Rithm At Uptown in Tampa, FL Breaks Ground on its First Mixed-Use Office Building Project

RD Management LLC, one of the nation’s largest privately held real-estate development and management organizations, today announced that work has commenced on the first of several office building projects planned for its Rithm At Uptown development in Tampa, Florida. This particular project will adaptively reuse a portion of the approximately 150,000-square-foot, two-story building, formerly designed as a JCPenney’s department store. Demolition is currently underway to remove 40-50% of the exterior skin and related structural elements, a large section of the floor slab on the second floor, and most of the roof, with exception of the former, approximately 8,000-square-foot penthouse area, which will be redesigned for an indoor/outdoor rooftop club and conference center.

The proposed three-story, mixed-use office building will be approximately 163,000 square feet, including 30,000 square feet of space for restaurant and retail use within the building and along the new streetscape designed as an integrated part of the office complex. The building will also be designed with several outdoor terraces on floors 1-3, providing plenty of opportunities for outdoor gatherings, events, fitness programs, meetings, dining and recreation. The street-level retail space, primarily food and beverage related, is expected to open by the end of 2021. Space in the office building, including the rooftop club and conference center is projected to be ready for occupancy in Q2 2022.

“There is demand in the local market for high quality office space strategically located within the medical district and the heart of Uptown’s tech and innovation corridor,” states Richard Birdoff, principal and president of RD Management. “Our development site is perfectly suited to take advantage of that opportunity. Located in a prime live-work-play environment, Rithm At Uptown is a major catalyst project designed to help completely revitalize the urban community now known as Tampa’s Uptown District with a diverse set of uses catered to local residents, students, professionals, employers, and a wide range of entrepreneurs from tech to entertainment.”

Rithm At Uptown will become a multi-story, urban neighborhood development showcasing life sciences and technology research institutes and complexes interconnected with retail, conferencing, placemaking, and recreational opportunities and entertainment; hospitality; education and job training; medical specialties, clinics, and pavilions; corporate offices and co-working spaces; and residential, fitness and other related uses. Once complete, Rithm At Uptown will be one of the largest mixed-use innovation communities in the state with capacity for over 7 million square feet of development, including several thousand residential units. S9Architecture of New York City and Gresham Smith of Tampa are the architects for this project.

Located in the heart of Tampa’s Uptown District with frontage on East Fowler Avenue (State Road 582) and Club Drive, it is easily accessible by major highways I-275 and I-75. Connected by University Square Drive, Rithm At Uptown is just a stone’s throw away from the University of South Florida’s main campus with more than 45,000 students and 16,000 faculty and staff members. It’s also adjacent to one of the largest medical districts in Florida and in close proximity to major employers such as the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Advent Health, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Yuengling Brewery, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Current tenants include Dillard’s, Burlington, Grand’s, Studio Movie Grill, Portillo’s, Miller’s Ale House, AMRoc Fab Lab, WellBuilt Bikes, and the Institute of Applied Engineering. RD Management is an anchor member of Tampa’s !p and its Executive Board.

“For employers looking to expand their presence in Tampa, Tampa’s Uptown District and Rithm At Uptown are perfect for immersing your workforce in innovation, research, and an amenity-rich lifestyle.” said Christopher Bowen, chief development strategist at RD Management. “Employees can conveniently shop, dine, explore and benefit from all sorts of opportunities throughout the day, and eventually choose to live on site as well. We look forward to welcoming new businesses and their employees to experience all that Rithm At Uptown has to offer in the near future.”

Rithm At Uptown is one of 11 properties owned by RD Management across Florida, and one of more than 150 properties in its national portfolio. JLL has been engaged to assist the RD Management development team with marketing and leasing of this mixed-use project. Please contact Christopher Bowen at cbowen@rdmanagement.com or 813.981.2162, or David Green at david.green@am.jll.com or 813.387.1292 for additional information on Office space development and leasing opportunities. For those interested in retail space leasing opportunities, please contact Paul Rutledge at paul.rutledge@am.jll.com or 813.261.6716.