Stetson University To Redevelop Tampa Law Center Campus

TAMPA, FL — Stetson University said it is moving ahead with a redevelopment plan for its Tampa Law Center property in partnership with Bromley Companies, a project the university said would expand its presence in downtown Tampa and remake the site as a mixed-use destination.

The reimagined campus, located in Tampa Heights, near the Hillsborough River and Interstate 275, would modernize the law center, the university said.

Subscribe

The project would also add a hotel, residential, retail, and dining uses within a larger walkable development linking downtown Tampa, Tampa Heights, and the Riverwalk, the un

“This project will substantially increase our visibility while allowing us to reimagine our Tampa Law Center in a way that reflects the energy and growth of the city — and the ever-changing needs of the legal profession,” Stetson Law Dean D. Benjamin Barros said. “This is an investment in the future of legal education, professional development, and sustainable economic development in the Tampa Bay region.”

Stetson said the updated law center would support growth in its part-time juris doctor program, known as Flex JD, which serves working professionals and non-traditional students.

The facility would also create room to expand micro-credentialing and badging offerings in advocacy, elder law, and higher education law and policy.

The current Tampa Law Center opened in 2004 after Stetson identified demand for part-time professional education in the Tampa Bay region in a 1997 survey and later bought the land from the city of Tampa.

The site took on new significance in February, when the Florida Second District Court of Appeals, a longtime tenant, relocated to the Bernie McCabe Courthouse in downtown St. Petersburg. The vacancy gave Stetson an opening to reconsider the property’s future, the university said.

“Stetson University is proud to partner with the Tampa community and Bromley Companies in a major commitment to create a vibrant, revitalized space for the students at Stetson University College of Law,” Christopher F. Roellke, president of Stetson University, said. “We are excited about the many programmatic possibilities that this partnership brings us to expand the footprint and visibility of Stetson University through an enhanced physical presence in Tampa.”

Stetson said neighboring Hillsborough County Bar Association and Hillsborough County Bar Foundation facilities would remain in place and be unaffected.

The three-phase project is still in planning, with groundbreaking anticipated in late 2027.

As currently envisioned, Stetson said the new law center would be built first, with demolition of the existing building delayed until the new facility is complete. Current students would see no disruption to coursework or parking, and the project would not affect tuition or operations at Stetson Law’s main campus in Gulfport.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to help reshape a highly visible site at one of Tampa’s most important urban connection points,” Nicholas Haines, CEO of Bromley Companies, said. “Our goal is to work with Stetson to create a district that supports the university’s long-term mission while contributing meaningfully to the continued growth of Downtown Tampa. The site has the potential to become a true gateway, linking downtown, the Heights, and the Riverwalk through a more active, walkable, and connected mixed-use environment.”