Stetson University has rolled out a sweeping plan to turn its 6.5-acre Tampa Law Center into a full-blown riverfront district, complete with a new law school building, a hotel and residential units. The vision is pitched as a way to better stitch together the Hillsborough Riverwalk, Tampa Heights and downtown into a more walkable stretch of city. University officials say the new law center would come first so coursework and campus operations can keep rolling at the current facility, with a tentative groundbreaking eyed for late 2027. The site is centered on Stetson’s Tampa campus at 1700 North Tampa Street.
On its website, Stetson University confirms the address, the new partnership and notes that the Tampa Law Center opened in 2004 after the university purchased the land years earlier to secure a downtown foothold. The school also says it will retain ownership of the new law building even as the broader mixed-use project moves ahead.
In a statement to Business Observer, College of Law Dean Ben Barros said, “This partnership gives us the opportunity to reimagine our Tampa campus for the future,” adding that the new facility is expected to bolster continuing-education and degree programs in the city. University and developer materials say more specifics on design and phasing will roll out as planning continues.
What the Plan Puts On The Table
Early renderings show a contemporary Stetson law center framed by hotel rooms, apartments, offices, retail, restaurants and public green space across the 6.5-acre parcel. As reported by WFTV, Bromley, the developer behind Midtown Tampa, would lead the effort and says the project is designed to create a more walkable connection between the surrounding neighborhoods.
Timeline And Local Impacts
Stetson and Bromley say the redevelopment would roll out in stages so law classes can continue without interruption, and that the university will have permanent access to the planned hotel and parking garage. A tentative groundbreaking is set for late 2027, with the timing and scope still subject to approvals and further planning, according to Business Observer. For nearby residents and students, the next big milestones will be the formal design submissions and whatever city review or public meetings the proposal triggers.
