Stetson University plans to increase its visibility and deepen its long-standing commitment to Downtown Tampa through a transformative redevelopment initiative in partnership with Bromley Companies. The project will modernize the Stetson University College of Law's Tampa Law Center and create a vibrant, mixed-use space in a currently underutilized area.
Situated in the vibrant Tampa Heights district near the Hillsborough River and Interstate 275, the Tampa Law Center has served Stetson students, alumni, legal professionals and the broader community for more than 20 years. The reimagined campus, which will feature iconic design and prominent Stetson branding, has the potential to become a major urban connection point linking the Riverwalk to Downtown.
"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," said Stetson Law Dean D. Benjamin Barros. "This is an investment in the future of legal education, professional development and sustainable economic development in the Tampa Bay region."
The state-of-the-art facility will advance the vision of Stetson Law remaining at the forefront of legal education by expanding opportunities for professional growth, innovation and lifelong learning. It will support the continued growth of its part-time juris doctor program known as Flex JD, providing greater access and flexibility for working professionals and non-traditional students. It will also create new opportunities to expand the law school's micro-credentialing and badging offerings in areas where Stetson Law is a national leader, including advocacy, elder law, and higher education law and policy.
The new law center will be integrated into a hotel planned as part of a mixed-use development, which would connect Downtown Tampa, Tampa Heights and the Hillsborough Riverwalk. In addition to the law school facility and hotel, the development will add residential, retail and dining facilities to the property, all within walking distance of some of Tampa's most iconic destinations like Armature Works, Ulele and the Tampa Riverwalk.
For the law school, this arrangement provides classrooms for Flex JD courses, a destination for professional education and credentialing programs, and spaces for alumni and networking gatherings. Visitors will have access to a convenient hotel that can accommodate attendees of the numerous regional, national, and international conferences and competitions the College of Law hosts each year.
The site will increase the University's overall visibility by enhancing awareness of our Law Ready program, housed at our main campus in DeLand with pathways into Stetson Law. It will also serve as a venue for information sessions to aid in recruitment for undergraduate programs in DeLand.
"Stetson University is proud to partner with the Tampa community and Bromley Companies in a major commitment to create a vibrant, revitalized space for students at Stetson University College of Law," said Christopher F. Roellke, president of Stetson University. "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."
Building on Stetson's Tampa Presence
Following a 1997 survey that revealed a growing demand for part-time professional education in the greater Tampa Bay region, Stetson sought to fill that void. Five years later, under then-Dean W. Gary Vause, Stetson purchased the land on which the law center now sits from the City of Tampa.
The Tampa Law Center opened in 2004 and has been integral to Stetson Law's Flex JD program ever since that time. Professionals from across Tampa Bay take advantage of evening and weekend classes at the Tampa Law Center and Stetson Law's main campus in Gulfport to earn their JDs in as little as four years.
In February 2026, the Florida Second District Court of Appeals (DCA), a longtime tenant at the center, relocated to the new Bernie McCabe Courthouse (named for longtime Pinellas County State Attorney and 1972 Stetson Law alumnus Bernie McCabe) in Downtown St. Petersburg.
The vacancy gave Stetson leadership an opportunity to explore ways to enhance the property's relevance, visibility and economic sustainability.
A Trusted Tampa Partner
To support Stetson's vision for the property, the University has partnered with Bromley Companies, a firm with a stellar 50-year track record, to create a versatile space along the Tampa Riverwalk that will integrate educational, residential, hospitality and retail use in a vibrant, walkable environment, with plenty of parking.
Bromley's recent development, Midtown Tampa, showcases the firm's expertise in redeveloping urban spaces in a way that sparks economic activity while reflecting the surrounding community. The firm also has extensive experience partnering with universities and communities.
The project will help create continuity between Downtown Tampa, Tampa Heights and the riverfront, thereby enhancing the area's desirability.
"This is an extraordinary opportunity to help reshape a highly visible site at one of Tampa's most important urban connection points," said Nicholas Haines, CEO of Bromley Companies. "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."
Neighboring the Tampa Law Center, the Hillsborough County Bar Association and Hillsborough County Bar Foundation will remain unaffected and in their current facility while benefitting from increased event space and parking.
Mindful Approach Ensures Stability, Sustainability
While groundbreaking is anticipated in late 2027, the timing of the three-phase redevelopment is subject to continued planning. As currently envisioned, the new law center will be built in the first phase, with anticipated completion in fall 2029. The University will retain ownership of the new Stetson Law Center and have permanent access to use of the hotel and parking garage.
To prevent disruption of operations for the Tampa Law Center, demolition of the existing building will occur after the new law center is built. Current students will experience no disruption of coursework and no loss of parking. It will not impact tuition or operations at Stetson Law's main campus in Gulfport.
Stetson's partnership with Bromley ensures that University needs will remain at the forefront. The economic impact to Stetson will be positive, and extensive Stetson-branded signage will enhance visibility from I-275 and along major thoroughfares like North Tampa Street and North Florida Avenue.
"Working with a company with a proven track record like Bromley, we are certain that this project takes a thoughtful approach to redeveloping our Tampa property," Barros said. "Bromley understands the value of our Tampa Law Center as a place where this region's most driven professionals come to advance their careers and their earning potential."
With a pioneering approach to community development and a proven track record of truly transformative impacts on the places in which it invests, Bromley Companies' portfolio features millions of square feet of student housing, residential units, and comprehensive mixed-use development in Manhattan and Tampa.
