Fletcher District P3 Project

The Fletcher District is a public-private partnership. The developer, ACE Fletcher, LLC, will finance and own the student housing, multi-family housing, hotel, and retail components during the term of the ground leases. The financing of these district assets is not a legal obligation of USF. This innovative model allows the university to benefit from new facilities, infrastructure improvements, and long-term revenue in the form of ground rent without pledging its own credit. The university will only directly fund the development of an academic/research building and its portion of the district infrastructure.

The public-private partnership structure means that the master developer, ACE Fletcher, LLC, is responsible for securing the financing for the mixed-use assets and infrastructure of the project. Costs will be estimated as building concepts are finalized.

• The student and multi-family housing will be financed with tax-exempt bonds through a not-for-profit ownership structure.
• The hotel and retail components will be financed through conventional debt and private equity.
• USF is only responsible for financing its academic/research building, which will  be funded through a combination of university proceeds, bonds, and/or philanthropy.

A comprehensive infrastructure plan is essential to the Fletcher District project. During development and planning, traffic patterns are carefully analyzed to create a pedestrian-friendly community that is well-connected to campus, while also minimizing the impact on surrounding roads. The Fletcher District will be a walkable area that is accessible and easy to access from other areas of campus. With the Bull Runner buses running, it will be even easier to access the Fletcher District, since everything will be a short walk from the bus stop. The combination of traffic management and accessibility using different forms of transportation will mitigate negative impacts resulting from the construction.

The project will include surface parking; however, the final parking plan is still being developed. The area is walkable, decreasing the dependence on personal vehicles. More details will be provided as plans are finalized.

The Fletcher District project is separate; however, the university carefully plans campus development to be in sync. Located within walking distance of the new stadium, the Fletcher District will provide opportunities for students, alumni, fans and visitors to come together before and after football games and other major events. Dining options, overnight accommodations, and conference space will be located near the stadium, enhancing every event at the premier campus venue at any time of day or even for multiple days.

As with any construction project, noise will be generated; however, there are no plans to work during evening hours. Every effort will be made to minimize disturbances to nearby residential areas.

No. The Environmental Conservation Outreach, Research, and Education (ECORE) System in the USF College of Arts and Sciences secures, utilizes, and promotes several of USF’s environmental assets, including the 500+ acre Forest Preserve. It is a living laboratory that has served as the source of scholarly work resulting in dozens of research papers, Master of Science theses and PhD dissertations. Access to the preserve will remain limited to approved USF class visits and research.
 
The Fletcher District is located on the site of the former USF golf course, which is situated to the west of the USF Forest Preserve. No construction activity will take place within the borders of the nature preserve. 

No. The Fletcher District is being developed entirely within the footprint of the former golf course, which was previously developed. 

USF has extensively engaged with interested parties, both internal and external to the university. USF held dozens of internal and external listening sessions, including a town hall meeting open to the public, gathering feedback from hundreds of participants. USF is committed to continued communication with the surrounding community.