University of Florida, DIA outline downtown campus plan; legislation expected in May for June council action

Laurie Boyer, chief executive officer of the Downtown Investment Authority, and Curt Dudas, vice president at the University of Florida, told the Rules Committee on Feb. 3 that UF has selected sites around the Prime Osborne Convention Center for a new downtown Jacksonville campus and plans a phased launch of degree programming beginning in August 2025.

The presentation matters because the schedule calls for legislation to be filed in May, with the goal of city council action in June to allow property closings in July and August and the commencement of initial classes in August 2025. Boyer said the DIA plans to publish required notices for four property dispositions and to present finalized resolutions and term sheets to the DIA board in mid-February.

Boyer described the timeline and the parcels: two vacant sites labeled Site A and Site B (with the first UF building planned for Site A), a privately owned parcel at 801 West Bay that DIA is negotiating to acquire, the Convention Center parcel with a multi-year option to acquire under strict preconditions, and the historic train station parcel, which will be preserved and refurbished. She said the Convention Center parcel option would not be exercisable until at least five years from now and only if construction on Site A is complete and Site B is under construction, and would require two years’ notice.

Curt Dudas said UF has been instructed by President Ben Sasse (President Fox was named in the meeting; transcript reference identifies UF leadership directing the timeline) to open degree programming quickly in existing buildings and then expand. He listed planned fields of study to include business, engineering, artificial intelligence and health sciences and said the campus will host degree programming tied to the Florida Semiconductor Institute.

On financing, Mike Weinstein, the mayor’s chief of staff, told the committee that “the first 50 was appropriated and dealt with, quite, quite a while ago. The second 50 is attached to the semiconductor research.” Dudas summarized other commitments: he said the state has appropriated $150,000,000 for the campus, another $80,000,000 is designated for the Florida Semiconductor Institute, and University of Florida fundraising has brought in about $50,000,000 from philanthropists.

Boyer said the DIA will present resolutions and term sheets to its committees on Feb. 13 and to the full DIA board on Feb. 19, and that the DIA must run the required 30-day notice for property dispositions. She said the team expects to file the city legislation in May so that council action can occur before the council’s budget schedule.

No formal vote was taken on Feb. 3; presenters asked for the committee’s awareness and support ahead of the May filing and June council action. Boyer and Dudas answered clarifying questions from committee members about schedule, parcel boundaries and financing commitments during the presentation.

Details to watch next: finalized DIA resolutions and term sheets in mid-February, the DIA board actions on Feb. 13 and Feb. 19, the formal city legislation filing in May, and the council’s anticipated vote in June. If passed on schedule, UF would begin initial degree programming in existing space in August 2025 while design and planning proceed for new construction that would come later.