09/18/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2024 08:53
On its first year anniversary, the City of Tampa's City Center at Hanna Avenue is proud to announce it has achieved one of the most prestigious green building certifications 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 look to create buildings that promote the health of its occupants, reduce contribution to global climate change, and provide cost-savings over the life of the building, LEED certification rates are increasing in the United States, with Florida among the top states in 2023. However, 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."
Originally a brownfield site with a warehouse, the clean up ahead of City Center's construction ultimately resulted in the site being removed from the brownfield list. Now, the stunning 161,000 sq. ft. building and adjacent green space, known as "Hanna Square," serves as a centralized location for several city departments, also offering large community spaces for gatherings and meetings.