PC: Florida Times
Jacksonville is donating more than 20 acres of land in the LaVilla neighbourhood to the University of Florida for a new downtown campus, backed by a major public and private investment. The Jacksonville City Council unanimously approved the land transfer and an additional $50 million in funding, taking the city’s total contribution to $100 million. The wider UF Jacksonville project has attracted $300 million in investment so far, including state funding and local philanthropy, with further support for the Florida Semiconductor Institute, according to the University of Florida. The newly approved $50 million adds to $50 million Jacksonville had already committed, the city’s total investment in UF Jacksonville to $100 million. State funding and local private philanthropy bring the total investment in the project to $300 million to date, while further funding has been secured for the Florida Semiconductor Institute. New construction is expected to follow, with UF saying it will begin design, planning and new buildings later in 2026.
The development therefore combines an initial launch in existing space with longer-term plans for a purpose-built campus in LaVilla, turning the more than 20-acre site into a new base for graduate education and applied research in downtown Jacksonville.
The university said the initiative will contribute to its wider aim of supporting innovation and expanding opportunities in Northeast Florida. The campus is expected to offer graduate programmes in fields including engineering, health science, business, law and architecture, while developing semiconductor research in the city. The campus will also include an applied research enterprise centred on the Florida Semiconductor Institute. This gives the project a research component alongside its academic role, with semiconductor technology identified as a key area of focus.
