A South Tampa home built by the same guy who likely built your local school is now for sale in the Beach Park neighborhood.

Located at 4223 W Cleveland Dr., the modern contemporary home was completed in 1986 by the late Rick Rados, a well-known and award-winning architect in Tampa Bay for over 40 years.

Besides homes like this, as well as his other house on Treasure Island, Rados was also known for an enormous amount of civic and government buildings in the area, as well as his “mall concept” schools. Those are typically centered around a central dining or display area, with surrounding classroom “storefronts.”

“The design fosters a sense of community that students don’t get in traditional narrow corridors between rooms,” Rados said in a 1985 Tampa Tribune profile. “School boards like the concept because they can take it and modify it to different educational programs,” he continued. “So, the mall concept involves teaching space that could be divided up or taken down—the building could be changed without any major structural work.”

Some of Rados’ schools include Jefferson High School, Plant City High School, River Ridge High School in New Port Richey, Countryside High School in Clearwater, Pinellas Park High School, and dozens of elementary schools across the area.

Rados, who taught architecture at the University of Florida and University of South Florida, won the Medal of Honor from the Tampa Bay area chapter of the American Institute of Architects, as well as awards with the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects and the Governor’s Design Award Program.

Rados died in February of 2025.

The 1,466-square-foot Rados home comes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well modern updates like Elfa closet systems and floating cabinetry by Hafele, says the listing.

According to property records, Rick and his wife Sharon lived in the home until 1998, when it was sold for $130,000. The home is currently asking $825,000 and the listing agent is Rae Anna Conforti of Remax Alliance.

Every house has a story, and our mission is to tell Tampa Bay’s story through the lens of our community’s historic and colorful homes. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s real estate features are not ads, and are strictly operated through our editorial department. But we love public input. Do you know of a unique Florida home that we should highlight? Let us know, and email cwolf@cltampa.com.

Photos via Zillow