JAMES NOZAR

STRATEGIC ADVISOR, STRATEGIC PROPERTY PARTNERS, TAMPA

Nozar led the first critical phase of Water Street Tampa, an emerging $3-billion development in downtown Tampa that is helping transform both the city and its once-neglected waterfront. The mixed-use project, a joint venture between Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and the Bill Gates-controlled Cascade Investment Group, includes over 5 million square feet of office and hotel space, cultural and entertainment venues, green space and USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine’s new location, a 13-story, 395,000-sq.-ft. tower with room for 1,800 students and staff. Now with buildings at Water Street competed or nearing completion, the focus is on leasing and operations, and Nozar’s focus is changing, too.

In his new role as strategic adviser to the board, Nozar, who joined Strategic Property Partners as CEO in 2016, will help identify new large-scale, transformative projects for the company in Tampa and nationwide. “I am more passionate today than I ever have been about SPP, our vision, our values and the potential to bring that same enthusiasm and knowledge to new projects,” Nozar said in November.

Nozar was previously a senior vice president at the JBG Cos., now JBG Smith, where he managed the development of 25 mixed-use projects in and around Washington, D.C. His experience there transforming urban neighborhoods helped guide his work with Water Street.