VHB is helping the city of St. Petersburg meet its Integrated Sustainability Action Plan (ISAP) objectives by providing civil engineering services for Pinellas County’s new Innovation Center, a 45,000-square-foot signature business incubator building for the burgeoning downtown Innovation District. The center will help revitalize an underserved area on the shores of Tampa Bay, addressing equity through job creation, providing support for entrepreneurs, and modeling best practices in green design and construction for future development in the area.
VHB’s deep knowledge of land entitlements, wetlands delineations, and endangered species surveys will help expedite permitting and advance design and construction. The Innovation Center will model resiliency and be built to U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Environmental & Energy Design (LEED) Gold standards. Key features will include an elevated first floor, preservation of mature trees where possible, incorporation of low impact stormwater design, and efficient HVAC systems to reduce costs and improve energy efficiency.
