Bold project primed to reshape Tampa gets CEO

Strategic Property Partners LLC, the joint venture between Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and Cascade Investment LLC that's planning a $2 billion development in Tampa's Channelside district, has named a chief executive officer.

James Nozar will join SPP on March 1 from the JBG Cos., a Washington, D.C.-based development firm known for ambitious, mixed-use projects.

Nozar, a senior vice president of development at JBG, has managed the development of more than two-dozen multi-use projects in more than a decade at JBG, an SPP statement says.

He is among more than 100 key personnel listed on JBG's website. He's not among the firm's partners or senior advisors, nor is he a member of the company's executive or management committees, according to the website.

At SPP, Nozar will oversee all aspects of the Channelside redevelopment, one of the most ambitious urban renewal projects in the Southeast. SPP is planning roughly six million square feet of commercial and residential space on 40 acres at Channelside. The projects include a 500-room hotel; a Class A office tower expected to contain more than 500,000 square feet; and a new 300,000-square-foot building that will house the University of South Florida's Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Health.

“James brings tremendous experience leading and managing large-scale urban development projects,” Vinik says in a statement. “We are particularly excited about James' proven ability to use place-making to create a sense of community in his projects.”

Michael Larson, chief investment officer of BMGI, an investment firm that directs Cascade's activities, says Nozar has a “proven track record of building innovative retail environments and well-designed places to live and work.”
Nozar, who previously consulted for Ernst & Young and RCLCo, applauded SPP's “inspiring and definitive vision” for Channelside, in a statement.