The former Godfrey Hotel site on Rocky Point has won unanimous approval for a mixed-use redevelopment that will bring 503 apartments, a 275-room hotel planned as a Curio Collection by Hilton property and commercial space along the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
The 6.6-acre property at 7700 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway will be redeveloped with about 936,354 square feet of new construction across three towers. The plan calls for an 18-story north tower combining hotel and residential uses, restaurants and rooftop amenities, along with two 16-story residential towers and separate parking structures.
The redevelopment replaces a hotel that operated on the site for more than 50 years before closing in September 2024. Records show the existing Godfrey hotel was built in 1974 as a six-story, 276-room property. M2 Tampa assembled the redevelopment footprint in 2021 by acquiring the hotel property and adjacent surface parking parcel in a $29.55 million transaction.
The project comes as Rocky Point continues to attract more intensive mixed-use development. The city’s Planning Commission staff found the proposed height and design compatible with the surrounding area, which includes multifamily housing, condominiums, commercial uses and other planned developments, including the former Rusty Pelican site approved for similar 220-foot building heights.
That growth also brings attention to the infrastructure needed to support a denser district. The Westshore Alliance has argued that redevelopment can help address challenges on the peninsula, where limited public right-of-way has complicated improvements such as sidewalks, coastal resiliency measures and multimodal connections.
The approved design responds to the constraints of the waterfront site. The buildings will connect through internal sidewalks and crosswalks, maintain access to the Courtney Campbell Trail and include bicycle parking and landscaping throughout the property. The existing seawall will remain unless separate approvals allow changes, while the developer is exploring a potential beach renourishment effort that would require coordination with private waterfront owners and environmental agencies.
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The additional development intensity comes with commitments through the city’s bonus agreement. The project will increase its floor area ratio from 2.75 to 3.25, with the additional development capacity valued at about $5.18 million. The agreement requires improvements including LEED Silver certification and underground utility relocation, with qualifying costs required to meet or exceed the value of the additional development rights.
The redevelopment also moves forward with transportation-related waivers reviewed during the approval process. City staff identified issues with parking and loading capacity, with plans providing 1,028 parking spaces compared with 1,152 required under current standards and two loading spaces where five would normally be required.
The former Godfrey site will shift from a property designed around hotel stays to a mixed-use development with residents, hotel guests, restaurants and commercial activity, adding a new residential component to a corridor historically shaped by hospitality and office uses.