Harbour Island Athletic Club to become Life Time 'athletic country club'
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Apr 10, 2023

Harbour Island Athletic Club, whose real estate has been one of the most closely watched redevelopment sites in downtown Tampa, will remain a wellness facility.

Minnesota-based Life Time, which has a facility at International Plaza, said Friday that it has entered into a long-term lease with Newton, Massachusetts-based RMR Group, which owns the 6.5-acre facility. Life Time has also leased an Atlanta property from RMR Group.

The Harbour Island club will reopen under Life Time's "athletic country club" brand in the coming months, the company said. It's unknown if Life Time intends to keep its International Plaza location.

"Life Time has a more than 30-year track record of building and operating large-scale, resort-like destinations including greenfield sites, mall redevelopments and vertical residential projects — as well as capital-light growth opportunities through strategic acquisitions such as this," Parham Javaheri, Life Time chief property development officer, said in a statement.

The lease agreement with Life Time ends the possibility that the athletic club will be redeveloped in the near term. The property's current zoning allows for the development of up to 1,475 multifamily units without city council approval.

"Life Time is a huge and exciting win for Harbour Island, downtown and all of Tampa," Mayor Jane Castor said in a statement. "Our community thrives on health and wellness, and this new healthy lifestyle destination will offer something for everyone."