Franklin Street is excited to share that Westshore City Center has been recognized as a top development project in the Tampa Bay Market by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The property, which is currently undergoing an extensive $20 million redevelopment, won the award for Best Rehab / Reuse Project. Franklin Street is proud to serve as project manager, property manager and leasing agent for the development.
Tampa-based investment firm Ally Capital Group acquired the 300,000-square-foot property at the end of 2019 and began implementing significant upgrades including: repainting and modernizing building facades, upgrading lobbies, resurfacing the parking lot, adding new landscaping and gut-renovating several office suites to make them more appealing to tenants.
The redevelopment work at WCC really ramped up in the fall of 2020 when Franklin Street signed an 88,000-square-foot, full-building lease with Heritage Insurance.
The next major phase of redevelopment for Westshore City Center commenced at the beginning of 2021, when Ally Capital Group demolished a smaller two-story building on the property to make way for two new restaurants. Construction on a 3,764-square-foot First Watch Café was completed in September 2021, several months ahead of schedule. Still to come is Union New American, an elegant restaurant featuring elevated New American cuisine from renowned Tampa Bay restaurateur Jeff Gigante and his new hospitality group, Next Level Brands. Construction is underway on the project and the restaurant is expected to open in early 2022.
In addition to adding a high-quality yet affordable option for office users in Tampa, WCC also adds two much needed dining amenities to the Westshore District. First Watch Café adds a casual breakfast and brunch spot that the area is currently lacking, while Union New American adds a higher end local concept in an area that is primarily occupied by national and regional chains
All of this is just the beginning when it comes to Westshore City Center’s impact on the Tampa Bay community. As Westshore continues to transform from a 9-5 business district to a 24/7 live-work-play destination, WCC will be at the center of it all.
