A new University of Florida graduate campus set to open in downtown Jacksonville could bring massive changes to the city’s economy, workforce and infrastructure.
The development follows the Jacksonville City Council’s unanimous vote in June approving the transfer of over 20 acres of city-owned land in the historic LaVilla neighborhood to UF alongside an additional $50 million in public funding.
Jacksonville City Council member Jimmy Peluso, who represents much of the downtown area, said the city seized the opportunity after plans for a similar UF campus in Palm Beach County fell through.
“Jacksonville had an abundance of land right in our downtown available that we were open to having UF take a look at,” Peluso said. “The stars aligned, and the legislature started putting more funding into us possibly getting the campus.”
A June 25 UF press release said the project marks a record public investment in higher education in Northeast Florida. The combined investment from state contributions and private philanthropy in the campus and its development reached $300 million.
The campus will offer graduate-level degrees tailored to the city’s workforce needs, including fields like business, health science, engineering, law and architecture. It will house the Florida Semiconductor Institute, a research arm expected to support Jacksonville’s technology and defense sectors.
The project will have both immediate and long-term effects, Peluso said.
“The short-term effects are we’re going to see some real development,” he said. “It’s real capital coming in from the state of Florida because it’s where a lot of the money is coming from. Within five years, we’re going to start seeing that kind of more substantial number [of students].”
Peluso expects the campus to bring an influx of young professionals into the city’s urban core. Enrollment is projected to reach approximately 500 to 1,000 students within the next five to seven years, he said.
“Folks who want to see downtown grow — they’re incredibly excited about it,” he said.
LaVilla, the campus neighborhood, is rich with cultural history, once known as Jacksonville’s “Black Wall Street,” Peluso said.
“As we see more UF folks coming in to do development, we need to make sure LaVilla residents are heard and listened to,” he said.
The campus’ location is near Jacksonville’s former terminal station, which may also provide a chance to revive the city’s long-dormant train infrastructure.
“There’s a real opportunity to bring that back online,” Peluso said.
Ashley Emans, an administrator at UF Health Jacksonville, said she expects the partnership between UF and Jacksonville to benefit both institutions and their communities.
“Gainesville and Jacksonville have long had complementary strengths,” Emans said. “Gainesville is rooted in research and education, while Jacksonville has a more diverse population and robust industries.”
Emans is excited about how the campus could enhance medical training in the city, she said. It would expose future healthcare students to a broader range of patient populations and help meet Jacksonville’s growing demand for healthcare professionals, she said.
The campus also has the potential to revitalize the downtown area, she added.
“An ideal downtown should have a live-work-play feel, and I think this project moves us closer to that,” she said.
She pointed to efforts like the Emerald Trail, which aim to enhance downtown Jacksonville by developing sidewalks, public art and green spaces. Recent funding cuts have slowed progress, she said.
“If the university could help accomplish that same mission, I think everyone would support that,” she said.
Breana Kinchen, a 23-year-old Jacksonville resident and UF psychology and linguistics alumna, is optimistic about the project.
“I can’t imagine people being unhappy with it,” Kinchen said. “It gives people more of the opportunity to try and get a graduate degree.”
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said the campus will be key to reshaping the region’s economic future.
In a June 24 press release, Deegan said the campus will serve as a “linchpin in our work to ignite downtown Jacksonville and develop the industries and workforce of the future.”
Site preparation is already underway, according to UF’s June 25 press release, and the university aims to launch degree programs in existing downtown buildings by 2026. Design and construction of the new campus buildings will begin later that year.
“This is a moment we will look back on and never forget,” Deegan said.
Avery Parker contributed to this report.
Contact Swasthi Maharaj at smaharaj@thealligator.org. Follow her on X @s_maharaj1611.
