Commercial real estate services for developers in Tampa

What does a commercial real estate advisor do for a developer in Tampa?

On the real estate side, development work covers the site, its zoning and access, and the purchase or sale of the land. Invest Florida CRE, which operates under Bosshardt Realty Services, also describes its work as covering investment properties, retail leasing and landlord representation, alongside site selection, lease-up strategies and repositioning opportunities.^[1]

Makayla's published bio says she takes a hands-on approach by personally underwriting deals and analyzing the numbers. For a developer, that means the first conversation is about the site, the plan and the numbers behind it.

Site selection in Tampa: land use and zoning

In a memo to Tampa City Council dated August 28, 2026, the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission wrote that "The City of Tampa currently has 26 Future Land Use (FLU) categories."^[6] The same memo notes that under Florida law, rezonings must be consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan.^[6]

If you are evaluating a site that needs a rezoning, check its Future Land Use category first, since the rezoning has to be consistent with the plan. Ask about both early, along with access, utilities and any overlay or historic review.

What is under construction in Tampa Bay by property type?

Lee & Associates reported 140,409 square feet of Tampa Bay office space under construction in Q2 2026, 29,066 square feet of retail, and 3,466,755 square feet of industrial.^[2][3][4] For apartments, Matthews reported that units under construction in Tampa had dropped to 10,083, or 3.31% of inventory, in Q2 2026.^[5]

Before you commit to a building type, ask what will deliver around the same time as your project and compete for the same tenants or buyers.

Industrial land near Port Tampa Bay

Port Tampa Bay says it has "more than 1,000 acres of industrially zoned property featuring deepwater access."^[7] That is the port's own description of its land. If your project depends on water access or port cargo, ask which parcels are available, on what terms, and what uses the zoning allows. For leasing data, see warehouse and industrial space in Tampa and East Tampa.

Lease-up strategies for new Tampa buildings

A lease-up plan starts from what the market is absorbing. Lee & Associates reported Tampa Bay industrial net absorption of 205,087 square feet for Q2 2026 and 2,697,386 square feet over 12 months.^[4] For retail, it reported vacancy of 4.27% and average asking rents of $26.29 per square foot NNN.^[3] For office, it reported 13.50% vacancy and 12-month net absorption of (29,909) square feet.^[2]

If you are planning a lease-up, set your rent and timing assumptions against the submarket you are building in, not only the regional average. The Tampa submarkets hub has Cushman & Wakefield's figures by area.

Repositioning and redevelopment areas in Tampa

Three public layers are worth checking before repositioning a Tampa building. The City of Tampa says the downtown CRA is currently investing TIF funds in renovations and improvements to several cultural assets.^[9] The City calls Ybor City "Tampa's National Historic Landmark District," where Cushman & Wakefield reported 24.4% office vacancy in Q2 2026.^[10][8] The Hyde Park Historic District was expanded to include an additional 184 buildings, effective January 5, 2023.^[11]

If you are considering repositioning a building in one of these areas, ask early what design review applies and whether any CRA program fits the project. See Ybor City, Downtown Tampa and Hyde Park.

What to bring to a first conversation

If you are a developer, bring what you have; gaps are part of the conversation.

• The site address or parcel, or the area and size you are looking for.
• The intended use and approximate building size.
• What you know about land use category, zoning and access.
• Your budget, financing status and timeline.
• Whether you plan to hold and lease, or sell on completion.