Dane Doing Great Things

Obie | @obie_thedane

Water Street Tampa resident Julius Tobin met his dog Obie at LightHaus Beer Garden in Sparkman Wharf a year and a half ago. Obie’s then owner was deployed in the US Military. A family member was trying to re-home the dog when he met Tobin on that fateful day drinking brews by the Bay.

He wasn’t looking for a dog, but the easy going, personable Great Dane won him over.

“I really wanted him to be a community dog,” says Tobin.

He took Obie out on the town and was surprised by how well he got along with others. It seemed like everywhere Obie went, he brightened someone’s day. “We call it the Obie Effect,” he says of the phenomenon.

Whether they’re at Thunder Alley during Lightning games, at Amalie Arena before concerts, everyone gets along with Obie.

“There’s a lot of places we can go together, and that’s beautiful,” says Tobin.

Yeti and Yara are Tampa Baes

Yeti & Yara | @natandyeti

Yeti and Yara have two things in common. They’re both English bulldogs and they both love mealtime. Other than that, the two couldn’t be more different.

“Yeti got placed into my life,” says his owner Natalie. “You don’t find your English Bulldog. Your English Bulldog finds you.”

Last summer, her second, Yara, found her at the Humane Society of Pasco County.

“He’s active and she’s cuddly—they’re like opposites,” she says.

“We all love being outside,” she continues. “The Water Street Tampa neighborhood offers so much mental and physical stimulation for pups while keeping their parents entertained. It’s bonding to do activities with your dogs, great for their mental health and a beautiful way to meet your community.”

Experience a monthly collection of Water Street Tampa events including fresh markets, complimentary fitness classes, live music on Water Street and much more.

more at

“The

food scene here is now dotted with top-shelf restaurants, each propelling Tampa into the national culinary scene in its own distinct way.”

FROM ‘EAT WATER STREET’

Eat Water Street

There’s an abundance of great food at Water Street Tampa.

BY Lorraine Monteagut and Annalise Mabe

Ten years ago, save for a couple longtime strongholds, you would be hard pressed to find good eats downtown. Water Street Tampa has changed all that, and today there are dozens of fantastic spots all within comfortable walking distance from one another. It’s a perfect destination no matter the mood, and the cuisines on offer are incredibly diverse—from Mexican to Mediterranean, fast-casual to five star, healthy to decadent. The scene is now dotted with top- shelf restaurants, each propelling Tampa into the national culinary scene in its own distinct way. We sent a couple longtime residents out on foot to feast and discover, with a bit of surreal wonder, a city they thought they’d had all figured out. Here are some of the highlights.

Naked Farmer

A down-to-earth spot among the high rises

Tucked in Water Street Tampa’s Raybon Plaza, across from the University of South Florida’s

towering new medical school, is Naked Farmer. At first glance, it seems your typical assembly style, build-your-own-bowl, fast-casual lunch spot. But by the time you’re through picking from the colorful and hearty vegetables on display—delicate squash, roasted sweet potatoes, chilled beets, blue oyster mushrooms—you might be surprised by how effortlessly you went fully vegetarian. Naked Farmer opened its first location in St. Petersburg during the pandemic and quickly became a go-to for healthy local produce. It has continued in this vein at its Water Street location, sourcing most of its ingredients from local farms and partners for its seasonal offerings. And it’s not just lip service; according to Briant Wildes, account manager at Brick Street Farms in St. Petersburg, crops are grown from seed to meet Naked Farmer’s needs. “They know what it means to the farming community,” she says, referring to the way the restaurant fosters direct relationships with suppliers rather than relying on distribution companies. Whether you’re touring or taking a break from your workday, this is sure to be a grounding respite.

Chill Bros.

Old-style soda shop vibes with a Tampa twist

Here’s a local take on Italian ice cream, the brainchild of four siblings surnamed Chillura who dreamed of making Tampa an ice cream town. Besides a fresh-made waffle triangle served with each scoop, there are few frills at Chill Bros. The small batch ice cream made with all natural ingredients and from-scratch toppings speaks for itself—it’s delightfully silky on the tongue. Try the Bees Knees, with little bits of crystallized honey, and Guava Pastelito, a flavor ode to Tampa. And, for a short time, there’s the seasonal Malty Millionaire, classic vanilla punctuated by chocolate covered shortbread chunks and salted caramel. The menu will speak to your inner child; it’s plain to see that the Chillura siblings have fun reimagining throwbacks like floats and cookie sandwiches. Vegans will appreciate that the non-dairy options are thoughtful instead

of an afterthought, made with oat milk and coconut cream. While the Water Street location is the fourth Chill Bros. in town, it’s the only one where you can take in the pastel pool scenes by photographer Mária Švarbová. In a rush? There’s a fridge full of to-go pints that you can whisk away to your hotel room.

Battery

An elegant lounge for meetups and milestones

The deep hues, tall ceilings, and exposed brick of Battery set a luxurious scene that molds to many purposes—the relaxed professionalism is perfect for a business meeting, and there’s ample space to accommodate family parties. Or meet friends on a weekend afternoon and order from the brunch menu to share. Try a charcuterie board with housemade preserves and mustards, oysters on the half shell from the raw bar, and a few small bites in lieu of your own entrees (though the Chicken

The charcuterie spread at Battery →

& Waffles will tempt you!). You’ll each be in your own personal heaven as you explore the morsels laid before you by the highly attentive staff. The resounding star of the show, all will agree, is the generous portion of General Tso Cauliflower Bites, with its perfect sweet and sour balance and justright crisp. Battery describes itself as a “bourbonforward concept,” so take advantage of a whiskey flight, like the USA Road Trip. It comes in four delicate tulip shaped glasses on a wooden board that’s sure to delight.

JoToro

Happy hour, indeed

Just on the corner of Sparkman Wharf, JoToro serves up a buzzing scene and a good dose of people watching from its comfortable patio seating. The menu has an inspired selection of wood-fired tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, but be careful you don’t fill yourself on “The Three Amigos,” an unassuming appetizer of chips and salsa, guacamole, and queso that is nearly impossible to stop eating. The chips are airy and salted to perfection, and the dips feel homemade by a pro—because they are. Joe Isidori is a Michelin-starred chef who elevates Tex-Mex to fun heights. And let’s not forget JoToro is as much a tequila bar as anything else, with a menu of margaritas the likes of which you’ll dream of long after you’ve left. Try the Spicy Peyote, made with 400 Conejos Mezcal and jalapeño infused Casamigos, which serves a good kick without sacrificing taste. The pours are strong, and the vibes are high here.

Noble Rice

A transportive experience for the books

You’ll feel like you’re walking into another world at Noble Rice, with its warm lighting and rich wooden accents that marry traditional Japanese design with modern sensibilities. Eric and Adriana Fralick’s flagship restaurant is back in a larger space, featuring an impressive wall of Japanese whiskey and the most comfortable booths in town. Executive chef Frank Anderson brings his extensive experience to an expanded menu, adding breathtaking appetizers, hearty ramen bowls, and luxurious desserts. Fans of the original Noble Rice can rest assured that the standard of quality has endured; most of the fish still comes from the Toyosu Market in Tokyo.

The melt-in-your-mouth uni (sea urchin) is a

Choices are hard. The spread at

JoToro. →

must, and if you’re in the mood to splurge, you always have the choice of ordering premium cuts of sashimi. For a truly unforgettable experience, reserve the coveted omakase service, a nightly selection of chef’s choice, offered in an exclusive separate bar. Whatever you choose, end your night with the soymilk panna cotta: matcha cake crumble, burnt honey, black sesame and miso caramel served in a gorgeous ceramic vessel that is a work of art itself.

Azure

A vibrant vista true to Greek culture

Florida clouds hit different, especially from Azure, The Tampa EDITION’s Greek-forward rooftop restaurant and lounge. Start with a glass of SaintHilaire’s Cremant de Limoux Brut Rosé and take in the panoramic views of Tampa’s downtown cityscape, framed by deep magenta bougainvillea flowers catching the breeze. Azure faces west,

which makes it the perfect spot to watch the sun melt down, reflecting orange and pink hues on nearby Heron’s glass windows. Make friends with exceptional bar staff, who will guide you along an authentic Greek experience full of seafood towers (named after Greek islands Antipaxos and Crete), east and west coast oysters, summer tzatziki, roasted eggplant, lamb meatballs, delicately rolled dolmas, and in-house sourdough pita. Michelinstarred chef John Fraser is responsible for the elegant, seaside-inspired fare which also includes the shrimp saganaki, served in a black skillet and pan seared in a sweet red sauce, topped with crumbled feta. Watch as the bar transitions into an intimate, candlelit lounge, or plan to reserve one of seven different bays and terraces, perfect for a sixto eight-person dinner format, or for an exquisite date night.

Left: The fish is the star, but don’t skip dessert at Noble Rice., where the soymilk panna cotta, matcha cake crumble, burnt honey, black sesame and miso caramel will wow.

Above: A Greek assortment at Azure.

An Unlikely Date with Fate

From young dishwasher to award-winning chef, the success of Tampa’s Ferrell Alvarez will make you say “Dang, dude.”

BY Annalise Mabe

For Tampa native Chef Ferrell Alvarez, passion pays the bills. Lucky, right? Even luckier still: He discovered it by accident.

The award-winning Chef and restaurateur, along with his dedicated team, have nabbed a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award, a James Beard nomination, and have established six concepts and seven restaurants in the Tampa Bay area in just nine short years. Put simply, Alvarez stays moving.

It’s been a long road to reach the top of Tampa’s culinary mountain.

Alvarez got his start in the culinary world at 15 years-old, washing dishes and prepping vegetables at a catering company. A chef there spotted a drive and talent in him that he helped cultivate, seeing more in Alvarez—a self described “knucklehead doing knucklehead things” at the time—than he could see in himself.

“I had no idea what that meant,” Alvarez says of the significant chance encounter that would color the rest of his life. We’re in The Tampa EDITION’s inspired chartreuse and slat-wood-paneled lounge, speaking over the soft 50s doo-wop that greets all

who enter. “That was the beginning of my future without me knowing it then.”

Another push came, unwittingly, from Alvarez’s high school accounting teacher, who encouraged him to try his hand at a pilot program, a school-towork internship. Alvarez proceeded to complete the 450 hours of volunteer work at a local hotel, moving through each position: front desk, housekeeping, forecasting with the GM, kitchen work, maintenance, and everything in between.

“I think it was meant to scare me away and put me through college,” he says with a laugh. “But it totally intrigued me. I was all in.”

This was 1994, when the restaurant industry and life therein were much different than today.

“Before Food Network, before Emeril, before Bourdain,” he says.

Food service, and cooking writ large, in other words, were absent any kind of glamour back then. So maligned was the industry, in fact, Alvarez says his father, a now-retired physician, was taken aback when his son told him he’d chosen the profession.

Make $10,000 and reinvest $9,999.”

“He literally said to me: ‘You’re going to be a greasy cook? In a hot kitchen?’”

But that didn’t shake Alvarez off the scent, and neither did the grueling days and nights. Each morning, Monday through Friday, he’d wake up early, ride his bike to culinary school, put in the hours (8am to 3pm), get out, and ride right back to long shifts in hotel kitchens.

“Less than half of us who were admitted into the culinary program ended up graduating,” he says.

After graduation, he found work at Saddlebrook Resort just outside Tampa. There he quickly moved up to Sous Chef Tournant, covering the five restaurants on property, bopping around and learning how to execute new-to-him cuisines while gaining leadership experience.

After nearly five years Alvarez moved on to working under the wings of Florida legend Marty Blitz of Mise En Place, which he’d read about in the glossy pages of Gourmet. Mise, says Alvarez, was one of the only restaurants doing cool, avant-garde things in the back of house. He remembers working up the courage to cold call Blitz in between lunch and dinner service at the resort, telling him he admired the Chef and his work, and asking for the chance to learn under him. Impressed with his moxy, Blitz asked to meet.

It was another date with fate.

At Mise Alvarez found his voice. He credits Blitz, co-owner Maryann Ferenc, and Ty Rodriguez (then general manager, now business partner and best friend), with giving him the space to push the restaurant, to try new things, and ultimately hit record highs together.

“I was so hungry in the kitchen to do cool things and push the envelope,” Alvarez says. “I was relentless.”

That hunger and drive eventually led to Alvarez opening his own spot, the renowned and awardwinning Rooster and the Till, which he opened in 2013 with a hope, a prayer, and some borrowed

money from friends and early believers. There was no indication then that this “1200 square feet of a white box in Seminole Heights,” as he describes it, would turn into the empire Alvarez oversees today. Especially given, initially, he and his staff had “no idea what we were doing.”

Beyond that: the space had no floor drains, no grease traps, no hood system, no gas. Alvarez and Brian Lampe (a cook he met at Mise who is now exec at Rooster), built most of the restaurant with their hands and the help of one contractor. They found abandoned fencing around the neighborhood, brought it in, and sat on buckets for two weeks, pulling out nails to make a reclaimed wood wall. They found affordable chicken feeder lights on Etsy, and hung them with Edison bulbs before Edison bulbs were ubiquitous. They even found an after-hours joint on Craigslist that had just gone out of business, and carted its bar over in a rented U-Haul. They then bought some cheap used chairs and barstools, sanded them down and painted them black.

Upon opening, the hard work paid off in the form of three-hour wait times, the considerable buzz Alvarez and Lampe had created prior to opening revealing itself almost instantly. Since those early days Rooster has expanded from 37 seats to 72, and won many accolades, including the number one restaurant in the Tampa Bay Times’ Top 50 list, 2018. All that early success compounded on itself as they threw everything they had at the new endeavor.

Alvarez is cooking with gas now, both figuratively and literally.

“We’d make ten thousand and reinvest $9,999,” he says. “And quite frankly, that’s what we’re still doing. We’ve remodeled Rooster three times.”

Rooster turns nine this year (“It’s still very much my baby,” he says) and has launched Alvarez into a certain strata which has allowed his new concepts to flourish, tumbling into all parts of Tampa with a momentum which can’t be stopped.

Up next was Nebraska Mini Mart, a fast casual

shuffle-board spot with fresh burgers, crispy fries, and fried chicken. Then Gallito Taqueria, a Mexican street-food joint, came to live in Lakeland before a second in Sparkman Wharf along with sisters Dang Dude (Asian-inspired street food and boba appropriately named with a phrase that could describe his career to this point) and Lunch Lady (scratch-made pressed sandwiches). Now, Alvarez and his team, Proper House Group (PHG), are introducing Ash, their highly anticipated, Italianinspired, full-service restaurant. The restaurant will be his third in the newly developed Water Street Tampa, one of the hottest and most talked about neighborhoods in the entire country.

But lest you think this means he’s slowing down, think again. Alvarez still controls all creative within PHG and stays deeply involved in writing new tasting menus every couple months, writing four or five Guest Chef dinner menus every year, changing Rooster’s menu every quarter for peak seasonality, and writing new menus for all their other restaurants as well. “We don’t duplicate things. None of my restaurants repeat old dishes.”

“I love the grind; I love the hustle,” Alvarez says. “I do it because I want to, not because I have to.”

Dang dude, indeed.

Rooster and the Till 6500 N Florida Ave

Nebraska Mini Mart 815 N Nebraska Ave

Gallito Tacqueria 640 East Main Street Lakeland, Fl

Dang Dude, Lunch Lady, Gallito Tacqueria Sparkman Wharf

Secure the bag at Lunch Lady.

BE CONNECTED – BE ENERGIZED

“The tech scene is moving to Tampa.”

FROM ‘TECH-SAVVY CITY’

Curves in All the Right Places

COOKFOX Architects designs

Cora, a high-rise known for its round edges and biophilic design.

BY Nadja Sayej

PHOTOS BY Seamus Payne

Water Street Tampa features several striking new mixed-use towers. Among them you’ll find The Tampa EDITION (the city’s first five star hotel), the beautiful residential building Heron (above a Publix GreenWise Market, serving fresh organic foods and house-made specialties), and Thousand & One, a 20-story biophilic office building drawing businesses to the new neighborhood, the world’s first-ever WELL pre-certified community.

What that means is Water Street Tampa meets the stringent wellness requirement outlined by the WELL Community Standard, which aims to impact individuals not just within the walls of their homes or workplace, but throughout the public spaces where they spend their days. In short, a WELL Community is designed to support the health and well-being across all aspects and areas of community life.

In fact, Water Street Tampa has been created from scratch with design and policy strategies meant to improve wellbeing. That forward-thinking directive was top of mind for COOKFOX Architects

who designed Thousand & One along with its neighboring residential tower, Cora.

Even to the untrained eye, something stands out about the building at 1011 East Cumberland Ave. Cora’s curved balconies and rounded edges make it feel windswept and organic, and its grassy rooftops and biophilic design add pops of fresh greenery that make it feel alive.

“We wanted to create a strong connection to nature,” says Zach Craun, an associate partner at COOKFOX. Much like the newly-erected Water Street Tampa neighborhood it proudly stands in, the health and well-being of its residents was always a priority.

Others: To Craun, architecture embodies a dialogue between past, present, and future through a thoughtful appreciation of place. Tampa saw its population skyrocket in the early 1900s after Henry B. Plant’s railroad made connections more feasible for Vincente Martinez Ybor and the cigar industry he brought along with him from

Key West. And with Ybor came the city’s economy which soon helped it to become Florida’s largest city by the early 20th century.

That past movement and energy is what Cora designers drew on when they thought big for this project.

“We believe that the materiality and expression of Cora provides a tangible point of contact with the history and culture of the site,” says Craun. “These aspects of our practice uphold the circular commitment of architecture, preserving the past so it may guide the future.”

Whatsmore, the design team at COOKFOX used castin-place concrete as a material to nod to the city’s industrial past, and the nearby shipping port. But the main design highlight of the building are its curved corners, which offer a modern elegance not seen in the city before.

“Cora’s curvilinear geometry is rooted in both its ecological and architectural context,” explains Craun. “There are no sharp corners in nature; Tampa’s

residents are familiar with this due to their proximity to beautiful beaches, water, and sunsets. Curved corners create a softer impression on the skyline, seamlessly blending in with the breezy scenery.”

Cora’s interior is equally impressive, as it features a spacious lobby, an array of high-end amenities, and a beautiful view of the Tampa Bay skyline. Its light-filled lobby features a luxurious lounge area, a modern media room, and a full-service restaurant. The COOKFOX team also implemented small decorative homages to honor the architectural history of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles in Florida design as well.

“Upper floor balconies and heavily-vegetated roof decks provide prospect and refuge, a core idea of biophilia,” says Craun.

There’s that word again.

Biophilia. For those unaware, it’s the innate human instinct to connect with nature and other living things. Biophilic design attempts to bring

Left: View from the Fitness Center at Cora Above: Club Casual at Cora.

“

Residents of Cora are part of this larger neighborhood designed with health in mind.”

the outdoors in, so to speak, by introducing said nature in a space and maximizing natural light, among other things. Such design has been shown in studies to elevate mood, boost immunity, and reduce mental fatigue. “Bringing in aspects of biophilic design can also help reduce anxiety, improve cognitive performance and make for a better night’s sleep,” says Cigna Global of one study written about on their site under the headline, “What is biophilia and why do we need it?”

The movement, which has become more popular of late, was an essential part of COOKFOX’s design approach. “Channeling an innate human affinity for organic materials, biomimetic patterns, and ample daylight, we have a vision of architecture that connects building occupants with nature,” Craun says.

As such, residents of Cora enter through a quiet landscaped courtyard into a calming, bright lobby complete with natural materials and textures. Balconies on each floor support the Floridian culture of indoor-outdoor living and connect residents to the seasons. In addition to the grassy green rooftop, inside each unit are deep-slabbed edges to shade interior spaces.

“Winding planted canopies, extending from Cora’s first floor over the sidewalks underneath, reinterpret historical street arcades found throughout the city,” says Craun. “These elements also serve a practical function; they reduce the heat island effect, provide shade for pedestrians, and filter light at the street level.”

Craun also notes some of the other highlights of Water Street Tampa’s urban vision, which includes a bustling public plaza, mixed-use offerings, walkability, and a vibrant retail community. Such wellness-focused design can be found throughout Water Street Tampa with its

drinking fountains, bottle-refilling stations, ample bike lanes, public art installations, and regular community wellness events like pilates in Raybon Plaza or yoga on the Sparkman Wharf recreational lawn.

Residents of Cora are part of this larger neighborhood that has been designed with their wellness in mind.

And here, it’s wellness they’ll find. Water Street Tampa has room to run and roam, to work and play, and to find quiet places to stretch, breathe, and be present with the surrounding energy.

Cora is one of the many standouts of Water Street Tampa, a neighborhood not lacking for them. Its unique design stands as a testament to Tampa’s continued commitment to stunning architectural works, and is the perfect embodiment of the neighborhood’s modern, vibrant spirit.

What Does It Take to Keep Tampa Beautiful?

Volunteers are cleaning up in and around the Bay every day.

BY Salomé Gómez-Upegui

Tampa Bay is beautiful, and Debbie Evenson keeps it that way. As executive director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB), she is partly responsible for waterways that are free of garbage and debris, and for organizing the team of people who work to protect the natural environment, keeping the city’s surroundings as beautiful (and healthy) as possible.

Founded in 1989, the nonprofit works tirelessly to raise awareness about how we relate to these waterways, and how we function together as part of the ecosystem. As an independent affiliate of the nationwide environmental organization Keep America Beautiful, their mission is to “promote a culture of environmental stewardship through volunteer and educational opportunities.” Dayto-day activities include ambitious plans for tree-planting projects, large-scale restoration initiatives, and executing hundreds of successful volunteer cleanups in Tampa Bay every year.

For the record, the group has managed to organize more than 1,900 cleanup and beautification projects, have properly disposed of more than 35,000 pounds of waste, has improved close to 2,500 miles of roadway, and 6,000 acres of public land while planting over 2,000 gardens, plants, and trees.

“I feel that, as a team, we’ve made a huge difference in our community,” Evenson says, beaming. “Volunteers are the heart of the organization. Without them? We can’t do what we do.”

Equally important a component to their services, education is key to the nonprofit’s efforts. Evenson, who has worked with KTBB for over 20 years, is convinced it’s this approach that makes most of their work so impactful.

“It’s not just about completing certain activities with volunteers,” she says. “We want to educate them so they understand why we do these activities as well.”

Given her extensive tenure at KTBB, Evenson has had the good fortune of seeing the organization grow over the years. “At one point, we were working with a couple hundred volunteers on a very low budget. And now, I’m proud to say we’re a very wellknown, grassroots organization and volunteers love working with us. We make it easy for them, and we make it so they want to come back,” she says.

Today, KTBB works with about 16 to 20 thousand volunteers a year, including thousands of young locals seeking a fun alternative to complete mandatory service hours, groups of workers looking for engaging team-building opportunities, and families intent on giving back to the community. Evenson goes on to say that working with the organization doesn’t cost volunteers “a dime beyond their time.” When organizing cleanups, KTBB provides all required materials for a successful outing, including gloves and trash bags, as well as the necessary training to guarantee a seamless experience.

When volunteers come out for some good fun in the sun, volunteers can focus on land-based efforts or aquatic ones, removing trash from waterways. The org has a 26-foot catamaran, one they built themselves, stationed at Marjorie Park Marina. It goes out a few times a week with volunteers on board who donate their time to retrieve all sorts of floating objects and trash from Tampa’s major rivers and channels.

Evenson is adamant about highlighting the disproportionate amount of trash that ends up in the water. She says the issue is especially concerning in Florida, “since a lot of people don’t realize that there are no grates on our storm drains, so we have to find a way to properly dispose of the trash before it gets to our waterways.”

Thankfully, water-based cleanups with the catamaran allow volunteers to get close to mangroves to scoop up trash from these critical environments. What’s more is the opportunity for education; it becomes a teaching-and-learning moment for the org and its volunteers as they see the trajectory of how land-based trash reaches the water, accumulating in the coastal shrubs.

“When volunteers go out, they get to see the Hillsborough River up close and understand where the trash is coming from. When it rains, trash floats down this river, and where does it end up? Tampa Bay,” says Evenson. “And then where does that end up? Our oceans.”

Shockingly, over the last few years, KTBB volunteers have pulled up around 200 electric bikes from the Hillsborough River. “And there are still more down there,” Evenson says.

Despite how daunting their mission seems at times, two decades into this work, Evenson believes things can change for the better. “It will change for the next generation. We need to get the right message out there, and we need everyone to get on the same page, but I’m hopeful,” she says.

Though KTBB has cultivated a lasting relationship with many volunteers, their biggest challenge now is still spreading the word. Not just in terms of finding new volunteers who are excited to work with them but reaching an audience that can understand the urgency of what they’re doing.

And though it seems simple, Evenson says that

following them on social media (@keeptbb on Instagram) and helping KTBB spread the word about their mission is a simple act that can truly help advance their cause.

On that note, beyond volunteering with KTBB, Evenson believes there are numerous effective habits everyone can be aware of to avoid accruing trash in places where it shouldn’t be, ultimately making a big difference for the environment from any region.

One starting place, Evenson says, could be considering ways to reduce unnecessary trash. “Sometimes it’s as simple as having a reusable cup,” she says.

Recycling is another key strategy that everyone can be a little more informed on. Evenson mentions a useful rule of thumb: “If you don’t know whether something is recyclable or not, put it in the trash. It’s best to err on the wrong side because once you contaminate a recycling bin, the whole thing goes to waste.”

Speaking of small but impactful acts, “cigarette butts are the number one littered item in the world,” Evenson adds. “Many people think that since they’re small, it’s probably not a big deal to throw them on the ground but disposing of them properly can make a very big difference.”

Bottle caps are another small example of trash that has a big impact. And plastic bags, she notes—these float into waterways and can be eaten by turtles (who think they are jellyfish).

“People sometimes ask what’s the point of picking up other people’s trash?” Evenson says. “And the answer is pretty simple: this is our home, it’s our community, we all have to take responsibility and keep it as beautiful as we can.”

In Living Color

Artist Ya Levy La’Ford is painting the town.

BY Mariette Williams

Every morning Ya Levy La’Ford wakes up early with her family to meditate and set her intentions for the day ahead. These days her schedule is filled with school drop-offs, project site visits, afterschool activities, and studio sessions to work on the latest painting or sculpture. Although her schedule is busy, she’s intentional about spending time outdoors and staying connected with nature.

“Being outside is very important to us,” she says, referring to her husband and two young kids. We like to go for walks and observe the sounds and patterns of life that are happening around us. We also want to make sure we’re making the most of our time through the chaos and finding those quiet moments.”

La’Ford’s need for quiet moments is understandable. Her profile has grown tremendously in recent years, and the Tampa-based artist’s work has been exhibited all over the world, including in Europe, Asia, and South America. Her public art installations and sculptures can also be found in destinations like Toronto, South Africa, and Hawaii. You may have also passed by La’Ford’s signature geometric installations around Tampa

at Sparkman Wharf or Oxford Exchange. And though she was born in the Bronx, La’Ford credits her Jamaican heritage for her strong sense of creativity.

“I’m a first-generation Jamaican, and even though my parents had us here, we summered in Kingston, and I was inspired by the creativity of Jamaicans,” La’Ford says. “After independence, the Jamaican national motto was ‘Out of Many, One People.’ When I think of Jamaica, I think of this diverse array of colors and tastes like the locally farmed pineapple and the sweet papayas and mangoes. When you come from the Caribbean there’s this creative rhythm that’s rooted in our blood.”

The creative rhythm La’Ford is referring to is reflected in her work, which often shows the complexity and intricacy of human connections. Though La’Ford’s work also relies heavily on bold colors, geometric shapes, and interconnected angles, her artistic career hasn’t necessarily been a straight line. She earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law and then received a Master of Fine Arts from the

Art Institute of Boston. Though a law degree and an MFA seem like they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum, La’Ford says they complement each other.

“What law did for my art practice is actually refine how I think about art,” La’Ford explains. “Because of my law degree, I was really able to dig deeper into symbolism, interconnection, and the philosophy behind lights and darks and answer these harder life-questions through art.”

La’Ford also finds inspiration through traveling, and says a recent artist residency in Utah opened her up to further exploring the ideas of human connection in her work.

“Utah had a huge, transformative impact on me,” she says. “At the end of the residency, we titled the show, Survey: The West, and really dug into the concept of Pangea. I spent time exploring Utah and the states around it, and it got me thinking about how interconnected people and civilizations are. I got a chance to reflect on the fact that 200 million years ago we had all these continents that were a supercontinent, and I thought about shapes and time and how we all fit together like a puzzle. I really expanded from working in negative and positive space and lights and darks to thinking about elements like sound and light and colors.”

It isn’t surprising to find out that La’Ford’s creative process also involves music across all different genres. In the same way that La’Ford can translate the interconnectedness of the human experience through art, she says she’s able to find a common thread between musical genres.

“When I’m working, I listen to a bit of everything. Sometimes I listen to podcasts or classical or 70s music. From the Beatles to Sade—I love a lot of different genres and I like to explore the bass and the beat of humanity through music,” La’Ford says. “My husband is a drummer, so much of the art I create is listening with that in the background.”

La’Ford is drawn to community and fellowship in both her artwork and her lifestyle, and she’s decided to make Tampa home for the last ten years, having been drawn to the city’s communal spaces, long-standing artist community, and new editions in the Water Street neighborhood.

“Overall, Tampa has some really cool places. Oxford Exchange is one of my favorite little places to

La’Ford’s work adorns the 10,000 square-foot expansion of the St. Petersburg Museum of History.

La Ford’s Boulevard Flow sculpture in Tampa’s West River. →

→ WATERFRONTIER, inside Sparkman Wharf

hang out. And right next door to Oxford Exchange is this great French restaurant, Mise en Place,” the artist says. “Water Street has a bunch of new places to check out. I really like the restaurants and entertainment at Sparkman Wharf, and I love The Tampa EDITION. The hotel is New York and so highend, and it’s cool that we now have it in Tampa.”

Inside Sparkman Wharf you’ll find a complex La’Ford mural, WATERFRONTIER. It greets guests as they enter the building’s lobby, and is inspired by the contours and urban layout of the waterfront community that surrounds it—its pedestrian, streetcar and vehicle pathways. She knows the area and the city well.

La’Ford is an ambassador for the art scene in Tampa and wears many hats: professor, visual painter, muralist, and installation artist. Some of her recent partnerships include Louis Vuitton, Nike, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Toronto Blue Jays. She’s received numerous awards, including being named the most important artist by the Jamaican National Gallery. The accolades are well deserved, but La’Ford says her mission is not only to create art that resonates with people, but to have a positive impact on those around her.

“I love my career,” she says, “The biggest challenge is having enough time for everything, but my greatest reward is paving a positive road for my children. Living and being human is only one part of the deal. The other part is figuring out how you can help and make a difference.”

La’Ford’s work relies heavily on bold colors, geometric shapes, and interconnected angles, but her artistic career hasn’t necessarily been a straight line.

Tech-Savvy City

To find out Tampa is becoming a leader in the tech industry, all you need to do is strike up a conversation here.

BY Nadja Sayej

Want a sign Tampa is becoming a tech hub—a so called Silicon Valley in the South? Park yourself on a barstool or park bench and make conversation with a stranger or two. Chances are you’ll find they’ve just recently moved, excited both by the booming city Tampa has become and for high-tech job prospects on offer. There’s opportunity in the air.

You’ll find these folks want to talk crypto. Or cyber security. VPNs. FinTech. Logistics software. The apps their companies are developing. They work at places called Rapid7, Procore Technologies, and KnowBe4. Pocket Network. ReliaQuest. Imprivita. Wise. Arrive. Verkada. Galatea. (We could go on.) They are myriad, this new Tampa techy.

Another clue can be found in a back issue of Forbes, from August of 2021. For it was then Tampa landed atop the storied biz mag’s list of Emerging Tech Cities in the US. That’s right. Number one.

Even two years ago Tampa’s tech industry, according to the article, had been “exploding for several years now,” and reported there were over 50 software and IT companies in the city. Tampa was responsible for over 25% of tech jobs in the Sunshine state, even outperforming Miami in ‘21. It’s only ballooned since.

The growth isn’t an accident.

High-profile investors have migrated into the area of late, seeking out new ideas and tech leaders, in

part because of local development. Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, for one, along with his company Strategic Property Partners (SPP) has transformed the city’s downtown in the form of Water Street Tampa, a walkable, pre-certified WELL Community neighborhood they always believed could lead the Tampa’s tech-savvy future.

Water Street Tampa, according to their website, is “an entirely unique urban energy. Designed to deepen people’s interactions with the cityscape, the natural environment and each other.” There, walkable streets connect homes, offices, retail shops, and hotels.

“People are moving here from New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, and Los Angeles,” says David Bevirt, Executive Vice President of Corporate Leasing and Strategy at SPP, of Water Street Tampa. “We’re seeing over 900 people a day move into Florida.”

Bevirt says attracting tech—its entrepreneurs and educated workforce—was always part of the idea. “When we started working on this project with its master planning, we knew we were building something special,” he says.

Many of the corporations moving to Tampa are seeking something different, Bevirt adds. “There’s definitely an uptick in technology firms; we’re seeing it in fintech, biotech, and financial services, and this is proving that this is a good spot for

supporting the robust growth that we’re seeing.” Even beyond his spearheading the development of Water Street Tampa, Vinik himself has been investing in Tampa’s tech future with his Embarc Collective initiative, which aims to be a startup hub to help the community “build bold, scalable, thriving companies.”

Much like Bevirt, Allie Felix, Vice President of Platform at Embarc Collective, sees many new faces moving in from all across the country. Embarc Collective, which features investment from Vinik, aims to be a startup hub that helps the community build tech business. As such, she speaks to waves of new arrivals and techies everyday. “Each person brings their experience and networks that will make a long-term, positive impact on our tech community,” she says

Interestingly, Bevirt says it’s that kind of compounding skilled labor that is really driving where tech companies are going. “For us in Tampa, it’s the chicken and the egg; companies come here if the talent is here, and the talent comes here if they know the companies are moving here,” he says. “It’s so simple but it’s the heart of our growth.”

CoinFlip is one such chicken. (Or is it an egg?) It’s a fintech platform for crypto that recently opened its corporate office—which it calls a “Crypto Experience Center”—in Tampa. It’s the first-of-itskind destination in the U.S. and will educate the community about cryptocurrency and purchasing digital currencies with the company’s on-site Bitcoin ATMs.

“We’re on a mission to make crypto more accessible and approachable by offering free classes and appointments with our in-house ‘Crypto Guides,’” says CoinFlip CEO and co-founder Ben Weiss. “Tampa is an emerging tech hub and we’re thrilled to be a part of its rapidly expanding crypto community.”

Weiss says they were initially attracted to Tampa due to its top tech talent and crypto-embracing attitude, and that an office at Sparkman Wharf quickly revealed itself as the perfect location for the company to plant its seed.

“This office tower is a place many tech companies and businesses call home,” he says of the camaraderie he and CoinFlip have found since arriving. “We knew we could continue to grow and bring crypto education to such a vibrant community.”

Because tech workers and their families are relocating to Tampa, it’s helped provide demand, explains Weiss.

Of course, that demand is also borne of Tampa’s enviable climate on the Gulf Coast, beautiful beaches, and year-round sunshine. “Tampa is quickly becoming one of the most desirable places to live due to several factors,” says Anne-Sophie Petit-Frere, a luxury realtor and reality star on Netflix’s Selling Tampa. In addition to the above she cites “the cost of living, no state income tax, and the growing nightlife scene” as notable attractions.

“The tech scene is moving to Tampa because it’s costeffective for some employers, and they’re also able to retain employees by introducing them to a wellbalanced work, live and play lifestyle that Tampa offers,” adds Petit-Frere.

Weiss agrees, and believes in Tampa’s potential. “We’re confident that industry leaders will keep looking to Tampa as the next tech hub. The opportunities will continue to grow for both the businesses and the people residing here.”.

Felix of Embarc explains their dedication to advancing Tampa Bay’s tech ecosystem. “Whether your goal is to discuss incentives with local elected officials, meet a potential corporate customer, or join community events, you are welcomed to a seat at the table.”