DoMo at Cass Square: Workforce Housing and Luxury Apartments to Transform Downtown Tampa

Construction is set to begin this summer on DoMo at Cass Square, a 360-unit mixed-income apartment project in downtown Tampa, Florida. Developed by LD&D, the $200 million development signifies a push for workforce housing amidst a tightening apartment market in the Tampa Bay area.

Project Details and Design

The 28-story tower will feature 330 market-rate units and 30 designated as workforce housing, integrated seamlessly within the same building. This approach, according to LD&D Managing Partner Diego Bonet, aims to create a community where residents are indistinguishable based on income level. “It won’t feel like workforce housing,” Bonet stated. “It’ll feel like some of the nicest rentals in downtown.” [Source: TBBW Magazine]

DoMo will also include over 45,000 square feet of amenity space, a 586-space parking podium and 32,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space accessible to both residents and the public. [Source: Multifamily Executive] Residents will have access to 10,000 square feet of co-working space and a sky lounge on the 26th floor, as well as a pickleball court. [Source: Multifamily Executive]

Addressing Tampa’s Housing Challenges

The project is moving forward at a time when financing for multifamily developments is becoming more challenging due to higher borrowing costs and flat rent growth across Tampa Bay. LD&D secured its building permit and is finalizing an agreement with the downtown Tampa CRA to facilitate the workforce housing component, expected within 30 to 60 days. [Source: TBBW Magazine]

Bonet noted that many recent apartment deliveries between 2020 and 2024 have stabilized the market, with most of the inventory now leased. He also highlighted the transformative impact of the Water Street development in connecting previously disparate areas of downtown Tampa and increasing demand for urban living. [Source: TBBW Magazine]

Cass Square: A Mixed-Use Development

DoMo at Cass Square is the first phase of the larger 2-acre Cass Square mixed-use development. The overall project includes plans for a 178-key Element by Westin hotel, developed in partnership with Dynamic Group, with groundbreaking slated for later this year. [Source: Multifamily Executive] The development will be divided by a pedestrian paseo, connecting restaurants, retail, and the residential and hotel components. [Source: Multifamily Executive]

Project Specifications

• Units: 360
• Floors: 28 (DoMo Tower) + 10 (Element Hotel)
• Parking Spots: 615
• Hotel Rooms: 178
• Height: 93 feet + 307 feet
• Commercial Space: 42,078 square feet

[Source: Floridian Development]

Tampa vs. St. Petersburg

LD&D is also developing Gallery Haus, a 254-unit apartment project in downtown St. Petersburg. Bonet differentiates the two markets, describing St. Petersburg as more lifestyle-driven, while Tampa’s downtown remains more focused on employment. [Source: TBBW Magazine]