News & Insights

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Uptown Landing to bring housing, dining and research to former golf course

The University of South Florida broke ground Sept. 8 on the newly christened Uptown Landing, beginning work on a new neighborhood that will bring housing, restaurants, a hotel and research facilities to roughly 30 acres of its former golf course in Tampa. School leaders joined development partners and local officials for the ceremony, where students helped unveil the project’s new name. 

Known during planning as Fletcher District, Uptown Landing will occupy part of The Claw, USF’s former golf course, which closed to public play in 2023. The first phase, expected to open in fall 2028, will provide 700 undergraduate beds and 150 apartments for graduate students, university employees and others connected to USF, including lifelong learners. 

With four to six restaurants, shops and green spaces, Uptown Landing is designed to draw both Tampa residents and the campus community. A 150-room hotel and conference center will accommodate visiting families, alumni and conference guests within walking distance of USF’s new football stadium, scheduled to open in fall 2027. 

Research will also have a substantial presence in the neighborhood. The planned Translational Research Institute will provide space for about 100 National Institutes of Health-funded investigators and approximately 1,000 additional researchers. 

The nearly $500 million first phase brings together two separately financed efforts: a roughly $270 million public-private partnership for housing, a hotel, restaurants and shops, and a $225 million research building financed by USF. The university will also help pay for roads and other infrastructure serving the neighborhood. 

B&D serves as USF’s development advisor, helping the university turn its plans for the former golf course into a neighborhood serving students, researchers and the wider Tampa community. 

This story is an update to the project, which was originally featured in the December 2025 issue of The Quad & Beyond. See the original feature here.