The University of South Florida and its development partners have started construction on Uptown Landing, launching the first phase of a $500 million mixed-use project in Tampa. The development is located within walking distance of USF’s planned on-campus football stadium, positioning the project to serve both the university community and visitors drawn to future athletic events.
The initial phase covers 30 acres and is programmed with a broad mix of academic, residential, hospitality and retail uses. Plans call for 717 beds of student housing designed to accommodate USF’s growing student population, alongside 152 apartments that will be reserved for graduate students and university employees. This dedicated residential component is intended to support campus-affiliated housing needs while integrating with the surrounding mixed-use environment.
Beyond housing, the project is set to deliver four to six restaurant venues and 68,000 square feet of retail space, adding new food-and-beverage and shopping options to the area. A hotel and conference center are also included in the program, reflecting demand for on-campus and near-campus lodging, meetings and events tied to university activities and research engagement. Academic research facilities are planned as part of the first phase as well, underscoring the initiative’s role in expanding USF’s research infrastructure.
Uptown Landing is being executed under a master development agreement with ACE Fletcher, a partnership formed by Capstone Development Partners, Aureate Development and Ellison Development. Additional participants in the project team include Provident Resources Group, CBI Construction, Baker Barrios Architects and Kimley-Horn, covering roles from financing and construction to architecture and engineering services.
The capital stack for the first phase includes $270 million in tax-exempt bond financing allocated to the student housing, hospitality, restaurant and retail components. In addition, approximately $225 million is being invested in the Translational Research Institute, which will anchor the research segment of the development. These funding commitments support both the income-generating and institutional elements of the project.
Current plans call for the first phase of Uptown Landing to open in fall 2028, aligning the delivery of housing, retail, hospitality and research space with USF’s broader campus growth trajectory. Separately, the university expects its on-campus football stadium to be completed in 2027, creating a new sports and events draw in close proximity to the mixed-use development. Together, these projects represent a significant expansion of university-adjacent real estate and infrastructure in Tampa.
