Tampa Republic

On its first anniversary, the City of Tampa’s City Center at Hanna Avenue has announced it has achieved a prestigious green building certification for its commitment to sustainability, resilience, and equity.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded City Center gold-level LEED certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide to help create more environmentally friendly spaces.

As more organizations aim to create buildings that promote occupant health, reduce contributions to global climate change, and provide cost savings over the building's lifespan, LEED certification rates are increasing in the United States, with Florida among the top states in 2023. However, only a small percentage achieve the highest levels (gold and platinum).

“Home of the first publicly-available electric vehicle charging stations in East Tampa and the largest rooftop solar project in the entire city, City Center at Hanna Avenue proves our commitment to our environment and our people,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “Sustainability, resilience, and equity are deeply woven into this project, and many others we have in the pipeline, to ensure we are Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow in a sustainable way.”

LEED Principles at the City Center include:

- 27 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout the campus

- 36 preferred spaces reserved for green vehicles

- Bicycle storage coupled with ADA-accessible shower and changing rooms to promote bicycle commuting

- 30% (144,400 sq. ft.) of open space

- 75% of the open space is landscaped with native plants that use less water than traditional landscaping

- 35% reduction in indoor water use using low-flow faucets, toilets, and showerheads

- 50% reduction in outdoor water use using native plants and efficient irrigation techniques

- Over 1 megawatt of on-site solar power

- Over 70% of construction and demolition waste was diverted from a landfill through a comprehensive recycling program

- Third-party certified healthy materials were used to promote a healthy indoor air environment

Originally a brownfield site with a warehouse, cleanup ahead of City Center’s construction ultimately resulted in the site being removed from the brownfield list. Now, the 161,000 sq. ft. building and adjacent green space known as “Hanna Square” serve as a centralized location for several city departments while offering large community spaces for gatherings and meetings.