More than 200 people attended the 6th annual ULI North Florida Awards for Excellence event to showcase projects throughout North Florida that represent the best practices in all aspects of real estate development, planning, design, construction and economic viability.

Four awards were presented in the following categories of New Development, Public/Non-Profit, Reuse/Repurpose and Hospitality & Entertainment. The awards criteria are based on the ULI mission to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Nominations were solicited from ULI North Florida’s more than 525 members in 34 North Florida counties.

The winner in the New Development category was the Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach Main Street Mixed Use Building

Previously a single story, residential style office building that eroded the main street fabric of an existing historic beach community, the Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach Main Street Mixed Use Building was able to provide spaces that have had an immediate positive impact in the area and provide an example for future growth.

The leasing and tenant mix target for the design of the 14,000 sf building was established as retail and restaurant, including Hawker’s Restaurant, occupying the ground floor and professional office on the 2nd floor. The 2nd half of the ground floor space was divided into three boutique retail spaces serving the character and activities of the beach community. Improvements included modified right-of-ways, as well as street improvements including angled parking, brick paver sidewalk, and street lighting.

The winner in the Public Sector/Non-Profit category was Depot Park in Gainesville

Depot Park sits on 32 acres and is dubbed Gainesville’s Central Park. It was a catalyst for development in Gainesville’s industrial south main corridor. With its 1.2 acre playground and promenade overlooking the water, you’d never know that the park was once a contaminated brownfield, but the nearly 30 years and over $60 million dollars spent on remediation and redevelopment tell a different story.

Depot Park features a covered pavilion with picnic tables, grills, multi-use trails, and manmade and natural wetlands. Built around 1860, the Depot Building was rehabbed and restored using certified USGBC LEED Gold standards. Designed to make it easy for visitors to arrive using eco-friendly modes of transportation, Depot Park has catalyzed additional pedestrian friendly redesigns in the surrounding areas.

The winner in the Reuse/Repurpose category was Engine 15 Brewing Co./the Glass Factory in Jacksonville

The 26,000 square-foot property was converted from blighted vacant warehouse into a multi-use building including a Brewery, taproom, outdoor biergarten, and event space capable of holding 1,250 guests. A PUD, significant upgrades to systems, as well as code compliance work resulted in the repurposing of an unused historic space to a sustainable business use. The space created a profitable business that provides jobs, tax revenue and draws residents from all over Jacksonville to a historic area that few people visited or were exposed to prior to the project. The project preserves two historic buildings. One of which was designed and built by notable Jacksonville architect, Henry Klutho.

The winner in the Hospitality & Entertainment category was Daily’s Place in Jacksonville

The 7.5 acres where Daily’s Place sits has always been a part of Jacksonville’s sports complex. It once served as the Jaguars practice field but most recently, the area was used for premium tailgating experiences on game day.

Daily’s Place is the first-ever amphitheater designed and built to connect with a professional sports facility. The new populous-designed venue is the second phase of a $90M investment by the Jacksonville Jaguars and the City of Jacksonville in their ambitious vision for the future of downtown Jacksonville as a world- class sports and entertainment destination.

The 5,500-seat amphitheater and adjoining flex field share one expansive roof structure, which works with the open-air design to passively cool the interior, and ticketholders are never more than 135 feet from the stage. For performers, Daily’s Place features a lavish back-of-house environment offering every amenity, including a tour lounge and basketball court. The amphitheater has already welcomed more than 115,000 concert-goers to more than 20 shows, with at least 10 more shows on the 2017 calendar.

A special Judges’ Awards was presented to the University of Florida/St. Augustine Government House in St. Augustine

The St. Augustine Government House is an urban land-locked project in the heart of St. Augustine’s historic district. The site is one city block containing 12 parking spaces and a courtyard. The site traces its roots to 1598 as the headquarters and residence for the Spanish Governor of Florida. A series of governmental buildings occupied the site since then. The existing building, a 1937 Post Office and Customs House, retains some masonry walls of an earlier structure that served multiple functions for the community, the State of Florida, and the Nation.

CPPI restored the courtyard walls around the parking lot and repaired the coquina wall to Department of Interior’s standards for historic preservation. CPPI and the University of Florida were able to adapt a historic building to meet the needs of today’s citizen and provide a new era of use to a historic structure while maintaining its historic character.

The awards ceremony also honored Martin E. “Hap” Stein, CEO and chairman of Regency Centers, as the 2017 Visionary Leader. Bob Rhodes, the 2016 Visionary Leader recipient, presented Stein with a custom bronze sculpture designed by local artist David Ponsler. More information about ULI North Florida is available online at www.northflorida.uli.org or www.uli.org.