JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida announced on Wednesday that is has secured land and additional funding for its planned campus in downtown Jacksonville.
According to a news release from UF, the Jacksonville City Council approved the transfer of 20 acres of land and $50 million in funding for the campus construction.
UF said it will move forward with closing on the property later this summer in the LaVilla neighborhood, a historic African American community that became part of Jacksonville in 1887, according to News 6 partner WJXT.
The $50 million in city funding brings the city’s total investment in the project to $100 million, according to the release.
UF officials said that state funding and private philanthropy brings the total investment in UF Jacksonville to $300 million.
“The City Council’s vote today is a testament to a shared vision for the future for both UF and for Jacksonville,” said Mori Hosseini, UF Board of Trustees chair. “This investment will create a world-class campus that serves Jacksonville’s workforce, fuels innovation and expands opportunity for generations to come.”
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According to the release, the UF Jacksonville campus plans to offer graduate-level academic programs in business, health science, engineering, law and architecture in addition to an applied research enterprise built around the Florida Semiconductor Institute.
“Jacksonville is committed to being on the forefront of talent development,” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said in a statement. “As our economy grows and embraces new technology, the need for a skilled workforce is more important than ever. Our partnership with UF sends a clear signal that Jacksonville is at the forefront of innovation.”
Although no date for the opening of the campus was announced, the university said it will launch degree programs in an existing building in 2026.
The planning and construction of new buildings will begin later that year, officials said.