JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida has selected the LaVilla area of Downtown Jacksonville for the site of their new graduate campus Thursday.
The campus will be located in the area surrounding the Prime F. Osborne III Convention Center, which was the city's recommended location. The city says Mayor Donna Deegan's team will work with the Downtown Investment Authority and City Council to provide 22 buildable acres that will house the campus.
Part of the new campus will include the Florida Semiconductor Institute, which is "part of a national effort to improve research and development of semiconductor chips, the building blocks that power defense and aerospace technology, smartphones, computers, automobiles, and many other products that are necessary for daily life," the city said.
Construction is expected to begin "as quickly as possible" in 2025, the city said. Classes are expected to start in the fall of 2026.
With the Florida Semiconductor Institute secured, the Deegan administration is proposing an additional $50 million of funding to span four years, beginning next fiscal year.
“We are excited to partner with the University of Florida to make this campus a reality," said Deegan. “The City of Jacksonville is committed to being on the cutting-edge of workforce development and building a thriving downtown where our citizens can learn, live, work, and play. This campus and the degrees that will be offered are another monumental step towards Jacksonville being a national leader in the industries that will shape our collective future.”
The city says this partnership with UF will have "an enormous impact on our city for generations to come."
“Our expansion into Jacksonville is exciting, especially as new companies continue to move to the area and look to hire outstanding talent,” said Interim UF President Kent Fuchs. “The workforce-oriented graduate programs we’ll be offering will help build tomorrow’s leaders and positively impact the state’s economy. Jacksonville – like UF – is on the forefront of innovation. This is a place where our students will create great change and help transform the industries of the future.”
A full board vote is scheduled for Friday.
